Sister Meredith and I are so excited about this semester. We welcome back all those who have been here before and give a very special and warm welcome to those who are here for the first time. This is the largest incoming class in the history of BYU-Idaho. Thank you for coming. We love you already and want you to know that there are many, many people here who will help you be successful.
There is an amazing energy on campus. Sister Meredith and I went to I-Night on Saturday and were overwhelmed, in a good way, with all the students there. One of the things that really touched us was that we didn’t see anybody on their phone unless they were taking a picture. The campus was packed with students participating in all kinds of fun and creative activities. Someone tried to coax us into roller skating, but I knew that was a torn ACL just waiting to happen.
Didn’t you love the video we started this meeting with? It highlights the “wonderful buzz of activity” on this campus, but then turns to something more meaningful and asks, “How unique is it that a university shuts down so we can come together united in devotion?” When we talk with our alumni across the country and ask them to reflect on their time here on campus, the first thing they always talk about is the talented and loving faculty. But then many talk about great memories of gathering every Tuesday for devotional. There is something to be said for gathering as a group of believers, for taking a few minutes in the middle of a week to be uplifted by a spiritual message and be with those that are “fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” [1] Sister Meredith and I invite you to make devotional a priority, attend every week, and promise you blessings of the Spirit and fellowship as you do so.
Becoming
At the beginning of a semester, we tend to think a lot about what we need to do and even what we need to learn. The purpose of my message to you today is to have you pause in what is likely a hectic week and think for a moment about what you want to become.
There are many good things that we could want to become, but I’d like to marry the words of our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, and the mission of BYU-Idaho, to propose that we should all strive to become covenant-keeping disciple leaders.
President Nelson has taught, “The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a covenant keeper. The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter.” [2]
And our mission at BYU-Idaho is “to develop disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities.”
Joining those two concepts, covenant-keeping and disciple-leaders, is a great description of what we hope you will become during your time here at BYU-Idaho. I’d like share a few thoughts about each of the elements of covenant-keeping disciple-leaders.
Covenant Keeping
First, covenants and being covenant-keepers. Covenants began with Adam and Eve, continued through Abraham, and have been a part of God’s relationship with his children throughout time. Jesus has been and always will be at the center of our covenants with God. [3]
Jesus Himself taught about the importance of entering into covenants with God. Toward the beginning of His mortal ministry, Jesus was visited by Nicodemus, one of the rulers of the Jews. Nicodemus, not fully knowing who Jesus was but sensing something holy about Him, greeted Jesus by saying, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God.” Jesus replied to Nicodemus, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus was unfamiliar with the term “born again,” so Jesus clarified, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” [4] Jesus taught Nicodemus that the path back to the kingdom of God begins with the baptismal covenant. Covenants are essential to our spiritual progression.
There are many promises and blessings associated with making and keeping covenants. I will mention two that will specifically help us on our journey of becoming disciples of Christ who are leaders in our homes, the Church, and our communities.
First, is that we are endowed with power when we keep our covenants. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “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.” [5]
Second, covenant-keepers have “covenant confidence through Jesus Christ.” Elder Ulisses Soares said, “As we make covenants in holiness before God and commit to follow the Savior, we receive the power to change our hearts, renew our spirits, and deepen our relationship with Him. Such an endeavor brings sanctification to our souls and forms a sacred bond with God and Jesus Christ, who promise that we can inherit the gift of eternal life. The result of this sacred journey is that we obtain a holier and higher confidence for our day-to-day lives within our covenants made through Jesus Christ.” [6]
Power and confidence help us to become better disciples and also help us to become better leaders.
President Nelson has taught that we enter the covenant path at baptism, “then we enter it more completely in the temple.” [7] And he has invited us to attend the temple regularly.
You are a temple-attending student body. Sister Meredith and I commend you for that. Half of the workers in the Rexburg temple are students. That is remarkable.
We understand that the baptistry is often full of our students, some who come together as roommates and friends, and others who have personal regular appointments there.
Sister Meredith and I went to the temple this past Saturday and saw many, many students. As we were exiting through the front door, we saw a group of five sisters who appeared to recognize us. We thought they must be students because no one else recognizes us. I was opening the door, so Sister Meredith was behind me. I shook the hands of the first four. But when I got to the fifth sister, she whispered to me, “I’m not with them, but I’ll shake your hand anyway.” She clearly was not a student and had no idea who we were. Sister Meredith didn’t hear my exchange with her and enveloped this sister with a big hug just like she did the first four. This poor sister looked really confused but happy to be welcomed so warmly to the temple.
Spending time in the house of the Lord is one way to keep our covenants always on our minds.
Discipleship
The power and confidence granted to covenant-keepers help them as they strive to become true disciples of Christ.
On one level, discipleship is about what we believe and what we do. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a disciple as “a person who believes in the ideas and principles of someone famous and tries to live the way that person does or did.” [8]
But at an even higher level, discipleship transcends what we do and focuses more on what we become. President Dallin H. Oaks said, “It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” [9]
In order to become a true disciple, one must really come to know who he or she is following. Elder Jeffery R. Holland said, “Little wonder then that the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: ‘It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God.’ ‘I want you all to know Him,’ he said, ‘and to be familiar with Him.’ We must have ‘a correct idea of his … perfections, and attributes,’ an admiration for ‘the excellency of [His] character.’” [10]
Disciples of Christ seek to know what He is like and then strive to be what He is like. Elder Robert D. Hales said: “Genuine discipleship is a state of being. … Disciples live so that the characteristics of Christ are woven into the fiber of their beings, as into a spiritual tapestry.” [11]
Leadership
Striving to become a disciple of Christ, especially as we seek to adopt Christlike attributes, not only strengthens us spiritually but also enhances our leadership in any setting.
Before I explore how discipleship and Christlike attributes make us better leaders, it is important to understand what a leader is.
A leader is someone who influences others toward a common vision or goal. There are other more sophisticated definitions of leadership, but the essence of leadership is influencing others. The type of leader we refer to in our mission statement has nothing to do with title or position. Everyone can be a leader. Leaders do not need to be a president, a CEO, a bishop, a Relief Society president, or a district leader or sister training leader. Anyone who influences others to do better and be better is a leader.
President Nelson described some of the things that disciples do, which sound a lot like things that good leaders do.
He said, “The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire.” [12] The exact same thing can be said of good leaders. The type of leaders we hope to develop at BYU-Idaho are the ones that build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire in their homes, the Church, their work, and their communities.
Jesus Christ was the perfect leader. His leadership was most evident in teaching and healing and ministering one-by-one. But other things He did sound like a job description for a leader. [13] For example:
- He had a mission or a vision.
- He established a clear sense of purpose and direction.
- He worked with people, imperfect people, to achieve His objectives.
- He had to recruit people who would assist in His work and then carry on the work after He left.
- He dealt with training, development, and delegation issues.
- He faced fierce competition.
- He dealt with turnover, betrayal, and lack of understanding by those close to Him.
- He had to handle criticism, rejection, distractions, and opposition.
His attributes—those qualities or traits of the Savior’s character—made Jesus the perfect leader. And when we strive to adopt His attributes in our lives, we will become better leaders, regardless of the setting. Consider how Christlike attributes, in the context of your role as a leader, could make you someone that people want to follow, someone that people will trust, someone who can accomplish worthy objectives. These are some of the Christlike attributes found in Preach My Gospel: [14]
- Love
- Integrity
- Knowledge
- Patience
- Humility
- Diligence
- Obedience
Leaders who exhibit Christlike attributes like these are much more effective in influencing others to do good and be better. Think about the people who have influenced you in your life, who have lifted and encouraged you to stretch to reach your full potential. The people who you would follow again without hesitation. Those are likely people that have exhibited attributes of Christ. [VP1]
We discussed earlier the promise that covenant-keepers would be blessed with power and confidence. Power and confidence help us become better disciples and better leaders, because disciples and leaders often need power and confidence to stand up and be courageous. Speaking of disciples, President Nelson said, “True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world. They are undaunted, devoted, and courageous.”[15] Once again, President Nelson’s description of what true disciples do also perfectly describes what good leaders do.
Conclusion
So as you press forward with your studies and activities at this amazing university, I invite you to think about not only what you will do and learn while you are here, but also, and more importantly, about what you will become. My hope is that you will become covenant-keeping disciple-leaders, that you will make and keep covenants with God, and that you will feel His blessings of power and confidence in your lives from doing so, that you will become the type of disciples that will emulate the Savior and His attributes, that you will become the type of leaders that will be devoted and courageous and will build and lift and encourage others.
I want you to know that Sister Meredith and I love you dearly, and if we love you, as imperfect as we are, can you imagine the perfect love that Heavenly Father and His Son have for you? Heavenly Father loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son to atone so you—so we—could have everlasting life.
I leave my witness with you of Jesus Christ and of the power of His infinite Atonement. I invite you to be intentional about being disciples of Him, covenant-keeping disciples who are leaders in a world that needs your light. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. [VP2]
Notes:
[1] Ephesians 2:19.
[2] Russell M. Nelson, “Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, Covenants - Elder Russell M. Nelson.
[3] See Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, The Everlasting Covenant - President Russell M. Nelson.
[4] See John 3:1-5.
[5] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, Overcome the World and Find Rest - President Russell M. Nelson.
[6] Ulisses Soares, “Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ,” Liahona, May 2024, Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ - Elder Ulisses Soares.
[7] Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, The Everlasting Covenant - President Russell M. Nelson.
[8] Cambridge Dictionary, s.v. “disciple,” accessed Sept. 2024, Cambridge Dictionary - Disciple.
[9] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2000, The Challenge to Become - Elder Dallin H. Oaks.
[10] Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Grandeur of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, The Grandeur of God - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.
[11] Robert D. Hales, “Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ - Elder Robert D. Hales.
[12] Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” Liahona, April 2023, Peacemakers Needed - President Russell M. Nelson.
[13] Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges, The Servant Leader (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 14.
[14] “6: How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes?,” Preach My Gospel, How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes? - Preach My Gospel.
[15] Russell M. Nelson, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, 39.
[VP1] Added from live talk
[VP2] Added from live talk