The scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite characters.  His plight is one that we all seem to share.  He wanted a brain.  When he and his comrades finally reached the Emerald City and met with the Wizard, he was presented with one of these. 
 

(Hand out diplomas to the girls.)
 

Amazingly, the Scarecrow started spouting off theorems and other "smart" things because he was handed a piece of paper. Do you think the paper gave him knowledge?
 

Where do you think he received his knowledge?
 

Just like the scarecrow, we have the ability to learn and increase our knowledge without realizing it.
 

What are some ways that we can gain knowledge? They all fall into 3 different categories: 

• Visual/Audio

• Other's Experiences

• Own Experiences

Reorganize the answers on the board under the topics. Pull out the large jar and explain:
 

This is your brain. :)  One of my favorite quotes came amazingly enough out of the mouth of Rosanne Barr-Arnold. In one episode of "Rosanne", Rosanne and her sister were talking.  Jackie mentioned, "You know, most people only use one tenth of their brain."  Rosanne quipped, "That much?"
 

When you think about it, we have the ability to store tons and tons of information in our 2 1/2 pound brain.  The things we store in there are totally there by our choice.  Some people choose not to remember things, and others can't seem to forget others.  What we put into our minds can really take up a lot of space.
 

The movies we watch, the music we listen to, the television programs we choose to see, the books we read, the people we like to be with, our families, our own experiences, etc.  (Fill the jar with items - I used videos, magazines, etc.)
 

Doesn't leave a lot of room does it?  Do we need to prioritize what we put in there?
 

What is the EASIEST way to gain knowledge? (Experience of others)  We ask what people went through, or read or see what they do and the consequences, and we decide to either do or not do those things.
 

For example, if you were to see a friend being arrested for possession of a firearm on campus, would that deter you from carrying a gun yourself?  Or, if you saw that a friend was helping out another person, and the gratitude on the other person's face, would you be more willing to help out others?
 

Why do we have the scriptures? The scriptures provide us an easy way to gain the knowledge of others' experiences.  We can learn how to raise children, how to avoid sin, how to have courage, and faith, and how to act towards others. And much more.
 

What is the NEXT EASIEST way to gain knowledge? (Audio/Visual) We learn a lot about the world we live in by reading books, watching the news, listening to speakers, etc.
 

We can also gain spiritual knowledge and strengthen our testimonies by listening to uplifting music, especially on the Sabbath, watching good programs and going to firesides.
 

What do you think is the hardest way to gain knowledge? (Personal Experience) You've heard the phrase, "Learning things the hard way"?  This means that we do it on our own.
 

Why do we tend to lean towards the harder way of gaining knowledge in our lives? What are some things you have learned through personal experience?  What do we HAVE to learn through our own experiences?
 

Look at your diplomas, and tell me what they are for...
 

They are blank because you need to fill them in.  Just like Scarecrow, you are filling your brain with knowledge one straw at a time.  Make sure that what you fill your heads with is what you want to excel at and in.  Write down what you would like to accomplish, what your most important goal is, on that diploma.
 

(I made scarecrow heads from used baby food jars - fill with straw, invert and put a felt hat on and paint face -- to give the girls with their diplomas.)