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| books are gateway to knowledge |
Write on board "TIL"
- what does that mean?
- talk about some fascinating things from /r/TIL
Learning isn't all boring. Granted, there are things you have to learn, but in many other cases, learning is a joy; learning gives you knowledge, power, insight, the ability to make wise decisions.
That One Class
We've all had that one class where we say, "how is this going to help me?" For some, it is English; for others it is Math. For me, it was Physical Science 101 at BYU. Probably my worst grade at BYU, one of only 2 C's I got. Sometimes, you just have to take it and do your best to get something out of it.
The Joy of Learning
For me, joy in learning comes from reading really interesting books
- Scriptures
- Meditations
- Inner Citadel
- Culture and Carnage
- Rough Stone Rolling
Ask students for examples of times when they've had to take "that one class". How did they cope? What did they do to make the best of it?
Ask students examples of times when they've experienced the joy of learning. Why was it joyful? What make it enjoyable? How did it make them a better person?
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| fiber optic cables (how data moves) |
Have students read "Seek Learning by Faith" (September 2007 Ensign) by Bednar.
- Students share 3 things they learn from the article
The Cycle of Learning by Faith
Assurance (hope) leads to action, which leads to evidence
As you look back on your life, what things have you now learned, but at the time you began to learn them, you had doubts? For example, anyone who has learned to play an instrument - how did you feel the first time you played compared to how you feel now?
Assurance: you believe, you trust in the future - that there will be a way
Action: based on assurance and evidence, you act
Evidence: after you have acted, the outcome may or may not be what was expected. But you are wiser and much closer to achieving what you have faith in.
Lectures on Faith
You can access the Lectures on Faith at lecturesonfaith.com
Read verses 10-11 in the 1st Lecture
10 If men were duly to consider themselves, and turn their thoughts and reflections to the operations of their own minds, they would readily discover that it is faith, and faith only, which is the moving cause of all action, in them; that without it, both mind and body would be in a state of inactivity, and all their exertions would cease, both physical and mental.
11 Were this class to go back and reflect upon the history of their lives, from the period of their first recollection, and ask themselves, what principle excited them to action, or what gave them energy and activity, in all their lawful avocations, callings and pursuits, what would be the answer? Would it not be that it was the assurance which we had of the existence of things which we had not seen, as yet?—Was it not the hope which you had, in consequence of your belief in the existence of unseen things, which stimulated you to action and exertion, in order to obtain them? Are you not dependent on your faith, or belief, for the acquisition of all knowledge, wisdom and intelligence? Would you exert yourselves to obtain wisdom and intelligence, unless you did believe that you could obtain them? Would you have ever sown if you had not believed that you would reap? Would you have ever planted if you had not believed that you would gather? Would you have ever asked unless you had believed that you would receive? Would you have ever sought unless you had believed that you would have found? Or would you have ever knocked unless you had believed that it would have been opened unto you? In a word, is there any thing that you would have done, either physical or mental, if you had not previously believed? Are not all your exertions, of every kind, dependent on your faith? Or may we not ask, what have you, or what do you possess, which you have not obtained by reason of your faith? Your food, your raiment, your lodgings, are they not all by reason of your faith? Reflect, and ask yourselves, if these things are not so. Turn your thoughts on your own minds, and see if faith is not the moving cause of all action in yourselves; and if the moving cause in you, is it not in all other intelligent beings?
To Act and not be Acted Upon
Read 2 Nephi 2:13-14
Learning by faith and from experience are two of the central features of the Father’s plan of happiness. The Savior preserved moral agency through the Atonement and made it possible for us to act and to learn by faith. Lucifer’s rebellion against the plan sought to destroy the agency of man, and his intent was that we as learners would only be acted upon. In a sense, Lucifer wanted to do all the thinking for us.
Thoughts on Lucifers plan?
We are to be DOERS of the word, not simply HEARERS of the word
In everything you learn, you should ask yourself, "what will I do with this experience, lesson, knowledge?"
Story of Joseph Smith; verses 10 and 18
Joseph wasn't satisfied with just knowing, he wanted to DO; to ACT
Truly, one of the great challenges of mortality is to seek learning by faith. The Prophet Joseph Smith best summarizes the learning process and outcomes I am attempting to describe. In response to a request by the Twelve Apostles for instruction, Joseph taught, “The best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not to ask it from books, but to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teaching.”
And on another occasion, the Prophet Joseph explained that “reading the experience of others, or the revelation given to them, can never give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God.
The desire to learn
Bring in big stack of books; scriptures, etc.
Now, you have the information of the world at your finger tips; and what do we do? Play games? or become agents?
