BYU-Idaho’s assessment manager delivered an address about life’s hardships and perseverance.
Jodi Robison compared life to getting an education and said both circumstances require and invite growth.
“Most of the lessons and tests we experience at school and in life are not big finals. That’s because learning and testing aren’t about singular performances,” Robison said. “They are about shaping and molding learners into a more refined version of themselves. Much of that shaping comes in small, seemingly insignificant moments.”
In an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Robison was asked ‘Why this topic for BYUI students?’ She said the forthright answer was sacred to her.
“You know, the truth is I don’t have a memory of writing this talk,” Robison said. "After I wrote it and started reviewing it, I knew what it said, but the initial writing is not what I set out to write.”
Robison said one way she endures life’s hardships is looking to the future she will and does have with her family and Heavenly Father. She said this same hope and knowledge can help others in their efforts though life as well.
She said we are put on earth not just to pick up a body, but to prove, to be tested.
“We may not all be experiencing the same tests, but we’re experiencing tests for the same reason,” Robison said. “We may be individually walking our own path, but we are collectively experiencing what heaven designed for us to experience so that we could go back home.”
To learn more about Jodi Robison’s devotional, listen to the full interview on BYU-Idaho Radio’s podcast on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. To listen to Robison's devotional, you can visit BYU-Idaho Radio’s Podcast or visit BYU-I’s Speech’s page and select “Devotionals.”