Marion G. Romney

In the latter days, the Lord reaffirmed these basic truths through the Prophet Joseph Smith. In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, a prayer given by revelation to Joseph Smith, the Prophet prayed: "And do thou grant, Holy Father, that all those who shall worship in this house may be taught words of wisdom … and that they may seek learning even by study, and also by faith, as thou has said …"

And for what purpose?

"… that they may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost, and be organized according to thy laws, and be prepared to obtain every needful thing." (D&C 109:14-15.)

This prayer makes it clear that the Lord views one's learning as complete only when one is guided by the Holy Spirit. On another occasion the Lord said, "If ye continue in my word … ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32.) The truths that can free us from our sins, guilt, false concepts, erroneous understanding, and unproductive habits and behavior are to be had only through the Holy Spirit.

There has never been a day such as now in all of earthly history when secular learning was so far advanced and widespread as it is today. Yet so many of those around us do not enjoy the truths and the freedom those truths bring of which the Master taught. Rather, to so many people, it seems that truth and true freedom elude their grasp.

The central core of the Father's plan of salvation is that to obtain these truths and the peace, happiness, security, and freedom these truths bring to their righteous adherents, we must draw upon a source of knowledge that lies above and beyond the reach of ordinary learning processes. ("Receiving and Applying Spiritual Truth," Ensign, Feb. 1984, p. 4)