From a devotional address given at Brigham Young University on 23 January 2001. “We can learn vitally important things by what we hear and see and especially by what we feel, as prompted by the Holy Ghost.”
My intent is to help you, while your life unfolds in productive ways, to obtain profound joy and happiness. If such joy is the nature of your life, my message will be a confirmation of what you have already been privileged to learn and apply. If that is not the pattern of your life, I will suggest truths that will help you find enduring happiness.
First, I will share a principle that, if understood and consistently applied, will bring enormous blessings throughout your life. It is not difficult for me to explain, nor you to understand. However, it will require of you significant, determined effort to yield its full potential. With it you can learn vital truths that will bring you greater enduring happiness and make your life more productive and meaningful:
I will consistently strive to learn by what I hear, see, and feel.
I will write down the important things I learn, and I will do them.
You can learn vitally important things by what you hear and see and especially by what you feel, as prompted by the Holy Ghost. Most individuals limit their learning primarily to what they hear or what they read. Be wise. Develop the skill of learning by what you see and particularly by what the Holy Ghost prompts you to feel. Consciously seek to learn by what you see and feel, and your capacity to do so will expand through consistent practice. Ask in faith for such help. Live to be worthy of it. Write down in a secure place the important things you learn from the Spirit. You will find that as you write down precious impressions, often more will come. Also, the knowledge you gain will be available throughout your life. Always, day or night, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, seek to recognize and respond to the direction of the Spirit. Express gratitude for the help you received and obey it. This practice will reinforce your capacity to learn by the Spirit. It will permit the Lord to guide your life and to enrich the use of every other capacity latent in your being.
Elder Scott’s complete talk can be found at… ‘To Acquire Knowledge and the Strength to Use it Wisely’.
