President Meredith, members of the administration and faculty, parents and families, and especially the graduating class of Brigham Young University-Idaho, what a joy it is to be with you on this remarkable day.
For those who have graduated, today is a day filled with gratitude and celebration. Each of you has arrived at this moment through years of effort, discipline, sacrifice, and faith. Behind every diploma is a story: many, many hours of studying, difficult assignments that stretched your abilities, friendships that strengthened you, and moments when you quietly wondered if you would truly reach this day.
And yet, here you are.
Today is also a day of joy for your families. Many of them have walked this journey with you in ways that may never appear on an academic transcript, but their love, encouragement, and sacrifices are deeply written into your heart.
Commencement ceremonies allow us to pause briefly, to look back with gratitude and forward with hope. And speaking of hope, I would like to begin with a question.
Have you ever experienced a moment of unexpected joy, when everything around you suggested something wonderful was impossible, and yet somehow it happened?
A moment when circumstances seemed discouraging … when conditions appeared completely unfavorable … and yet, unexpectedly, something beautiful emerged.
I experienced such a moment one evening on the shore of the Great Salt Lake. What happened there taught me something important about perseverance and faith and assured me that Heavenly Father is aware of us.
And it all began with a photography assignment. Landscape photography has been a passion of mine for more than thirty years. Over those years, I have spent countless hours exploring landscapes, mountains, deserts, rivers, and coastlines, always searching for those brief moments when light transforms an ordinary scene into something extraordinary.
Photographers quickly learn that light is everything.
A familiar landscape can appear completely different depending on the quality of light that touches it. A sunrise can turn an ordinary mountain into something majestic.
A reflection in still water can transform a simple scene into something almost dreamlike. Over time, photography also teaches you humility and patience.
Some of the most beautiful moments in nature appear silently, and often briefly. You cannot force them. You can only prepare yourself and wait.
After more than three decades of photographing landscapes, I began to feel something that many of you may recognize: I wanted to improve.
Even after all those years with a camera, I felt there was still much more to learn. So, I decided to do something that was both exciting and humbling.
I enrolled in a digital photography program offered through the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at a university on the East Coast.
Returning to the classroom, even though most of it was online, was nonetheless a remarkable experience. Sitting again as a student, learning from professors, and completing assignments reminded me how valuable it is to continue learning throughout life.
In one of the course modules, we were given an assignment that would later become unforgettable to me.
We were asked to produce a small portfolio of original photographs within a very limited time frame. The assignment sounded at first simple to me; all that was needed was to:
- Choose a location.
- Plan the shooting.
- Capture images worthy of a portfolio.
I began searching for a place that could offer something visually compelling. Eventually, I selected a location along the Great Salt Lake where a small island sits in the distance. Under the right conditions, the water's surface in this location can reflect the sky like a mirror, and if everything worked perfectly, the scene could be beautiful.
The Plan
Like many photographers, I carefully planned the timing of the photo shoot. I scheduled it around the golden hour, the brief period near sunset when the light becomes softer and more expressive. Everything seemed carefully organized, except for one detail: the weather.
On the day of the shoot, I finished a busy day at the office and stepped outside. The first thing I did was look at the sky. It was gray. Flat. Featureless. No clouds. No color.
Every photographer knows that those conditions rarely produce remarkable images. But I had already committed to the assignment. So, I began the one-hour drive to the lake.
As I drove, my sense of discouragement slowly increased. The sky remained unchanged. If anything, the conditions appeared worse. And gradually, a familiar pattern of thoughts began to appear in my mind.
First came concern. “If this doesn’t work, I may not complete the assignment successfully.” Then came rationalization. “This is only a hobby. I already know how to take photographs.” Then came something even more persuasive. “Maybe it is not even worth going.”
Have you ever experienced that kind of internal conversation? The voice that suggests it would be easier to stop trying?
But something inside me said, “Continue.” So, I kept driving.
Preparation
When I arrived at the location, I began setting up my equipment.
- Tripod leveled.
- Camera mounted.
- Lens selected.
- Composition carefully framed.
I adjusted the settings and pressed the shutter button to capture a few test images. The results confirmed my fears: Flat light. Muted colors. Nothing remarkable. Nothing looked worthy of a portfolio.
At that moment, I had a choice. I could pack the equipment and leave. Or I could wait. I decided to stay until the very last minutes of the golden hour. I said to myself, “perhaps something might change. Some spark of color or light!”
The Nature of the Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake is uniquely suited for reflection photography. Much of the lake is extremely shallow, often only a few feet deep. When the wind subsides, the surface can become incredibly smooth, almost like polished glass. When that happens, the lake reflects the sky with extraordinary clarity. Mountains, clouds, and colors appear mirrored in the water.
The lake’s high salinity also affects how the water behaves. Dense saline water produces smaller ripples and reduces turbulence. Under calm conditions, reflections can remain stable long enough for photographers to capture remarkable images.
But on that particular late afternoon, none of those conditions seemed present. But I waited. Minutes passed. The sun slowly descended.
And then something unexpected happened. Subtle blue tones appeared in the sky. Then, delicate pastel colors. The wind stopped. The water became still. And gradually, I noticed something remarkable. The horizon between the sky and the lake was beginning to disappear. For a brief moment, it looked as if heaven and earth had become one.
I realized I had only minutes. When light changes at sunset, it does so quickly. I began capturing images as quickly as I could. Frame after frame. Knowing that the opportunity might vanish at any moment.
When I captured this photograph, I realized something important. This image exists for one reason: I stayed.
If I had turned the car around halfway to the lake, this moment would never have happened. If I had packed my equipment after those disappointing test images, the light would have changed without me noticing. That experience taught me something I have never forgotten.
Some of life’s most beautiful moments appear only to those who stay a little longer.
Faith Before the Witness
That lesson reminds me of a scripture in the Book of Mormon. In Ether 12:6, we read:
“And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” [1]
Notice the order: First comes the trial of your faith. Then comes the witness. Not the other way around. Faith often requires us to remain in place even when the sky still looks gray.
Lesson One: Do Not Leave the Field Too Early
The first lesson I learned that evening was simple: Do not leave the field too early. Many people abandon their dreams just minutes before the light changes. Dear graduates, the years ahead will bring moments when conditions are not ideal. Plans may not unfold exactly as expected. Progress may feel slow.
But remember this: Preparation does not guarantee success, but it places us where success can find us.
If I had not prepared the equipment, if I had not driven to the lake, if I had not remained until the last moment, that photograph would never have existed.
Lesson Two: Goals Place Us on the Path
My goal that evening was to complete an assignment for a class. But something greater emerged. The resulting photograph became far more meaningful than the assignment itself. Sometimes the goals we set in life do not produce exactly the results we expected. But they do something equally important: They place us on the right path.
Goals do not always deliver the destination we imagined, but they often lead us to the one we needed.
Your education will work much the same way. The degree you receive today will open doors you cannot yet see. Some of the most meaningful chapters of your life will unfold in places you never originally planned to go and with experiences you never dreamed of.
A Reflection of Heaven
There is another lesson hidden in that photograph: The reflection.
For a brief moment that evening, the surface of the lake reflected the sky so perfectly that the horizon almost disappeared. That image has stayed with me because it reminds me of something deeply spiritual: each of us has the opportunity to live in a way that reflects heaven.
The Savior taught: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [2]
When we follow Jesus Christ, our lives begin to reflect something higher than ourselves.
As you look at this photograph, notice how the sky and the water appear almost indistinguishable. It seems like it is all one canvas.
The reflection is so complete that the line between heaven and earth becomes difficult to see. That image reminds me of what a faithful life can become: A faithful life becomes a mirror where heaven can be seen.
For sure, the world will invite you toward many distractions. But the principles you learned here, the principles you learned from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, can guide your life with clarity and purpose.
The Miracle of the Moment
There is one final lesson from that evening: The light and color palette that make those photographs unique appeared suddenly. After hours of discouraging conditions, the beautiful light lasted only a few minutes.
Sometimes life works the same way. Blessings arrive after testing occurs, and opportunities appear when we least expect them. But often they appear only to those who stayed and have persevered!
Conclusion
Today, you stand at the beginning of a new chapter. There will be days when the sky appears gray, moments when progress seems slow. But remember the lesson on the shores of the Great Salt Lake:
- Stay in the field. (Don’t give up.)
- Trust that your preparation matters.
- And most importantly, live a life that can reflect heaven.
I testify that Heavenly Father knows each of you and has a purpose for your life. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, hope is always available, even when the sky appears gray. As you remain faithful and stay in the Lord’s field, the Lord will bring light into your life in ways you cannot yet imagine.
Remember: Stay in the field … the light will come.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Ether 12:6
[2] Matthew 5:16
About Elder José Teixeira
Elder José A. Teixeira was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 5, 2008. He is currently serving as the Area President of the United States Central Area. Prior to this assignment, he served in the Presidency of the Seventy. Elder Teixeira has also served as the President of the Europe Area and the South America South Area.
Elder Teixeira’s education is in finance, accounting, auditing, and business management. He was an international controller for the Church, with responsibility for Europe and Africa. In this capacity, he managed the Europe/Africa processing center in Solihull, England, and supervised the controllers in the Europe East, Europe Central, Europe West, Africa Southeast, and Africa West Areas.
Elder Teixeira has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Portugal Lisbon Mission, elders quorum president, district president, counselor in a bishopric, national public affairs director, stake president, Area Seventy, and as a mission president in the Brazil São Paulo South Mission. He also served in the Portuguese Air Force and was assigned to CINCIBERLANT, NATO. He was awarded for his services to that international military unit.
José Augusto Teixeira da Silva was born in Vila Real, Portugal, on February 24, 1961. He married Filomena Teles Grilo in June 1984. They are the parents of three children.