Read: Learning How to Learn

Try to listen to the passage the first time without looking at the text. Then listen again while following along with the text to understand more.

God has blessed us with many things. We have our families. We have our homes. We have clothes, food, and unique privileges. We enjoy many freedoms, such as how to use our time and how to use our money. These blessings bring with them responsibilities. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the way we take care of these responsibilities is called our stewardship. Right now, you may have a stewardship over your family. You may have a stewardship over those you are called to serve in the church. You have a stewardship over the money you make. All that you possess and every responsibility you have is your stewardship before God.

One of your stewardships is to learn. You are able to develop more skills and knowledge through education. Learning is one of the main purposes of our life on earth. Elder Bednar said, “You and I are here upon the earth to learn how to learn.” D&C 88:118 tells us to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” Learning to learn requires spiritual, mental, and physical effort.

Here are three things you can do to help you learn best:

First: Always have the Holy Ghost with you. Learn how the Spirit speaks to you. This is an important part of becoming a responsible learner. No matter what you study, the Holy Ghost can lead you to truth. Elder Clark calls this kind of learning “deep learning.”

Learning is deep when the Holy Ghost helps you to know, understand, take action, and become more like our Heavenly Parents.

Second: Desire to learn and to act. You must sincerely want to learn what you are studying. Have you ever mindlessly gone through the motions of studying? Maybe it was in a class you took in school. Maybe you wanted a good grade more than you wanted to learn. Or maybe you depended on the teacher for most of your learning. Successful learners truly want to learn, and they seek knowledge for themselves. Matthew 5:6 calls it hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

Third: See a use for what you learn. Understand your purpose for studying. Ask yourself, “Why am I learning this? How will I use it in my future?” Examine how your study is relevant to your life goals. How can you apply what you learn in your daily life? Learn to love learning and apply your knowledge to everyday life, no matter what you are studying.