The Meekness to Learn

 Elder Renlund told an insightful story about a visit to a stake that he made as a companion to Elder Neal A. Maxwell.  After the Saturday night meeting, Elder Maxwell asked Elder Renlund, “What could I have done better to teach the principles we taught?”  Elder Renlund was surprised by the question from this apostle, a master gospel teacher, and only after persistent questioning did Elder Renlund mention one minor thing that perhaps could have been a little clearer.  In the Sunday session of stake conference Elder Maxwell then brought that point up again and clarified it for the members (see chapter 10 of Elder and Sister Renlund’s book The Melchizedek Priesthood Understanding the Doctrine, Living the Principles).  Elder Maxwell showed that he was willing to receive counsel and act upon it, even from one who did not preside over him.  In the most recent general conference, Elder Bednar spoke about how meekness is characterized by this kind of behavior: “A distinguishing characteristic of meekness is a particular spiritual receptivity to learning both from the Holy Ghost and from people who may seem less capable, experienced, or educated, who may not hold important positions, or who otherwise may not appear to have much to contribute.”

               We have several examples in the scriptures of those who were willing to learn from others who could be considered their inferiors.  Elder Bednar cited one example in the story of Naaman, the captain of the army in Syria.  He originally rejected the instruction of Elisha to wash in the Jordan seven times, but his servants said to him, “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (2 Kings 5:13)  To his credit, Naaman did listen to the counsel of his servants, and he was healed.  Another example of this kind of attitude was shown in Lehi as he listened to his son Nephi when his family was struggling to find food after Nephi’s bow broke.  We read that not only did Laman and Lemuel murmur at this time, but Lehi also “began to murmur against the Lord his God.”  Nephi wrote that he did “speak much unto my brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto complaining against the Lord their God.”  He then made a new bow and arrow and said to his father, “Wither shall I go to obtain food?”  Lehi and the others responded as they “humbled themselves because of [Nephi’s] words” and turned to the Lord (1 Nephi 16:20-24).  He showed that he could be corrected even by his son, and he repented before the Lord.

            King Limhi was another who showed that he had the meekness to follow the counsel of one who was subject to him.  When Limhi was ready to conduct a search among his people after he found out daughters of the Lamanites had been stolen, Gideon spoke up, “I pray thee forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to their charge. For do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this people sought to destroy?” (Mosiah 20:17-18)  He helped his king to quickly realize the most probably explanation and see the urgency of going and placating the oncoming Lamanites.  Limhi’s willingness to listen to the words of his servant saved him and his people.  This happened again as Limhi tried to figure out how to escape from the Lamanites.  Instead of insisting that he figure out the solution himself, he and Ammon “did cause that all the people should gather themselves together; and this they did that they might have the voice of the people concerning the matter.”  Gideon came forth and offered a very specific plan that they could follow, and we read that “the king hearkened unto the words of Gideon” (Mosiah 21:1, 9).  Once again, this proved to be very advantageous for his whole people, and following Gideon’s plan allowed them to escape.  Unlike his father Noah, Limhi showed that he had the humility to be instructed by someone else.  These examples all highlight the importance of developing the meekness to listen and learn and follow righteous counsel, wherever it may come from.