Meekness

In Gospel Doctrine class we were reading in Alma 32:12 where Alma teaches the poor who are not allowed to pray in the temples. And he tells them that is good that they were not allowed in the synagogues because it has made them humble and when one is humble they can learn wisdom.
And the he said something that caught my attention; "because of your exceeding poverty, that ye art brought to a lowliness of heart; for you are necessarily  brought to be humble."

So this statement brought lots of questions to my mind:
1)Are only the poor humble and teachable?
2) what does it mean to be "necessarily brought to be humble?"
3) Am I humble enough, if not will I necessarily be brought to be humble?
4) What is true humility, how does one know if one has it, if one doesn't have it how does one gain it?

Then the teacher read a quote by a general authority (I wish I knew which one) in which he stated that the meek (or humble) are "slow to judge."  Hmmm...something I definitely need to work on.

Then another quote was read that talked about how we need to overcome sin in the flesh or it "stays with the spirit" when we die and it is harder to change.  When the body and spirit are one we are more pliable like clay and have an easier time changing.

I had never thought of that.  I had always thought my physical body made me weak, but I didn't know that having a body was also helping me to change my errant ways.  I need to work on my weaknesses while I am still pliable.

I found a great talk  called Meekness—A Dimension of True Discipleship by Neal A. Maxwell that helped me really see what meekness entails and I have a lot of work to do.