We must believe that we are born for the service of humankind, and set ourselves to consider what service we are best fitted to perform. Now if a human should succeed, not in striking out some new invention, but in kindling a light in nature—a light that should eventually disclose and bring into sight all that is most hidden and secret in the Universe—that person would be benefactor indeed of the human race. Some of us are fitted for nothing so well as the study of truth, as having minds nimble and versatile enough to catch the resemblances of things (which is the chief point) and at the same time steady enough to fix and distinguish their subtler differences; as being gifted by nature with desire to seek, patience to doubt, fondness to meditate, slowness to asset, readiness to reconsider, carefulness to dispose and set in order; and as being individuals that neither affect what is new nor admiring what is antiquated, and strongly disliking every kind of imposture. So, it seems people like this have a mind with the intellectual framework and a kind of familiarity and relationship with the truth. We are most impressed by the truth’s vision of a universal science, which is of great practical import and includes all the secrets of nature. The unified science, revealed by God is concealed in figurative enigmatic language, but might be rediscovered by one morally worthy and mentally qualified to receive it. “The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin,” reports Proverbs 10.8. #RandolphHarris 1 of 7

There are barriers blocking the road to truth: submission to unworthy authority (for example, crediting living theologians with a prestige due only to the Church Fathers or the Scriptures), the influence of custom, popular prejudice, and concealment of one’s ignorance are all contributing factors. The study of wisdom emphasizes the search for the continued optimization and the cultural evolution of the human condition. Wisdom is the ability to make correct judgments and decisions; it is the skill or gift from God to judge correctly. A person gains wisdom through experience and study and by following God’s counsel. Without God’s help, people would not have true wisdom. It is an intangible quality gained through God’s grace. Wisdom exemplifies the collaboration of cognitive, and emotional, and motivational processes. We associate the development of wisdom in a person with the emergence in later adulthood of a meditative attitude, philosophic calmness, impartiality, and the desire to draw moral lessons. Wisdom has such a rich ideational history and carried so may religious and philosophical associations that it almost seems to have a supernatural foundation, which is part of our soul. Wisdom concerns a body of insights, heuristics, and skills that can manifest themselves in many different ways, only one of which is the wise person. “Transgressors withdraw themselves from the Spirit, that it has no place to guide them in wisdom’s path,” Mosiah 2.36. #RandolphHarris 2 of 7

Wisdom embraces these contradictions of life and draws insights from them. It further develops heuristics about when and under which circumstance are essential for grasping human existence. The conceptions of wisdom have been investigated in more depth than is the case for other constructs, such as intelligence, because it includes its rich cultural history and loftiness as an ideal state of being. It becomes manifest, often times, in social situations such as advice-giving and guidance. When it comes to issues of wisdom, there is no easily retrievable answer to the question of what is right or wrong. However, based on the fundamental precondition that the well-being of the individual and that of the community need to be balanced, a consensus can be reached within a community of practice as to what constitutes wise advice or even a wise person. In other words, wisdom follows a consensual rather than an objective criterion of truth. The cognitive-ability component combines crystallized and fluid aspects of intelligence. Both an experience-based body of broad and deep life knowledge and the ability to reason well and think logically about novel problems. “Angels appear unto wise people,” reports Helaman 12.5. Due to the fact that wisdom also searches for insight, bridges cognition and motivation: Wise individuals are willing and able to understand complex issues deeply rather than superficially. “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you,” reports Proverbs 5-7. #RandolphHarris 3 of 7

If enlightened individuals are lacking sufficient information, they will search for that information rather than form a premature judgement. There is also a motivational-emotional component for wise people. They tend to have a reflective attitude, rather than making quick judgments or being guided by strong emotions, they prefer to think deeply about people, the World, and themselves. It is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the superiority of being enlightened. Blessed is the one who seeks wisdom, and the many Bible verses about wisdom teaches us that it is more valuable than gold. Wisdom is the key to unlocking everlasting and eternal abundant life. Wisdom is nothing but a preparation of the soul, a capacity, a secret art of thinking, feeling and breathing thoughts of unity at every moment of life. Wisdom is a virtue that is valued highly by most, and is integrated of one’s own perspective and self-interests with that of others, compassion concern for the welfare of others, and equanimity. Their attitude of looking at all sides of an issues also implies a willingness to be critical of themselves, a balanced manner of regulating their own emotions rather than getting carried away by strong feelings, and an unobtrusive self-presentation. Wise people also tend to engage in civic activities to help solve real World like the lack of electricity, water, housing, and health issues. Thus, wisdom is transmitted across generations. It is generational blessing. #RandolphHarris 4 of 7

Wisdom can also be acquired in youth with the fluctuations of life’s cycle of prosperity and hardship. However, even though the human development is vastly universal, wisdom many differ across cultures, and they change with history. Personal wisdom refers to the individuals’ insight into their selves, and their own lives. General wisdom is concerned with individuals’ insights into life in general, from an observer’s point of view, that is, when they are not personally concerned. The two types of wisdom do not necessarily have to coincide in a person. A person can be wise with regards to the life and problems of other people and can be sought out for advice from others because of one’s wisdom, but the very same person does not necessarily have to be wise about one’s own life and one’s own problems. Wisdom is a complex and content-rich phenomenon, and many scholars have claimed that it defies attempts at scientific information. Because of people’s sins, God’s scientific revelations were obscured by errors—which is one reason for testing empirically what the ancient sages say. All knowledge can be found in the Scriptures and secrets books, whose full meaning God reveals by interior illumination only to those whose lives are pure. Praise God for teaching us how to live the abundant life and for blessing us with the wise promises of Scripture. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding,” reports Proverbs 2.6. #RandolphHarris 5 of 7

As we meditate on these verses in the Bible, we will receive flashes of brilliance and scientific lord. Wisdom that comes only from God and leads to a peaceful, plentiful, and everlasting life. “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are the Lord’s,” reports Job 12.13. Wisdom and knowledge are not the same things. knowledge is acquired through experiences. If one does not experience something, one will not have knowledge about it. Normally, a senior would be considered wise. However, a youth could potentially be just as wise. It all depends on their lives and ho w many times they have experienced different things. Knowledge: facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience and/or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (scientia experimentalis). Knowledge is information of which someone is aware. Knowledge is also used to mean the confident understanding of a subject, potentially with the ability to use it for a specific purpose. However, someone with wisdom could potentially have a lot of knowledge. If knowledge is acquired through experiences, and with experience comes wisdom, then knowledge must come with wisdom. “To another is given the word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge,” reports Doctrines and Covenants 46.18. #RandolphHarris 6 of 7

Nothing can be learned without experience. One aspect of experience is based on sense perception and it called human or philosophical; the other aspect is interior and is derived from an illumination of the mind by God. Thus, although sense perception is necessary to knowledge, certainty cannot be attained without divine illumination. Interior experience admits of seven degrees, beginning with that required for certitude in mathematics or the natural sciences and culminating in such mystical or ecstatic states as Sating Paul’s vision of Heaven. However, we should devote our time to what we can know about the wonders of nature by sense perception and the first degree of illumination. Consider the tides of the ocean, heat, and double refraction, light (and all physical force generally) is transmitted in pulses like sound waves. Since this multiplication of species requires a medium, the transmission cannot be instantaneous, even though the time interval is imperceptible. In seeking knowledge of God, we need to remember that the things of God knows no person, but the Spirit of God. The Spirit offers a witness and knowledge that cannot be found elsewhere. Learning by faith engages the spirit. “Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that you may not shrink with awful fear; that you may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness,” 2 Nephi 9.46. #RandolphHarris 7 of 7