Week Seventy-Eight: I Love Learning Things

I can't tell you all how much I love this. All of this.

To my dearest everyone,

Let me share with you something I have learned:

God is a God of truth, he cannot lie. (Ether 3:12)

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:16)

Truth is a knowledge of things as they are, as they were, and as they are to come. (D&C 93:24)

In short, truth and knowledge is of God, and therefore, good.

There is never a time when mankind has learned everything. Everyone is always learning. This is good.

You can learn things on your own, and it will fill your carnal mind with carnal knowledge. But learning goes to a completely knew level when you add God into the learning.

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, it testifies and witnesses of truth. (Moroni 10:5) You can think of him like the smartest individual in the world. Lets say you were studying a topic, and you figured something out. Then along comes the smartest individual in the world and says "Wow, you did a good job, that is exactly right. You have learned truth." How would you feel then?
Or lets say you figured something out, but the smartest individual said "sorry my friend, that just simply isn't true." How would you feel then?

To bring it onto a lower level, lets say you were in school and you were assigned a problem to figure out for homework. It was a very difficult problem, but after much studying and trials, you found an answer that works. You take your homework assignment back to the teacher and they say "Wow, you got it right! you did a wonderful job, you must have worked very hard. *gold star*" How would you feel then?

Now on the other side, lets say you worked hard and then came back to the teacher. But this time the teacher says "sorry, this isn't the right answer. Maybe try checking this part." How would you feel then?

This is how the Holy Ghost answers us. God doesn't want to give us everything without trying, but he wants us to learn and to grow. You must study it out in your mind and ask if it be right. (D&C 9:8) If the "Teacher", the Holy Ghost sees your solution is correct, he will cause your "bosom to burn" with "Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith..." (Galatians 5:22).

But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings (D&C 9:9)

When you learn without the guidance of one who knows, it is much more difficult to find truth. If you were going through school without a teacher to check your work you would find much difficulty when you get to the final exam.

No one ever stops learning. Just as in school, where we start learning addition, then work our way up to probabilities, statistics, calculus, etc, we also are always learning. No one knows everything in this life. But those who know more can help those who are still learning.

As I said earlier, I love learning. I have much to learn, and my knowledge is not perfect. But I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who has allowed me to go through this life and learn so much.
I know I am doing the Lord's work. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Holy Ghost is our comforter and teacher if we will seek his counsel.

I love you all, have a wonderful week.

-Elder Wilcken

P.S. The area is very good.