Humility

Voluntary submission to the control or power of God or, in other words, obedience.¹ Children are by nature more humble than adults. They not only do not have a good working knowledge of practical skills, they are keenly aware of their own ignorance. As a result, children are inquisitive and eager to be taught. They not only don’t know, they know they don’t know and want to be given the chance to learn. They “seek” and “ask” and “knock.” Children do, by nature, just as Christ bids all to do.² One is not teachable without humility. Humility and the capacity to accept new truth are directly related. Humbling oneself is not just an expression to wear on one’s countenance. Rather, it is opening one’s heart up to higher things.³ “Can you accept truth if it is taught to you? Even if it contradicts your traditions? Even if it alienates you from family, friends, comfortable social associations, your neighbors (Matthew 9:24)?”⁴ “Remember, [Moroni] says, Then you’ll know I’ve seen Jesus and He has talked with me face to face, and He told me about these things in plain humility in my own language, just as one person tells another. [Ether 5:8 CE]. Now that’s what humility is. It is not bowing the knee in the presence of overwhelming superiority, power or glory. Anybody can do that. But it is recognizing that other creatures, small, very unimportant creatures, are just as good as you are and are on equal basis with you. That’s what humility is.”⁵See also MEEKNESS.