FHE Lesson 02/01/10 - Education

I went visiting teaching today (01/31) after church (I know, last possible day of the month - typical). The visiting teaching message for January is focused on becoming more self-reliant. Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, quoted the following:"How do we become self-reliant? We become self-reliant through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy..." Our becoming self-reliant depends quite heavily upon our gaining sufficient knowledge and a proper education. If we and our children are to be responsible individuals and properly take care of our own, we must prepare ourselves to do so. Education is one of the elementary and basic tools in this preparation.

In this same visiting teaching message, Elder Robert D. Hales quotes "Only when we are self-reliant can we truly emulate the Savior in serving and blessing others." I believe this all ties in together, like with many other gospel principles. We need to be in a position in this life to serve and bless others. Gaining an education is not just for our own salvation; it enables us to assist others in their salvation both temporally and spiritually.

Regarding our spiritual learning, it is important that we recognize that obtaining an education obviously does not only apply to temporal learning through secular institutions. The Lord has counseled us to learn the gospel and to gain an understanding "...of things both in heaven and in the earth..." (D&C 88:79). Our Heavenly Father expects us, His children, to educate ourselves. Our spiritual education is of equal importance to our temporal ecuation. The Lord told Oliver Cowdry "Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart." (D&C 8:2). It is essential that we are educated both in mind and spirit so that we may be prepared and able to receive the promptings our Heavenly Father wants so much to bless us with. Putting spiritual learning first gives our secular learning purpose. There are many of us who have learned from very sad experience the suffering and tragedy that comes from neglecting ones spiritual education.

We understand that there are few things we take with us when we leave this life here on earth. The education we elect to learn in this life is one of those very few things. Our personal intelligence is everlasting and divine. As quoted by Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Because of our sacred regard for each human intellect, we consider the obtaining of an education to be a religious responsibility...[Heavenly Father] assures us that knowledge acquired here will be ours forever. Measured by this celestial standard, it is apparent that those who impulsively 'drop out' and cut short their education not only disregard divine decree but frustrate the realization of their own potential."

Let us all catch a glimpse of the bigger picture regarding our education; the purpose, the destination, the course of action for this life that determines what we can become through the eternities. It's this same glimpse of the excitement, the benefits, the opportunities, the richness of life than an education can provide, that the discipline required to study becomes a small price to pay.