Study

1. Definition:
1. 1828: 1. To apply the mind to; to read and examine for the purpose of learning and understanding; as, to study law or theology; to study languages. 2. To consider attentively; to examine closely.
1. Apply (work)
2. Examine (evaluate)
3. Consider (ponder)
1. Study is not something easily done. It is the doing of hard work for the purpose of learning something. This can either be gained by examination (factual study) or through consideration (discussions, reflective study.) Interesting however, both the words examine and consider are derived for the same word, sidius, which means star.
2. Quotes:
1. “Prayer without study would be empty. Study without prayer would be blind.” (Fakok)
1. Study is an act which enriches the area of life it is applied to, no matter what. It is therefore essential to first study doctrine prayerfully, so that Christ can lead you where He wishes.
2. “We learn by faith as we diligently gain spiritual knowledge through prayer, scripture study, and obedience and as we seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, who testifies of all truth.” (Mary N. Cook, April 2012 General Conference)
1. We can learn by faith by applying ourselves to study. As we do so, we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. The Spirit testifies of the truth of all things. So it is imperative that in our studies we invite the Holy Ghost to be our teacher. We do this by study of the gospel.
3. Scriptures:
1. “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-8)
1. God asks us to study the things we do not know. To live only by faith would come to nothing. When seeking knowledge, study must accompany faith. The faith by your works is study.
2. “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (Doctrine Covenants 88:118)
1. As I said before, study is necessary for wisdom, just as faith is. If we would learn wisdom, we must be willing to study with God’s plan in mind. Keep an eternal perspective while living in this temporal sphere. 
4. Personal Definition:

1. Study is something to apply yourself to do in order to refine your understanding of that thing. Study must always be accompanied by faith, but should not be replaced by it. Both faith and study are strengthened by the presence of the other. If we would know what our Father would have us do, we must study earnestly with faith that He will guide you.

Still

1. Definition
1. 1828 Calm; silence; freedom from noise; as the still of midnight.
1. Calm (serene)
2. Silence (tranquility)
1. To be still is to be free from distractions in the world. To remove unnecessary and foolish sounds from around us.
2. Quotes from Prophets
1. “We have nothing to fear and everything to gain. God is at the helm. We will seek His direction. We will listen to the still, small voice of revelation. And we will go forward as He directs.” (GORDON B. HINCKLEY, General Conference, April 1997)
1. The lord speaks through a still, small voice. It is how he directs us and admonishes us to do better. How can we do that if we have constant noise and commotion constantly surrounding us?
3. Scriptures
1. “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. “ (Psalms 4:4)
1. Take time and just sit and comune with God. Contemplate what is in your heart, and remove all the distractions. Let God love you.
2. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalms 46:10)
1. God can let you know who he is, if you are still and calm, and remove all distractions. He will show you that he is who he is.
4. Personal Definition

God speaks today. Each and every one of us can receive revelation from him. But God normally speaks in soft, quiet, still voices. If we have a mass of chaos and confusion that distracts us from what we need to listen for, we can lose his voice. So, we are still. To be still is to remove all unnecessary distractions and just let God speak. When we do this, we can draw closer to God and he can mold us to become his tools.

Sorrow

1. Definition:
1. 1828: The uneasiness or pain of mind which is produced by the loss of any good. or of frustrated hopes of good, or expected loss of happiness; to grieve; to be sad.
1. Pain (suffering)
2. Grief (heartache)
3. Sad (dejected)
1. To sorrow is to realize the loss of something good.
2. Quotes from Prophets:
1. “We came to mortal life to encounter resistance. It was part of the plan for our eternal progress. Without temptation, sickness, pain, and sorrow, there could be no goodness, virtue, appreciation for well-being, or joy. The law of opposition makes freedom of choice possible;” (Robert D. Hales, General Conference, October 1983)
1. The law of opposition applies to everything in life. Without sorrow, there is no joy; without joy, there is no sorrow
3. Scriptures:
1. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament,but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” (John 16:20)
1. We are promised that if we are faithful in our endurance in our sorrow, that sorrow will be turned to joy-through Christ.
2. “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians 7:9-10)
1. Sorrow hurts, but it often allows us to see our flaws and errors and make us better people. This is good, Godly, sorrow.
4. Personal Definition:

Sorrow comes when you lose something good, and you know that. Sorrow is essential to joy. If we are firm in our endurance, we will have an increase in joy because of our sorrows.

Service

1. Definition:
1. 1828: In a general sense, labor of body or of body and mind, performed at the command of a superior, or the pursuance of duty, or for the benefit of another. service is voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary service is that of hired servants, or of contract, or of persons who spontaneously perform something for another's benefit. Involuntary service is that of slaves, who work by compulsion.
1. Labor (exertion)
2. Voluntary (optional)
3. Involuntary (uncontrollable)
1. Service is the application of labor. It can be either by your choice, or it can be forced on you. Either way, it is “service”.
2. Quotes:
1. “Whoever renders service to many puts himself in line for greatness - great wealth, great return, great satisfaction, great reputation, and great joy.” (Jim Rohn)
1. Service, of the voluntary kind, is rewarding and awesome.
2. “No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty, the fulfillment of which brings true joy.” (Thomas S. Monson)
1. Service is what life is for. To learn to put others before yourself. It is the duty placed on us by God.
3. Scriptures:
1. “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)
1. God’s work and glory is found in us. When we help each other, we help our God. Also we see that this is the wise thing to do. It is wisdom.
4. Personal Definition:

Service is when you voluntarily help others without an expectation of worldly gain or recognition. It will, however, bring you more of both worldly and heavenly blessings. When we serve others, we serve God.

Seek

1. Definition:
1. 1828: To go in search or quest of; to look for; to search for by going from place to place.
1. Search (inquiry)
2. Quest (hunt)
1. To seek for something is more than looking for something. When you seek, you first must make inquiries as to what you are looking for, then you must actively hunt your answers by studying in many different areas.
2. Quotes:
1. “Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.”  (Horace Mann)
1. This quote shows that in doing one thing, we may learn other great things along our way. When we earnestly seek something, we learn more that we could imagine.
2. “In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story” (Walter Cronkite)
1. As I said before, success in seeking comes from a long search in all facets of the sought area. You cannot understand something unless you have a wide perspective of it.
3. “As we seek the things of God, we must humble ourselves before Him, remembering that it is by His grace that we receive them, and focus our thoughts and our prayers, our faith and our desires, even all of the energy of our hearts that we might receive light and understanding directly from a loving Heavenly Father.” (Craig C. Christensen, General Conference, April 2003)
1. When we are truly seeking something, we must direct our entire will into achieving that thing. When we are entirely focused and determined on that which we are seeking, a channel opens between us and the heavens, and we gain a purer and purer understanding as we seek.
4. “The word seek means to go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It requires an active, assertive approach to life... It is the opposite of passively waiting for something good to come to us, with no effort on our part.” (Joseph B. Wirthlin, General Conference, April 1992)
1. To be a true seeker you must be proactive, this is simply truth.
3. Scriptures:
1. “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 109: 7 AND 88: 118)
1. Seek and teach, this is a true education. In seeking, it is important to do so diligently, from the best books, to look for wisdom (principles?), by studying, and by pleading to the Lord and trusting his judgment.
2. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
1. When we truly seek for truth and for the gospel, we will receive more and more light as we learn more and more about the endlessness of eternity.
4. Personal Definition:

“Seek, and ye shall Find”. This is a huge promise, and one that entails much more than a simple glance to find. Seeking is something you do with your entire self. Something that does not come easily. But when we seek, we open a communication with our Father that only ceases when we cease to seek. Seek learning for the purpose of the seeking, understanding is an added benefit.