Lesson 191—The Importance of Education: Education Is Vital to Our Progression
“Lesson 191—The Importance of Education: Education Is Vital to Our Progression,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“The Importance of Education” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 191: Preparing for Future Education and Employment
The Importance of Education
Education Is Vital to Our Progression
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to learn and obtain education throughout our lives. Doing so is vital to our progression on earth and throughout eternity. This lesson can help students understand the importance of education.
Possible Learning Activities
Why is education important?
Imagine there is a student named Sara who doesn’t like school. She thinks it is a waste of time and causes her too much stress. In addition, she doesn’t have a lot of motivation for learning because she has never done well in school. She would rather hang out with friends, relax at home, or go to work.
At the top of a page in your study journal, create a heading titled “Why is education important?” As you study today, seek revelation from Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost to see the value of education in your life. Add your insights and spiritual impressions to the list in your journal.
Study the importance of education
If you divided students into groups, invite them to share their findings with their group members. Before they share, explain that an important skill that will help them throughout their lives is being able to think critically. Critical thinking is the ability to make connections between ideas and evaluate them. Display the following instructions to help students practice critical thinking during their group discussion:
Summarize what you learned from the scripture and statement you studied.
After students have shared all the summaries, discuss the following questions:
What similarities do you find in the statements and scriptures you learned about?
How were the scriptures or statements you studied unique from one another?
Is there anything in one quote or scripture that gives you insight about something in a different quote or scripture?
Truths about the importance of education
Give students an opportunity to share truths they found from their study and discussion. You could write on the board the question from earlier in the lesson, “Why is education important?,” and have students write truths they learned around the question. Students might share truths similar to the following:
The knowledge and intelligence we gain in this life will rise with us in the Resurrection (see Doctrine and Covenants 130:18–19).
Education can prepare us to become better influences for good in the world (see Camille N. Johnson, “Seek Learning by Study and by Faith,” [BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional, Oct. 19, 2021], byupathway.org).
Consider discussing students’ insights about the truths they identified by asking questions such as the following:
Which of the truths you identified was most meaningful to you? Why?
How do you think education can impact your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
How have you seen the blessings of obtaining education in your life or the lives of others?
Explain it in your own words
Remind students of the scenario about Sara from the beginning of the lesson. After sharing the following instructions, give students time to record a response in their study journals.
Using what you have learned and felt today, create a response you could share with Sara that could help her better understand the importance of education. In your response, include at least one reference to a scripture or statement from a Church leader. You could also include your testimony or describe experiences you have had.
Consider giving students an opportunity to share their responses with a partner. A few willing students could also share their responses with the class.
Conclude the lesson by inviting students to share what they have learned and felt that they want to remember. They could record their thoughts or impressions in their study journals. Consider sharing your testimony about the importance of education.