Lesson 9: Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge (Part 2)

“Lesson 9: Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge (Part 2),” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018)

“Lesson 9: Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge (Part 2),”

Lesson 9

Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge (Part 2)

Prepare to Learn

Take some time to prepare your mind and heart to learn. What can you do to ensure that your mind is alert and that you are paying attention to what you are learning? Removing distractions and being focused shows your willingness to be taught by the Spirit.

Begin your study with prayer.

Is it possible to know truth?

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, while serving in the First Presidency, answered this question. You can read the text for this video here: “Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 21–22.

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The Pattern for Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge

In the last lesson, you learned about Heavenly Father’s divinely ordained pattern to acquire spiritual truth.

Do you remember what this divine pattern is? Review paragraph 2 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document if you need help answering this question. You will refer to this section throughout this lesson.

There are three important principles that can help us as we strive to apply God’s divine pattern for acquiring spiritual knowledge. Read paragraph 4 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, and consider marking each of these principles.

A Question to Consider—Who Do You Trust?

Life on the earth is filled with challenges. We need others to help us avoid some of the dangers mortality presents.

Think of the people in your life. Who do you trust to help you make it safely through life? Why do you trust these people?

A Righteous Desire to Act in Faith

Of all the people we may trust to help us make it safely through life, it is most important that we trust the Lord. What do you know about the Lord’s perfect character and attributes that helps you trust Him?

Learning how to trust in the Lord is essential if we are to act in faith. Read paragraph 5 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for how we can demonstrate that we trust God and want to act in faith.

How does doing these things show that we trust God and want to act in faith?

Important Counsel

When a person is unwilling to pray, study the scriptures, or obey the Lord’s commandments, this shows a lack of trust in the Lord.

There are times when we may find it difficult to trust God and act in faith. Read paragraphs 6–7 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for when these times might be.

What counsel did Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles give to help us when we experience these moments?

An Essential Element—Live by Faith

You may want to mark this statement of truth in paragraph 7: As we continue to seek for answers, we must live by faith—trusting that we will eventually receive the answers we seek. Proverbs 3:5–6, which is a doctrinal mastery passage, helps teach this truth. You may want to mark this passage in a distinctive way so that you can locate it more easily. Read this passage, looking for how it supports the statement of truth you just identified.

1. Write a paragraph explaining in your own words what it means to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart” (italics added) and to acknowledge the Lord “in all thy ways” (italics added).

A Scenario

Imagine that a friend who is not a member of the Church has recently asked you a very difficult Church history question. You told your friend that you would get back to him or her with an answer, but when you researched this question on LDS.org, you could not find any answers. The more you search for an answer, the bigger the question seems to become in your own mind as well. You start to worry not only that you won’t be able to answer your friend’s question, but also that there really is no satisfactory answer to this question at all.

2. Answer these questions:

How can the doctrine taught in Proverbs 3:5–6 help you act in faith in this situation?
How do you think God could “direct your paths” in this situation?

Unanswered Questions

What should we do when we are faced with a question or concern that we cannot seem to find the answer to?

Elder Richard G. Hinckley of the Seventy suggested one way to respond to this situation. Watch the video “Act in Faith: The Stonemason” (4:58), available on LDS.org, to learn what Elder Hinckley counseled us to do.

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A Perfect Fit

Are there questions to which you have not found a satisfactory answer?

If so, you could follow Elder Hinckley’s counsel by setting your question aside for a time so you can continue building and strengthening your testimony. Later, with additional understanding and experience, you might find an answer to your question that fits perfectly with your testimony.

An Eternal Perspective

Read paragraphs 8–10 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for how we can “examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective.”

The Plan of Salvation—Examining in Context

You may want to mark this statement of truth in paragraph 8: To examine doctrinal concepts, questions, and social issues with an eternal perspective, we consider them in the context of the plan of salvation and the teachings of the Savior.

Because of our knowledge of Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation, we may view certain concepts or questions differently than do those who do not share our faith.

Watch the video entitled “Examining Questions with an Eternal Perspective” (2:56), available on LDS.org. In this video a young woman named Lauren shares how she learned to examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective so that she could help her friend. How can what she learned help you?

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3. Answer one of the following questions:

What did you learn from the video about how to examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective?
What experiences have you had in which your knowledge of the plan of salvation or the teachings of the Savior helped you to examine a doctrinal concept, question, or social issue with an eternal perspective?

A Vital Source of Truth

In paragraph 11 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, we read that one way the Lord provides guidance for us as we go through life is to call prophets and apostles to counsel and teach us.

4. Why are prophets and apostles “a vital source of truth” for us in our day?

A Caution

Read paragraph 12 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for a caution this paragraph gives about some sources of information that are available to us.

What do we need to be careful of as we search additional sources for further understanding of and answers to our concerns and questions?

A Confusing Time

Consider marking this statement in paragraph 12: We live in a time when many “call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). This passage is part of a prophecy in which the prophet Isaiah foretold Israel’s apostasy and the afflictions that would come upon the house of Israel as a result.

Read Isaiah 5:20. This verse is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider marking it in a distinctive way so that you can locate it more easily.

What are some “light” or “sweet” things that the world tries to convince you are “dark” or “bitter”?

Good and Evil

How can popularity or public opinion make it difficult to recognize good and evil?

President Russell M. Nelson provided an answer to this question.

You can read the text for this video here: “Let Your Faith Show,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 30–31.

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President Russell M. Nelson provided an answer to this question.

“The temptation to be popular may prioritize public opinion above the word of God. Political campaigns and marketing strategies widely employ public opinion polls to shape their plans. Results of those polls are informative. But they could hardly be used as grounds to justify disobedience to God’s commandments! Even if ‘everyone is doing it,’ wrong is never right. Evil, error, and darkness will never be truth, even if popular. A scriptural warning so declares: ‘Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness’ [Isaiah 5:20]” (Russell M. Nelson, “Let Your Faith Show,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 30–31).

Prophets and Apostles—Called Despite Weaknesses

One of the ways Satan tries to turn people away from the Lord’s prophets and apostles is by influencing them to think negatively of the Lord’s chosen servants. Sometimes people focus on prophets’ and apostles’ shortcomings or weaknesses rather than on their divine calling as the Lord’s spokesmen.

President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles provided this counsel to those who are tempted to focus on the weaknesses of those who are called to lead and serve in the Church.

You can read the text for this video here: “God Is at the Helm,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 24–25.

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President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles provided this counsel to those who are tempted to focus on the weaknesses of those who are called to lead and serve in the Church.

“The Church of Jesus Christ has always been led by living prophets and apostles. Though mortal and subject to human imperfection, the Lord’s servants are inspired to help us avoid obstacles that are spiritually life threatening and to help us pass safely through mortality to our final, ultimate, heavenly destination. …

“Too many people think Church leaders and members should be perfect or nearly perfect. They forget that the Lord’s grace is sufficient to accomplish His work through mortals. Our leaders have the best intentions, but sometimes we make mistakes. This is not unique to Church relationships, as the same thing occurs in our relationships among friends, neighbors, and workplace associates and even between spouses and in families.

“Looking for human weakness in others is rather easy. However, we make a serious mistake by noticing only the human nature of one another and then failing to see God’s hand working through those He has called.

“Focusing on how the Lord inspires His chosen leaders and how He moves the Saints to do remarkable and extraordinary things despite their humanity is one way that we hold on to the gospel of Jesus Christ and stay safely aboard the Old Ship Zion” (M. Russell Ballard, “God Is at the Helm,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 24–25).

How can understanding that the Lord leads His Church through ordinary people help us not turn away from His chosen prophets and apostles?

Authorized Leaders

Remember that the men we sustain in the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are truly prophets of the Lord, chosen and authorized by Him to lead us. Think about how prophets and apostles have helped you to avoid being deceived.

Answers to Questions

The following truths were identified in this lesson:

As we continue to seek for answers, we must live by faith—trusting that we will eventually receive the answers we seek.
To examine doctrinal concepts, questions, and social issues with an eternal perspective, we consider them in the context of the plan of salvation and the teachings of the Savior.
We live in a time when many “call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).

Think about what you will do to seek answers to questions that you might have.