President Spencer W. Kimball on the blessing of reading good books

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) was ordained an apostle in 1943 and served as President of the Church from 1973 to 1985.

"Numerous leisure hours have been made available to men. It is noticeable that many use these extra hours for fun and pleasure. Certainly an increased part of it could profitably be used for gaining knowledge and culture through the reading of good books.

"Numerous people fail to take advantage of these opportunities. Many people spend hours in planes with only cursory glancing at magazines, and in the train or bus, time is spent 'sitting and thinking,' and in many cases, 'just sitting,' when there could be such a constructive program of reading. People in beauty parlors, professional offices, waiting rooms, and elsewhere waste precious hours thumbing through outdated magazines when much valuable reading could be done in these islands of time.... Even in the beginning there was the written word, for Adam and Eve were conscious of the need for the development of the mind, 'And by them their children were taught to read and write, having a language which was pure and undefiled.' (Moses 6:6.)"

- Spencer W. Kimball, "The Power of Books", R.S. Magazine October 1963, p. 724; see TSWK p. 383

I always loved President Kimball's straight-forward approach to offering counsel on practical matters. In this example, he notes the blessing we enjoy in our modern society of "numerous leisure hours" compared to the lifestyle of times past. But the worry about using that time appropriately is a real one, and President Kimball encourages more active reading as one of the best uses in lieu of too much "fun and pleasure."

President Kimball and his wife Camilla were both wonderful examples of this principle. They both were well-read and clearly knew how to take advantage of their leisure time in productive ways. What a great example of life-long learning! In the years since he shared these thoughts in 1963, so many more things have arisen that compete for those precious leisure hours. It's even more critical that we be cautious about their use.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)
July 14, 2015

President Henry B. Eyring on continuing education

President Eyring (1933- ) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007. These remarks were shared during a CES fireside address in 2001.

"No service that matters can be given over a lifetime by those who stop learning. A great teacher is always studying. A nurse never stops facing the challenge of dealing with something new, be it equipment or procedure. And the workplace in every industry is changing so rapidly that what we know today will not be enough for tomorrow. 

"Our education must never stop. If it ends at the door of the classroom on graduation day, we will fail. And since what we will need to know is hard to discern, we need the help of heaven to know which of the myriad things we could study we would most wisely learn. It also means that we cannot waste time entertaining ourselves when we have the chance to read or to listen to whatever will help us learn what is true and useful. Insatiable curiosity will be our hallmark. 

"For many of us, the feeling bears down on us that we must choose between spiritual and secular learning. That is a false conflict for most of us, particularly for the young. Before we have families, there is leisure time even in what is our busiest day. Too often we use many hours for fun and pleasure, clothed in the euphemism 'I'm recharging my batteries.' Those hours could be spent reading and studying to gain knowledge, skills, and culture." 

- Henry B. Eyring, "Education for Real Life," CES fireside in Moscow, Idaho, on 6 May 2001; see Ensign, Oct 2002, p. 14.
Click here to read the full article

The ancient apostle Paul worried about those in the last days who would be "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7).  President Eyring worries first that we don't even get that far—that instead, we stop learning altogether. So the first challenge is to be ongoing students, to be committed to learning, to be cautious and wise in how we use our free time in the midst of so many opportunities.

In modern revelation, the Lord has continued to issued this challenge: "...study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people" (D&C 90:15).  Clearly He intends for that to be an ongoing, continual process.

In addition, President Eyring assures us that we need not be overly concerned about the perceived choices of "spiritual" and "secular" learning, since both can lead to good ends. I love pondering D&C 88:77-80 where we are encouraged to study and teach not only the "doctrines of the kingdom," but also a list of topics that seems to include such diverse fields as astronomy, geology, history, current events, social issues, international relations, geography—quite a diverse list! But we should choose wisely where we devote our energies. The key, the second challenge from President Eyring, and the solution to Paul's concern, lies in invoking "the help of heaven" to guide us in what we should study.

 

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)

Jan 18, 2015

President Spencer W. Kimball on spiritual education and training

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) was ordained an apostle in 1943 and served as President of the Church from 1973 to 1985.

"Our training must not only teach us how to build dams and store water to dampen parched earth to make the desert blossom as the rose and feed starving humanity, but it must prepare us to dam our carnal inclinations and desires with self-denial, creating reservoirs to be filled with spirituality.

"We must study not only to cultivate fertile acres, plant seeds therein, and nurture them on to harvests, but we must plant in the hearts of men seeds of cleanliness and righteous living and faith and hope and peace.

"We must not only know how to kill weeds and noxious plants which befoul our crops, but learn to eradicate from the souls of men the noxious theories and manmade sophistries which would cloud issues and bring heartache and distress to men.

"We must not only be trained to inoculate and vaccinate and immunize against disease, set broken limbs, and cure illnesses, but we must be trained to clarify minds, heal broken hearts and create homes where sunshine will make an environment in which mental and spiritual health may be nurtured....

"Our schooling must not only teach us how to bridge the Niagara River gorge, or the Golden Gate, but must teach us how to bridge the deep gaps of misunderstanding and hate and discord in the world."

- Spencer W. Kimball, Safford Arizona High School Commencement, 5/16/46; see TSWK 391

It's interesting to consider the setting for this quote. A young Spencer W. Kimball (48 at the time) had been serving as stake president in Safford, Arizona where he was raising his family and was co-owner of an insurance business. Shortly after being called as an apostle and moving to Salt Lake City, he's asked to return to his hometown to speak at high school graduation. This poetic excerpt is from that address. I love how he compares the training offered in our worldly pursuits with the spiritual training and skills that are even more important to our success and happiness.

Note how appropriate the examples are for a small rural community such as Safford was: storing water for irrigation, cultivating lands and raising crops, controlling weeks and invasive crops, dealing with diseases and injuries, and solving basic engineering tasks. For each of these he offers a spiritual corollary that he invites his listeners to seek as part of their life-training. Wonderful counsel for all of us, not just for high school graduates!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder David A. Bednar on education and intelligence

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"The revelations teach us that 'the glory of God is intelligence' (D&C 93:36). We typically may think the word intelligence in this scripture denotes innate cognitive ability or a particular gift for academic work. In this verse, however, one of the meanings of intelligence is the application of knowledge for righteous purposes. As President David O. McKay taught:

"'True education—the education [or learning] for which the Church stands—is the application of knowledge to the development of a noble and Godlike character.' ('True Education,' Improvement Era 60, no. 3 (March 1957): 141)

"We are blessed in mortality with endless opportunities to apply what we learn and know for righteousness—or to increase in intelligence. And learning from experience is one of the primary vehicles provided in the Father’s plan of happiness to accomplish this eternally important outcome. Consequently, we should not equate intelligence exclusively with formal education, academic degrees, or professional success. Some of the most educated people I have ever known had little or no intelligence. And some of the most intelligent people I have ever known had little or no formal education.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith is a prime example of an uneducated person who learned from experience and was filled with the light and truth of intelligence. (See D&C 93:36.)"

- David A. Bednar, "Walk in the Meekness of My Spirit," BYU University Conference, Aug. 28, 2017
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

The definition of intelligence as "the application of knowledge for righteous purposes" is not what we normally associate with it; that might be what we more commonly call wisdom. But Elder Bednar gives a good explanation of the scriptural application of the term and how it relates to our learning and education. And the importance of "learning from experience" through our mortality is critical.

Intelligence and education can take many forms in our lives, and we should be careful in how we assume they relate and are manifest in others. There are some remarkably intelligent people who have very little education!

In any case, they key is that we should strive to grow in both intelligence and education, and we will find the Spirit can enhance our efforts in both directions.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Gordon B. Hinckley on striving for excellence

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1961. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1981-1995, then as Church President until his death in 2008.

"There is a sign on the gate of this campus that reads: 'Enter to learn; go forth to serve.'

"I invite you, every one of you, to make that your motto. Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better. Give it your very best. You will never again have such an opportunity. Pray about it. Work at it. Make it happen. Drink in the great knowledge here to be obtained from this dedicated faculty. Qualify yourselves for the work of the world that lies ahead. It will largely compensate you in terms of what it thinks you are worth. Walk the high road of charity, respect, and love for others and particularly those who are less fortunate. Be happy. Look for the sunlight in life. Reach for the stars."

- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Remarks at the Inauguration of President Cecil O. Samuelson," BYU, Sep. 9, 2003
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

These remarks were addressed to a gathering of mostly students at BYU when Cecil O. Samuelson was inaugurated as the new BYU president in 2003. However, the principles apply broadly to all of us, young or old, formal student or informal learner. President Hinckley was always very optimistic, but also very inviting and challenging for all to do their very best, to try harder, to be more committed to the things they knew were true and right. He doesn't want mediocre efforts; he encouraged us to do our very best:

Success in learning, like success in most areas, doesn't come free. As President Hinckley notes, we must work hard, we must pray, and be very diligent to take advantages of the opportunities that are presented to us.

His final encouragement regarding our attitudes towards others is more general—to be kind and charitable to those around us. And then, never forget that optimistic outlook for which President Hinckley is well remembered: "Be happy. Look for the sunlight in life. Reach for the stars." Great counsel.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Harold B. Lee on continuing to learn throughout life

President Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1941. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1970-1972, then as Church president from July 1972 until his passing less than 18 months later in December 1973.

"I read recently from a column in the Washington Post, by George Moore.... In this article he said, 'I have spent the last twenty years of my life at Mount Vernon reducing my ignorance.' He claimed that a person never learns anything until he realizes how little he knows. In this article he makes this most illuminating observation about George Washington:

"'Washington never went to school. That's why he was an educated man, he never quit learning.'

"What George Moore said of himself I suppose could be said of many of you and of myself: 'I have spent more than three score years of my life reducing my ignorance.'

"Therein, it is my conviction, is the challenge to all who achieve distinction in any field. Some quit learning when they graduate from a school; some quit learning about the gospel when they have completed a mission for the Church; some quit learning when they become an executive or have a prominent position in or out of the Church.

"Remember, as George Moore said of Washington, 'We can become educated persons, regardless of our stations in life, if we never quit learning.'"

- Harold B. Lee, "The Iron Rod," General Conference, April 1971
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

The warning of Nephi comes to mind: "When they are learned they think they are wise..." (2 Ne 9:28). The wise understand that as they gain learning, they have so much left to learn, and that as President Lee points out, " a person never learns anything until he realizes how little he knows."

Our goal should be to never cease learning; to continue to "reduce our ignorance." For those of us "getting on in life" it would be good to evaluate periodically how we are responding to this charge! Are we truly growing in knowledge and wisdom? Are we reading, studying, stretching, seeking new settings and opportunities? What efforts are we making to ensure that happens in our lives?

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Ezra Taft Benson on careful choices in personal reading

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1943, and served as the 13th President of the Church from 1985 until his death in 1994 at age 94.

"Today, with the abundance of books available, it is the mark of a truly educated man to know what not to read. 'Of making many books there is no end' (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Feed only on the best. As John Wesley’s mother counseled him: 'Avoid whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, ... increases the authority of the body over the mind.'

"The fact that a book is old does not necessarily make it of value. The fact that an author wrote one good work does not necessarily mean that all his books are worthy of your time. Do not make your mind a dumping ground for other people’s garbage. It is harder to purge the mind of rotten reading than to purge the body of rotten food, and it is more damaging to the soul....

"Let us summarize. The most vital knowledge you can learn is the saving truths of the gospel—the truths that will make the difference in your eternal welfare. The most vital words that you can read are those of the Presidents of the Church—particularly the living prophet—and those of the apostles and prophets. God encourages learning in many areas, and vocational skills will have increasing importance. There is much reading material that is available that is either time-wasting or corrupting. The best yardstick to use in discerning the worth of true knowledge and learning is to go first and foremost to the words of the Lord’s prophets."

- Ezra Taft Benson, "In His Steps," BYU Fireside, March 4, 1979
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

I was a student at BYU when President Benson gave this address. I remember his encouragement to walk in the Savior's steps: "The greatest yardstick of success is to see how much your daily walk can be like Christ’s—how closely you can walk each moment in His steps."

He used the words of the Savior as an invitation for us: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52). This excerpt came as he encouraged students to "increase in wisdom"—to be learning and growing intellectually. While learning is crucial to our ongoing progress and growth, it's clear that not all learning is of equal importance; and that there are traps and pitfalls that we can encounter in our reading and studying.

How carefully we must choose what we put into our minds! We should filter carefully to make sure that the "garbage" of the world is kept out. One important way to do that, President Benson suggests, is to focus first on the teachings of the scriptures and prophets; and then to judge everything else by that standard.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

President Howard W. Hunter on developing character and continuing to learn

President Howard W. Hunter (1907-1995) was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1959.  He served as Church President for only nine months, from June 5, 1994 to his death on March 3, 1995.

"At the end of your lives you will not be judged by academic successes, the degrees or diplomas earned, the positions held, the material wealth acquired, or power and prestige, but rather on the basis of what you have become as persons and what you are in conduct and character. Yours is the power individually to transform yourselves into the persons you want to be....

"Leave school with your books and your minds still open, and make your lives a quest for knowledge. Plato thought knowledge the highest human good, and Matthew Arnold thought the primary purpose of education was to help students to see things as they really are, to see the world about them as it really is. Only as we see the world as it really is can we hope to solve its problems. Only by knowledge can we banish ignorance, superstition, prejudice, fear, and hatred, the evils from which spring most of our world's problems. Therefore it is imperative that you continue to seek knowledge."

- Howard W. Hunter, "A Time for Wise Decisions." Commencement Address, BYU—Hawaii Campus, 23 June 1979; see THWH p. 177

It's important to remember what really matters "in the long run" in our lives. As he addressed a graduating class at BYU-Hawaii, who would naturally have their future careers and vocational aspirations in the forefront of their thoughts, President Hunter reminded them that recognition of men or accumulation of possessions are not the critical things in life; rather, the kind of character that is developed:

Part of the development of character occurs as we continue to gain knowledge throughout life. President Hunter gives the classic advice, "Leave school with your books and your minds still open." We need to continue to learn new things throughout our lives; and we need to have our minds open to new ideas, different approaches, changed opinions. This is a great key to ongoing success and happiness, individually and collectively: "Only by knowledge can we banish ignorance, superstition, prejudice, fear, and hatred, the evils from which spring most of our world's problems." That is a bold statement, one that we should all put to the test!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

Elder Dallin H. Oaks on the importance of lifelong learning

Elder Dallin H. Oaks (b. August 12, 1932) served as president of BYU from 1971-1980.  He was then appointed as a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and resigned when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984.

"I have been speaking about pushing back against worldly values and practices that are contrary to gospel teachings and covenants. I now conclude by urging you to practice one worldly value that is consistent with the gospel culture. It is the importance of lifelong learning, which for us is promoted and directed by eternal priorities. Beyond increasing our occupational qualifications, we should desire to learn how to become more emotionally fulfilled, more skilled in our personal relationships, and better parents and citizens. There are few things more fulfilling and fun than learning something new. Greater happiness, satisfaction, and even temporal rewards come from this.

"Our education should not be limited to formal study. Lifelong learning can increase our ability to appreciate and relish the workings and beauty of the world around us. This kind of learning goes well beyond books and a selective use of new technology, such as the internet. It includes artistic endeavors. It also includes experiences with people and places: conversations with friends; travel; visits to museums, plays, and concerts; and opportunities for service.

"Graduates, expand yourselves and enjoy the journey."

- Dallin H. Oaks, "Push Back Against the World," Commencement Address at BYU-Hawaii, February 25, 2017
Click here to read the entire talk

Speaking to a graduating class at BYU-Hawaii earlier this year, Elder Oaks gave a reminder that applies not just to new graduates, but to all. Education doesn't end with graduation, and isn't limited to formal classroom settings. We believe in the importance of "lifelong learning," in particular learning that is "promoted and directed by eternal priorities" (an important distinction). I agree with his claim that there aren't many things more fun and fulfilling than learning new things!

Elder Oaks points out that there are many ways to continue learning:

This is such an important reminder. We learn in ways beyond reading books, sitting in classes, or researching on the Internet. Our experiences with other people are great sources; travel is invaluable; and taking advantage of local resources including artistic and cultural presentations can expand our horizons. The final suggestion that serving others is a part of our education is one that might not have been anticipated.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

Elder David A. Bednar on our commitment to education and learning

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"A hierarchy of importance exists among the things you and I can learn. Indeed, all learning is not equally important. The Apostle Paul taught this truth in his second epistle to Timothy as he warned that in the latter days many people would be 'ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth' (2 Timothy 3:7).

"Some facts are helpful or interesting to know. Some knowledge is useful to learn and apply. But gospel truths are essential for us to understand and live if we are to become what our Heavenly Father yearns for us to become. The type of learning I am attempting to describe is not merely the accumulation of data and facts and frameworks; rather, it is acquiring and applying knowledge for righteousness.

"The revelations teach us that 'the glory of God is intelligence' (D&C 93:36). We typically may think the word intelligence in this scripture denotes innate cognitive ability or a particular gift for academic work. In this verse, however, one of the meanings of intelligence is the application of the knowledge we obtain for righteous purposes. As President David O. McKay taught, the learning 'for which the Church stands... is the application of knowledge to the development of a noble and Godlike character' (David O. McKay, 'True Education,' Improvement Era, March 1957, 141).

"You and I are here upon the earth to prepare for eternity, to learn how to learn, to learn things that are temporally important and eternally essential, and to assist others in learning wisdom and truth (see D&C 97:1). Understanding who we are, where we came from, and why we are upon the earth places upon each of us a great responsibility both to learn how to learn and to learn to love learning."

- David A. Bednar, "Learning to Love Learning," BYU Commencement address, Apr. 24, 2008
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Addressing graduating students at BYU, Elder Bednar gave instruction and encouragement about the importance of an ongoing commitment to learning. He first discussed the role learning plays in the gospel of Jesus Christ; there is a great emphasis on seeking, asking, studying, and growing in intelligence. But it's important to know that all learning is not of equal value or importance:

The key to this type of learning is that it involves "acquiring and applying knowledge for righteousness" or "the application of the knowledge we obtain for righteous purposes." The very purpose of our mortal experience includes the opportunity and responsibility "to learn things that are temporally important and eternally essential." We must catch that vision and become devoted to it!

The rest of Elder Bednar's talk discusses other aspects of learning: how it is vital to our personal and spiritual development, and the critical nature of ongoing learning in the world we live and work in. It is good counsel, worth reviewing.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

President Russell M. Nelson on the importance of personal education

President Russell M. Nelson (b. Sept 9, 1924) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He was set apart as president of the Quorum of Twelve on July 15, 2015.

"Please be true to yourself. Honor—yes, even demand—highest expectations from yourself. Pursue your education as a priority of the highest order. Gain all the education you can. With us as Latter-day Saints, education is a religious responsibility. 'The glory of God is intelligence' (D&C 93:36)....

"Your mind is precious! It is sacred. Therefore, the education of one's mind is also sacred. Indeed, education is a religious responsibility. Of course, our opportunities and abilities will vary a great deal. But, in the pursuit of one's education, individual desire is more important than is the institution you choose; personal drive is more significant than is the faculty.

"Our Creator expects His children everywhere to gain an education as a personal endeavor. He issued this commandment: 'Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith' (D&C 88:118; emphasis added). When you leave this frail existence, your material possessions will remain here, but the Lord has declared that the knowledge you acquire here will rise with you in the resurrection (see D&C 130:18-19). In light of this celestial perspective, if you impulsively drop out or otherwise cut short your education, you would not only disregard a divine decree but also abbreviate your own eternal potential."

- Russell M. Nelson, "Education: A Religious Responsibility," BYU-Idaho Devotional, January 26, 2010
Click here to read the full talk
Watch the video of the presentation here

Do we truly demand the highest expectations of ourselves? President Nelson was speaking in these remarks to college-age youth about the importance of their educational pursuits, but the principles go beyond the formal period of education and preparation that normally occurs at that age. They are eternal. To say that "education is a religious responsibility" is an ongoing obligation for each of us.

So it's the "personal endeavor" of education that we must continue as a priority in our life. We must continue to "seek words of wisdom" from "the best books" in our personal lives. We must seek wisdom and learning—a very active and ongoing charge to each of us. That is the continuing path to our "eternal potential" that President Nelson, and the Lord, hope we are pursuing.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

Thomas S. Monson on the importance and benefits of reading

President Thomas S. Monson (born August 21 1927) was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1963.  He served as a counselor in the First Presidency with Presidents Benson, Hunter, and Hinckley until becoming Church president in 2008.

"Reading 'out of the best books' stretches our mental muscles and expands our horizons. It takes us out of our mundane worlds and lets us travel as far as our imaginations and the picture painting words of the authors can carry us. Reading keeps us vibrant, it keeps us alive and makes us far more interesting to our marriage mates and our families. It is also a form of insurance against mental aging. We are only as old as we think we are. Some people say that one way to keep alive is to keep interested in many things, and the way to keep interested is to read widely and wisely....

"Reading is one of the true pleasures of life. In our age of mass culture, when so much that we encounter is abridged, adapted, adulterated, shredded and boiled down, and commercialism's loudspeakers are incessantly braying, it is mind-easing and mind-inspiring to sit down privately with a good book. It is ennobling when that book contains the revealed word of God."

- Thomas S. Monson, "Constant Truths in Changing Times," BYU Commencement, May 26, 1967; see TTSM pp. 33-34

It's always interesting to hear when one of the leading Church authorities quotes from an unusual contemporary source, or even a classic literary work, or makes a historical analogy. That suggests what kinds of materials they might be reading in their personal time. Occasionally they will talk directly about the importance of being broadly informed and educated. This excerpt from President Monson is a great example of that encouragement.

After listing what he perceives as many of the long-term benefits of being widely-read, President Monson talks about the pure enjoyment of the activity ("one of the true pleasures of life"), and how it is "mind-easing and mind-inspiring to sit down privately with a good book" in a world that is noisy and complicated. What a great reminder!

Spencer W. Kimball on the blessing of reading good books

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) was ordained an apostle in 1943 and served as President of the Church from 1973 to 1985.

"Numerous leisure hours have been made available to men. It is noticeable that many use these extra hours for fun and pleasure. Certainly an increased part of it could profitably be used for gaining knowledge and culture through the reading of good books.

"Numerous people fail to take advantage of these opportunities. Many people spend hours in planes with only cursory glancing at magazines, and in the train or bus, time is spent 'sitting and thinking,' and in many cases, 'just sitting,' when there could be such a constructive program of reading. People in beauty parlors, professional offices, waiting rooms, and elsewhere waste precious hours thumbing through outdated magazines when much valuable reading could be done in these islands of time.... Even in the beginning there was the written word, for Adam and Eve were conscious of the need for the development of the mind, 'And by them their children were taught to read and write, having a language which was pure and undefiled.' (Moses 6:6.)"

- Spencer W. Kimball, "The Power of Books", R.S. Magazine October 1963, p. 724; see TSWK p. 383

I always loved President Kimball's straight-forward approach to offering counsel on practical matters. In this example, he notes the blessing we enjoy in our modern society of "numerous leisure hours" compared to the lifestyle of times past. But the worry about using that time appropriately is a real one, and President Kimball encourages more active reading as one of the best uses in lieu of too much "fun and pleasure."

President Kimball and his wife Camilla were both wonderful examples of this principle. They both were well-read and clearly knew how to take advantage of their leisure time in productive ways. What a great example of life-long learning!

Orson F. Whitney on the blessings of enduring trials

Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855-1931), a journalist, teacher, poet, and historian, was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1906 and served until his death in 1931 at age 75.

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God... and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven."

- Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report April 1929, p. 110; quoted in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle (1972), p. 98

Each life has its share of pain, trials, and suffering. Sometimes some of us feel we are getting more than our share. According to Elder Whitney, if we learn to "endure... patiently" the things that come, we experience growth in character and expansion of soul, and become "more worthy to be called the children of God." Perhaps we will understand some day what a blessing our trials and suffering are!

What a beautiful and tender testimony from a faithful servant of the Lord.

Henry B. Eyring on continuing education

President Eyring (1933- ) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007. These remarks were shared during a CES fireside address in 2001.

"No service that matters can be given over a lifetime by those who stop learning. A great teacher is always studying. A nurse never stops facing the challenge of dealing with something new, be it equipment or procedure. And the workplace in every industry is changing so rapidly that what we know today will not be enough for tomorrow.
"Our education must never stop. If it ends at the door of the classroom on graduation day, we will fail. And since what we will need to know is hard to discern, we need the help of heaven to know which of the myriad things we could study we would most wisely learn. It also means that we cannot waste time entertaining ourselves when we have the chance to read or to listen to whatever will help us learn what is true and useful. Insatiable curiosity will be our hallmark.
"For many of us, the feeling bears down on us that we must choose between spiritual and secular learning. That is a false conflict for most of us, particularly for the young. Before we have families, there is leisure time even in what is our busiest day. Too often we use many hours for fun and pleasure, clothed in the euphemism 'I'm recharging my batteries.' Those hours could be spent reading and studying to gain knowledge, skills, and culture."
- Henry B. Eyring, "Education for Real Life," CES fireside in Moscow, Idaho, on 6 May 2001; see Ensign, Oct 2002, p. 14.  Click here to read the full article

The ancient apostle Paul worried about those in the last days who would be "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7).  President Eyring worries first that we don't even get that far—that instead, we stop learning altogether. So the first challenge is to be ongoing students, to be committed to learning, to be cautious and wise in how we use our free time in the midst of so many opportunities.

In modern revelation, the Lord has continued to issued this challenge: "...study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people" (D&C 90:15).  Clearly He intends for that to be an ongoing, continual process.

In addition, President Eyring assures us that we need not be overly concerned about the perceived choices of "spiritual" and "secular" learning, since both can lead to good ends. I love pondering D&C 88:77-80 where we are encouraged to study and teach not only the "doctrines of the kingdom," but also a list of topics that seems to include such diverse fields as astronomy, geology, history, current events, social issues, international relations, geography—quite a diverse list! But we should choose wisely where we devote our energies. The key, the second challenge from President Eyring, and the solution to Paul's concern, lies in invoking "the help of heaven" to guide us in what we should study.