“How Can I Understand? (excerpts),” New Era, May 2019, page–page.
How Can I Understand? (excerpts)
As recorded in the book of Acts, Philip the Evangelist taught the gospel to a certain Ethiopian who was a eunuch in charge of all the treasures belonging to the queen of Ethiopia [see Acts 8:27]. While returning from worshipping in Jerusalem, he read the book of Isaiah. Compelled by the Spirit, Philip came closer to him and said, “Understandest thou what thou readest?
“And [the eunuch] said, How can I, except some man should guide me? …
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus” [Acts 8:30–31, 35].
The question asked by this Ethiopian man is a reminder of the divine mandate we all have to seek to learn and to teach one another the gospel of Jesus Christ. …
Our purpose as we seek to learn and to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ must be to increase faith in God and in His divine plan of happiness and in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice and to achieve lasting conversion. …
… Our lives need to be rooted upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, which might help us individually and as families to have our own spiritual impressions engraved in our hearts, helping us to endure in our faith. …
The Ethiopian’s question, “How can I [understand], except some man should guide me?” also has a special meaning in the context of our individual responsibility to put the principles of the gospel we have learned into practice in our lives. In the Ethiopian’s case, for example, … he asked to be baptized. He came to know that Jesus Christ was the Son of God [see Acts 8:37–38].
Brothers and sisters, our actions must reflect what we learn and teach. We need to show our beliefs through the way
we live. …
My dear companions in the gospel, I testify to you that when we earnestly, heartily, firmly, and sincerely seek to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ and teach it to one another with real purpose and under the influence of the Spirit, these teachings may transform hearts and inspire a desire to live according to the truths of God.