Invite Diligent Learning (March 4-10)

It was surely awe-inspiring to watch the Savior walking on the water. But that wasn’t enough for Peter. He wanted to do what the Savior did, be where He was, and have the same experience himself. “Bid me come unto thee on the water,” he said. The Savior responded with a simple invitation: “Come.” With that, Peter leaped from the safety of the boat and showed us that discipleship is not a passive experience (see Matthew 14:24–33). It requires faith in Christ and diligent effort. But it also brings the rich reward of walking with the Savior.

“Come.” “Come and see.” “Come, follow me.” “Go, and do thou likewise” (Matthew 14:29; John 1:39; Luke 18:22; 10:37). From the beginning of His ministry, the Savior invited His followers to experience for themselves the truths, power, and love that He offered. He did this because this is what learning really is. It’s not just listening or reading; it’s also changing, repenting, and progressing. In the Savior’s words, learning comes “by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118; emphasis added). And faith includes acting for ourselves, not simply being acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:26).

When we follow the Savior’s example, we invite those we teach to ask, seek, and knock—and then find (see Matthew 7:7–8). And we accept that invitation ourselves. Together, through our own faith in Christ and diligent effort, we will come to know for ourselves what it means to walk with Him.

Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at ways to help students do the following: