I envy Paul Revere. Not because he was an American hero, or even because he could ride a horse.

I envy him because he got to be an apprentice.

As a silversmith, he chose a master and was given hands-on instruction every day in his chosen field by somebody who knew the ropes.

It's the difference between going through the wilderness with a guide and going through alone.

Finding your own way is admirable.

But having someone show you the way saves time, energy and a lot of heartache.

These days, too many people, I think, are content to soldier on alone.

A story in Monday's paper tells of a BYU study published in the Sociology of Education journal. The study looked at mentors and found that students who have a "teacher mentor" -- someone who not only knows the information but knows how the system works -- were amazingly adept at learning and growing.

When I first came on staff at the Deseret News, I could have used one of those mentoring teachers. I'd never studied journalism and had to learn everything on the fly. People were kind enough to chip in suggestions and drop an idea or two, but in my early years here I felt I was up to my nostrils in the deep end. And I couldn't swim.

And that seems to be the norm today.

Today, few people are willing to play the master, to focus on someone else full time for the long haul. The tendency is for students to pick up tidbits of information and insights from dozens of different people and look up the rest.

Having somebody actually take you under his or her wing is rare.

The old days of apprenticeships faded.

Except, thankfully, when it comes to spiritual matters.

Spirituality will always be an apprentice program -- with the Spirit serving as the "teacher mentor."

Members of the LDS Church, I think, have become especially good at "apprenticing" themselves -- at getting that one-on-one, open-ended help from a master.

And the "spirit master" is never too busy, too tired or too overburdened to give intense, personal attention.

We speak and sing about our wonderful "apprentice program" all the time in the church.

In a hymn, Penelope Moody Allen writes:

Let the Holy Spirit guard,

Let his whisper govern choice.

He will lead us safely home,

If we listen to his voice.

In the end, Paul Revere may have had one up on me when learning a trade. He got to be an apprentice.

Fortunately, I caught a break on the spiritual side.

I have a master willing and able to help. The key, for me, is to keep from getting discouraged, disgruntled or distracted so I miss all the good stuff he's willing to share.