The Merediths hope to inspire BYU-Idaho students with messages surrounding The Great Plan of Happiness and principals of obedience.
BYU-Idaho President Alvin F. Meredith III and his wife Sister Jennifer Meredith say they prepare messages they are impressed to share for the student body and their needs.
“I have had an impression for quite some time to talk about the principle of obedience, which is often referred to as the ‘First Law of Heaven,’” President Meredith said. “Elder Bednar said we shouldn’t talk about obedience without talking about the Plan of Salvation. So Sister Meredith is going to talk about the Plan of Salvation, The Plan of Happiness and I will talk a little bit about obedience.”
During his devotional address, President Meredith said The Plan of Happiness and obedience work together
“The Plan of Happiness and the principle of obedience are intertwined so tightly that to truly grasp one, we must understand the other,” President Meredith said. “Additionally, in the premortal council, Heavenly Father presented His plan and outlined the purpose of our mortal existence. ‘And he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.’ In other words, the great test in the great plan is to learn to be obedient.”
President Meredith says the topic of obedience can be seen as a difficult topic to speak about, but the difficulty can be helped along when using the spirit of joy.
“I try to approach it with joy,” President Meredith said. “I think that anything that the Father and the Son ask us to do is for our benefit and for our happiness and joy in this life.”
Sister Meredith’s devotional address pointed out that everyone is a spirit child of God and that His knowledge can help people in times of need.
“Before we came to this earth, we lived with God as His spirit children,” Sister Meredith said. “‘God is the Father of our spirits. We are literally His children, created in His image. Each of us has a divine nature as a child of God. This knowledge can help us through difficult times and can inspire us to become our best.’”
Sister Meredith says she hopes students begin the semester remembering the Savior and that he is the answer to all of their trials.
“My hope is that, as [students] begin this semester and encounter challenges, which they will eventually, right, we all do that they will remember to turn to the savior when hard things happen,” Sister Meredith said. “He truly is the answer to every challenge we will ever face in this life.”
To listen to the full interview you can visit BYU-Idaho Radio's Podcast on Spotify or Soundcloud. Visit BYU-Idaho Speeches' website or YouTube to read or listen to The Meredith's devotional.