As early as in age of preadolescence, the young children and juveniles are being prepared to face the challenges of future endless and bitter competition attendant to everybody’s chase for personal economic growth and development. The early pursuit of foundational education and learning then becomes their bridge to cross the mire and deep valleys, and to climb the towering canyon of youthful possibilities to the zenith of attainment.
Even before standing on the actual celebrated competitive platform, children and youth are already being impelled and indulged in insidiously undermining attitude to compete for school honors and recognitions. We need to understand that introductory education and learning is not about honors; it is more about the measure of future potentials. The honors and recognitions awarded to students are therefore expected to disclose the accurate and precise assessment and appraisal of individual accomplishments which accordingly will help them determine what they can and should be. As such, the focus of motivation should be more on their outlook and sensitivity towards their studies and expanding their knowledge and wisdom as a groundwork for future advancement. As they develop the right attitudes and preferences to do what are required of them, they will soon be acknowledged and recognized with honors. The inspired counsel of the wise King Solomon is instructive: “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not;…
“Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
“Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. (Proverbs 4:5-8.)
Calvin Coolidge once said, “No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gives.” This is true even in the studies of our children. The honors and awards that they received represent the rightful acknowledgement and in fact the very result of the relentless efforts and struggle, they give, to follow their dreams. The recognitions become the window upon which they can look up to the future with better perspective.
The degree of their accomplishments as thus acknowledged in the report cards and with accompanying certificates of honors and recognitions, will help the children know where their efforts have gone and measure up how they are doing. It will then guide them to identify where they can put forth more sweat and tears of determination and hard work in order to even enhance the tapestry of future prospects. By the same measure, they will be made to understand that there is much more they could venture to merit excellence, before they will finally face the real academic battle in college, in preparation for competitive future careers. The Lord counseled, “…seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith. (D & C 88:118.) He added: “…study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people. (D & C 90:15.) And, verily I say unto you, that it is my will that you should hasten…to obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion.” (D & C 93:53.)
My granddaughter, Keeshia, grade 10, called her mom before their completion rites crying after hearing the ranking report of their teacher in charge. We explained to her that we are not so much concerned about the honors or rankings. What was important to us was the fact that we knew she was trying her best. However, she expressed her total dismay of the reported ranking, because she knew how much effort and struggle she had put forth in her studies. She insisted that there must be something wrong in the evaluation. While she finally mellowed about her grievance, her mother, however, decided to meet with the teacher and it was found that there was an unintended encoding error of the grades in the final report. It was thus corrected and the ranking changed. At length, her actual standing had given her the personal propriety she deserved, and provided her the idea where her limits and prospects are as she moves to her senior high school.
Indeed, as in the words of the legendary Aristotle, “Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in the consciousness that we deserve them.”
Therefore, while we congratulate those who were awarded honors for job well done, we should likewise wish that all those who did not receive the honors will eventually become successful in their future professional pursuits. After all each are deserving of the efforts, time and diligence they have invested in their studies, although others are still trying to recognize and be uplifted by the fact, as did Thomas Edison, that “The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
For this school year 2018-2019, I would like to congratulate my grandchildren for having achieved what they deserved:
KayAn B. Palma – Senior High School Graduation – With High Honors - certificate and medals; Governor Sol Matugas, Province of Surigao del Norte, Academic Excellence Award - medal; Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs, Medal of Excellence and Certificate of Recognition; SNNHS Radiant Hilltop, Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Performance in Campus Journalism as Editor-in-Chief.
Keeshia B. Palma – Grade 10, Junior High School Completion – With High Honors
Craig Kirby B. Palma – Grade 7 – With Honors
Rulon Asher G. Betita – Grade 7 – With Honors
Jeliene Zaffera B. Pedrosa – Grade 3 - 89% GPA
Travis B. Preciosa – Grade 1 – With Honors
Cian Oliver B. Palma – Kindergarten – With Honors
Zaina Viveca B. Pedrosa – Nursery - Achiever Award; Performing Artist Award; Striver Award; Polite Award; Diligent Award
Rohan Ashlei G. Betita – Nursery -Most Friendly, Most Cooperative
Trevor B. Preciosa - 2-year-old - home-based nursery - Terrible Twos Award
Time after time, I have always persuaded and influenced my grandchildren to give diligent attention and mindfulness in their quest for knowledge and wisdom, for such is the only way they can be best prepared to face the ever increasing challenges ahead. I know their potentials can even be magnified according to the dedication and persistence that they invest in their efforts to excel. Helmut Schmidt (1918-2015), a world renowned author and statesman, said: “The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.”
It has always been my wish that my grandchildren and the rest of my posterity will come to understand that the early pursuit of education and learning does not in any way drain and deplete the brainpower. It is, in fact, the influence and strength that exponentially elevate the mind to greater knowledge and wisdom. It is in this earlier steps up the ladder of success that one gets ahead.
I am grateful that as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they were given and will be given the gift of the Holy Ghost, from the source of all knowledge, even God, for them as a guide in their journey. They are and will be privileged to understand the many spiritual gifts that are available, most common of which are the gift of faith, without which, there can be no other gift to be given; the gift of knowledge in which the Lord wants us to learn “Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are…; things which are at home, things which are abroad… and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms (see D&C 88:78–79);” and the gift of wisdom, which is the competence to utilize knowledge for good, upon which the Lord gives us the challenge when he said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
“For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:5–7).
Although God is definitely the source of all knowledge and wisdom, yet He is leaving it up to his children, which field of knowledge, which branch of learning they would want to experience and pursue and how much talent they would want to receive abundantly from Him, then ask Him in faith for guidance through the gift of the Holy Ghost. He does and will give us knowledge of things that we need in our day to day living.
The Lord said, “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you” (D&C 6:7). And in revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith, he said, “If a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come” (D&C 130:19).
I wish to remind my grandchildren of these inspired words and phrases which are in the For the Strength of Youth Booklet: “Heavenly Father has given you agency, the ability to choose right from wrong and to act for yourself. Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct your life is one of God’s greatest gifts to you.
“While you are free to choose your course of action, you are not free to choose the consequences. Whether for good or bad, consequences follow as a natural result of the choices you make. Some sinful behavior may bring temporary, worldly pleasure, but such choices delay your progress and lead to heartache and misery. Righteous choices lead to lasting happiness and eternal life. Remember, true freedom comes from using your agency to choose obedience; loss of freedom comes from choosing disobedience.” (For the Strength of Youth, Agency and Accountability.)
“Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18.)
“Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him. He wants you to educate your mind and to develop your skills and talents, your power to act well in your responsibilities, and your capacity to appreciate life. The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come.
“Education is an investment that brings great rewards and will open the doors of opportunity that may otherwise be closed to you.
“Your education should include spiritual learning. Study the scriptures and the words of the latter-day prophets. Participate in seminary and institute. Continue throughout your life to learn about Heavenly Father’s plan. This spiritual learning will help you find answers to the challenges of life and will invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost.” (For The Strength of Youth, Education.)
My dearly beloved grandchildren, you have just received the measure of your future potentials. It’s only you who knew whether it’s already the highest point of your possibilities. It’s only between you and your inner self who knew whether the energy and dedication you have given in your studies and what you have accomplished are deserving of the talents and power which you are so abundantly blessed. It is a battle within that you need to continue to consider with deeper introspection and to win. She was only 14 when Louisa May Alcott wrote:
A little kingdom I possess,
Where thoughts and feelings dwell,
And very hard I find the task
Of governing it well; …
I do not ask for any crown
But that which all may win,
Nor seek to conquer any world
Except the one within.
(As quoted by Boyd K. Packer OCTOBER 1999 | The Spirit of Revelation.)
I know you each have a higher level of potentials than what you have shown during the past
years of your early educational journey and youthful life. Take time to
effectively harness your aptitudes and gifts of intelligence with serious
propensity and aspirations to excel. The doors of improvement are ever open for
you to enter with superior enthusiasm as you choose. Your creativity and liberal thinking are still
waiting for cultivation and fostering. Let virtue and perseverance be your
compass as you try to cross the boisterous seas of life on to the blissful
shore. I know you can do better than you best. The future is yours to make or
mar.
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