In our keynote article, Bradley R. Wilcox, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, shares a message he gave to missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center on the importance of belief in the process of coming to know truth. When the Savior appeared to his disciples after his Resurrection, Thomas was not there. After eight days, the Savior appeared again and, speaking directly to Thomas, said, “Be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). The Savior taught this same principle several times in the New Testament (Matthew 14:29–31; Mark 5:36; Luke 12:29). His disciples have similarly emphasized the same principle in numerous scriptures (e.g., Romans 14:1; Mormon 9:25–27; Doctrine and Covenants 6:36; 58:29; 90:24).

This same message is important for our students as well. The need for belief and faith does not negate the importance of seeking and asking questions. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminded us, “My dear young friends, we are a question-asking people because we know that inquiry leads to truth. That is the way the Church got its start—from a young man who had questions” (“The Reflection in the Water,” CES Fireside, November 1, 2009). Belief and faith are not the opposite of seeking and asking questions. Both approaches are necessary components in the process of learning spiritual truth.

In this issue of the Religious Educator, there is a strong focus on both scriptural truths as well as how we can most effectively teach those truths. An article on Joseph of Egypt shares lessons we can learn from the life and experience of Joseph. Two articles focus on the concept of grace, one on how the concept was taught in the New Testament, the other on how we can better understand grace through the lens of justification through faith. An article on Jesus’s cleansing of the temple helps us better understand not only the event itself, but also how keeping the event in its scriptural context makes clear truths that might otherwise be lost. In a similar vein, an article examining the conflicting testimonies of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon and Stephen Burnett helps us understand how mature historical thinking and understanding context can help us better understand scriptures and Church history.

Finally, an interview with Chad Webb, administrator of Seminaries and Institutes and recently called First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, examines the new approach in seminary to include “Life Preparation Lessons” as part of the official curriculum. I hope this issue of the Religious Educator helps each of us in our efforts to bless those we serve.