President Clark, members of the faculty, administrators, staff and students of this remarkable university, Sister Christensen and I are excited and honored to be with you in this sacred setting.
Although I have driven through Rexburg on a few occasions over the years, I have never walked the pathways and enjoyed the sights of this lovely campus since our daughter was a student here many years ago. For us this has been a delightful visit in every respect and we are excited for these moments with you during this devotional experience. We express gratitude to the many who have made our visit so enjoyable. Thank you, and how we appreciate your kindness.
The idea that the Lord, working through inspired leadership, would provide for a devotional hour each week in an academic setting has to be somewhat unique. It is a powerful indication of how much Father in Heaven loves you and desires to bless you with His Spirit. You are to be commended for the importance you place on matters that are truly important and enduring in your personal development. Undoubtedly your spiritual attainments and experiences will contribute greatly to your academic success. In fact, that concept fits well into the subject I would like to discuss with you today.
You play a vital part in the on rolling purposes of this university in becoming what the Lord truly wants it and you to be. The success of such an endeavor will in reality be the sum of the daily occurrences in each of your lives as you reflect upon who you are and what your studies will achieve now and in the future. Each of you must surely be familiar with President Eyring's devotional address of September 2001 entitled, A Steady, Upward Course.
You will recall that on that occasion he referred to the student's efforts to prepare themselves for their devotional experience with him and then he made a promise to any student whose future efforts would extend above and beyond what might otherwise be expected of them. Whether in dress or scholarship he made this promise,
"Those of you who... had the courage to...try to influence the persons around you, I'll make you a prophesy. I will simply tell you: The day will come that that capacity to influence people around you for good will have you singled out as one of the great leaders in whatever place you're in. They will not quite know why, but you will know that the reason you are being singled out is not because of your innate gifts as a leader but because you have done what the Savior would do--learn how to, and did, reach out to those around you to try to lift them, to help them to be better even when it might be a little bit difficult and you might not have been received very well."[1]
I would like to speak to you about a subject closely related to President Eyring's prophecy regarding your potential to influence others around you, and by extension through your collective efforts, the entire world. I would like to preface my remarks with a personal experience and then some insights regarding the importance of distinguishing between two opposites that we often encounter in our society and are clearly described in scriptural accounts.
A few years ago I was teaching an Old Testament Gospel Doctrine class. I had to be absent for a couple of Sundays and so I sought someone to substitute in my absence. I found a sister who was excited to teach the class until I told her that the two lessons she would teach would be the first two lessons from the writings of Isaiah. Her eyes glazed over and I thought she was going into cardiac arrest! She said, "You have to be kidding! I can scarcely understand Isaiah. How will I ever be able to teach those lessons?"
In no way do I consider myself an authority on the teachings of Isaiah. However, like you, I recognize the powerful feelings I receive when I read and study his sacred record. Although I cannot be certain that I always comprehend the full extent and continuing impact of his teachings, I bask in the warm glow of truth as the Spirit bears witness of its relevance. Nephi expressed similar feelings for Isaiah's teachings when he wrote,
"And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer... And... that whoso of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice."[2]
Isaiah's record written approximately 150 years before Nephi lived was invaluable to Lehi's family, and Nephi knew that it would be even more precious to those of later dispensations, especially to us. Again Nephi recorded,
"... in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass. Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people; for I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written them."[3]
I am certain we will all be blessed by Isaiah's words for he and Nephi knew we would be personal observers of their fulfillment and would easily find application of his teachings in our day.
I now refer to a verse whose importance was an admonition to them and should be immediately obvious to us. Do you recognize this counsel of Isaiah? Have you seen evidence of it in our day? Said Isaiah,
"Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"[4]
Perhaps there has never been a time in recorded history that the conditions described by Isaiah have been more apparent. I do not want to misinterpret or be too judgmental. Nevertheless, I do not remember in my lifetime a more pervasive effort in our society to call evil good and good evil. If we allow it, the ever insidious blanket of evil and darkness would envelope us as well, for there are far too many who promote the destruction of righteousness and would substitute darkness, evil and bitterness in its place.
There is so much goodness to be found among members of the Church and in society in general. We have all met remarkable people whose goodness is immediately identifiable and lifts and blesses all around them. As President Eyring counseled, it is imperative that we all seek diligently to identify, appreciate and acquire every quality of goodness. Then having done so, others will be richly rewarded through our efforts to lift them to that same level of respect, decency and integrity.
I would like to share with you some examples of goodness that have inspired me and from which I believe we can all benefit. By so doing I am confident that we can disrupt the designs of the adversary and bring joy and everlasting happiness to ourselves and others around us. If we are to fend off the insidious designs of the adversary, we must first have faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ
This is an undergirding principle that must guide any discussion regarding establishing righteousness in our lives. Without faith in the teachings of Jesus Christ and his prophets, we will find it difficult, if not impossible, to always recognize that evil is evil and should never be mistaken for good. We must know that we can always trust and look to God for direction in any aspect of our lives. Helaman assured us with these words,
"Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked-- And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out."[5]
Moses and Joshua would have found their task impossible had they not known with certainty that the great Jehovah was continually guiding their efforts. Samuel, the future prophet of such a tender age, would not have heard nor understood the voice of the Lord had he not had the instruction and the faith to say "speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth". Lehi's family would not have obtained nor benefited from the Brass Plates had the Spirit not shown him their value to his family. The construction of a ship by unskilled shipbuilders would not have been successful without Nephi's faith to go into the mount oft to seek direction from the Lord. The arrival in the Promised Land would have been more improbable without humble prayers that the Lord would guide their remarkable ship.
The accomplishment of their tasks became possible only when motivated by faith; a faith that burned deep in their souls and cast away any doubts as to what the Lord expected of them. So it is with each of us. Our lives can be an example of personal strength to ourselves and others around us. When we have such faith, nothing will be impossible and such achievement will be sweet and long lasting.
Honoring Your Name Will Strengthen You Against Evil
Goodness, decency and integrity must begin with an appreciation for the sacred origin and nature of your name and heritage. The Proverbs teach that, "A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches..."[6]
I recall a wonderful stake president who after ordaining and setting apart a bishop would often counsel the bishop's children regarding their family name. He would say them, "You should not feel compelled to be good just because your father is now the bishop. Remember, you must always choose to be good because your name is Jones (or whatever their last name), not because your father is now the bishop."
Helaman's sons, Nephi and Lehi, at one point were deeply discouraged in their ministry. They found comfort when they remembered the reason their father had named them Nephi and Lehi. Listen to Helaman's comforting words to his sons regarding their names,
"Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good. Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them."[7]
Your posterity is depending on you to be powerful examples of goodness so that when they hear or remember your name, they will also remember your worthy endeavors. Every choice you make in your lives will reflect upon you and them. Many who may never know you personally will honor your name because of what they have heard or read about you.
Many years ago I had a remarkable employee who was not a member of the Church. He was born in Texas and was an older gentleman of Latin descent. He was very short in stature and a decorated veteran of WWII. His stature and demeanor was not what one would usually associate with hardened veterans and heroic deeds. Because of his stature, the people in our community knew him as "Little John" or "Juanito" to his Latin friends. He had the most pleasing personality of anyone I have ever known; gentle and kind; considerate and deeply respectful.
Knowing "Little John" as I did, I often thought to myself; how I would have loved to have known his parents! Undoubtedly his quiet and gentle demeanor came from the powerful example and teaching of parents acquired during his formative years in a loving and respectful home and family.
Like "Little John" your name will be forever remembered by so many when you too are always kind and respectful of others.
Goodness and Virtue are Enduring Traits of a Disciple of Christ
"The prophet Amos taught, Hate the evil, and love the good..."[8]
You are examples of the good seed frequently spoken of in the Savior's parables. You are acquiring the attributes now that will, like all good seeds, endow you with the potential to yield far more abundantly than you can ever imagine. You must endeavor to avoid the tragedy described by the Apostle James when he said, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."[9]
There is much that surrounds us that is virtuous and lovely. Our attention and efforts should be continually focused on acquiring and developing Christ-like attributes. As you do so you will also recognize and admire the good that is apparent in the lives of our associates. Goodness and righteousness are the results of obedient and worthy living. Living Christ centered lives will require our most serious effort in accepting and living His doctrine. Such attributes will bring you enduring joy on a daily basis, and will insure that you will have continuing positive experiences as you nurture such attributes with exactness.
Integrity--Another Trait That is so Desperately Needed in Every Aspect of Our Society
Isaiah on another occasion speaking of our day said that, "...honorable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst."[10]
We have recently heard of well-known or otherwise honorable men whose personal behaviors demonstrate the lack of integrity mentioned by Isaiah. Such examples are far too plentiful and we are subjected to a seemingly steady cadence of such corruption. What we do not hear often enough are the reports of those whose lives and examples of integrity that are also plentiful in our society. Perhaps you heard a few weeks ago of Brian Davis, a British professional golfer who in a PGA tournament was on the verge of his first tournament victory and a one million dollar first prize. On the first hole of a playoff, his ball bounced off the green and rolled into some nearby weeds and grass. When he tried to punch the ball back onto the green, he realized his club may have grazed a nearby weed; a violation of PGA rules requiring a two stroke penalty, and in a playoff, certain defeat.
The officials had not seen the violation; only Davis recognized the possible infraction when as he hit the ball he thought he saw movement of the obstruction out of the corner of his eye.
Immediately after the shot, he notified the official who with the help of slow motion television replays confirmed the violation. When the infraction was confirmed, Davis conceded the victory to his opponent. Brian Davis is reported to have said after the tournament that had he not reported the violation, he would never have been able to have lived with himself. A million dollar first prize lost because honesty was more important than wealth!
Such stories of integrity are multitude around us but in the din of world events reported on the six-o-clock news, too often only the revolting seems to be considered newsworthy. The world will be forever indebted to the Brian Davis's of the world whose integrity makes them truly worthy of emulation by all.
Another Powerful Influence for Good is the Enduring Power of Example
I remember that as a young man I was awed how in our rural community on a Sunday morning all was quiet; hardly a sound to be heard in any direction; never a tractor, combine, sprayer or other type of machinery in motion. I hasten to say that our community was not a predominantly LDS community. I marveled how my neighbors of every denomination respected and observed the Lord's commandment to honor and observe the Sabbath Day.
Now over 50 years later the Sabbath respect I observed years ago seems to no longer exist. Judging by the din of a Sunday morning in that community today as compared to the past, it is apparent that the command of the Lord regarding respect for His holy day has been forgotten or ignored.
I was, therefore, deeply impressed when I read an account of Sabbath observance from an article in a Church Magazine.
Those of you who know something about agricultural communities know that haying season on a ranch can be quite challenging. The hay is ready for baling when the dew settles on and moistens the hay so as to not shatter the precious leaves during baling. After a warm summer day, the dew rarely comes until near or after nightfall.
The author of the story wrote that many years before he had determined to always observe a proper Sabbath, no matter the consequences. One Saturday evening during haying season when the conditions were right, he went out late in the evening to bale knowing that he would not have sufficient time to complete the work before the Sabbath began. Given the pressing nature of the harvest, he said it was a temptation to continue working beyond the midnight hour.
As the baling proceeded he could see in the distance the tractor headlights of his neighbor also taking advantage of the favorable harvest conditions. Knowing that his neighbor was a dear friend and member of the Church, he wondered what his neighbor would do as midnight approached.
Near midnight he pulled his tractor up to his truck and shut off the lights and motor. Almost immediately he noticed that his neighbor's tractor lights had gone off as well.
Some years later after telling the story in a Sacrament Meeting he turned to his neighbor who was then the bishop of their ward and asked if he remembered that night when both were out baling hay. The bishop nodded that he did remember and then said, [Yes, I remember because] "I didn't have a watch and I was watching you."[11]
You have undoubtedly had such experiences in your lives and will continue to do so in the future. Obedience to Gospel principles provides us the opportunity to truly define our values and thus bless ourselves and others. You will never know who is watching you and who will be influenced to do right because of your example.
The "Exemplary Husband" Contest
A few weeks ago there appeared in our local newspaper the account of a woman who while reading a magazine in her doctor's office waiting room read of an "Exemplary Husband " contest being sponsored by the magazine and inviting entries to be submitted for the contest. The woman returned home, wrote a description of the admirable traits of her thoughtful husband and without informing him she mailed it and immediately forgot about her entry.
Several weeks later she was notified that her entry had been selected as a finalist in the contest. Her husband was embarrassed and she was justifiably pleased and proud. Listen to her description of her husband written in her entry.
"My husband is so [wonderful] to me because he rushes home from a long day at work to spend time with us. He always walks in the house ready to give us hugs and kisses and is ready to play with the kids. He's always thinking about helping me. Our relationship works very well. He always compliments me and is always giving me hugs. He's so cute."
As I read the account of this wonderful couple I was thrilled as I'm certain others were also. I don't know that they are members of the Church, but the power of their example is so desperately needed and appreciated regardless of religious affiliation. O how this world that lacks so much kindness and civility in marriage is blessed by the example of that couple and so many others like them.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote of the influence of couples who marry in the temple, honor their covenants and are examples of righteous marriage to the rest of the world,
"Such righteous individuals perform another vital but quiet service to mankind: they become part of the critical mass which can evoke God's much-needed blessings on all humanity."[12]
I close my remarks with these words of the Lord spoken to you of this dispensation.
"And there shall be men standing in that generation, that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land. But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die."[13] "Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord."[14]
Brothers and Sisters, you stand today in Holy Places. There is no more powerful force for good than the righteous example of persons like you who have Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ sufficient to follow His example in all things; who know and understand their eternal destiny and have determined in advance that they will respect their names as a symbol of virtue, integrity and example; ones who will always stand in Holy Places and never be moved.
I so testify and bear witness of these truths, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] President Henry B. Eyring devotional, A Steady, Upward Course, September 18, 2001
[2] 2 Nephi 11: 2, 8
[3] 2 Nephi 25:7-8
[4] 2 Nephi 15: 20
[5] Helaman 3:27- 30
[6] Proverbs 22:1
[7] Helaman 5: 6-7
[8] Amos 5:15
[9] James 4:17
[10] Isaiah 5: 13
[11] Lynn Jensen, "'I Was Watching You'," Ensign, Aug. 2006, 69
[12] Liahona, May 2003
[13] Doctrine and Covenants 45:32
[14] Doctrine and Covenants 87:8