Short Teaching Story By Thomas S. Monson

Boat

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BYU Devotional

As I think of learning, I am reminded of a father and his son who went fishing one day. After a couple of hours in the boat, the boy suddenly began asking questions about their surroundings.

"How does this boat float?" he asked his father.

His father thought for a moment and then replied, "I don't rightly know, son."

The boy returned to his contemplation, then looked again at his father. "How do fish breathe underwater?" he asked.

Once again the father replied, "Don't rightly know, son."

Next the boy asked, "Why is the sky blue?"

Again, the father replied, "Don't rightly know, son."

Worried he would annoy his father, the boy said, "Dad, do you mind my asking you all of these questions?"

"Of course not, son. If you don't ask questions, you'll never learn anything."