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JAMIE - My question why some people are very smart from their young age, did they progress way beyond than others in pre-mortal life ? I understand if we study and work hard in this life we also become smart but I am talking about those who are born smart Sometimes refer to as gifted people. I did not find answer in the scriptures.
JOEL - Genetics and mental health can determine a persons ability to learn and remember information, including being able to apply that information to the best use. Education, upbringing, and environment can also be factors.
In addition to those, for reasons known only to God, he gives each of us certain gifts that are meant to be used to help us live and learn and serve others. These gifts were given to us in our premortal existence which we brought with us when we were born.Intelligence is one of those gifts.
18 Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.
19 And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. (Abr 3: 18-19)
So apparently according to the will of God and His plans for us, our spirits were given different levels of intelligence.We learn in Abraham
22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; (Abraham 3: 22-23)
The fact that we can progress in this life with regards to knowledge we obtain, tends to make me think that some spirits in the pre-mortal world might also have progressed over others in knowledge in the premortal life to become the noble and great spirits the above scripture talks about.
D&C 46 speaks of the different gifts that God has given us including the gift of knowledge and ability to learn:
17 And again, verily I say unto you, to some is given, by the Spirit of God, the word of wisdom.
18 To another is given the word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge.
26 And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God.(D&C 46: 17-18,46)
So all gifts we receive from God need to be used for the benefit of not only ourselves but as we use those gifts to bless others.
We don't have to be limited by the fact that we may not have been given the same level of intelligence and ability to learn that others were given.Some of us may struggle to learn and be able to do well in school or just being able to remember anything, while other seem to have photographic memories.
However, we can ask God to inspire us and touch our minds to be able to learn and know what we need to know.
14. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit.
16 Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.(D&C 6: 14,16)
The spirit and the mind are meant to be inseparably connected, forming the "soul".
D&C 93:
33 For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;34 And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy(D&C 93: 33-34)
This verifies the connection our minds(elements) have with our spirits and so what we learn while here on earth, our spirits take with us when we die and will be of benefit to us in the next life.
D&C 130
19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.(D&C 130:19)
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