President and Sister Clark, distinguished faculty, honored guests and beloved students:
It is an honor for me to be asked to speak to you today. I bring love from President Gordon B. Hinckley and the First Presidency. Like King Benjamin, “my whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you;”[1]
I know you are here for various reasons. I hope your intention is not just to be entertained. Please “…open your ears that [you] may hear, and your hearts that [you] may understand,…”[2] that which lies within my soul.
Our Lives are Made up of Decisions
Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Every day there are multiple decisions that you and I must make. I would like to base my remarks upon the importance of making correct decisions and the attributes we need to navigate the treacherous waters of life.
It has been said the gates of history turn on very small hinges. Decisions, at the moment, may not seem to be of great importance. Yet, often a small decision leads to great consequences.
Small Temples
President Gordon B. Hinckley, on return home from visiting the LDS Academy in Colonio, Juarez, Mexico, struggled with the problem of members traveling long distances and at great expense just to visit the temple. He began with a pencil and a piece of paper and sketched out what a far-less costly small temple would be like. That simple diagram became the beginning of a whole new series of smaller, less expensive temples and, as a result, thousands of Church members now have access to important saving ordinances.
The world is awash with information and technology, yet it is those one-by-one, day-by-day, hour-by-hour decisions we make which will set the course of our lives.
There are those who are careless, indifferent, foolish or wayward, who neglect the blessings and opportunities offered to them. The light in those persons becomes darkness, while the light of others who are faithful “…groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”[3]
Love Not the World
It was the Apostle Paul who gave us this direction: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”[4]
One End of the Stick
Growing up on the farm we had a saying: “If you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other.” Why do not the purveyors of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and pornography show you the other end of the stick? Why don’t they portray the broken homes, deaths, the maiming, the incredible devastating consequences of these substances which destroy mind and body? Why don’t they let you see the aching hearts and the lost dreams of God’s children? Each one of these vices started with a simple decision, yet they all lead to punishing destruction.
The Prophet Joseph Smith gave us the answer to these quarries. He warned that these deceptions are: “…In consequence of the evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in these last days....”[5] Satan and his legions are on the move. They never rest nor sleep; they stay at it all the time and in all conditions. Although one good decision may deter them, they will return, and they will try even more subtle ways to wound your Achilles heel—I guarantee it!
One small move in the wrong direction, one departure from that which is right, can have punitive results. Let me elaborate. The taking of a cigarette for the first time, the accepting of drugs or alcohol, the immoral act of petting, fornication or adultery will lead to physical and spiritual ruin.
Pornography
Pornography is an ever-growing scourge in the world today. It is an evil that plants roots so deep, they are extremely difficult to remove. President Hinckley often warns of the dangers of this vicious enemy. The instant decision you make when pornography shows its ugly face will either bless your life or weaken your defenses. Pornography is constantly present and you must act spontaneously against it or you will become a victim in a steel trap.
Pornography can jump out at you when you least expect it. Some years ago, after checking into a hotel late at night, I started unpacking my suitcase. I opened the hotel room drawers, only to find three or four pornographic magazines, the kind by just looking at the cover you knew that they were tools of the devil.
I had already changed into my pajamas and was ready for bed. Now I had a dilemma. What if I left the magazines in the drawer and were to die in the middle of the night of a heart attack? Of course, my room would be searched and there in the drawer would be these filthy magazines. But, I was not in my street clothes and didn’t want to change again. Yet, fearing the worst could possibly happen, I begrudgingly dressed again, took the magazines into the hallway, and cast them where they belonged, into the garbage. The Lord has told us to “let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly.”[6]
Teton Dam
A little over 30 years ago, there was an unimaginable devastation when the Teton Dam broke. It started out insidiously with a small leak in the front part of the dam, which led to a cataclysmic breaking and flooding of several thousands of acres of farmland, homes and buildings. Eleven people died. Those who built the dam failed to use the correct materials in its construction.
Perhaps in Idaho, the Teton Dam is marked as one of the greatest disasters in state history. Yet, if you as students here at Brigham Young University-Idaho do not withstand the pressures of this untoward world, an even greater disaster will happen in your lives. It is essential that you build your foundation upon a solid rock so that when the winds, the rains, and the lightenings of life crash down upon you, you will stand.
Boris Schiel
Each act will lead to a future of some kind. God gave us agency and the understanding of the great Plan of Happiness and the opportunity to receive blessings beyond measure. Those blessings will be predicated upon decisions?in a moment of confrontation, a moment of temptation.
The effects of a simple “yes” decision can also be very long-reaching. Some years ago, a young man, Boris Schiel, who was raised in Latvia, born of a Russian mother and German father, had to leave Latvia for Germany because of World War II. In the early 50’s, there came a knock on the door by two representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brother Schiel and his young bride said “yes” and were baptized. In time, they immigrated to Florida.
His baptism may seem somewhat routine in church history, but after retirement, he and his wife accepted a call to serve in the new Frankfurt Germany Temple. Next, they were called to be the first couple to open up the Church in Latvia. Because he spoke Latvian he could meet with the government officials to facilitate the legal registration of the Church. Later, he assisted in translating the Book of Mormon into Latvian, and he taught the new Latvian assigned missionaries at the MTC. This all started because of a step of faith, conversion and baptism into the Lord’s only true church.
Removing the Pine Tree
Disengaging from sin can be difficult. Breaking a habit can cause pain and anguish. This past spring I decided to personally remove a large pine tree in my backyard. The tree was about 24 inches in diameter, 50 feet tall and required extensive work with a chainsaw to bring it down. It also needed to be cut into smaller pieces so it could be hauled away.
Then I had the difficult task of removing the stump. Some of the roots were 10 inches thick and spread out like the spokes of a wagon wheel. Removal required many hours of digging and chopping with an axe. Unfortunately, I developed an injury in my right hand and, as a consequence, had to have carpal tunnel surgery.
That tree started out as a tiny seedling, easily removed by pinching it with my two fingers and yet, as a huge tree, many hours of hard labor and pain and even surgery were required.
Apostle Paul in Rome
When the Apostle Paul journeyed to Rome, he was amazed at the immorality, wickedness and debauchery that were there. Said he: (speaking of those he encountered) they “…became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanliness through the lusts of their own hearts….”[7]
Since that time, the landscape has hardly changed. As events of the world continue to swirl around you, it must give you pause to wonder: What will my future be?” What personal tools will I need in order to meet the challenges of my day?
Is there a common denominator that you can employ to aid you in making the right decisions?
President Howard W. Hunter taught us that we must first “cleanse the inner vessel.”[8]
Establish a House of Prayer
The Lord commanded us to “Organize [our]selves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”[9]
The Lord, of course, was speaking of His holy temple. But for us to be worthy to enter the temple, our lives must be in order, full of prayer and fasting to be receptive to the voice of the Lord. We must seek by faith His word and keep His commandments. We need to be ever learning, particularly learning the words of the Lord and living by them.
The Lord admonishes us to “…love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart to one another as the gospel requires,
“Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault….” We should “…clothe [ourselves] with the bond of charity…pray always.”[10] These are the attributes the Lord would have us employ.
In 1976, while on a business assignment to the former Soviet Union, I had an experience that verified the importance of having made a firm decision in advance to protect me from sin. While meeting with high government officials, business and industrial leaders, we signed a major contract for millions of dollars of computer sales. Thereafter, each one of us was offered a glass of vodka to toast the new business agreement. I declined, saying that I do not drink alcohol. Of course, all eyes were on me. Quickly they sent for a glass of fruit juice and the tense moment was resolved. Every time, thereafter, when I traveled to the Soviet Union, they made certain that they would not repeat the same mistake. I never again was offered an alcoholic beverage.
You and I, as we face a world of sin and iniquity, have the choice, whether to accept the Lord Jesus Christ and follow his direction and commandments, or whether to be hot-headed, stubborn, or indifferent to His word. He is our constant GPS. He is our light in the darkness. He is “the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey Him.”[11] His name is the only name given under heaven and earth whereby man can be saved.[12]
The Secular World
In a world that is becoming ever more secular and Anti-Christ, our responsibility is twofold: First, to “…come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him, and deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness.”[13] We must seek Him with full purpose of heart, not only in testimony but in word and in deed.
Nephi said: “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.”[14]
Second, the Lord has directed us through His prophets to build families unto Him. We are commanded to “multiply and replenish the earth.”[15] Multiplying and replenishing means having children, not avoiding the blessings of procreation. We build the kingdom best when our families are focused on the doctrines and principles of the Lord Jesus Christ. The perfected kingdom of God is centered in eternal families.
Prodigal Son
Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by the stresses of everyday life, we cannot seem to unravel the snarl of our decisions. An example of how best to proceed when in spiritual distress is the parable of the Prodigal Son. He had gone and squandered his birthright and was now alone in the field amongst the swine. Finally in his dissipated condition, he “came to himself.”[16] Then what did the young man do, and where did he turn? He went home to his father.
When our mind is in disarray and when we are harassed by the stagnation of indecision or distress, we should turn home to our Father in Heaven on our knees in prayer. We can talk with Him. Our Father is waiting to receive us, to put His arms around us and to welcome us back into his presence.
Are you at a crossroad in your life? Perhaps you are not yet a member of the Church or your testimony is in need of oxygen.
Mark I. Wood
Mark Wood, a high school senior, had been introduced to the Church by several friends. He wanted to be baptized, but his parents refused to give permission. He agreed to wait until he was 21.
Shortly after his 21st birthday, while studying in Germany, Mark asked the missionaries to baptize him. Mark had made the decision to be baptized and he stayed with it.
A year later he was called on a mission. When his parents learned of his mission, they disowned him, but Mark was advised to tell his parents how much he appreciated all that they had done for him, the good things they had taught him and to praise them for their good attributes. He was encouraged to write them once a week to express his love and gratitude that they were his parents.
Things started to thaw out. His parents became more receptive and the bonds of love were being strengthened.
After his mission, Mark attended law school and there he met his eternal companion, Kathy. A year later, they married in the temple and have raised a wonderful family of seven children. Each one of those children when they came of age, have served a mission and married in the temple.
Today Mark presides as president over a very large stake of Zion.
Apples in a Seed
You can see the seeds in an apple, but can you see the apples in a seed? Every decision has far-reaching consequences. What would Mark’s life be like if he had not made the decision to be baptized? Yes, there was opposition and even heartache, but he chose the right and the right consequences followed.
My Mission
One of my most important decisions was to accept a mission call. I was attending the university when I felt the urgency to talk to my bishop about serving a mission.
How grateful I am that I listened to the promptings of the spirit. I cannot tell you how many positive things have happened in my life because of my mission. Not only did it change my perspective about things in the world, but it gave me a whole new vision of different peoples, cultures and languages. It truly was, at that time in my life, the most important decision I could have made.
Marriage, The Most Important Decision
Yet, the most important decision I have ever made in my life was to marry my wife, Mary Jayne Broadbent, in the Manti Temple. Everything else pales in comparison to that most important act.
The years have come and gone—three sons and now nine grandchildren. It is impossible to count the blessings that have been mine for being guided by the Lord to seek her hand in marriage. She has been my faithful companion these forty-four plus years. We have traveled to many parts of the world on business and Church assignments; she has been my helpmeet in times of storm and sunshine.
My admonition to each of you is to seek out your eternal companion and work very hard to be sure your companionship is a fulfilling and rewarding experience for both of you every day.
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith, a backwoods boy of 14 years, decided the religious turmoil of words and beliefs needed clarification. He left his home early one spring morning and went into the woods to pray.
There, Joseph offered a sincere prayer, begging the Lord for guidance. He had no intention to found a new religion. It was not his motive to take on the great religions of the world. He knelt and prayed and asked God which church to join. Out of that anxious prayer came the restoration of the Lord’s only true church!
Although the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith was terminated at a very young age, he stands today as the preeminent prophet of the Lord. President John Taylor said that Joseph Smith “…has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it….”[17]
And, his work continues on and on. No other person has given the world the volume of Holy Writ that Joseph Smith gave. Consider the 531 pages of the Book of Mormon, the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants, and the translations in the Pearl of Great Price and the Bible. All together, there are over 850 pages, which came through heart, mind and mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Eight hundred pages of scriptural text stand as a monument to his name and testify that he is the prophet of the restoration. Numerous attempts have been made to debunk, vilify or dismiss these sacred scriptures but none has succeeded.
That stone, cut out of the mountain without hands, is rolling forth and is filling the whole earth.[18] When you examine this church’s incredible history, the current inertia and the projected future, that single act of prayer is one of the greatest of all decisions of mankind. Every hour of every day around the world, faithful Saints are praying, working, testifying and giving their all to build the restored Kingdom of God. This Church is not just an organization of some man’s invention. It is the Lord’s Church, once again established here upon the earth.
During the turbulent hours prior to his departure for Carthage Jail, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, alighted into a boat and were about to cross the Mississippi River to deflect the attention of the marauders who were trying to murder him. His intention, of course, was to remove himself so that the mobs would leave the Saints in peace. However, as they were crossing the river, Joseph felt inspired to return back to Nauvoo.
Probably that decision cost him his life. Yet his death has brought about a zeal by the members of the Church and a determination to continue on in spite of even insurmountable odds. His martyrdom is a witness that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration, and that he sealed his testimony with his own blood.
The Father of the Son
Of course, the greatest of all decisions for all time are the decisions of the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. First, the Father proffered the Plan of Salvation and asked: “Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me.”[19] The Father condescended to accept Jesus Christ’s offer to atone for Adam’s transgression, to pay the price for sin and to be our Savior and Redeemer. The second greatest decision was Christ’s offering to be the Sacrificial Lamb and to accept the will of the Father.[20] He was the only perfect being who could perfectly atone for the sins of mankind.
Therefore What?
Now, after having spoken about decisions, therefore, what? What decisions will you make for right? The Prophet Joseph Smith reminded the Brethren “…that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm.…”[21] Your actions in the crucible of decision may seem strained, or perhaps of little note in that moment, and yet every decision has an outcome and consequences.
Never
I would like to give you a single word which will benefit you all the rest of your life. This word is a code of conduct for your life. The word is NEVER. Employed at the right moment, NEVER will guard and protect you.
May I try a little experiment with you. I am going to pronounce the word NEVER at the beginning of a sentence and, as you think of the potential consequences of this decision, you finish the sentence quietly in your own mind.
If I never drink alcohol_____________________________
If I never use tobacco ____________________________
If I never use illicit drugs _________________________
If I never violate the law of chastity _________________
If I never view pornography ________________________
There is power in the word NEVER.
Use it, stand by it.
Thank you.
Millennial Generation
Your generation is referred to as the “Millennials.” Of you it is written: “As a group, Millennials are unlike any other youth generation in living memory. They are more numerous, more affluent, better educated, and more ethnically diverse. More important, they are beginning to manifest a wide array of positive social habits that older Americans no longer associate with youth, including a new focus on teamwork, achievement, modesty, and good conduct. Only a few years from now, this can-do youth revolution will overwhelm the cynics and pessimists. Over the next decade, the Millennial Generation will entirely recast the image of youth from downbeat and alienated to upbeat and engaged—with potentially seismic consequences for America.”[22]
There is a bright future awaiting you. You will reach out across time and space and touch the hearts of yet unknown friends around the world. Your testimony is more powerful than nuclear fission and you will add to the body of knowledge in subjects yet unknown.
Point of the Spear
Amongst the members of the Church, you become the point of the spear. Because of your faithfulness and your future lives, you will be the leaders of the Church in the years to come. Behind you in the shaft of that spear stands all of the authority, priesthood, doctrine, ordinances, covenants, testimonies and sacrifices of those who have gone before you. There is great strength in the shaft of that spear, and with you at the point, the enemies of righteousness will be subdued.
President Gordon B. Hinckley
Over the years, I have had the blessing of being able to hear from President Hinckley on numerous occasions. There are several major principles that he comes back to over and over again.
- First, developing faith in Jesus Christ – faith is an action word. It requires work and effort. Each one of us needs to exercise our faith by keeping the commandments and following the teachings of the Savior.
- Second, he stresses the importance of prayer. He admonishes us to constantly seek counsel from our Father in Heaven.
- Third, he encourages us to attend Sacrament Meetings. He wants us there to be touched by the spirit and to participate in receiving the oracles of the Lord’s sacrament.
- Fourth, he emphasizes the importance of paying an honest tithe, the mark of a true Latter-day Saint.
- Fifth, he advises us to daily study the scriptures—to receive the voice of the Lord as we read.
- Sixth, he stresses temple worthiness and worship. The teachings of the temple are as relevant today as they were in past years.
It was Nephi who said:
“O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived,…”[23]
Valorous Youth
My dear brothers and sisters, it is time for you to make your entrance onto the stage of life. As you “drink the valorous youth of the new world”[24] there will be hardships, but you will rise to meet the road before you as you take your path in life.
The future is yours. Grasp it with both hands. Take charge of your lives. God gave agency to you to “act for yourself.”[25] You “are redeemed from the Fall, knowing good from evil…to act for yourself and not to be acted upon—free to choose liberty and eternal life…or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.”[26]
Thrust in Your Sickle
Your life awaits your thrusting in your righteous sickle with all your might, to reap a glorious harvest. It is only the gospel of Jesus Christ that can heal the wounds and bind up the broken homes, families and nations. You will minister the healing balm to those who are in spiritual agony. You will reach out and “succor the weak, lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees.”[27]
Upon Your Shoulders
Upon your shoulders rests the salvation of literally millions of God’s children. Your ministering will bring living waters to those in a parched spiritual desert, and your testimony will feed the spiritually starving masses. Lost souls are wandering in the midst of darkness and “who are only kept from the truth…”[28] and hunger for direction, but …“know not where to find it.”[29] But you will give them guidance.
Testimony
Brothers and Sisters, I testify that this is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Each one of us, as we make life’s many decisions, must pass through uncertainty and conflict. Not only are you sons and daughters of God, but you are a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood.”[30] You must always be honorable in your decisions and your integrity must never be in question.
If you hold on to the rod of iron, you will come forth and partake of the fruit of life.[31] As you keep God’s commandments and prepare yourselves in every needful way, both at this noble institution and in our daily practices of life, you will overcome and rise triumphantly at the last day. I so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Notes
[1] Mosiah 2:30
[2] Mosiah 2:9
[3] D&C 50:24
[4] 1 John 2:15-17
[5] D&C 89:4
[6] D&C 121:45
[7] Romans 1:21-22, 24
[8] Alma 60:23
[9] D&C 88:119
[10] D&C 88:123-126
[11] Hebrews 5:9
[12] Mosiah 3:17
[13] Moroni 10:32
[14] 2 Nephi 9:28-29
[15] Moses 1:28
[16] Luke 15:17-18
[17] D&C 135:3
[18] D&C 65:2
[19] Abraham 3:27
[20] John 6:38
[21] D&C 123:16
[22] Millennials Rising – The Next Great Generation, Neil Howe and William Strauss, p. 4
[23] 2 Nephi 9:41
[24] Lincoln, The Man of the People, Stephen A. Markham
[25] 2 Nephi 2:16
[26] 2 Nephi 2:26-27
[27] D&C 81:5
[28] D&C 123:12
[29] Ibid.
[30] 1 Peter 2:9
[31] 1 Nephi 8:24