Making Use of the Means I Have

So to start off with, I have a confession to make: I am a study-holic. By this I study a lot, especially in comparison to others. No matter what I do, it seems like I always have more things to prepare, more tests to take, and more homework to do. Oftentimes, friends and others around me question why I am studying so much. Maybe I am not as intellectually gifted as others or maybe I am a more diligent student (who knows?), but whichever the answer might be, I found a principle in The Book of Mormon this past week that helped me to feel justified in my study habits.

I found the principle in the 60th chapter of Alma. In this chapter, Moroni, the chief captain of a righteous Nephite army, complains to the governor, Pahoran, for not sending sufficient supplies to the troops. After a stern rebuking, Moroni recognizes that we have to "make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us." Moroni was referring to military means: if the people didn't use their means to fight, they would be destroyed. Although he was referring to military means, I apply this scripture to my personal means as a student. I have been given the means to study, a mind to think, and time to do it in. If I do not take advantage of these means, I will lose out on life, just like the people of Moroni would have lost if they did not use their means.

So, in the end, who cares if I take forever to do my homework or if I have to review a hundred times to prepare for a test? The important thing is that I am making use of the means that are presented to me.

The Pursuit of Truth

I recently was in a Book of Mormon class where the professor offered as his opinion that we all look at the world through our own “lenses”. He demonstrated this principle by putting on a pair of sunglasses, which changed his view in a physical manner. He then suggested that the “lenses” that we each wear are a result of our environments----our beliefs, associations, experiences, and circumstances. For example, a 13 year old boy from Florida will look at the world differently than a 45 year old woman from Sweden. They each have a set of “lenses” that defines the world for them.

As our professor continued to talk, I thought of my own “set of lenses”. I am a 21 year old, White male. I grew up in the rural countryside of Idaho. I come from a large family with many siblings, including my twin sister. I am a college student and a member of the Mormon Church. All these components form part of the way I look at the world around me. Then came the real kicker: our professor encouraged each of us to take off our “lenses” this semester as an attempt to see the world in a different light----in an effort to learn more.

This got me thinking: is it actually possible to separate ourselves from our “lenses”---from our circumstances, our beliefs, and our points of view in order to see things in a different perspective? How can one accomplish such a feat?

As I have reflected on my own life and experiences, I see that it is possible to change our “lenses”. I believe that the way we are able to change is by accepting and applying more truth in our lives.

I recently returned from serving as a full time missionary for the Mormon Church for two years. The two years were full of many experiences and opportunities to learn from others. One person that sticks out to me as I saw her change her “lenses” was a young woman named Jessica. Jessica was a young 22 year old when I first met her. She was bright and already had a career set up for her. She had belonged to a church her entire life and was a Sunday school teacher for that church. She felt very comfortable and content with her life. She began meeting with us in an effort to find out “what was wrong with the Mormon Church,” as well as methods to help others to avoid the Mormons.

Although she was terrified as we first began meeting with her, she quickly grew comfortable with us as we met with her more. We taught her that The Book of Mormon was the only way that she would be able to discover the truth or falseness of our message and church, and we invited her to begin reading it. She was reluctant at first, but soon became enthralled by the many stories, lessons, and principles that the book contained. She began taking thorough notes of the things that she was learning. In a matter of a few weeks, Jessica’s lenses had changed. She had discovered more truth to add to the truths she already held dear. She has now been a member of the Church for well over a month and loves the new perspective she has in life.

The prophet Jacob in The Book of Mormon teaches that truth is made manifest through the Spirit because the Spirit teaches “things as they really are, and of things as they really will be…” (Jacob 4:13). I hope that I will be able to see “things as they really are” this semester. Just as Jessica, my “lenses” may change as I learn, accept, and apply more truth from The Book of Mormon.