Increase In Learning Chapter 1

I must confess something right now:  I'm somewhat exhausted as I write this.  It's been a long week and I can tell I'm coming down with another respiratory infection again.  I just got rid of the last one less than a month ago.


I've read Chapter 1 of Increase In Learning and am really loving it.  There is so much there that is, for me, "connecting the dots" in a spiritual sense.


A few thoughts:


Chapter 1 is about our individual responsibility to learn - not just our role, but our role in seeking and receiving knowledge from the Holy Ghost, and then acting upon that knowledge.


A lot of this chapter reminded me of this scripture, found in Doctrine & Covenants 9: 7-8:

"7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.

 8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right."

If we expect help by way of knowledge, warnings and other types of personal revelation from the Lord, we need to be doing our part as well.  She should not walk up to the Lord and tell Him, "okay, I'm here.  Enlighten me."

Yet, how many of us pray like this?  I've been guilty of this as well, which is why so much of this has been changing the content and language of my prayers.  It's made a huge difference in how my day goes and what my choices are.

Along with this comes the strengthening of my armor.

Last Sunday, the Primary children created a "class shield" of what kinds of things they use to make good choices in their lives.  It made me wonder, what symbols would be on my shield?

Learning also means knowing what the Lord wants you to be asking.  It reminded me of one of the TOFW talks by Laurel Christensen where she talks about her "aha" moment when she learns about asking for bread vs. asking for a stone.  It comes from Matthew 7:9:

 "9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?"


She talked about learning to ask for the appropriate things, at the appropriate time when she received an answer telling her "Heavenly Father wants to give you bread, when you ask for bread."


The related readings also prompted some learning, but also some questions as well.


One of the biggest questions was for me:  if I had a Liahona as did Nephi, what would it say?


The Liahona was the outward symbol of what we should be inwardly doing - seeking to know the will of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.


In order to be able to fully answer that, you need to have fully received the Holy Ghost, and receive the counsel He gives.


With that in mind:  what would your Liahona say to you today?