Week 77... Wisdom.

Hello everyone this week has been great. We have seen quite a bit of improvement in our work. I'm still not satisfied and probably wont ever be haha. But the good thing is we've been able to step up a bit, and next week I plan on taking another step. Always moving forward in the right direction. If we're not moving forward we might as well be going back. Which brings me to my next topic for the week. It's about knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge go very much so hand in hand. However we can have knowledge, yet no wisdom, or our knowledge is useless. For example, we all know cigarettes (or whatever you would like to substitute in) are bad for our bodies for several reasons, yet there are many among us who continue to use and abuse them.

I remember growing up my dad would give me correction for something, and I would say, 'I know...' and he would always say don't tell me I know. I now understand why. To know and not do is really not to know. Plain and simple. Obtaining knowledge is a commandment given of God. He has given us everything we need. Well if we don't do all we can to obtain the knowledge he has given us he wont give us anymore. Knowledge will be taken with us in the next life. D&C 130:18-19 " Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection and if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." Way cool promised blessings from our Father in Heaven.

Now, we can obtain a lot of knowledge but using knowledge to our advantage is wisdom. When we take the accumulated knowlege we have and learn from our mistakes that knowledge become wisdom. All of us are in our mortal journey trying to be better each day striving for perfection. We are always falling short. It is wise to repent when we do so. We each are taught by our Heavenly Father daily through trials, study, experiences, prophetic instruction, and many other ways. When we take what we learn or what Heavenly Father is teaching us, then we obtain that knowledge of what we did was wrong or whatever it may be, and apply it to daily life. That is wisdom. John A. Widtsoe said " Intelligence is another word for wisdom. In the language of math we may say that knowledge plus the proper use of knowledge equals intelligence or wisdom....Obedience to law is a mark of intelligence" I pray that we might learn and continue to learn knowledge that we might be wise on our journey here and doing all we can to be better each and every day. I pray that we might take what we learn daily and apply it. I love you all and know God does too!!

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-Elder Heaton

Philippines Bacolod Mission