I am grateful for the invitation to speak to you. I love this university and the special spirit here. It is such an honor to be with you outstanding graduates today! You are an impressive sight! I applaud you for the dedication and perseverance it has taken to reach this important milestone in your lives—the destination you have looked forward to for years—and I know you each have a unique story to share.
Today you will receive the fruit of your many labors—your diplomas—which symbolize those individual stories of dedication and perseverance.
The journey to get here was very different for each one of you. For some, it was fraught with financial struggles and hardships. For some, it was fraught with great struggle to overcome mental, emotional, or physical challenges. And for some, your journey to this point may have included challenges to your faith. But I am sure that all of you had angels on both sides of the veil assisting you to arrive at this day. [1]
I can imagine that part of what kept you going, kept you moving forward despite difficult challenges and setbacks, was a vision in your mind of this very day—of being here with beloved family members, friends, and classmates who would see you receive the diploma you have worked so hard to achieve. Looking forward to this day helped you hang on and keep going because this day represents the commencement of your hopes and dreams for a life of even greater purpose and meaning. Keeping a vision of this day in your mind, whether consciously or unconsciously, was a powerful force in motivating you to move forward toward your goal. And now, I would imagine most of you are feeling that all the effort to get here—the blood, sweat, and tears, so to speak—was worth it, and you are grateful you kept going even when, at times, you may have felt like quitting and doing something else.
Our individual journeys back to our heavenly home will be similar. We hope to one day be there all together as brothers and sisters—sons and daughters of heavenly parents—having gone through this mortal journey with all its challenges and heartaches, joys and triumphs, setbacks and disappointments. Each of our journeys to return home will be different. Each of us will have a different story to tell, just as each of you has a different story to tell today. And I am sure on that day we will all feel that the great effort to get there—the challenges, the trials, the heartaches, the work, the tears, the uphill climb—was all worth it, and we will be eternally grateful that we kept going even though many times the journey was incredibly difficult.
How important it is, starting even today, that you keep a vision in your minds of that future day [2] when you will arrive at your heavenly home surrounded by loved ones and friends—angels—who cheered you on and helped you from both sides of the veil.
Remember the story of Elisha the prophet. The king of Syria wanted to capture Elisha, so he sent armies to surround the city where the prophet lived. When Elisha’s young servant saw them, he was afraid and asked Elisha what they were going to do. Elisha’s response was “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” [3] The servant may have wondered how this could be possible because he could see with his own eyes that they were surrounded by the enemy. But then Elisha prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of this young man, which He did. And the young man saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. [4]
The same can be true for each of you as you go out into the world. You are soon to leave this special place, and some of you may be nervous and even a bit fearful concerning what lies before you. That’s a very normal feeling. But always remember that those who are with you and helping you and cheering you on are more than those who may be against you, no matter what the appearances may be. As you choose to stay securely connected to your Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ through your covenants, you can be assured of that fact. And those who will be with you will be more powerful than those who may be against you. I testify of that!
Just as the great Book of Mormon missionary Ammon proclaimed after his many years of preaching to the Lamanites and experiencing many hardships as well as joys, you too will one day be able to proclaim, “Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. . . . Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men?” [5]
That is the God we worship! A God of great power and mercy and long-suffering! A God who has a plan to redeem us—the great plan of happiness—made possible by our dear Savior and His atoning sacrifice in our behalf. [6] Your Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, will always be with you wherever you go in the world if you allow Them to be by choosing Them and continuing to choose Them. They won’t force Themselves into your lives, it is your choice, but why choose to go it alone when you can have the divine power, protection, and promises They offer you as you choose to joyfully bind yourselves to Them through a covenant relationship? That is what Elisha the prophet had, and because of that, he didn’t need to fear, even when he was surrounded by the wicked king’s armies.
Just as when Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden and go out into the lone and dreary world, you are now going to leave this place, a symbolic Garden of Eden, and go out into the “lone and dreary world.” Sometimes it is going to feel that way because of the trials and challenges you will face. In addition, many of you may end up living in places where there are few members of the Church—and that’s good because the Lord knows that His covenant children can be like leaven. [7]
Do you know what leaven is? Leaven makes bread dough rise. Yeast is a kind of leaven. If you have ever made bread, you know how important yeast is. Now, I apologize to those of you who can’t eat gluten, but think for a moment about your favorite kind of bread. I love those big, round, crusty loaves. I love cutting a piece of warm bread and eating it with butter or olive oil. Warm bread is so delicious. But if the bread is made without any yeast or another type of leavening agent, it won’t rise. It will turn out flat and hard when baked. It won’t be light and fluffy. Just a very small amount of yeast, half a teaspoon, causes a large lump of bread dough to double in size and then helps the whole loaf of bread to rise in the oven. Without the yeast, we wouldn’t have those light and delicious loaves of bread!
So, why would the Lord want His covenant sons and daughters to be like leaven, like yeast? What does the Lord hope and expect of you as you go out into the world?
Nephi saw our day. Listen to what he said: “And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few. . . . And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” [8]
You will be relatively few in numbers as you go out into the world. But that’s all right because the promise is that the power of the Lamb of God will descend upon the covenant people of the Lord who are scattered upon all the face of the earth. That will be you! As you keep your covenants with God, the promise is that you will be armed with the power of God. And just as that very small amount of yeast influences the entire loaf of bread to rise, with God’s power, you can be a positive and lifting influence on those around you in your neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities.
Let me use another analogy. Think about a championship sports competition such as the final game of the World Cup or the Super Bowl. In the last minutes of that final championship game, if the score is very close, which of his players will a coach put in to increase his team’s chances of winning? His best players, of course! The players he has the most confidence in! He would be foolish not to do that.
As covenant sons and daughters of God, you have been sent to earth in the final part of the latter days—the final minutes of the championship game between good and evil, when the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been, when the battle is the most heated it’s ever been, because Satan knows he doesn’t have much time left. [9] You have been sent at this time and for this time!
What does that say about who you are? What does that say about your earthly mission? What does that say about who you were before you came to earth and the confidence your Father in Heaven had in you to send you at this time?
Our dear prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, declared in a worldwide youth devotional a few years ago, “Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits—perhaps, I might say, His finest team—for this final phase. Those noble spirits—those finest players, those heroes—are you!” [10]
And Sister Sheri Dew, former counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, said, “Do you think God would have left the last days to chance by sending men and women He couldn’t count on? . . . You were sent now because our Father’s most trustworthy children would be needed in the final, decisive battle for righteousness. That is who you are, and it is who you have always been.” [11]
I testify that what they said is true! You have been sent here to fight in the battle between good and evil when the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been. You cannot watch from the sidelines. You cannot let the adversary distract you with the shiny things of the world. You are some of our Father’s most noble spirits, His finest team. You are latter-day covenant sons and daughters of God, children of the promised day. We need you! The Lord needs you! The world needs you!
Please go out to be leaven, to lift and influence the world for good as covenant children of God and as disciples of Jesus Christ. Don’t allow the world to negatively influence you. Don’t go after the world’s idols as the children of Israel so often did. They were God’s covenant people and were meant to be leaven as they were taken into other parts of the world. But so often they ended up letting the world influence them, and they turned to idol worship. It will be tempting for you to go after the world’s idols, but remember who you are and who you were before you came to this earth. What your Father in Heaven has to offer you will bring lasting peace, joy, and happiness not only here but into the eternities. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” [12]
Nothing the world offers you can compare to what your Father in Heaven has in store for you. You are sons and daughters of a king, the Most High God. I repeat, nothing the world has to offer you can compare to what He desires to give His sons and daughters. But Satan will never stop trying to convince you otherwise. Be very careful to stay close to your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so you won’t be deceived. Satan has thousands of years of experience deceiving God’s sons and daughters, and he is very good at it. He can make a path that will ultimately lead to regret or heartache look enticing and exciting. You alone are no match for him! Stay firmly connected to God and His promises of divine power and protection. Seek daily to access the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement and constantly teach these things and talk of Christ to your children and future children. [13]
You will have times of uncertainty as you go through life. There will be times when you will have to go through so-called mists of darkness, when the well-defined gospel path you can clearly see now may feel rocky and uncertain. But just as you kept the vision of graduation day in your mind to keep you going, as you are intentional about keeping the vision of your eternal destination firmly in your mind [14] and keep a firm hold on the rod of iron, you will make it, just as you made it today. The scriptures say that the rod of iron is the word of God. And in the first chapter of John we read that the word of God is Jesus Christ. [15]
I want to testify to you that if you choose to hold fast to Christ through whatever mists of darkness, rocky paths, or spiritual earthquakes you may experience throughout your life, you will not be deceived and led away. On the contrary, you will come out on the other side with a faith that is much stronger and deeper and able to weather the storms that will intensify between now and the Savior’s Second Coming. Even when, at times, you can’t clearly see the path, you will be able to go through the mists of darkness in safety as long as you keep a firm grasp on the rod of iron, which ultimately represents the Savior Himself. [16] We must hold fast to Him as we go through the journey of life. And the way to do that is to stay firmly connected to Him through covenants and to follow the counsel He gives us through His living prophets. “Prophets can see around corners” [17] and are watchmen on the tower [18] who can see afar off. There is great safety in making and keeping covenants with God and in following His current prophets.
I invite you over the next few months to study President Nelson’s talks, especially these on the screen. If you have your phones with you, please take a quick picture to remember them. President Nelson has spoken repeatedly about the blessings of a covenant relationship with God. Study these talks, looking for all the privileges, promises, and divine power that God is offering you through making and keeping covenants with Him, especially temple covenants. You will be amazed! Don’t live beneath your privileges!
If you have not already done so, I invite you to pray and ask your Father in Heaven if it’s time for you to prepare to make covenants with Him in the house of the Lord so you can access more of His power in your life. This will be especially important as you leave this special place and go into the world.
I would like to close with words from President Nelson concerning the blessings of a covenant relationship with God. Here are just a few of the things he has declared:
“My dear brothers and sisters, these are the latter days. If you and I are to withstand the forthcoming perils and pressures, it is imperative that we each have a firm spiritual foundation built upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ [Helaman 5:12]. . . .
“The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. . . . His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power [see Doctrine and Covenants 109:15, 22]. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.” [19]
“Satan certainly does not want you to understand that every time you worthily serve and worship in the temple, you leave armed with God’s power and with His angels having ‘charge over’ you [Doctrine and Covenants 109:22].” [20]
“I would urge you not to wait until marriage to be endowed in the house of the Lord. Begin now to learn and experience what it means to be armed with priesthood power.” [21]
“Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant. . . . The heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the priesthood.” [22]
“The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power.” [23]
“To each of you who has made temple covenants, I plead with you to seek … to understand temple covenants and ordinances. Spiritual doors will open. You will learn how to part the veil between heaven and earth, how to ask for God’s angels to attend you, and how better to receive direction from heaven.” [24]
“Every man and every woman who participates in priesthood ordinances and who makes and keeps covenants with God has direct access to the power of God.” [25]
My dear friends, as you go out into the world, you will need that power! I pray that you will remember who you are, that you will be like leaven, that you will lift and influence for good all those around you and not look to the world’s idols. I pray that you will engage in this final championship battle between good and evil because you are the Lord’s finest team, and that you will help to prepare the world for the Second Coming. I pray you will be intentional in keeping the vision of your eternal destination firmly in mind. And I pray that you will stay firmly connected to your Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ and access Their power through making and keeping covenants with Them in the house of the Lord, and that you will follow Their counsel given through living prophets.
I testify with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that you will have angels around you on both sides of the veil. As he declared, “God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face . . . And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.” [26]
I testify that those that be with you will be more numerous and more powerful than those that be against you as you stay connected to your Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. I testify that They live and that They know you individually, love you perfectly, and want to be a part of your lives. Please choose Them and continue to choose Them. Generations will be blessed as you do so. Of these things I witness, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Ministry of Angels,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 29–31.
[2] See Alma 32:41.
[3] 2 Kings 6:16.
[4] See 2 Kings 6:11–17.
[5] Alma 26:12, 16; emphasis added.
[6] See Alma 42.
[7] See Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20–21.
[8] 1 Nephi 14:12, 14.
[9] See Revelation 12:12.
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” (worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018), Gospel Library.
[11] Sheri Dew, “You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory,” BYU Speeches, Dec. 9, 2003, speeches.byu.edu.
[12] 1 Corinthians 2:9.
[13] See 2 Nephi 25:26.
[14] See Alma 32:41.
[15] See John 1 chapter heading; John 1:1; Joseph Smith Translation, John 1:16 (in the Bible appendix).
[16] See David A. Bednar, “But We Heeded Them Not,” Liahona, May 2022, 14–17.
[17] Sheri Dew, “Prophets Can See Around Corners,” BYU–Hawaii Devotionals, Nov. 2, 2022, speeches.byuh.edu.
[18] See Ezekiel 3:17–21; Doctrine and Covenants 101:44–54.
[19] Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 93–94.
[20] Russell M. Nelson, “Spiritual Treasures,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 78.
[21] Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” 95.
[22] Russell M. Nelson, “Spiritual Treasures,” 77.
[23] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 96.
[24] Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” 96.
[25] Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 10.
[26] Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Ministry of Angels,” 29–31.