At this long-awaited and very important rite of passage in your life, Sister Clark and I extend to you our congratulations and our love.
Brothers and sisters, it is your destiny to live in a remarkable time. It is a time of turmoil and great wickedness, but also a time of miracles and heavenly blessings. With your future in mind, you have been prepared to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and leaders in your families, in the Church, and in the world around you.
There is a passage from the Sermon on the Mount that captures much of what I feel about you and what lies before you:
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.[1]
The Savior clarified this commandment with these words to the people of Nephi:
Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up?that which ye have seen me do . . . .[2]
I would like to talk with you today about that light and what it means to “. . . hold up your light that it may shine unto the world . . . .”
Light
The scriptures teach us “That which is of God is light . . . ,”[3] that “all things which are good cometh of God . . . ,”[4] and that “in Christ there should come every good thing.”[5] Everything that is good?love, joy, peace, mercy, knowledge, kindness—everything good comes through Christ and is light. Jesus Christ is, in very fact, the Light of the World.
Christ is the light you are to hold up, but you cannot hold Him up unless that light is in you. He did not say, “Hold up my light” or “Hold up your parents’ light.” He said, “Hold up your light.”
That is precisely the great promise of discipleship. If you are true and faithful to your covenants, the Holy Ghost will ignite the Light of Christ within you. And then comes this marvelous promise: “. . . he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”[6]
May I suggest two practical things you can do to help that light burn “brighter and brighter.”
First, every Sunday as you partake of the sacrament, prayerfully renew your commitment to “always remember Him” and to “keep His commandments.”[7] Reflect on your gratitude for the Atonement and your need for the blessings and strength that are in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Second, if you live close enough, go to the temple every week and participate in the covenants and ordinances of the house of the Lord.[8] If you “continue in God” in this way, the light within you will burn bright. You will be “the candle of the Lord.”[9]
So how do you hold up your light that it may shine unto the world? The Savior gives the key in these words:
And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world . . . .[10]
I believe the key words are: come, feel, and see.
Come
The first step in “holding up” the Light is to invite all in your circle of influence to come unto Christ. That includes your family and loved ones and those you serve in the kingdom, but it also means those who do not have the gospel in their lives: friends, neighbors, people at work, the person sitting next to you on the airplane. It means everyone who comes within your circle. Invite them all to come unto Christ.
Here are a few practical steps you can take to invite those who do not have the gospel light in their lives to come unto Christ.
First, ask the Lord to put in your path people He has prepared and then promise Him that you will speak to them. When He does, take action. Talk to them. If you don’t know them, follow the 10-second rule: introduce yourself within the first 10 seconds of meeting someone. If you wait, it will get harder and harder to start a conversation.
Second, use the language of love to bear testimony. “I love the way my Church helps me . . .” and then add whatever the Spirit directs you to say—“feel close to the Savior,” “find meaning in my life,” “strengthen my family,” “get the direction I need”—whatever the Spirit directs.
Third, carry copies of the Book of Mormon and pass-along cards with you. Invite people you meet to read, to come to Church, and to meet with the missionaries. If you will pray for opportunities and prepare yourself to share and invite, you will have many wonderful experiences inviting Heavenly Father’s children to come unto Christ.
Feel
When the Savior visited the people of Nephi, He invited them to come and “. . . feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”[11] They came forward one-by-one and felt His hands and His feet. But they also felt His presence, His healing power, and His love.
In a world that can be cold and harsh, feeling the Savior is like feeling the light of the sun breaking through the clouds bringing warmth, and goodness, and life. When we do what He would do if He were here, we help others feel His power, His mercy, and His love. When we encourage with hope in Him, edify with His word, and serve with His Spirit in our hearts, we help those we serve feel Him.
May I suggest two practical things you can do to help others feel the light of the Savior?
First, always accept and always magnify callings in the Church, and always volunteer to be of service in the kingdom. If your bishop calls you to be the nursery leader or the Scoutmaster or anything else, accept and magnify the calling.
Second, when opportunities come to take a meal to a ward member or make a visit to the hospital or do any other kind of service, be the first one to raise your hand; be the first name on the sign-up sheet; be the first one to stand up and say, “. . . Here am I; send me.”[12] If you do these things, those you serve will feel the Savior through you.
See
The people of Nephi saw the Savior with their physical eyes. But, more importantly, He opened the eyes of their understanding. They saw themselves as they really are. They saw the redemption and hope that is in Christ. They saw the purpose of their lives. They saw His gospel and the plan of salvation. In short, they saw the truth through Christ, the light of truth.
You can bring the light of truth to those around you by putting true principles into action. People will see that light because they will see truth in action in your life. Here are some very practical suggestions for putting truth into action: Wherever you go in life, treat other people as children of God, with kindness and love. Be a man or woman of integrity. Live the truth and stand up for truth, no matter where you are. Be the same faithful person at home, at Church, at work, in the neighborhood. Live your life whole. These choices will illuminate the lives of people who see you in action because the light of truth will shine in your life. Those with eyes to see will come, and they will see.
In closing, I would like to leave you with a request and my testimony. Here is the request: When you leave here today, please take the Spirit of Ricks with you. Please take BYU–Idaho and what it means and what it stands for with you. You now represent the university. I hope and pray that wherever you go, whatever you do, people around you will see in you the principles, the purposes, and the spirit of BYU–Idaho.
Brothers and sisters, it is my testimony that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer. I know He is the Light of the World. His church and kingdom have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith never to be taken from the earth again. The future is glorious—challenging, but glorious.
My dear brothers and sisters, you have a great work to do in the kingdom. I pray that the light that is in you may burn brighter and brighter and “. . . shine before this people, that they [will] see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”[13]
In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Matthew 5:14-16
[2] 3 Nephi 18:24
[3] D&C 50:24
[4] Moroni 7:12
[5] Moroni 7:22
[6] D&C 50:24
[7] D&C 20:77
[8] Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, pp. 54-55
[9] Proverbs 20:27; Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” Ensign, Jan. 1983
[10] 3 Nephi 18:25, emphasis added
[11] 3 Nephi 11:14
[12] Isaiah 6:8
[13] 3 Nephi 12:16