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Learning in the Light of Faith
A First Printing
92 pages
First published January 1, 1999
1 person is currently reading
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About the author
Henry B. Eyring
28 books88 followersHenry Bennion Eyring is an American educational administrator and religious leader who is First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Eyring was the Second Counselor to Gordon B. Hinckley in the First Presidency from October 6, 2007 until Hinckley's death on January 27, 2008. On February 3, 2008, Eyring was called to be the First Counselor to Thomas S. Monson in the First Presidency, serving with Second Counselor Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
Eyring has also served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the presiding bishopric, First Quorum of the Seventy, and as Commissioner of Church Education of the LDS Church.
Eyring has also served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the presiding bishopric, First Quorum of the Seventy, and as Commissioner of Church Education of the LDS Church.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 20, 2019
This is an excellent book. It's a compilation of six lectures given to the BYU Honors program in 1994-1995. They focus on the importance of discipleship, scholarship, consecration. Here are some favorite quotes:
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
“Given all your talents and opportunities, I hope you will not settle for being among the ‘honorable’ men and women of the earth. Furthermore, along with your many gifts and talents, you have been given much; hence much is ‘required’ (p. 1).”
“How you treat those around you, below you, and behind you in life will matter greatly in your lives (p. 2).”
“The scriptures see faith and learning as mutually facilitating, not separate processes (p. 2).”
“We constantly need to distinguish between the truths which are useful and those which are crucial, and between truths which are important and those which are eternal (p. 4).”
“Such questions are answered only by revelation, not solely by reason (p. 5).”
“For a disciple of Jesus Christ, academic scholarship is a form of worship. It is actually another dimension of consecration. Hence one who seeks to be a disciple-scholar will take both scholarship and discipleship seriously; and likewise, gospel covenants. For the disciple-scholar, the first and second commandments frame and prioritize life. How else could one worship God with all of one’s heart, might, mind, and strength? Adoration of God leads to emulation of Him and Jesus…. The disciple-scholar also understands what kind of community he or she should help to build. Its citizens openly and genuinely desire to be called God’s people (p. 5).”
“Consecrated scholarship thus converges the life both of the mind and of the spirit (p. 6)!”
“When we contemplate the stunning vastness, it is wise to remember, ‘All things are created and made to bear record of me’ (Moses 6:63) … It is a witnessing and overwhelming universe…. Amid such cosmic vastness overseen by God and Jesus, however, we can also have faith in their loving personal-ness (p. 10).”
“The most important thing for meek Enoch to know was not how many worlds there were, but that God was really there (p. 11)!”
“When meek Enoch was first called by the Lord of the universe, he was unsure of himself… Yet much later meek Enoch had so deepened his discipleship that he actually came to know ‘that he pleased God’ (Hebrews 11:5). Imagine the satisfaction of that knowledge (p. 11)!”
“It shouldn’t surprise us that God gives so much individual attention to humans or to the divine design in the tiny DNA molecule. God ‘is in the details’—of the galaxies, of the DNA molecules, but, even more important, He ‘is in the details’ of our lives (p. 11).”
“Personal wholeness is required in discipleship. Genius without meekness is not enough to qualify for discipleship (p. 12).”
“Genius is safest when it is accompanied by meekness. Competency is more useful when accompanies by humility. The qualities of love, mercy, patience, meekness, and spiritual submissiveness are portable. These—to the degree developed—will go with us through the veil of death; they will also rise with us in the resurrection (p. 16).”
“Only the eyes of faith permit us to see ‘things as they really are, and…things as they really will be’ (Jacob 4:13). The disciple-scholar is concerned with knowing and responding to such reality (p. 17).”
“To be a disciple-scholar in our time is a call to high adventure! Just as one’s quest for knowledge should be unending, so too should the quest for greater love, meekness, and patience (p. 17).”
“In considering consecration, it is well to remember that under this principle nothing is held back—whether turf, attitude, or hobbies. One's will is to be swallowed up in the will of God--just as occurred with Jesus (p. 17)."
"When we consecrate, individuality is actually enhanced, not lost. Our quirks and impurities go, but who would want to come into the Inner Court trailing such obsolete trinkets anyway? Besides, it is easier to be a character than to have character! Why is it so slow? Because God will not impose upon us (p. 18)."
Paul Alan Cox
"Unlike some other religions, the gospel of Jesus Christ does not grant special status to theologians, philosophers, or other academics. All are welcome to enjoy the bounteous blessings of the gospel, regardless of educational background or social status (p. 20)."
"Academic credentials are not requisite for service in the Lord's kingdom (p. 20)."
"Consider Jacob's assertion that 'to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God' (2 Nephi 9:29) as an encouragement for those who seek discipleship to also actively pursue learning, rather than a warning against education (p. 21)?"
"The value of learning in preparation for service in the kingdom is apparent (p. 23)."
"The people were poor. But they gave everything they could in time, talents, and funds to the construction of that temple. Their haste to complete the temple did not mean that they produced shoddy workmanship. They believed that only the best was acceptable to the Lord. Through prayer, fasting, and a tremendous amount of hard manual labor they succeeded in completing the temple interior only the night before the dedication (p. 25)."
"'What can I contribute?... What is there that I as a botanist have to offer the kingdom?'... All have a contribution to make in the kingdom... Our scholarly contributions can become as consecrated as the stone from the temple quarry (p. 27)."
"Learning is important for disciples because it helps quality them 'to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you' (p. 30)."
"'Give,' said the little stream,
'Give, oh! give, give, oh! give.'
'Give,' said the little stream,
As it hurried down the hill;
'I'm small, I know, but wherever I go,
The fields grow greener still (p. 33).'"
Elder Cecil O. Samuelson
"Abinadi, in speaking to a group that I am sure considered themselves to be intellectuals, made a telling observation that deserves our consideration as we strive to meld the sacred with the secular and achieve excellence in both spheres. 'Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise' (Mosiah 12:27) (p. 36)."
"The importance of right 'hearts' is repeatedly emphasized in the scriptures. To be true disciples, we need not only clean hands but pure hearts (see Psalm 24) (p. 37)."
"True disciples understand that there are absolute truths...that are, always have been, and always will be the correct answers (p. 38)."
"This same Elder Talmage who with great inspiration wrote "Jesus the Christ" under the direction of the First Presidency and also excelled as a leading geologist and university president was...his 'own man.' Although he modeled meekness and his humility was unfeigned, he also had healthy respect for his own views and preferences and was not easily dissuaded by others (p. 39)."
"Part of the genius of Elder Talmage as both a disciple and a scholar was the ability to separate the important from the trivial (p. 42)."
"Professor Eyring was a truly world-class chemist who was not one whit affected by the considerable honors of men that he received, and thus his scholarship never confused or compromised his discipleship (p. 44)."
"The honors of men, the vanities of the world, and the telestial temptations we all face may not be so bad in isolation but are so second-rate in comparison to what really matters most (p. 45)!"
"Meekness is required in spiritual as well as in secular endeavors. In President Benson's classic sermon on pride, I find no limits on the spheres to which his cautions apply. Alma taught that meekness is not only a desirable characteristic but is required by those seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit (p. 45)."
"Meekness is not weakness but rather is required for us to become strong (p. 46)."
"Jesus modestly and meekly refused to take credit for things that rightly belonged to the Father or to others (p. 47)."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"'I can of mine own self do nothing...I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me (p. 50).'"
"Faith in Jesus Christ...is not a burden to you as a scholar but is your strength (p. 50)."
"'Most forms of holding back are rooted in pride or are prompted by the mistaken notion that somehow we are diminished by submission to God. Actually, the greater the submission, the greater the expansion (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 51)!'"
"Only through submission to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in faith will you gain eternal life; and by that submission you will gain the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost (p. 53)."
“The effect of the Atonement is liberating and expanding (p. 54).”
“After the price the Savior paid for you, won’t He reach out to you? He invites. But you choose… You might kneel down to see if God would have you reach out to someone for whom you are responsible. It’s your choice. God won’t make you do it. You priesthood leaders won’t make you do it. No one is going to come and tell you to kneel down and pray and ask if there’s someone who needs help. You submit as a choice (p. 56).”
“He was a practicing believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew that the Savior was the only perfect chemist. That was the way Dad saw the world and his place in it. He saw himself as a child. He worked his heart out, as hard as he could work. He was willing to believe he didn’t know most things. He was willing to change any idea he’s ever had when he found something which seemed closer to the truth (p. 58).”
“With your faith, you will find yourself working harder because you have confidence that there is truth and that the Lord knows it. You will have to work hard because the truth He will reveal through His prophets to you will cover only a fraction of what you want to understand, and that will be focused mostly on the gospel of Jesus Christ (p. 58).”
James S. Jardine
“We dedicate our talents, including our intellectual skills, to the building up of His kingdom. We ask to be used by Him. There is in the process of consecration a pledge and a petition: we dedicate our talents and our lives to God and pray that He will bless each of our mortal efforts to good effect and use in His cause. When we consecrate our learning, we ask not only to be ‘ever learning’ but also to come to ‘the knowledge of the truth’ (2 Timothy 3:7) (p. 61).”
“For many of us life…presents tasks and responsibilities which by secular standards seem mundane…it may require some adjustment to our expectations. But even if the world does not regard our work, there are other standards by which it is valued. Indeed, your greatest work may not lend itself to being listed on your resume…spiritual maturity will allow us to see what matters most (p. 61).”
“If our noblest endeavor is to seek to become like God, we do so in part, by striving to learn of the manifestations of His creations (p. 62).”
“‘[The Christian] must ask himself how it is right, or even psychologically possible, for creatures who are every moment advancing either to Heaven or to hell to spend any fraction of the little time allowed them in this world on such comparative trivialities as literature or art, mathematics or biology’ (C.S. Lewis, p. 62).”
“‘All our merely natural activities will be accepted, if they are offered to God, even the humblest, and all of them, even the noblest, will be sinful if they are not. Christianity does not simply replace our natural life and substitute a new one; it is rather a new organization which exploits, to its own supernatural ends, these natural materials’ (C.S. Lewis, p. 63).”
“We may come to love knowledge—our knowledge—more than the thing known: to delight not in the exercise of our talents but in the fact that they are ours, or even in the reputation that they bring us. Every success in a scholar’s life increases this danger (p. 64).”
“How we consecrate ourselves—our hearts and minds and strengths—is a continuous and continuously evolving endeavor… There are different forms of consecration when learning is primarily ‘on the job’—in the home, in the workplace, in Church work, in personal relationships; where, as Elder Maxwell says, ‘we are each other’s clinical material’ (p. 64).”
“I can recall thinking, at the student stage of life, of consecrating my life in one grand, heroic gesture. But as life progresses, our moments for consecration are specific, finite, and simple… We should be ready to consecrate our talents to the task at hand, whether or not it is a task we had envisioned for ourselves. Consecration is not a once-in-a-lifetime event; it is a daily devotion… Our consecrated learning enables us more completely to comfort those who stand in need of comfort—whether they are learned or uneducated, successful or downtrodden, gracious or difficult (p. 65).”
“For the Old Testament people the altar was a physical place of sacrifice, of consecration, and of worship. When we consecrate ourselves we lay our first things—our best gifts—on the altar in renewing acts of humility and worship. We identify our most cherished talents and consecrate them to God and, in doing so, we feel our devotion deepening and enriching (p. 65).”
“One way to increase our love for others or other things is to sacrifice of ourselves for them. When we sacrifice our talents or our earthly or academic honors or our increasingly limited time on the altar to God, the act of sacrifice binds our hearts to Him, and we feel our love for Him increase (p. 66).”
“[Dr. Henry Eyring’s] bishop once tried to excuse him from going to the stake welfare farm on the ground that he had more important work to do. Dr. Eyring replied to the effect that while the farm did not need him, he needed the farm. I believe that Dr. Eyring consciously was consecrating his valuable and limited time on an altar to God (p. 66).”
“Today we effectively construct altars in our lives by how we prioritize our daily activities. Our priorities become what we ‘worship.’ Since we love those things for which we sacrifice, if we devote, either consciously or unconsciously, our best gifts to our sacrifice too much at the altar of professional success or scholarly recognition, we will eventually come to love and be bound to that activity (p. 66).”
“We may not have a spiritual experience at every sacrament meeting we attend, but if we are not attending sacrament meetings we are not likely to be taught by the Spirit elsewhere in our lives. Thus, when we consecrate our talents on altars to God, we must be patient for Him to bless our labors in His own time and way and to tutor us in His own way (p. 67).”
“You may find that what is asked of you will not always coincide with what you believe you have to offer… Truly consecrating our talents to the Lord means submitting to His use those talents, when and how He wishes… when we consecrate our works we must do so to His purposes and not to our preferences (p. 68).”
“If our motivation is the attainment of academic or secular honors, our eye will be single to our own glory (p. 68).”
“Joseph went on no book tour; he was busy with someone else’s work (p. 69).”
“Instead of doing our work in His name, we must consecrate ourselves to be used by Him, whether or not we will ever know fully how we were used. Indeed, we may never know (p. 69).”
“[John A. Widtsoe] consecrated that gift [a Book of Mormon to the Harvard Law School library that someone else found] without knowing, or needing to know, how God would use his offering (p. 70).”
“When we consecrate our learning we invite the Spirit into our mental processes… the Spirit can lift us beyond the limitations of our senses… By consecrating our learning we invite the Spirit to so expand us and lift us as we gain pure knowledge and truth (p. 70).”
“If we seek truth humbly, God can use us and will use us when we are willing (p. 72).”
“When we consecrate our efforts to the Lord, He counsels us not only to pray that others will be blessed but also to pray that we will be blessed. In the act of laying our labors on His altar, we should ask Him to consecrate our hearts and minds to our own welfare. That is not a selfish prayer; it is a submissive prayer (p. 72).”
“If we genuinely consecrate ourselves and our learning, we will receive a ‘higher’ education (p. 74).”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
“The worlds teaches us to know something, the gospel teaches us to become something…it is far more significant to become than it is to know (p. 75).”
“Conversion is quite different from testimony…. ‘Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (p. 76).’”
“Elder Marion G. Romney characterizes conversion as ‘the fruit of, or the reward for, repentance and obedience.’ He described conversion as ‘an actual change in one’s understanding of life’s meaning and in his allegiance to God—in interest, in thought, and in conduct’ (p. 76).”
“Learn the things of God from the Spirit of God (p. 78).”
“For ‘most people…conversion is a process; and it goes step by step, degree by degree, level by level, from a lower state to a higher, from grace to grace, until the time that the individual is wholly turned to the cause of righteousness’ (Bruce R. McConkie, p. 79).”
“For most people, becoming Christlike ‘is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible’ (Ezra Taft Benson, p. 79).”
“Conversion results from personal choices, reflected in what we do and, more subtly, in the desires of our hearts. President Harold B. Lee described this reality when he said that conversion is to act upon eternal truths (p. 79).”
“Though the scholarly focus is on knowledge, the process of scholarship and teaching obviously contemplates that the learner will act upon the knowledge acquired (p. 79).”
“‘The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature’ (Ezra Taft Benson, p. 80).”
“Men and women who have been converted have become something, but it is something that cannot be measure by mortal means (p. 80).”
“Learning the mysteries of God and attainting to what the apostle Paul called ‘the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ’ (Ephesians 4:13) requires far more than learning a specific body of facts. It requires us to learn certain facts, to practice what we have learned, and, as a result, to become what we, as children of God, are destined to become (p. 81).”
“The ninety-third section of the Doctrine and Covenants describes how we can come unto the Father ‘and in due time receive of his fulness.’ The process is for a person to ‘keep [the] commandments’ and ‘receive grace for grace’ until he or she ‘is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.’ The acquisition of knowledge by obedience and faith is surely a different process than the acquisition of knowledge by study (p. 81)!”
“As you find ways to build character, you will change individuals, families, communities, and nations for the better (p. 82).”
“The mission of the gospel…is not just to enlarge what we know, but to change what we are (p. 83).”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
“Given all your talents and opportunities, I hope you will not settle for being among the ‘honorable’ men and women of the earth. Furthermore, along with your many gifts and talents, you have been given much; hence much is ‘required’ (p. 1).”
“How you treat those around you, below you, and behind you in life will matter greatly in your lives (p. 2).”
“The scriptures see faith and learning as mutually facilitating, not separate processes (p. 2).”
“We constantly need to distinguish between the truths which are useful and those which are crucial, and between truths which are important and those which are eternal (p. 4).”
“Such questions are answered only by revelation, not solely by reason (p. 5).”
“For a disciple of Jesus Christ, academic scholarship is a form of worship. It is actually another dimension of consecration. Hence one who seeks to be a disciple-scholar will take both scholarship and discipleship seriously; and likewise, gospel covenants. For the disciple-scholar, the first and second commandments frame and prioritize life. How else could one worship God with all of one’s heart, might, mind, and strength? Adoration of God leads to emulation of Him and Jesus…. The disciple-scholar also understands what kind of community he or she should help to build. Its citizens openly and genuinely desire to be called God’s people (p. 5).”
“Consecrated scholarship thus converges the life both of the mind and of the spirit (p. 6)!”
“When we contemplate the stunning vastness, it is wise to remember, ‘All things are created and made to bear record of me’ (Moses 6:63) … It is a witnessing and overwhelming universe…. Amid such cosmic vastness overseen by God and Jesus, however, we can also have faith in their loving personal-ness (p. 10).”
“The most important thing for meek Enoch to know was not how many worlds there were, but that God was really there (p. 11)!”
“When meek Enoch was first called by the Lord of the universe, he was unsure of himself… Yet much later meek Enoch had so deepened his discipleship that he actually came to know ‘that he pleased God’ (Hebrews 11:5). Imagine the satisfaction of that knowledge (p. 11)!”
“It shouldn’t surprise us that God gives so much individual attention to humans or to the divine design in the tiny DNA molecule. God ‘is in the details’—of the galaxies, of the DNA molecules, but, even more important, He ‘is in the details’ of our lives (p. 11).”
“Personal wholeness is required in discipleship. Genius without meekness is not enough to qualify for discipleship (p. 12).”
“Genius is safest when it is accompanied by meekness. Competency is more useful when accompanies by humility. The qualities of love, mercy, patience, meekness, and spiritual submissiveness are portable. These—to the degree developed—will go with us through the veil of death; they will also rise with us in the resurrection (p. 16).”
“Only the eyes of faith permit us to see ‘things as they really are, and…things as they really will be’ (Jacob 4:13). The disciple-scholar is concerned with knowing and responding to such reality (p. 17).”
“To be a disciple-scholar in our time is a call to high adventure! Just as one’s quest for knowledge should be unending, so too should the quest for greater love, meekness, and patience (p. 17).”
“In considering consecration, it is well to remember that under this principle nothing is held back—whether turf, attitude, or hobbies. One's will is to be swallowed up in the will of God--just as occurred with Jesus (p. 17)."
"When we consecrate, individuality is actually enhanced, not lost. Our quirks and impurities go, but who would want to come into the Inner Court trailing such obsolete trinkets anyway? Besides, it is easier to be a character than to have character! Why is it so slow? Because God will not impose upon us (p. 18)."
Paul Alan Cox
"Unlike some other religions, the gospel of Jesus Christ does not grant special status to theologians, philosophers, or other academics. All are welcome to enjoy the bounteous blessings of the gospel, regardless of educational background or social status (p. 20)."
"Academic credentials are not requisite for service in the Lord's kingdom (p. 20)."
"Consider Jacob's assertion that 'to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God' (2 Nephi 9:29) as an encouragement for those who seek discipleship to also actively pursue learning, rather than a warning against education (p. 21)?"
"The value of learning in preparation for service in the kingdom is apparent (p. 23)."
"The people were poor. But they gave everything they could in time, talents, and funds to the construction of that temple. Their haste to complete the temple did not mean that they produced shoddy workmanship. They believed that only the best was acceptable to the Lord. Through prayer, fasting, and a tremendous amount of hard manual labor they succeeded in completing the temple interior only the night before the dedication (p. 25)."
"'What can I contribute?... What is there that I as a botanist have to offer the kingdom?'... All have a contribution to make in the kingdom... Our scholarly contributions can become as consecrated as the stone from the temple quarry (p. 27)."
"Learning is important for disciples because it helps quality them 'to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you' (p. 30)."
"'Give,' said the little stream,
'Give, oh! give, give, oh! give.'
'Give,' said the little stream,
As it hurried down the hill;
'I'm small, I know, but wherever I go,
The fields grow greener still (p. 33).'"
Elder Cecil O. Samuelson
"Abinadi, in speaking to a group that I am sure considered themselves to be intellectuals, made a telling observation that deserves our consideration as we strive to meld the sacred with the secular and achieve excellence in both spheres. 'Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise' (Mosiah 12:27) (p. 36)."
"The importance of right 'hearts' is repeatedly emphasized in the scriptures. To be true disciples, we need not only clean hands but pure hearts (see Psalm 24) (p. 37)."
"True disciples understand that there are absolute truths...that are, always have been, and always will be the correct answers (p. 38)."
"This same Elder Talmage who with great inspiration wrote "Jesus the Christ" under the direction of the First Presidency and also excelled as a leading geologist and university president was...his 'own man.' Although he modeled meekness and his humility was unfeigned, he also had healthy respect for his own views and preferences and was not easily dissuaded by others (p. 39)."
"Part of the genius of Elder Talmage as both a disciple and a scholar was the ability to separate the important from the trivial (p. 42)."
"Professor Eyring was a truly world-class chemist who was not one whit affected by the considerable honors of men that he received, and thus his scholarship never confused or compromised his discipleship (p. 44)."
"The honors of men, the vanities of the world, and the telestial temptations we all face may not be so bad in isolation but are so second-rate in comparison to what really matters most (p. 45)!"
"Meekness is required in spiritual as well as in secular endeavors. In President Benson's classic sermon on pride, I find no limits on the spheres to which his cautions apply. Alma taught that meekness is not only a desirable characteristic but is required by those seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit (p. 45)."
"Meekness is not weakness but rather is required for us to become strong (p. 46)."
"Jesus modestly and meekly refused to take credit for things that rightly belonged to the Father or to others (p. 47)."
Elder Henry B. Eyring
"'I can of mine own self do nothing...I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me (p. 50).'"
"Faith in Jesus Christ...is not a burden to you as a scholar but is your strength (p. 50)."
"'Most forms of holding back are rooted in pride or are prompted by the mistaken notion that somehow we are diminished by submission to God. Actually, the greater the submission, the greater the expansion (Neal A. Maxwell, p. 51)!'"
"Only through submission to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in faith will you gain eternal life; and by that submission you will gain the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost (p. 53)."
“The effect of the Atonement is liberating and expanding (p. 54).”
“After the price the Savior paid for you, won’t He reach out to you? He invites. But you choose… You might kneel down to see if God would have you reach out to someone for whom you are responsible. It’s your choice. God won’t make you do it. You priesthood leaders won’t make you do it. No one is going to come and tell you to kneel down and pray and ask if there’s someone who needs help. You submit as a choice (p. 56).”
“He was a practicing believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew that the Savior was the only perfect chemist. That was the way Dad saw the world and his place in it. He saw himself as a child. He worked his heart out, as hard as he could work. He was willing to believe he didn’t know most things. He was willing to change any idea he’s ever had when he found something which seemed closer to the truth (p. 58).”
“With your faith, you will find yourself working harder because you have confidence that there is truth and that the Lord knows it. You will have to work hard because the truth He will reveal through His prophets to you will cover only a fraction of what you want to understand, and that will be focused mostly on the gospel of Jesus Christ (p. 58).”
James S. Jardine
“We dedicate our talents, including our intellectual skills, to the building up of His kingdom. We ask to be used by Him. There is in the process of consecration a pledge and a petition: we dedicate our talents and our lives to God and pray that He will bless each of our mortal efforts to good effect and use in His cause. When we consecrate our learning, we ask not only to be ‘ever learning’ but also to come to ‘the knowledge of the truth’ (2 Timothy 3:7) (p. 61).”
“For many of us life…presents tasks and responsibilities which by secular standards seem mundane…it may require some adjustment to our expectations. But even if the world does not regard our work, there are other standards by which it is valued. Indeed, your greatest work may not lend itself to being listed on your resume…spiritual maturity will allow us to see what matters most (p. 61).”
“If our noblest endeavor is to seek to become like God, we do so in part, by striving to learn of the manifestations of His creations (p. 62).”
“‘[The Christian] must ask himself how it is right, or even psychologically possible, for creatures who are every moment advancing either to Heaven or to hell to spend any fraction of the little time allowed them in this world on such comparative trivialities as literature or art, mathematics or biology’ (C.S. Lewis, p. 62).”
“‘All our merely natural activities will be accepted, if they are offered to God, even the humblest, and all of them, even the noblest, will be sinful if they are not. Christianity does not simply replace our natural life and substitute a new one; it is rather a new organization which exploits, to its own supernatural ends, these natural materials’ (C.S. Lewis, p. 63).”
“We may come to love knowledge—our knowledge—more than the thing known: to delight not in the exercise of our talents but in the fact that they are ours, or even in the reputation that they bring us. Every success in a scholar’s life increases this danger (p. 64).”
“How we consecrate ourselves—our hearts and minds and strengths—is a continuous and continuously evolving endeavor… There are different forms of consecration when learning is primarily ‘on the job’—in the home, in the workplace, in Church work, in personal relationships; where, as Elder Maxwell says, ‘we are each other’s clinical material’ (p. 64).”
“I can recall thinking, at the student stage of life, of consecrating my life in one grand, heroic gesture. But as life progresses, our moments for consecration are specific, finite, and simple… We should be ready to consecrate our talents to the task at hand, whether or not it is a task we had envisioned for ourselves. Consecration is not a once-in-a-lifetime event; it is a daily devotion… Our consecrated learning enables us more completely to comfort those who stand in need of comfort—whether they are learned or uneducated, successful or downtrodden, gracious or difficult (p. 65).”
“For the Old Testament people the altar was a physical place of sacrifice, of consecration, and of worship. When we consecrate ourselves we lay our first things—our best gifts—on the altar in renewing acts of humility and worship. We identify our most cherished talents and consecrate them to God and, in doing so, we feel our devotion deepening and enriching (p. 65).”
“One way to increase our love for others or other things is to sacrifice of ourselves for them. When we sacrifice our talents or our earthly or academic honors or our increasingly limited time on the altar to God, the act of sacrifice binds our hearts to Him, and we feel our love for Him increase (p. 66).”
“[Dr. Henry Eyring’s] bishop once tried to excuse him from going to the stake welfare farm on the ground that he had more important work to do. Dr. Eyring replied to the effect that while the farm did not need him, he needed the farm. I believe that Dr. Eyring consciously was consecrating his valuable and limited time on an altar to God (p. 66).”
“Today we effectively construct altars in our lives by how we prioritize our daily activities. Our priorities become what we ‘worship.’ Since we love those things for which we sacrifice, if we devote, either consciously or unconsciously, our best gifts to our sacrifice too much at the altar of professional success or scholarly recognition, we will eventually come to love and be bound to that activity (p. 66).”
“We may not have a spiritual experience at every sacrament meeting we attend, but if we are not attending sacrament meetings we are not likely to be taught by the Spirit elsewhere in our lives. Thus, when we consecrate our talents on altars to God, we must be patient for Him to bless our labors in His own time and way and to tutor us in His own way (p. 67).”
“You may find that what is asked of you will not always coincide with what you believe you have to offer… Truly consecrating our talents to the Lord means submitting to His use those talents, when and how He wishes… when we consecrate our works we must do so to His purposes and not to our preferences (p. 68).”
“If our motivation is the attainment of academic or secular honors, our eye will be single to our own glory (p. 68).”
“Joseph went on no book tour; he was busy with someone else’s work (p. 69).”
“Instead of doing our work in His name, we must consecrate ourselves to be used by Him, whether or not we will ever know fully how we were used. Indeed, we may never know (p. 69).”
“[John A. Widtsoe] consecrated that gift [a Book of Mormon to the Harvard Law School library that someone else found] without knowing, or needing to know, how God would use his offering (p. 70).”
“When we consecrate our learning we invite the Spirit into our mental processes… the Spirit can lift us beyond the limitations of our senses… By consecrating our learning we invite the Spirit to so expand us and lift us as we gain pure knowledge and truth (p. 70).”
“If we seek truth humbly, God can use us and will use us when we are willing (p. 72).”
“When we consecrate our efforts to the Lord, He counsels us not only to pray that others will be blessed but also to pray that we will be blessed. In the act of laying our labors on His altar, we should ask Him to consecrate our hearts and minds to our own welfare. That is not a selfish prayer; it is a submissive prayer (p. 72).”
“If we genuinely consecrate ourselves and our learning, we will receive a ‘higher’ education (p. 74).”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
“The worlds teaches us to know something, the gospel teaches us to become something…it is far more significant to become than it is to know (p. 75).”
“Conversion is quite different from testimony…. ‘Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (p. 76).’”
“Elder Marion G. Romney characterizes conversion as ‘the fruit of, or the reward for, repentance and obedience.’ He described conversion as ‘an actual change in one’s understanding of life’s meaning and in his allegiance to God—in interest, in thought, and in conduct’ (p. 76).”
“Learn the things of God from the Spirit of God (p. 78).”
“For ‘most people…conversion is a process; and it goes step by step, degree by degree, level by level, from a lower state to a higher, from grace to grace, until the time that the individual is wholly turned to the cause of righteousness’ (Bruce R. McConkie, p. 79).”
“For most people, becoming Christlike ‘is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible’ (Ezra Taft Benson, p. 79).”
“Conversion results from personal choices, reflected in what we do and, more subtly, in the desires of our hearts. President Harold B. Lee described this reality when he said that conversion is to act upon eternal truths (p. 79).”
“Though the scholarly focus is on knowledge, the process of scholarship and teaching obviously contemplates that the learner will act upon the knowledge acquired (p. 79).”
“‘The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature’ (Ezra Taft Benson, p. 80).”
“Men and women who have been converted have become something, but it is something that cannot be measure by mortal means (p. 80).”
“Learning the mysteries of God and attainting to what the apostle Paul called ‘the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ’ (Ephesians 4:13) requires far more than learning a specific body of facts. It requires us to learn certain facts, to practice what we have learned, and, as a result, to become what we, as children of God, are destined to become (p. 81).”
“The ninety-third section of the Doctrine and Covenants describes how we can come unto the Father ‘and in due time receive of his fulness.’ The process is for a person to ‘keep [the] commandments’ and ‘receive grace for grace’ until he or she ‘is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.’ The acquisition of knowledge by obedience and faith is surely a different process than the acquisition of knowledge by study (p. 81)!”
“As you find ways to build character, you will change individuals, families, communities, and nations for the better (p. 82).”
“The mission of the gospel…is not just to enlarge what we know, but to change what we are (p. 83).”
May 27, 2017
Learning in the Light of Faith is more of a tract than it is a book. Its brevity is one of its most attractive attributes. (I recently finished reading a book which was over 1,000 pages long, so I was ready for something a bit shorter). Learning in the Light of Faith is a collection of speeches given to students in the Brigham Young University Honors Program by various LDS scholars and leaders. As can be expected, not all of the speeches are created equal, but the cumulative value is very evident.
Several years ago I read People of Paradox by Terryl Givens. As a Latter-day Saint, it was an illuminating book and one which had a significant impact on how I saw the Mormon culture I am a part of. One of the most interesting questions explored in that book was that of education and Latter-day Saint doctrine. Learning in the Light of Faith provides a brief but valuable answer to the salient question - how should Latter-day Saints, especially scholars, balance their loyalty and deference to reason and revelation? With scholars like Neal A. Maxwell, Henry B. Eyring, and Dallin H. Oaks answering portions of that question, this little book is plenty authoritative for me.
I have a personal interest in the topics explored in Learning in the Light of Faith; therefore, I may find it much more interesting than a general audience, even a Latter-day Saint audience. Although all Latter-day Saints should have a keen interest in education - secular and spiritual - not all need be a scholar in a secular sense; albeit, the requirement to be a scholar in the spiritual sense isn't wisely ignored. No doubt this little book is useful for both groups, it's much more relevant for the former group.
Learning in the Light of Faith was a refreshing and energizing exploration of topics I care a lot about. I love the idea of scholarship, and I love the doctrines of the LDS Church. Therefore, a book like this speaks directly to some of my most cherished beliefs and convictions. Even with its brevity, Learning in the Light of Faith has plenty to edify its readers.
http://thethousanderclub.blogspot.com/
Several years ago I read People of Paradox by Terryl Givens. As a Latter-day Saint, it was an illuminating book and one which had a significant impact on how I saw the Mormon culture I am a part of. One of the most interesting questions explored in that book was that of education and Latter-day Saint doctrine. Learning in the Light of Faith provides a brief but valuable answer to the salient question - how should Latter-day Saints, especially scholars, balance their loyalty and deference to reason and revelation? With scholars like Neal A. Maxwell, Henry B. Eyring, and Dallin H. Oaks answering portions of that question, this little book is plenty authoritative for me.
I have a personal interest in the topics explored in Learning in the Light of Faith; therefore, I may find it much more interesting than a general audience, even a Latter-day Saint audience. Although all Latter-day Saints should have a keen interest in education - secular and spiritual - not all need be a scholar in a secular sense; albeit, the requirement to be a scholar in the spiritual sense isn't wisely ignored. No doubt this little book is useful for both groups, it's much more relevant for the former group.
Learning in the Light of Faith was a refreshing and energizing exploration of topics I care a lot about. I love the idea of scholarship, and I love the doctrines of the LDS Church. Therefore, a book like this speaks directly to some of my most cherished beliefs and convictions. Even with its brevity, Learning in the Light of Faith has plenty to edify its readers.
http://thethousanderclub.blogspot.com/
August 12, 2016
The essays in this book are thoughtful thought provoking. Interesting mix of church leaders and scholars. Loved the thoughts on consecration of time and talent.
September 30, 2017
This collection of speeches (addressed to the BYU Honors students in 1994) gave me much to think about. It can be summed up by Dallin H. Oaks, "Latter-day Saints who have chosen the pursuits of scholarship need an extra measure of humility to keep their talents and occupations and honors in perspective and to move faithfully and steadily toward that status of being that we call eternal life, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God."
This is one I will need to read more than once to glean all it has to offer.
This is one I will need to read more than once to glean all it has to offer.
November 25, 2020
I read through these wonderful speeches on learning and discipleship and will be combing through each one again. From truth to conversion and consecration to humility these messages couple the power of learning and acquiring knowledge and following Christ and becoming as He is. I can’t think of a more rigorous and rewarding journey! Great messages for lifelong disciple learners.
January 5, 2017
Insightful lectures. Easy to zone out.
January 27, 2015
A collection of private talks given in the Honors Program at BYU in 1995, including the remarks of three apostles, a dean, a future president of BYU, and a top scholar in the field of botany. I read this as an undergrad starting at BYU and enjoyed it, but reading it now as a second year grad student at secular universities, it takes on special significance and will become an oft-read favorite. The heaviest topics (for reasons obvious to those familiar with 2nd Nephi in the Book of Mormon) are meekness, submissiveness, and humility. There is an underlying fact that advanced education is potentially poisonous to the soul of faith and needs to be carefully checked, but when watched, it can be empowering to individuals as a means of added service. Righteous education is needed to oppose the arguments of the educated who would attack the precepts of faith; it is valuable to enrich and enliven the human race in ways that further the gospel; and it can be a means of personal development to unlock and enlarge the talents we have to give to the Lord. Each talk in this volume provides insight, caution, and hard-earned personal guidance which, though clearly geared toward Mormons, is pertinent to disciple scholars of any religious persuasion.
November 2, 2010
I haven't quite finished this book, but I really like it. The parable by George Macdonald, quoted by C.S. Lewis about imagining yourself as a living house (how God is remodeling your house and you don't understand what he is doing b/c it is painful at times as he is throwing out a new wing here, running up towers, putting in an extra floor etc. b/c although you thought he was making you into a simple cottace, he is actually making you into a palace), is one of my favorite parts of this book. This book was edited by Henry B. Eyring but has contributions from Neal A. Maxwell, Dallin H. Oaks, and others, all of which are about discipleships, learning, consecration, scholarship, etc.
November 30, 2014
This book is a pretty quick read. As a compilation of several talks given by gospel scholars, I'm sure it's possible and quite easy to find them online and read them there. Either way the value will be discovered.
The book provides some excellent insights on learning and how to avoid becoming "too smart". It doesn't do us any good to collect knowledge and maintain our worldly behaviors, but instead we should study to become something better.
I really enjoyed the book. I feel inspired to continue studying all types of subjects and to try harder to "become" a better person.
The book provides some excellent insights on learning and how to avoid becoming "too smart". It doesn't do us any good to collect knowledge and maintain our worldly behaviors, but instead we should study to become something better.
I really enjoyed the book. I feel inspired to continue studying all types of subjects and to try harder to "become" a better person.
February 24, 2013
This was the “summer reading” for freshman going into Brigham Young University, but I recommend this book to every college bound LDS student. It contains six essays written by apostles and other church leaders explaining the definition and importance of becoming a disciple-scholar. They address the importance of gaining a testimony, obtaining an education and how to use both to serve the Lord and his people. It is very short and makes for a quick and easy read.
March 29, 2009
"A collection of essays by Latter-Day Saint scholars offering insight into congruencies between scholarship and religious faith. In a world that segregates religion and science, it is refreshing to have role models such as these scholar apostles and other church luminaries."
September 11, 2009
This was required reading for new freshmen at BYU this year so naturally I read it once Andrew was finished with it and completed it just in time to leave it with him in Provo. Excellent talks on the importance of learning and discipleship.
March 2, 2009
This was a great book for LDS students and scholars to read. It was a quick insightful read.
May 25, 2009
My favorite part of this book is the first chapter by Elder Maxwell. It is packed with, and about truth and very inspiring.
December 16, 2008
This book helped me find so much joy in being a student and desire to progress and learn through each day of life.
September 18, 2009
I learned that great knowledge needs to be ballenced with great faith and humility if one is to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.
October 17, 2010
Book consists of talks by different LDS authors on the capatibility of science and faith.
April 30, 2012
Compilation of talks on what it means to be a disciple-scholar. One especially great one about consecration and callings. good read. short - knocked the whole book out this afternoon.
February 8, 2024
Read this one for a class too. Loved the unique perspectives and stories that increased my faith and love for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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