I’m so grateful to be with you today. I love this university and deeply believe in its mission. I was born here in Rexburg. My mom and dad met while they were in school here. This will always be a special place for our family. I’m grateful to be with Elder and Sister Meredith. I know how much they love you, and I am getting a sense of how much you love them. They are remarkable and consecrated disciples of Jesus Christ.
When I was nine years old, our family lived on a farm in Washington state. Our home was so far out of the way that we had to drive through several cattle fields to get to the main road into town. When I was with my father, my job was to jump out of the pickup at each cattle gate, swing it open, wait for him to drive through, then close the gate and jump back into the pickup.
After doing this through one summer, I asked my dad if we could trade places. Surprisingly, he said yes. So, I moved into the driver’s seat, and he took the role of opening and closing the gates.
Well, I was so small that I couldn’t see over the steering wheel and push the gas pedal at the same time. So, I’d lower myself down and press on the gas pedal, then I’d come back up and look over the steering wheel to see how things were going, and then go back down to push on the gas; I had to push hard enough on the accelerator to get some momentum so the truck would keep moving while I came up to look things over.
As if that wasn’t a big enough problem, after the first gate I went through, I forgot to stop and wait for my dad to get back in. I figured once you had some momentum, you probably should just keep going. So, pulling through that first gate, I gave a pretty good push on the gas pedal, causing the truck to speed up as it bounced through the field. As I came back up to look at how things were going, I remember cows running for their lives. I also remember my dad running after me, yelling for me to stop.
My joyride ended after just one gate, and it was a long time before I was allowed to drive again. Looking back, however, I can see that my nine-year-old philosophy was not all bad. Once you go through a gate, it is not the end of the journey; it’s the beginning.
Today is commencement and, as you know, that means you are at the beginning and not the end. You are at the gate—ready to start your journey. Here at BYU-Idaho, you have been blessed with remarkable experiences, meaningful relationships, and a first-class education. You have gained spiritual, social, and intellectual momentum, and now it’s time to scatter the cows.
President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “Momentum is a powerful concept.” He said, “We have seen examples of both positive and negative momentum. We know followers of Jesus Christ who became converted and grew in their faith. But we also know of once-committed believers who fell away. Momentum can swing either way. We have never needed positive spiritual momentum more than we do now.” [1]
Today, as you drive through the gate to the next stage of your lives, may I invite you to do all you can to maintain the spiritual momentum you have right now by remembering what you have learned here at BYU-Idaho?
While you’ve been here, we hope you have learned to put the Lord first in your lives. President Nelson also taught, “I have learned that the most crucial question we each must answer is this: To whom or to what will I give my life? My decision to follow Jesus Christ is the most important decision I have ever made.” [2] I can’t imagine better advice for a graduate, about to go out into the world, than to make the decision today to give your life to Jesus Christ.
We also hope you’ve recognized the Lord’s willingness to help you with your education. That is true in all aspects of your life. Take with you the conviction that the Lord loves you and wants to help you. Don’t leave that idea behind when you drive out of your apartment parking lot for the last time.
More important than the discipline you have learned is the discipleship you have learned. Be willing to be distinct in good ways and don’t make your faith difficult to detect. Faithful disciples of Jesus Christ can have a remarkable impact in the world. To help you do that, remember what Brad Wilcox taught: “Don’t let the world change you when you were born to change the world.” [3]
I have a friend who grew up in Los Angeles. One morning, he went into the kitchen and saw that his dad was visibly upset by an article in the newspaper. The article reported that a person had died. And while no one knew the identity of the person, an autopsy had concluded that the man had lived in Los Angeles his entire life, as evidenced by the lung damage caused by a lifetime of breathing polluted air. My friend’s dad thought it was incredibly unfair that, although he was trying to live a healthy lifestyle, his environment was putting him at risk for lung disease because of the air he was breathing.
I wonder if sometimes we allow that to happen to us spiritually. If an autopsy were carried out on our spirits, would it reflect the attitudes and beliefs of the places and times we live in? Are we allowing ourselves, even imperceptibly, to breathe the “air” of today’s cultural narratives and biases? Or do we trust the Lord and hold fast to His teachings, even when they may not be popular? Though we cannot always choose the air we breathe, we can choose to protect ourselves against worldly philosophies by “[letting] God prevail in our lives.” [4] By choosing to give your life to Jesus Christ, you can keep the spiritual momentum you have gained.
A second thing we hope you have experienced and will take with you is the Spirit of Ricks. As a descendant of Thomas E. Ricks, I’m grateful that his name has been preserved and for what it represents. (I’m trying to have only righteous pride in that fact.) The Spirit of Ricks is hard to define but you know what it is by experience. It’s the way you see and treat people. It is a desire to lift and help others, knowing that when one succeeds, everyone succeeds. It’s a supportive community that is hopeful and optimistic. It’s the spirit of spiritual growth and intellectual development that allows you to better serve others. Ultimately, it is the Spirit of “the Holy Ghost and its attendant gifts.” [5]
When my younger sister Kim was diagnosed with cancer, she went through a series of treatments, including chemotherapy. She lost her hair, and her physical appearance made it easy for people to surmise that she had cancer. During that time, she told me that people were incredibly kind to her. People she had never met would randomly step in line to buy her groceries. Others would pay for her dinner at a restaurant without even letting her know who had been so thoughtful. People would mow their lawn, offer to help with their children, bring meals to their home, and perform countless random acts of kindness and service. She once asked me, “Can you imagine if everyone in the world treated everyone else like people are treating me? What a remarkable world that would be.” Wherever you go, take with you the Spirit of Ricks. Lift people, build community, be a helper. As you live as a grateful and joyful disciple of Jesus Christ, you will make the world a better place.
The third type of momentum you have gained here at BYU-Idaho is intellectual momentum. While here, you have learned the importance of being lifelong learners. This is not the end of your education; it is the beginning. Some elementary school teachers use the phrase, “You first learn to read, then you read to learn.” I love that idea. At BYU-Idaho, you have learned how to learn. With effort, you can learn and grow throughout your life. You are becoming who Heavenly Father knows you can become. Take with you the desire to learn and to become the best version of yourself. In your study here, you have learned how to explore ideas and validate truth. You have learned secular truth in a spiritual setting, which has helped you to see things as they really are. You have participated in wonderful devotionals and have felt the power of the teachings of modern prophets. Take that with you as well. As part of your discipleship, stay close to the Lord’s prophets and measure secular information and claims against their teachings, and not the other way around.
A lifetime of learning includes daily scripture study and prayer. President Russell M. Nelson has also urged us to “devote time each week—for the rest of your life—to increase your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” [6] President Nelson, at age 100, is an amazing example of his phrase “for the rest of your life.” He has shown us what it means to be a lifelong learner and lifelong disciple.
Now, I would share one last lesson from my ride through the cattle fields. I’m glad my dad came running and stopped me before I did any damage to his pickup, the cows, or myself. His voice of warning came a little out of desperation but mostly out of love. As you keep your spiritual, social, and intellectual momentum, surround yourself with people who love you, who want what’s best for you, and who will tell you the truth.
You have also been blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost, who will guide you in making decisions that will bring you happiness in this life and will lead you to eternal life in the world to come. There are plenty of negative voices in the world, and those voices are more accessible than ever in the history of the world. Be careful not to spend your time with those who diminish faith, discourage you, or tell you that you are not capable or good enough.
I’m inspired by a verse in the book of Revelation that says, “I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb.” [7]
From the beginning, there have been two competing voices. One is a voice of hope, of salvation, strength, and power. The other is the voice of the accuser; that’s an interesting title for Satan. It is his voice that tells us we have made too many mistakes, we don’t measure up, and that we will never be good enough.
Elder Karl D. Hirst said, “Maybe there is a chorus of voices of discouragement and darkness that weighs into your thoughts, messages telling you that you are too wounded and confused, too weak and overlooked, too different or disoriented to warrant heavenly love in any real way. If you hear those ideas, then please hear this: those voices are just wrong.” [8]
Please remember the other voice mentioned in that verse, the voice of hope, salvation, and power, the voice of the One who loves you most. Those who hearkened to that voice overcame the accuser. I testify that because Jesus Christ overcame the world, you can too.
On this day of your commencement, as you drive through the gate and scatter the cows, please keep your foot on the gas pedal. Take with you all the wonderful experiences, relationships, and lessons you have learned. Keep your spiritual, social, and intellectual momentum. As you do, Heavenly Father will help you to have a successful and meaningful life. Heavenly Father loves you. He will help you. Of this I testify.
Notes
[1] Russell M. Nelson, “The Power of Spiritual Momentum,” Liahona, May 2022.
[2] Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” Liahona, Nov. 2024.
[3] Bradley R. Wilcox, “O Youth of the Noble Birthright,” Liahona, Nov. 2024.
[4] Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020.
[5] David A. Bednar, “Ricks Building & Gardens Dedication Remarks,” BYU-Idaho Speeches, Feb. 18, 2005.
[6] Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again.”
[7] Revelation 12:10–11.
[8] Karl D. Hirst, “God’s Favourite,” Liahona, Nov. 2024.
About Brother Chad H. Webb
Brother Chad H Webb was sustained as First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency on April 6, 2024. He began serving on August 1, 2024.
Brother Webb has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Mexico Veracruz Mission, elders quorum president, high councilor, bishop, and stake president.
Brother Webb graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of arts degree in 1990, and a master’s degree in educational leadership and foundations in 1997. He has worked in Seminaries and Institutes of Religion throughout his career. Since 2008, he has been the administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion and Church Primary and Secondary Schools.
Chad H Webb was born in Rexburg, Idaho, on December 18, 1964. He married Kristi Bronson in August 1990. They are the parents of six daughters and have two grandchildren.