President Eyring, distinguished guests, faculty, graduates, parents, spouses, and families, I am thrilled to be with you on this celebratory day. I do not take lightly the privilege of standing at this pulpit. I look out at a unique group of students who have qualified academically and spiritually to graduate from this exceptional university. As I consider the level of your commitment and sacrifice, I honor you and feel profound respect and admiration for what you have accomplished. I salute you.
Last year, my husband and I were traveling to visit the Saints in another part of the world. We arrived at the Salt Lake City airport and proceeded to the security check. My husband handed his ID to the man sitting at the desk and asked, “How are you this morning?” The man looked up and, with a slightly forced smile, said, “Oh, I’m livin’ the dream—it’s just not my dream.”
To you graduates here today, you’ve been looking forward to this day for years. Now you begin to live your dream.
In this setting, I don’t think I need to speak to you about the value of a higher education. You wouldn’t be here today if you didn’t value education. But what about tomorrow? My husband and I spent many years looking forward to getting out of school. During eight years of university life, all we could talk about was “someday after graduation . . . .” Our focus always seemed to be on the future. And now, for you, the future is here.
Henry David Thoreau said, “[We] stand on the meeting of two eternities, the past and future, which is precisely the present moment.”[1] It is my prayer, and I know it is yours as well, that this “present moment” will be the beginning of something much greater than you are now; that this moment, your college graduation, will be the catalyst for many greater things to come.
Education is the expansion of alternatives. With the degree you receive today, you have indeed expanded your alternatives for the rest of your lives. You have more choices. Now that you’re graduating, however, the curriculum changes. Life is now your grand elective. This principle is stated even more convincingly by the Lord in section 130 of the Doctrine and Covenants: “If a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.”[2] I can assure you that the advantages of your university education don’t wait until the next life to come to you: they begin to accrue now.
President Dallin H. Oaks tells the story of when he was a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He had written an exposition on a certain topic and wanted feedback on what he had written. He gave it to one of the senior brethren in the quorum and asked him for his opinion. The paper was soon returned with two words written at the top. The two words were “Therefore, what?”[3] In other words, “Good information. What’s the conclusion?” As you graduates sit here today, you might be asking yourself a similar question: “Therefore, now what?” You have just spent years growing and acquiring wonderful knowledge and information. What is the conclusion of that acquisition, and what will you do next? Remember the wisdom in Proverbs 4:7: “And with all thy getting get understanding.”[4]
In a statement attributed to Malcomb Forbes, he said that the purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one. I truly hope that as you proceed from today, you will open your mind and your heart to all the possibilities that will be presented to you—but especially to the ones the Lord will carefully and lovingly place on your path. Be receptive to the divine promptings that will come.
We all know how open-minded entrepreneurs are as they demonstrate creativity, imagination, and a thirst for work. If you peruse the internet for schools offering degrees and certificates in entrepreneurship, they’re everywhere. Harvard Business School, Wharton School of Business, and yes, BYU–Idaho. Entrepreneurship is all about innovation and change; it’s about new ventures and industry domains; it’s about strategies, initiative, and solutions to business conundrums.
We often hear the phrase “entrepreneurial spirit.” I’d like to reverse that word order and talk today about being a “spiritual entrepreneur.”
By attending Brigham Young University–Idaho, you made the choice to have at least a minor in spiritual entrepreneurship. And if you have learned the lessons of this campus, your spiritual learning and growth will not end with your degree but will continue throughout your life.
Let’s examine a few of the traits of a true entrepreneur to illustrate the spiritual equivalent.
Number one:
In all descriptions of entrepreneurs, one of the foremost traits is enthusiasm! Entrepreneurs are excited, even passionate, about what they believe in. So, I ask you, are you excited about the gospel of Jesus Christ and your personal relationship with your Heavenly Father and His Son? Do you gratefully and enthusiastically realize your divine identity and purpose?
Think about the time Aaron rebuked his brother Ammon for being a little too excited about their successes among the Lamanites. Remember Ammon’s enthusiastic response: “I do not boast in my own strength, . . . but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things.”[5] Do you feel Ammon’s enthusiasm for, and testimony of, his purpose in bringing souls to Christ and his humble recognition of his dependence on his Savior?
Are you genuinely motivated to grow in your knowledge of the Lord? Do you have a zeal to continue your education in the temple, sometimes referred to as the university of the Lord?[6]
And do the scriptures excite you? President Gordon B. Hinckley counseled us to have “a love affair with the word of God.”[7] President Russell M. Nelson reaffirmed that counsel when he said, “I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day.”[8] Does that excite you?
Because of their passion, entrepreneurs are inclined to be optimistic about their future. They don’t live in fear. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”[9]
President Nelson stated it this way: “I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress [and] contribute.”[10] He also encouraged, “We look to the future with enthusiasm. We have been motivated to do better and to be better.”[11]
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf once asked the question “Are you sleeping through the Restoration?”[12] As spiritual entrepreneurs, we can’t be caught spiritually napping. “For . . . the field is white already to harvest; and it is the eleventh hour.”[13] We, as entrepreneurial disciples of Jesus Christ, are preparing with wholeheartedness for the Savior’s return to reign here upon the earth. He reminds us, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”[14]
Number two:
Another trait common among entrepreneurs is vision. They see possibilities. They see potential. They use vision as an aid to overcome obstacles and hold on during difficult times.
The 18th-century writer Jonathan Swift said, “Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.”[15] Another thought, attributed to Helen Keller, states, the only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision. This is true not only in the business world and across disciplines, but also spiritually. In the book of Proverbs we read, “Where there is no vision, . . . people perish.”[16] We must all gain a vision of ourselves as the Lord sees us.
Elder Tad R. Callister said: “Would the God you and I know plant the vision and desire for godhood within a man’s soul and then frustrate him in his ability to attain it? . . . Why is it so critical to have a correct vision of this divine destiny of godliness . . . ? Because with increased vision comes increased motivation.”[17]
Remember what Lehi’s sons Laman and Lemuel accused him of being? A “visionary man.”[18] Indeed, he was a visionary man! He saw things with the influence of the Holy Ghost that no one else saw. He was certainly directed by God through prophetic vision. Perhaps this is why Moses said, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”[19]
Number three:
Entrepreneurs are known to be daring and bold. By definition, a business entrepreneur is someone who is willing to do what other people will not do, so that eventually he or she can do what others cannot do.
How does this apply to us spiritually? Can we accurately conclude that some people are willing to exert the faith and courage today of doing things that others might not be willing to do, so that ultimately, they will be able to do things others cannot do? That blessing is indeed scripturally promised to the faithful: “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise.”[20]
What about the Prophet Joseph Smith, who endured extreme hardships and trials, doing things others were not willing to do? The Lord said to him, “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.”[21]
Would you stand boldly and valiantly in your testimony of Jesus Christ, even when the world would try to dissuade you?[22] Would you be willing to sacrifice an hour of television viewing or video gaming or sleep or hanging out or Instagramming, for an hour of feasting upon the words of Christ in the scriptures, ministering to someone in need, or attending the temple? Would you accept a Church calling that might require a heavy time commitment? Would you dare start a family instead of buying a new car?
What about paying fast offerings? I remember being the proverbial “poor, starving students” when the prophet of God challenged us to increase our fast offerings. President Spencer W. Kimball said, “I think we should … give, instead of the amount saved by our two meals of fasting, perhaps much, much more—ten times more when we are in a position to do it.”[23] We took the prophet of God at his word, and I testify from personal experience that the return on investment for us was greater than any other investment we ever made. That’s how the Lord works. He is the only sure choice with guaranteed results.[24]
Are you up for the spiritual challenge?
Number four:
Business entrepreneurs have an uncanny ability to seek out excellent mentors to help them along the bumpy paths of innovation. First, they find someone they want to be like. Next, they study everything they can about that person and spend time with him or her.
As spiritual entrepreneurs, to whom can you turn for excellent mentoring and tutoring? Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Jesus tutors and mentors His disciples and followers.”[25] If there is anyone you want to be “LinkedIn” to, wouldn’t the Savior be the perfect choice?
President Nelson said recently in general conference, quoting Elder Maxwell, that “the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe.”[26] Could not those secrets be exactly what you need as an up-and-coming spiritual entrepreneur? The Lord said, “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge.”[27]
Isn’t that the mentoring we all seek?
As we allow Jesus Christ to mentor and teach us, He can infuse His love and power into everything we do. Elder Hartman Rector Jr. gave us this perspective: “[The] ability to turn everything into something good appears to be a godly characteristic. Our Heavenly Father always seems able to do this. Everything, no matter how dire, becomes a victory to the Lord.”[28]
I assure you, my brothers and sisters, that the Lord mentors us in many ways—even through our membership in His Church. It is one of the best internship programs on earth.
Our Savior has a way of gently—and sometimes not so gently—getting us out of our comfort zones. As BYU assistant professor Anthony Sweat humorously points out: “Most of us are called to serve in church positions for which we are utterly unqualified. No formal training in religious pedagogy? No problem, come teach the Gospel Doctrine class! Social phobia? Let’s assign you three families to [minister to]. Can’t manage your own finances? We’d like to call you to be the ward clerk. Get easily frustrated by your children? Then come model Jesus’s love and patience as a Primary worker! Terrible note-taker? Secretary in the presidency for you. You say you’re not a natural leader? Well, the Lord would like you to be the bishop.”[29] So much for comfort zones!
As Elder Neal A. Maxwell reminded us, the Lord is interested in our availability, not always our capability.[30] In my opinion, whether in business, or in the Church, or in life, the best partner we can ever have is the creator of the universe.
Number five:
The best entrepreneurs invest in themselves and their potential by constantly progressing. We endlessly upgrade our computers and cell phones. New versions come out all the time. Entrepreneurs upgrade themselves. But our desire to change must be greater than our desire to stay the same. And we must remember that every day is the best day for your spiritual upgrade.
Sometimes, however, we haven’t the slightest clue as to what our potential really is.
Let me tell you about a college student named George Danzig. George was a graduate student in mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley. George had a propensity to run late, so one day he showed up toward the end of his upper-division math class. He had time only to hurriedly copy the two homework problems off the board. He commented later that the two math problems were very difficult. It took him several days of hard work to solve them. As it turned out, they were not homework assignments at all. On the contrary, they were two infamous math problems that no mathematician had ever been able to solve. But George did![31]
Now consider this question: do you think George would have spent several days trying to solve those problems had he known they were “unsolvable”? Probably not. With George, as with all of us, we have potential waiting to be unlocked. We all have spiritual reserves that are undiscovered within us, lying dormant until we exert enough faith in the Lord that He reveals them to us. As you graduates now embark on your post-graduate journey, remember that Heavenly Father has given you the gift of potential. What you do with it will be your gift to Him.
I recently came across an interesting statistic: up to 70 percent of child athletes quit their sport before the age of 13.[32] Many children who show great potential eventually give up, for various reasons. Maybe it just isn’t fun anymore. Maybe there is too much pressure. Maybe their parents make too big a deal out of their success, or maybe for one reason or another, they just stop enjoying the sport.
Now think about that for a moment. Someday you may be sitting in a huge stadium watching incredibly talented athletes take the field or the court. There is a very real possibility that the most talented athlete in the stadium is not in the game, but rather in the stands—perhaps sitting right beside you. Because so many young athletes have given up on their sport, those champions on the field might very well be the ones who worked hard enough and long enough, not the ones who were the most talented.
So, as the spiritual entrepreneur, go the distance. Potential is often discovered through hard work and effort. The payday will come to those who “endure it well.”[33]
And finally, number six, entrepreneurs are self-disciplined. Entrepreneurs develop the ability to make themselves do what they should do, when they should do it, whether they feel like it or not. I find this a fascinating entrepreneurial trait, which, if we are relating to things of the Spirit, must be one of the key elements you embrace as you leave this commencement ceremony.
“Character,” it’s been said, “is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the mood in which it was made has left you.”[34]
Isn’t it interesting that even though we usually know what we need to do to be happier, healthier, more successful, or more fulfilled, we often opt for the status quo? Consider the term “inertia.” Simply put, inertia is defined as a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged. The spiritual entrepreneur is disciplined enough to overcome inertia. As spiritual entrepreneurs endeavoring to develop Christlike attributes, self-discipline is essential.
For example, has there ever been a time when you just didn’t feel like praying? President Ezra Taft Benson said, “If we don’t feel like praying, then we should pray until we feel like praying.[35] That is spiritual discipline. Discipline breeds determination, which is a godly trait we find described in the book of Abraham: “And there is nothing that the Lord thy God shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it.”[36]
So, my dear graduates, I ask again the question I began with: “Therefore, now what?” As spiritual entrepreneurs, where will your newly acquired education and experience take you?
To quote the great 20th-century philosopher Dr. Seuss:
Oh, the places you’ll go!
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.[37]
May I share with you one last consideration. Before my husband and I married almost 45 years ago, we thought and talked a lot about priorities in life. When we got married, we had something inscribed inside our wedding rings. It was the first letter of each word in President John Taylor’s life motto: TKOGON, which stands for “The kingdom of God, or nothing.”[38] Elder Neal A. Maxwell paraphrased it by teaching us, “If you have not chosen the kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.”[39]
As spiritual entrepreneurs, you know that the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot merely be your “side hustle,” and our Savior, Jesus Christ, must be more than just a “person of interest” in your life. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God”[40]—not second or third. That, in the final analysis, is the most important “business” decision of your lives. That is your true major.
I know that you will go forth and do much good in your occupations, your families, and in building the kingdom of God on earth as disciples of Jesus Christ. I testify that by putting the Lord first, everything else will ultimately fall into place. That, my dear brothers and sisters, is truly “livin’ the dream.” May the Lord bless each of you to that end.
I testify that our eternal Father in Heaven lives and loves us; that His Son, Jesus Christ, is our eternal Savior and Redeemer, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[1] Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854, p. 18.
[2] Doctrine and Covenants 130:19.
[3] Dallin H. Oaks, “Following the Pioneers,” Ensign, Nov. 1997.
[4] Proverbs 4:7.
[5] Alma 26:11–12.
[6] See Teachings of Presidents of The Church: Ezra Taft Benson, p. 252.
[7] Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Light within You,” Ensign, May 1995.
[8] Russell M. Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?,” Ensign, Nov. 2017.
[9] 2 Timothy 1:7.
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign, May 2018.
[11] Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints,” Ensign, Nov. 2018.
[12] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Are You Sleeping through the Restoration?” Ensign, May 2014.
[13] Doctrine and Covenants 33:3.
[14] John 16:33.
[15] Jonathan Swift, The Tale of a Tub and Other Works, 1889, p. 408.
[16] Proverbs 29:18.
[17] Tad R. Callister, “Our Identity and Our Destiny,” BYU devotional, Aug. 14, 2012; speeches.byu.edu.
[18] 1 Nephi 2:11.
[19] Numbers 11:29.
[20] 1 Nephi 2:20.
[21] Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–8.
[22] See Doctrine and Covenants 76.
[23] Spencer W. Kimball, Conference Report, Apr. 1974, p. 184.
[24] Doctrine and Covenants 82:10.
[25] Neal A. Maxwell, “Jesus, the Perfect Mentor,” Ensign, Feb. 2001.
[26] Neal A. Maxwell, in Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign, May 2018.
[27] Doctrine and Covenants 42:61.
[28] Hartman Rector Jr., “Live above the Law to Be Free,” Ensign, Jan. 1973.
[29] Anthony Sweat, “3 Ways Christ’s Power Can Strengthen Us Daily,” Feb. 8, 2017; ldsliving.com.
[30] See Neal A. Maxwell, “It’s Service, Not Status, That Counts,” Ensign, July 1975.
[31] See Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, 2006, p. 58.
[32] See Julianna W. Miner, “Why 70 Percent of Kids Quit Sports by Age 13,” Washington Post, June 1, 2016.
[33] Doctrine and Covenants 121:8.
[34] Cavett Robert, Human Engineering and Motivation, 1969, p. 100.
[35] Ezra Taft Benson, “Prayer,” Ensign, May 1977.
[36] Abraham 3:17.
[37] Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, 1990.
[38] Teachings of Presidents of The Church: John Taylor, 2001, p. 228.
[39] Neal A. Maxwell, “Response to a Call,” Ensign, May 1974, p. 112; see also William Law, in The Quotable Lewis, ed. Wayne Martindale and Jerry Root, 1989, p. 172.
[40] 3 Nephi 13:33.