EDUCATION {YESTERYEARS}
[FROM 1998 TO 2015]

As a wife and mother it's easy to set aside my personal interests in regards to attaining knowledge of both a spiritual and secular nature. I know that God intends for us to continually learn and develop our talents while on this earth. Personally, I find that my tired body and mind has a difficult time retaining the things I try to learn, or prevents me from being motivated to develop my talents. I invest so much into my children and keeping my home in order that my personal interests more often than not are neglected. The key, as I've said before, is balance. I know that taking time for my personal development and learning is just as important as caring for my home and children (don't forget my husband). It's a tricky thing to keep it all in focus and not invest a substantial amount of time on one while letting the others collect a bit of dust. My education is extremely important and vital to my happiness, and my ability to take care of the other things in my life that I value beyond myself. All of the people in my life will benefit from my learning and from my talents. It's not a selfish thing to take some time from them for my personal education. When I take my learning and talents, then teach or serve using what I've worked so hard to gain, then that makes the hard work and time I invested in my education worth more to me, and to my God. Teaching and serving others is what life is all about. I can do that best by becoming my best through the gifts God has given me. I encourage everyone to work at being a little better in your talents and a little more learned every day. You will be blessed, as well as those you serve, starting with your family and friends, then perhaps your neighbors and community.


Below are a few quotes on education and learning that I fully believe and try to apply in my life. They are religious in nature, but can be applied by all.

"Parents, work at the matter of creating an atmosphere in your homes. Let your children be exposed to great minds, great ideas, everlasting truth, and those things which will build and motivate for good.

The Lord has said to this people, 'Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.' (D&C 88:118.) I wish to urge every parent within the sound of my voice to try to create within your home an atmosphere of learning and the growth which will come of it."

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

"It is not enough just to live, just to survive. There is incumbent upon every member of this Church the mandate of the Lord to equip ourselves to do something worthwhile in society.... I want to urge our young people to be hungry for education. You will be doing the will of the Lord as you educate your mind and your hands for future work to make a contribution to the world of which you will be a part. Sacrifice for it, work for it, save for it, plan for it, and do it."

-President Gordon B. Hinkley

In the eighty-eighth section of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord instructs us:

“And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

“Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

“Of things both in heaven and in earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

“That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you. …

“And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (D&C 88:77-80, 118.)