D&C 107 - 108

"...now let every man learn his duty... in all diligence.... and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand...(Doctrine and Covenants Section 107:99 - 100)

Though this particular commandment also includes "to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence...", my thoughts this morning lean to that of learning one's duty. Some may think that to learn one's duty is just to read a handbook of instructions, but Elder Packer painted a bigger picture in a Worldwide Leadership Conference where he taught -

“Each of us is to learn just how to do what we have been called to do.”
(President Boyd K. Packer, Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, January 2003)

He teaches that in order to learn our duty -

"•You read the scriptures and become familiar with them. When you have a decision to make and need help, ask yourself, “What has the Lord said about this? Is there anything in the scriptures that will show me what to do?”
•Then you consult the handbooks.
•Then you follow the counsel from those ordained to lead, your file leaders.
•You counsel together.
•And then you pray always, for “…notwithstanding those things which are written, it always has been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit. “(Doctrine and Covenants Section 46:2)”
(President Boyd K. Packer, Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, January 2003)

For one to be able to learn his duty, he must be teachable. To be teachable, he must be humble. Pride has no place in learning one's duty. It takes a great deal of humility to follow the counsel of "those ordained to lead". It takes humility to counsel together. It takes a great deal of humility and prayer to be "directed and guided by the Holy Spirit".

It is the duty of priesthood holders "...to teach these things unto the people... in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption." (Book of Mormon Alma 13:1 - 2) "

And -

...to strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 108:7)

To do so they must be humble for "...if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 42:14) and without the Spirit one cannot learn his duty by being "directed and guided by the Holy Spirit".