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Brigham Young University-Idaho president Kim B. Clark and his wife Sue opened the 2006 Fall Semester on Tuesday, September 5 with devotional addresses that encouraged students to "raise the bar" on their personal standards of righteousness.

Sister Clark began by outlining the four-part mission of BYU-Idaho: to build testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ, provide a quality education, prepare students for lifelong learning and leadership, and maintain a wholesome campus environment.  She then quoted Matthew 22:37-39, which teaches the principle of loving the Lord and loving one's neighbor.  "May you forget yourself and grow at BYU-Idaho this semester," she said.

President Clark opened his remarks with a short video presentation about a prophecy made in 1884 by Elder Wilford Woodruff to the struggling settlers of the Upper Snake River Plain. The prophecy promised many blessings if those early Saints endured, including a moderated climate, fine homes, schools of higher learning, churches, and temples.

President Clark said this prophecy has special significance to BYU-Idaho students because it explains why the university is here and the responsibility the students have to work diligently and serve faithfully.

President Clark then explained all Saints who are faithful in following the commandments of the Lord are promised an immense number of blessings including "commandments not a few,"  a principle outlined in Doctrine and Covenants 59:4.

He taught there are two types of commandments: baseline standards, like the Word of Wisdom and the law of chastity, and "our personal bar of righteousness, the personal standard that guides our daily activities." 

"But the raising of our personal bar must not stop at the baseline standard," President Clark continued.  He taught we must continually raise our personal bar of righteousness by following the promptings given by the Holy Ghost.  "This is the path of discipleship: to receive personal ‘commandments not a few,' to raise the personal bar, again and again, to become a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ," President Clark said.

He focused on how the principle of line-upon-line progression, faith and love relate to building the path of discipleship.  "Progress on the path of discipleship is a journey of steps, not leaps and bounds," President Clark said. "It is not the easy way, nor the broad road.  It is strait and narrow, and it goes uphill."

President Clark then explained how through our faithful actions, the Lord helps us make our path of discipleship a path of miracles.  "The Lord says to us: ‘Act, and I will strengthen you.  Speak, and I will make your words strong.  Awake and study, and I will inspire you.'  These are miracles, but they come only after we have acted in faith. But they do come.  I bear witness to you, my brothers and sisters, they come," President Clark said. 

Promptings to raise our personal bar not only affect our lives, but help to better serve those around us. "When you receive a prompting to raise the personal bar, listen very carefully to the Spirit and the Lord will show you how acting on that prompting will help you bless those around you," President Clark said. 

President Clark mentioned three opportunities BYU-Idaho students have to raise their personal bar. First, students should magnify callings they have in their wards, especially the callings of home and visiting teachers.  Second, students should take their education seriously by being prepared before class and arriving to class on time.  Third, students should obey the Honor Code.

"The grand purposes of the Honor Code-letter and spirit-are to foster in your life and on this campus a great spirit of consecration, to protect against evil, to invite the ministry of the Holy Ghost, to help us build Zion, and to help you prepare to become a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ," President Clark said.

Regarding how students should dress, President Clark said, "When you look in the mirror in the morning before you walk on this campus, say to yourself: I want to be a disciple of the Savior and I am going to look like, and act like, and, in fact, be a disciple of the Savior today.  If it is a devotional day, dress in your temple best.  On other days remember who you are and wear clothes that are a notch or two up from jeans and T-shirts."

President Clark concluded, "Everything we need to become His true disciples has been restored.  It is all here.  The path is open, the way is clear.  And Christ Himself bids you to come.  He will show you what you need to do to walk the more excellent way, and He will help you do it."

Next week's devotional speaker will be Elder Steven E. Snow of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Devotionals are held every Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium with additional seating in the Taylor Chapel, Hinckley Chapel and Kirkham Auditorium.  Devotionals are broadcast on KBYI-FM 100.5 at 2 p.m. and rebroadcast Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.