Stand and Shine Magazine Spring 2015 | Page 44

T he fourth Young Women Value is knowledge. The statement for this value in personal progress is “I will continually seek opportunities for learning and growth.” You probably already know that learning is important, right? That our Heavenly Father wants us to gain knowledge of spiritual things as well as secular things. But why? Why do we need to be “continually” seeking knowledge? Does that apply to an 8 year old, 18 year old, and an 80 year old? The answer is YES! First, you must remember that our ultimate purpose is to eventually become like God. And what does God have? All knowledge! Can you even imagine what that means? I sure can’t! He knows everything from how to create to an entire universe to the minuscule complexity of human cell structure. He knows every creature and plant, every function and invention. He even knows those math problems that you loathe in Algebra. So at some point in our eternal future if we want to be like God, we need to know a lot more than we do now. The second reason of why seeking knowledge is important is that as we continually learn and build upon our understanding we gain power. Power to think in depth, comprehend complex problems or situations, and power in knowing truth. The prophet Joseph Smith said, “In knowledge there is power. God has more power than all other beings, because he has greater knowledge; and hence he knows how to subject all other beings to Seek learning, even by study and also by faith. D&C 88:118 him. He has power over all.” (History of the Church, 5:340) A great example of this power are the sons of Mosiah. In Alma 17:2-3 we read, “Yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. “But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” Because of their diligence in seeking knowledge, the Lord blessed them with His power and authority. Now, before we dig into the spiritual and secular aspects of knowledge, we need to remember one thing. Gaining this wisdom and learning does not mean you need to be a know-it-all. In fact, in 44