When They Are When They Are Learned…Learned…

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What was What was that?that?

An elderly couple had An elderly couple had dinner at another dinner at another couple's house, and couple's house, and after eating, the wives after eating, the wives left the table and went left the table and went into the kitchen.into the kitchen.

The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, "Last night The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, "Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. You ought to try it.“You ought to try it.“

The other man said, "What is the name of the restaurant?“The other man said, "What is the name of the restaurant?“The first man thought and thought and finally said, "What The first man thought and thought and finally said, "What

is the name of that flower you give to someone you is the name of that flower you give to someone you love?love?You know ... The one that's red and has thorns.“You know ... The one that's red and has thorns.“

"Do you mean a rose?“"Do you mean a rose?“"Yes, that's the one," replied the man. He then turned "Yes, that's the one," replied the man. He then turned

towards the kitchen and yelled, "Rose, what's the name towards the kitchen and yelled, "Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?"of that restaurant we went to last night?"

The Principle of the The Principle of the CompassCompass

True NorthTrue Principles

Spencer W. Spencer W. KimballKimball

Now this (doctrine), again l say, is not a Now this (doctrine), again l say, is not a matter of matter of opinion. This isn't something you can opinion. This isn't something you can go out and go out and argue about. The judges at the gate argue about. The judges at the gate will know by it will know by it for sure--the formula, the for sure--the formula, the records, the spirit, the records, the spirit, the true desserts. true desserts.

The book of life will show the earthly activities of the earthly The book of life will show the earthly activities of the earthly servants, and the book of the angels will give the entire servants, and the book of the angels will give the entire story of every man--of that which he did in the light and in story of every man--of that which he did in the light and in the shadows, in the open and in the corners; all that was the shadows, in the open and in the corners; all that was said in the secret places and from the housetops; all that said in the secret places and from the housetops; all that was thought and expressed, whether good or bad. There will was thought and expressed, whether good or bad. There will be no escape. The honest judge will give full value to all for be no escape. The honest judge will give full value to all for their good work and will not overlook the other…their good work and will not overlook the other…

Now, my young brothers and sisters, if I meet any of you Now, my young brothers and sisters, if I meet any of you beyond the veil--I'll reach there before you do--don't anyone beyond the veil--I'll reach there before you do--don't anyone of you ever come to Brother Kimball and say, "You didn't tell of you ever come to Brother Kimball and say, "You didn't tell me. I didn't understand. Nobody warned me of this.me. I didn't understand. Nobody warned me of this.

BYU Devotional, 30 September 1973 BYU Devotional, 30 September 1973

2 Nephi 92 Nephi 9

O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! foolishness of men!

When they are learnedWhen they are learned they think they they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, supposing they know of themselves,

wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. profiteth them not. And they shall perish. Is Jacob saying we should be Un-learned?

2 Nephi 9:432 Nephi 9:43

But the things of the wise and the But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them prudent shall be hid from them forever--yea, that happiness which forever--yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints.is prepared for the saints.

(Or)(Or)

The eternal happiness of the Saints The eternal happiness of the Saints will be forever hidden from those will be forever hidden from those who are who are selfself-wise and -wise and selfself-prudent. -prudent.

The Solution?The Solution?

whoso knocketh, to him will he open; whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they and the wise, and the learned, and they

that are rich, who are puffed up that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches— wisdom, and their riches—

yea, they are they whom he despiseth; yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things and save they shall cast these things away, away,

and consider themselves fools and consider themselves fools before Godbefore God, and come down in the , and come down in the depths of humility, depths of humility,

he will not open unto them he will not open unto them

In other wordsIn other words

We speak ofWe speak of

Enduring to the Enduring to the End!End!

When we should be When we should be talking about:talking about:

Enduring Enduring until we until we change.change.

Pres. Marion G. Pres. Marion G. RomneyRomney

A paramount consideration for us…today A paramount consideration for us…today is “… How can we distinguish between is “… How can we distinguish between his counterfeits and divine truth?" his counterfeits and divine truth?"

I would like now to suggest some tests I would like now to suggest some tests which can safely be used to distinguish which can safely be used to distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit…the genuine from the counterfeit… Anything purporting to pertain to the Anything purporting to pertain to the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be put to Gospel of Jesus Christ may be put to the following four simple tests:the following four simple tests:

Test #1Test #1

1. Does it purport to originate in 1. Does it purport to originate in the wisdom of men, or was it the wisdom of men, or was it revealed from heaven?revealed from heaven?

Test #2Test #2

Does the teaching Does the teaching bear the proper bear the proper label? label?

Test #3Test #3

The teaching must The teaching must not only come not only come under the proper under the proper label, but it must label, but it must also conform to also conform to the other the other teaching of the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ.

Test #4Test #4

Now the fourth and Now the fourth and last test I shall last test I shall mention is: Does it mention is: Does it come through the come through the proper Church proper Church channel? channel?

Oct. Conference, Oct. Conference, 19601960

Jacob ContinuesJacob Continues

O, my beloved brethren, remember my O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take off my garments, words. Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; and I shake them before you;

I pray the God of my salvation that he I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye; view me with his all-searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their when all men shall be judged of their works, works,

that the God of Israel did witness that the God of Israel did witness that I that I shook your iniquities from my soulshook your iniquities from my soul, and , and that I stand with brightness before him, that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood. and am rid of your blood.

J. Reuben ClarkJ. Reuben Clark…The Last Wagon…The Last Wagon

I would like to say something about the last wagon in each I would like to say something about the last wagon in each of the of the long wagon trains that toiled slowly over the plains, up long wagon trains that toiled slowly over the plains, up mountain mountain defiles, down steep, narrow canyons, and out into defiles, down steep, narrow canyons, and out into the valley floor the valley floor that was to be home—this last wagon:that was to be home—this last wagon:

last, because the ox team that pulled it was the smallest and leanest and last, because the ox team that pulled it was the smallest and leanest and weakest, and had the tenderest feet of any in the train;weakest, and had the tenderest feet of any in the train;

The Saints buoyed up the Brethren out in front with encouragement, with praise, The Saints buoyed up the Brethren out in front with encouragement, with praise, and sometimes even with adulation. Knowing the Brethren were prophets of and sometimes even with adulation. Knowing the Brethren were prophets of God, the Saints gave them full confidence, daily, almost hourly, expressed. God, the Saints gave them full confidence, daily, almost hourly, expressed. The Brethren lived in a world of commendation from friends and the tried The Brethren lived in a world of commendation from friends and the tried and true Saints. Rarely was their word or their act questioned by the faithful and true Saints. Rarely was their word or their act questioned by the faithful Saints. This was as it should be and had to be to carry out the Lord’s Saints. This was as it should be and had to be to carry out the Lord’s purposes. purposes.

But back in the last wagon, not always could they see the Brethren way out in But back in the last wagon, not always could they see the Brethren way out in front, and the blue heaven was often shut front, and the blue heaven was often shut out from their sight by heavy, out from their sight by heavy, dense clouds of the dust of the earth. Yet day after day, they of the last dense clouds of the dust of the earth. Yet day after day, they of the last wagon pressed forward, worn and tired, footsore, sometimes almost wagon pressed forward, worn and tired, footsore, sometimes almost disheartened, borne up by their faith that God loved them, that the restored disheartened, borne up by their faith that God loved them, that the restored gospel was true, and that the Lord led and directedgospel was true, and that the Lord led and directed the Brethren out in front.the Brethren out in front.

Elder Clark Elder Clark ContinuedContinued

Sometimes, they in the last wagon glimpsed, Sometimes, they in the last wagon glimpsed, for an for an instant, when faith surged strongest, the instant, when faith surged strongest, the glories of a glories of a celestial world, but it seemed so far celestial world, but it seemed so far away and the vision away and the vision so quickly vanished because so quickly vanished because want and weariness and want and weariness and heartache and sometimes heartache and sometimes discouragement were always discouragement were always pressing so near. pressing so near.

When the vision faded, their hearts sank. But they prayed again and pushed When the vision faded, their hearts sank. But they prayed again and pushed on, with little praise, with not too much encouragement, and never with on, with little praise, with not too much encouragement, and never with adulation. For there was nearly always something wrong with the last adulation. For there was nearly always something wrong with the last wagon or with its team—the off ox was a little lame in the right front wagon or with its team—the off ox was a little lame in the right front shoulder; the hub of the left front wheel was often hot; the tire of the shoulder; the hub of the left front wheel was often hot; the tire of the hind wheel on the same side was loose. So corrective counsel, hind wheel on the same side was loose. So corrective counsel, sometimes strong reproof, was the rule, because the wagon must not sometimes strong reproof, was the rule, because the wagon must not delay the whole train. delay the whole train.

But yet in that last wagon there was devotion and loyalty and integrity, and But yet in that last wagon there was devotion and loyalty and integrity, and above and beyond everything else, faith in the Brethren and in God’s above and beyond everything else, faith in the Brethren and in God’s power and goodness. For had not the Lord said that not even a sparrow power and goodness. For had not the Lord said that not even a sparrow fall[s] unnoticed by the Father, and were they not of more value than fall[s] unnoticed by the Father, and were they not of more value than sparrows? And then they had their testimony, burning always like an sparrows? And then they had their testimony, burning always like an eternal fire on a holy altar, that the restored gospel was true, that Joseph eternal fire on a holy altar, that the restored gospel was true, that Joseph was a prophet of God, and that Brigham was Joseph’s chosen successor. was a prophet of God, and that Brigham was Joseph’s chosen successor.

(Ensign, July 1997, p. 35) (Ensign, July 1997, p. 35)