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.