Enter to Learn--Go Forth to Serve

There is a sign at the main entrance to Brigham Young University that reads: “Enter to Learn--Go Forth to Serve”. As a student at BYU this theme was an important goal for each of us. We were there to do more than obtain a degree. We were to learn as much as we could about a variety of subjects so that when we left the university we not only were qualified for a career in our chosen fields, but that we would be contributing citizens of our cities, states and countries. We were also there to increase our knowledge of where we had come from, why were here in mortality and where we were going after we die. We were to learn how to be contributing members of the Kingdom of God on the earth and qualify for life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Although only a few students attend BYU, we all are on a journey in this life that did not start when we were born. We have all been sent here by our Heavenly Father to learn and then go forth to serve.

Abraham was shown in vision of the spirits in the premortal life and their purpose in this life:

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.

And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;

And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever. (Abraham 3:22-26)

We lived as spirits with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ before we were born here on this earth. They created this earth for us to come and prove ourselves worthy to return back to live with them again. One of the principles that we are to learn here in this life is to obey God’s commandments. Speaking of the importance of our preparation to meet God again after we die the Book of Mormon Prophet Alma said:

Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. (Alma 34:31-33)

One of the difficulties in our preparation to meet God again is knowing where to look to learn the way back. Elder L. Tom Perry speaking to a group of BYU students said:

Without waiting to find out the true meaning of life, many young people jump to conclusions and embark on their life journey unprepared. They follow the traffic without a road map, and, not surprisingly, all they find along the way is disappointment. What do you need to learn before you go forth to serve?

The scriptures tell us that “it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance” (D&C 131:6). This principle is greatly misunderstood. Elder John A. Widtsoe wrote:

There are of course many kinds of knowledge; some of lesser, some of higher value. When Joseph Smith said that a man cannot be saved in ignorance, he meant naturally ignorance of the laws which all together lead to salvation. Such knowledge is of the highest value. It should be sought after first. Then other kinds of knowledge may be added to support and amplify the more direct knowledge of spiritual law. [Evidences and Reconciliations, arr. G. Homer Durham (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987), p. 224]

What he inferred is there must needs be an order to our learning, the same order indicated by the Savior’s teaching: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Learning about sacred things should come first, providing a context and a need for secular learning. If we want to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence, our first priority should be to learn about his ways and his plan.

The world might fool you into believing there is insufficient time to engage in both spiritual and secular learning. I warn you not to be deceived by these philosophies of men. Your learning about sacred things will facilitate, even accelerate your secular learning. (“Enter to Learn—Go Forth to Serve”, Elder L. Tom Perry, BYU Fireside, March 5, 1995)

Once we have learned what we need to do to return to our Heavenly Father and be worthy to live with him as eternal families, we are then responsible to teach others how to fulfill their earthly mission. Elder Perry continued:

After we learn all we can about the course we must follow and have proceeded on the path to gain eternal life, we have an obligation to others of our Father in Heaven’s children who need help. . .

There are those among us today that preach the doctrine of “me-ism.” They declare that we should think of ourselves first and foremost and above all else. History, however, has taught that selfishness has never brought happiness. An important part of life is serving and sharing. Certainly the soul-satisfying joy of life is leaving a legacy of love and service for others to emulate and enjoy. Bryant S. Hinckley said this about service:

Service is the virtue that distinguished the great of all times and which they will be remembered by. It places a mark if nobility upon its disciples. It is the dividing line which separates the two great groups of the world—those who help and those who hinder, those who lift and those who lean, those who contribute and those who only consume. How much better it is to give than to receive. Service in any form is comely and beautiful. To give encouragement, to impart sympathy, to show interest, to banish fear, to build self confidence and awaken hope in the hearts if others, in short—to love them and to show it—is to render the most precious service. [Quoted by Steven R. Covey, First Things First (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1994), p. 306] (“Enter to Learn—Go Forth to Serve”, Elder L. Tom Perry, BYU Fireside, March 5, 1995)

King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon taught the importance of service when he taught:

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another? (Mosiah 2:17-18)

The Savior speaking to his disciples emphasized the importance of service to others when he said:

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:34-40)

I know that as we follow the example of the Savior and lose ourselves in serving others and helping them learn what they need to do to return with honor to our Heavenly Father we are fulfilling the Lord’s promise to Abraham that if we keep this second estate and we will qualify for eternal life.

By entering this life to learn and then going forth to serve we fulfill this challenge and live with our families eternally.

Your comments and questions are welcome.

Graduation & New Beginnings

This week has been a week of graduation for my extended family and friends from high school and college. Individuals all over are graduating from High School and College and are attending their graduation ceremonies. Two thirds of the student ward that I serve in are graduating and moving from our ward for new careers and to attend graduate schools across the country. Though it is hard to say good-bye to the members of our ward I realize that is what they are supposed to be doing. They come here for a short time and then move on in their lives. Family and friends that are graduating from high school are finally finished with this part of their lives and they will be joining the ranks of the college students somewhere for graduate degrees, other will be looking for a career and becoming active productive members of society; others will be serving missions for the LDS church. An important part of life is graduating and moving on.

The scriptures teach, “the glory of God is intelligence” (D&C 93:36). Our educational pursuit should never end; we must always strive to learn new things. Part of that education needs to be spiritual knowledge. Elder Craig A. Cardon of the First Quorum of 70 speaking at the 2014 BYU Commencement had this to say about continuing our education:

“As you leave this university and as your education continues, you will come to know more fully, as I have come to know, the essential place of spiritual elements in learning and teaching. Mormon expressed the principle well. Even with all of his preparation in abridging the Book of Mormon, with all of his reading, conferring, and writing, he wanted to be sure that we know what he knows above everything else:

“And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record . . . ; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which God has given me.⁴²

“As you continue your education, make sure you continue to develop an essential spiritual capacity, as the prophets have done, to see as the Source of all knowledge sees and thereby know and understand as He knows and understands. In these continuing efforts, may the unique Book of Mormon phrase “and thus we see” typify and be a reminder to you of the spiritual capacity you are developing.

“No matter what challenges or uncertainties you face, I pray that you will always faithfully employ this essential spiritual element in your learning. I promise that as you enthusiastically embrace this spiritual element, you and your families will receive everlasting blessings.” (“And Thus We See”, Craig A. Cardon, 2014 BYU Commencement Address)

Victor L. Brown spoke of a graduation ceremony he attended at the Utah State Prison. Some of the inmates there had attended LDS Institute classes and were graduating. He told of two individuals that were hardened criminals and had not learned to live in society without breaking the law and thus they ended up in prison. There they were introduced to the LDS Church and started taking Institute classes. They were able to turn their lives around and after being released were able to live productive lives. Elder Brown said:

‘There are many who find themselves in circumstances similar to those of Jim and Ed-not necessarily confined to a correctional institution, but nevertheless in prison, a prison from which legal authorities cannot release them, a prison of personal habits such as alcohol, drugs, immorality, selfishness, dishonesty, laziness, aimlessness; yes, these can be more confining and damning than any state prison. Yet there is a way to escape to a freedom that surpasses anything designed by man—the kind of freedom Jim and Ed have found.

“This freedom can only be found by accepting the divine plan and keeping the commandments of him who gave his life for each of us that we might find eternal life—even Jesus Christ. For did he not say: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”? (John 8:32.) (“I Was in Prison, and Ye Came Unto Me”, Victor L. Brown, General Conference, October 1971)

We must be wise and have wisdom in learning to use the educational experiences we have to be honest in all our dealings with those we work with, live with and worship with. We must always strive to serve those in need and help others that need our help and support. True freedom comes from using our God given talents to bless others around us.

Elder Dean L. Larsen speaking of graduations and life afterwards said:

‘Young men, remember who you are. Remember the purpose for which you have come to the earth—the service you have been chosen to give.

‘Stay true to the divine trust that our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, have placed upon you. You can contribute as much to the spiritual environment of your homes as any member of your family, and you have an obligation to do so. Study the scriptures and encourage the other members of your family to do so. Say your prayers and do all you can to influence other members of your family to pray. Pay your tithes. Obey the Word of Wisdom. Be chaste. You may have a greater influence than you have thought possible, if you will do your own part.

‘Remember these words of Edward W. Bok: “Once we are convinced … that we are put here for a purpose: that the seed of divine energy has been given us and that it is for us to cultivate it to its fullest bloom, the way will be shown us. It is our part to make the effort and to put the fullest force and integrity into that effort. It is the young man of little faith who says, ‘I am nothing.’ It is the young man of true conception who says, ‘I am everything,’ and then goes out to prove it.”

‘Young men, let us prove by the way we live and serve that we are everything the Lord expects us to be.” (“A Royal Generation”, Dean L. Larsen, General Conference, April 1983)

So whether you are graduation from high school or college; whether you are continuing on to graduate school or going to work in your first careen; please remember that your education is not done. Learning is a life long pursuit and never ends. Remember that your spiritual education must continue as well. Continue the habit of daily scripture study and prayer to understand the things in the scriptures. Use the knowledge you have gained to not only provide for you and your family but to bless the lives of others. Service to others was the Savior’s challenged to us all. When a young man came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to have eternal life. Christ told him the keep the commandments. When the young man said he did that and asked what else he lacked, Jesus said:

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. (Matthew 19:21)

Service is a perfecting principle. It is through service that we learn to give freely of all the Lord has blessed us with and to love the Lord more than material things. The Savior told his disciples:

“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

We must be willing to share the knowledge and intelligence we gain with others and help them find the joy and peace that come from following the Savior Jesus Christ.

I hope that all graduates are successful in wherever their lives take them and that they find joy in all they do.

Your questions and comments are welcome.