April 13, 2009

BYU–Idaho Graduates Largest Winter Class in History

 

Just five days after being sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Neil L. Anderson addressed the largest winter graduating class in Brigham Young University–Idaho history. Diplomas were awarded to 1,458 students.

Friday morning, April 10, 2009, Elder Anderson urged students to seek wisdom in addition to the knowledge they gained during their university career.

“We can pole-vault over many of the sad experiences that come in life by obtaining wisdom early—beyond our age,” he said. “Perhaps the most important point I will teach today, is that not all wisdom is created equal.”

He encouraged students to seek the most important wisdom, “wisdom with a large W,” the wisdom of God.

Elder Anderson explained how this wisdom can be applied to today’s economic situation. “The foundation is self-reliance and work,” he said. “We live on less than we earn and we differentiate between our needs and our wants. We avoid debt except for the most fundamental needs. We live within a budget. We put away some savings. We are honest in all our obligations.”

Kim B. Clark, president of BYU–Idaho, also addressed the graduates. He emphasized service, living clean lives and staying focused on worthy goals. He encouraged students to make an impact on others.

“The person who needs you may be right down the hall in your own home,” he said. “It may be someone across the world. It may be a nephew or a neighbor. It may be a lost soul you don’t know. Whomever it may be, when the impressions come, go.”