"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 88:118)

This morning I got to see something quite unusual. It was a lunar eclipse. The moon was full and the sky was clear. My husband and I had just gone out to start our walk when our neighbor pointed it out it out to us. We would have missed it if he hadn't said something. Sometimes we can learn things on our own, other times we have people teach us, and we learn from them. There is great wisdom in being able to learn from others as well as from "the best books" and from the Spirit (see D&C 88:118).

I wonder if this is a little like the star of Bethlehem. The wise men from the east knew what they were looking for and were able to see the star when so many people didn't see it (see Magi in Bible Dictionary). They were wise as to the things of God, and were prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ. The definition of wise is "having the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; sagacious" (The Free Dictionary) and not just knowledgeable, which means, "possessing or showing knowledge or intelligence; perceptive and well-informed" (The Free Dictionary). I believe it is very important to learn about things and have great knowledge. But it is more important to be able to discern what is true and right out of all we learn, "for it is necessary that [we] should learn wisdom" (Alma 32:12).

I want to be wise, so I ask, how can we be wise? I have come to find that there is a lot in the scriptures about wisdom and being wise. But for the moment I will focus on just a couple of items. The first begins with accepting instruction, or learning. The scriptures teach: "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser" (Proverbs 9:9). Being willing to learn from others, take instruction from someone who is less "learned", takes humility and is important in the process of being wise. It has been said of men, "When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God" (2 Nephi 9:28-29).  Humility is key in being wise. God will open "the gate" to us when we "come down in the depths of humility" (2 Nephi 9:41-42). We can learn every time we open our ears to hear (see Isaiah 50:5). The Lord wants to bless us and teach us through those who have prepared talks and lessons. It is our responsibility to learn from those who have been called to do so. Sometimes I have found that I have a hard time learning from people I know because I think know their weaknesses. It has taken great humility to set aside my pride and be willing to learn from those whom I have been "hurt" or "offended" by when they are speaking in sacrament meeting. I am the "fool" when I think I know more than God, because He chooses who will be the "instruments in [His hands] in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of [our] Redeemer" (Mosiah 27:36). We will become wise as we put our head in its proper position of humility, recognizing that "He imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto then many times, which confound the wise and the learned" (Alma 32:23). We can learn wisdom from those whom God has asked to speak in church, we just need "ears to hear" (Mark 4:23).

The Savior used a simple story, four verses in fact, about being wise. It is so important that He also told it to the Nephites in America when He appeared to them as well. The story is this: "Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock- And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand- And the rain descended , and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it" (3 Nephi 14:24-27; Matthew 7:24-27). We must build upon the "rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God" (Helaman 5:12). We have been told "this that [we] may learn wisdom, that [we] may learn...that there is no other way or means (no any other place, thing, item, power, idea, nothing) whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ" (Alma 38:9, italics added).

In order to be saved by Christ, we must know Christ. And to know Christ takes faith, study, learning, and wisdom. "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 88:118). We can learn and "seek this Jesus whom the prophets and apostles have written" (Ether 12:41) and "learn of [Him] (D&C 19:23) as we read the words of the prophets and apostles that are written in the scriptures and spoken to us by our prophet and apostles today (those words can be read here). We do this by keeping His commandments because we love Him (see John 14:15), "seek not for riches but for wisdom" (D&C 6:7), "seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from His hand. For... [we] know that He counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all His works" (Jacob 4:10). He loves us so much!!! He will never counsel us in the wrong, it is us who choose to do wrong.

He loves us so much that He allows us to develop our own ability to think, to ponder, to develop wisdom- which is to "discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting". As Paul said: "Finally, brethren (and sisters), whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things" (Philippians 4:8, italics added). Pondering and thinking is a major part of wisdom. It allows the Spirit to teach us and to guide us and discern between truth and error, and between right and wrong, therefore having true wisdom. When we are "still" (Psalms 46:10), we will be guided in "wisdom's path" (Mosiah 2:36) and "by the power of the Holy Ghost [we] may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:5). This is how we become wise men and women as we "seek this Jesus" (Ether 12:41). This I testify.