BECOMING

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In order to accomplish this Colossal Quest, it’s going to require a certain type of person.  I don’t mean an introvert/extrovert or even the most talented/qualified to carry it out.  But instead a certain caliber of person with all their unique gifts and contributions for their specific missions.  A highly educated person but not in the traditional sense.  One that is educated in character.

When thinking about the purposes of education, it’s generally associated with getting a good job, or having the skills to be competitive in society, or just simply acquiring things like money, a social reputation or cultural literacy.  Basically, the purpose is to DO or to HAVE.  But like most things that society has to offer, there is a higher, a more noble purpose behind the mechanics . . . and that is to BE.

 

BEING a great person, is truly undervalued in a world where GETTING is the popular trend.  BEING of high quality is hardly even mentioned in the arguments for education.  Sure, there is the twist on the word such as being informed and literate or being confident and competitive, even being a contributing member of society.  But those are just another way of saying the same objective of GETTING. 

BEING or BECOMING is in a class of its own.  It’s happening all the time, whether it is identified as an objective or not.  DOING or GETTING require specific actions to get a result but BECOMING is an either/or based on what choices are made.  It’s attached to the DOING or GETTING but shapes the character rather than the brain or pocketbook.  For instance –

Studying math 

     *Provides career opportunities  (& salary advantages) to solve society’s Ills  

     *Increases the likelihood of improving the current trends of technology growth

     *Gives the student the skills needed to understand the principles of mathematics

     *Gives the student competence to interact in a world where those principles are utilized

     *Causes the brain to create new connections and pathways for increased functionality and reasoning power

     *It may create a hate of math because of the challenges associated with learning it.

Those are the DOING and GETTING.  But it also is teaching the BECOMING skills such as:

    *Developing the fortitude and confidence to do hard things

    *Developing the discipline of daily practice and persistence (a good work ethic)

    *Developing a greater appreciation for the mathematical principles behind all of creation and nature

    *Developing a social competence and intelligence that is attractive to others

    *Developing courage to face complicated problems or intimidating circumstances

    *If resisting the learning challenges, it is developing ignorance, inconsistency, emotional instability, distractableness, discouragement, cantankerous, lazy, even a quitter.

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So how does one BECOME? 

Well, God has already put together a pretty amazing system based on choice and experiences.  Truth is available for all and whether one applies said truth, BECOMES said results.  If the opposite of truth is applied, one BECOMES a different result.  A simple cause and effect system.  Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21 describe it best:

            “There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings (in this case BECOMINGS) are predicated –

            “And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is

predicated.”

We simply identify what it is we want to BECOME and then make those choices that will give us those results.  Simple?  Not really.  It’s quite a complex scenario but well worth the investment of focus and intent. 

Whereas DOING can receive a checkmark and GETTING can be tangibly identified, BECOMING is challenging to measure.  Usually it is incredibly gradual and continually progressive in nature.  Over time or hindsight is its best indicators that progress is being made. 

If BECOMING is our educational objective and we are in the process of BECOMING (because the journey never ends), we can DO what is required to accomplish the Colossal Quest and HAVE an impactful life.