Joseph’s example of study was an incredible one. When he had questions, he did all he could to find the answers. When confronted with the realization that he did not know which church to join, he sought for answers by studying the scriptures, talking to his parents and family, attending various religious services, and asking questions of the local ministers and church leaders.

Much of our learning will come in the same way. In fact, it often feels like this is the only way we are to learn while here at BYU. We spend hours studying, memorizing, and doing all we can to learn and understand the material we will be tested on. While this is an important part of the learning process, it is only that: a part.

To truly be God’s student, our learning must come in more ways than this. Upon studying and doing all we can, we will be given experiences that further our growth. This was certainly the case with Joseph. In the midst of his trials at Liberty jail, the Lord told him that “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7). Similarly, there is much to be gained through our experiences at BYU. We, too, will have challenges and opportunities for the Lord to teach us—it is our responsibility to recognize these lessons.

We can be God’s students as we receive personal revelation. It almost goes without saying that Joseph learned largely in this way. As we seek to be worthy and invite the Spirit into our lives, we also will be taught by revelation. The promptings we receive will put the information we are learning into perspective and help us see the relevance and application of the material.

I had such an experience recently as I read my American Heritage textbook. As I was learning about the tools the nation’s founders used in creating our government, I realized that these same principles ought to be used when founding and forming our families. My perspective of what I’m learning in the class has now changed because of a simple prompting from the Spirit.

May we always remember the way the Prophet Joseph Smith was taught and always seek to learn in this way: through study, experience, and revelation.

-Kirk Perry, Education in Zion Gallery Educator

When seen together, these two murals of the temple and the school encapsulate the purpose of learning for Church members. For Latter-day Saints, learning is a holy and eternal endeavor. The Prophet Joseph Smith claimed that “the first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is that we believe that we have a right to embrace all and every item of truth, without limitation.” An eternal education follows a spirit of learning which defines truth as one whole and seeks to harmonize faith and study.

From the early days of the Church, the Prophet Joseph Smith directed the building of both temples and schools. In Kirtland, the Saints labored to construct a temple while at the same time opened several schools, most notably the School of the Prophets. Again in Nauvoo, the Prophet directed the building of the Nauvoo Temple as well as establishing the University of the City of Nauvoo. The words of early Church leader Sidney Rigdon help explain, in part, the tenacity that the early Saints had in creating a community in which education thrived. He said, “Intelligence is the great object of our holy religion. To obtain all the knowledge which the circumstances man will admit of, is one of the princip[al] objects the [S]aints have in gathering together.” This is our educational inheritance.

In the final room of the exhibition hangs a panel with the following words from BYU’s fifth president, Franklin Harris: “There has grown out of the history of th[is] institution a certain fire that must be kept burning…the first task of the future is to preserve it…this spirit that come to us from the past.” Since opening in August of 2008, Education in Zion has shared stories of many past church members’ pursuits in learning the importance of and attaining an education for the whole soul. This story of education in the Church continues today. In the spirit of keeping the fire burning, we would like to hear your stories and tell some of ours as well.

The purpose of this blog is to create a forum in which thoughts on educational inheritance, faith and scholarship, and the eternal nature of learning may be reflected upon, shared, and discussed. The blog will be updated regularly with entries from those of us at Education in Zion, the BYU community, Church members worldwide, and any who share an interest in these topics.

We invite you to consider sharing the story of your own educational inheritance or your reflections on an eternal education. To contribute, please email your entry to educationinzion@byu.edu.

-Ann Lambson, Education in Zion Curator