If you were to walk out the backdoor of my parents’ home, you would see a simple piece of white copy paper with a single word above the doorframe. If you look closely, you will notice that this thin piece of paper isn't just taped up, it is securely held in place with heavy-duty metal washers and screws. I love my dad! This may be the ultimate symbol of his practical, enduring nature.
On that paper is printed a Norwegian word: “Friluftsliv.” The word “Friluftsliv” is a Norwegian word describing a love of the outdoors.
It literally means “free-air-life” embodying a cultural philosophy of embracing nature in all seasons, weather and conditions. It supports another Norwegian saying, “There is no bad weather, just bad clothing.”[1]
Our family comes from rich Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish ancestry through both of my parents—with just a little English mixed in for good measure. Throughout our lives, our parents have intentionally instilled in us a deep love and respect for this heritage.
Even before discovering the word “Friluftsliv,” my dad motivated our endurance working or recreating in adverse conditions such as freezing rain, snow, or sweltering heat by reminding us that we had Viking blood in our veins and we were tough enough for the job before us regardless of the weather. That is not lint on their jackets, that is snow! This is my dad and my brother while we were on a family fishing trip the opening day of fishing season, May 23, 2020, and this is somewhat typical weather for Idaho in May, as some of you have experienced.
Our love of our Scandinavian heritage has been passed to our own children. They were delighted to discover true Vikings in our family tree. We love to celebrate many Scandinavian Christmas traditions like Santa Lucia, “Aebleskivers,” and Yule logs.
In the 8th century, Vikings became the world's most feared explorers and raiders. They were known for their shipbuilding and traveled further than any other people at the time. They were fierce, relentless, and took what they wanted. But between the 9th and 11th centuries, a radical transformation occurred. The pirates became farmers and fishers. The “ever-battling” Norse gods around which their religious and cultural practices were formed were replaced by a new belief brought home by those they had enslaved: Christianity.
One king is believed to be at the center of this shift: Harald Gormsson, crowned King of Denmark in 958 and baptized somewhere around 960. The story of Harald, contained in a book entitled, “The Viking Heart,” was shared with our family by my oldest brother, who is a dentist, so he loves this specific bit of history: Harald had a dead tooth that had turned a dark, bluish-grey. His nickname? Harald Bluetooth.[2]
Today, we know his initials—the Nordic “H” and “B”—as the symbol for connectivity on our phones and electronics.
But Harald’s true legacy was a different kind of connectivity. He is credited for uniting the warring clans of Denmark and Norway under the banner of Christ.
How did fierce, warlike kings become instrumental in the conversion of entire countries? What turned their people from raiding to redeeming?
We can learn from a similar story in the Book of Mormon of two more kings, a son and father. King Lamoni and those of his household who heard the words of Ammon were converted. Later, his father was also converted by the teachings of Aaron.
Their parallel experiences are shared in the book of Alma. We read in Alma 19:33 of King Lamoni’s people sharing their experiences of being converted: “And they did all declare unto the people the selfsame things—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil.”[3]
Then in Alma 22:23, we see that his father’s people heard and believed “insomuch that his whole household were converted unto the Lord.”[4]
As was the case of Harald Bluetooth, the converted kings desired that all their people hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, that they may experience the miraculous transformations that they had experienced. So, they sent Aaron, Omner, and Himni among the people to teach.
Yea, [King Lamoni’s father] sent a decree among them, that they should not lay their hands on them to bind them, or to cast them into prison; neither should they spit upon them, nor smite them, nor cast them out of their synagogues, nor scourge them; neither should they cast stones at them, but that they should have free access to their houses, and also their temples, and their sanctuaries.[5]
That sounds like a rough crowd, not exactly the mission experience we hope for. Yet, thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord and were converted and “never did fall away.”[6] And what’s more: those who were converted laid down their weapons of rebellion, repented, and entered into a covenant that they would not fight or kill their brethren. They were so serious about this covenant that they buried their weapons of war and chose not to defend themselves, nor did they try to run or hide when their brethren came upon them, put they did prostrate themselves on the ground in the act of prayer, and “without any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them.”[7]
If the conversion of these Lamanites wasn’t already fantastic, this part of the story becomes fascinating as we examine the compound effect that a converted and changed heart has on how to respond to injustice, persecution, and difficult experiences that come in life as a result of our interactions with one another.
Those Lamanites who had slain these covenant-keeping Anti-Nephi-Lehies were amazed at the trust and covenant confidence displayed by their brethren and did immediately repent and throw down their weapons of war and did seek to join themselves with their brethren, numbering even more than those who were slain.[8]
Then together they left and traveled to the borders of the land of Nephi seeking refuge far away from the unrepentant and ferocious Amalekites who intended to return and destroy them. The fact that the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s embraced these new converts to their faith who had just slain their family and friends is remarkable, but it gets better!
When they arrived at the borders of the land of Nephi, a people whom they had hated and hunted for generations, they must have been nervous about the Nephite response to their petitions for reconciliation and safety. And what of the Nephites, having been in an unending conflict with the Lamanites in which they had been in bondage, had their lands, cities, and crops stolen, and their loved ones perished in fierce battles; could they trust that the Lamanites had truly changed? Did they owe them anything, or were they justified in turning them away?
Their chief judge desired to know what the people felt.
Their response: “And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying, Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon. … And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren.”[9]
The admonition of the Lord to the people of Israel surely was among the records these people had preserved and treasured: “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord.”[10]
And later: Love your enemy. Do good to those who hate you. Forgive seventy times seven, Bless them that curse you and despitefully use you and persecute you, turn the other cheek![11]
The teachings of this King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, were shocking to a Viking world and to the Lamanites who “knew not God.”[12] But those invitations remain challenging even for those of us who have taken His name and seek to follow Him.
President Dallin H. Oaks taught in a recent conference: “Loving our enemies and our adversaries is not easy, ‘Most of us have not reached that stage of … love and forgiveness,’ President Gordon B. Hinckley observed, adding, ‘It requires a self-discipline almost greater than we are capable of.’”[13]
Sister Camille N. Johnson, General Relief Society President, gave a keynote address the beginning of this month at a CES Religious Educators Conference. Sister Johnson’s address focuses on being a peacemaker. Listen to what she shares about paying attention to the counsel of our leaders when it comes to patterns of discipleship.
Let’s watch her invitation.[14]
When church leaders repeat messages frequently, we should become riveted on their invitations. Think of how often in the past few years you have heard the invitations to be covenant keepers, live as true disciples of Jesus Christ in word and deed, and to become peacemakers.
President Meredith has been a prophetic echo on many occasions in his devotional addresses, especially relating to our topic today, entitled, “Covenant-Keeping Disciple Leaders,”[15] and “How Can One Person be a Peacemaker?”[16]
I would like to highlight three ways in which we can choose connection with Jesus Christ and put Him at the center of our lives and receive the continuous change and transformation He offers.
- Covenant Keeping
- Daily Discipleship
- Becoming a Peacemaker
Covenant Keeping
I am filled with awe each time I attend the Rexburg Idaho Temple and see great numbers of you beautiful and faithful students serving as workers or extending temple blessings to others. It is always busy; how grateful we are for a second temple in our wonderful community. To be covenant-makers and covenant-keepers is part of your divine identity. This is who you are and have the potential to become.
Elder Ulisses Soares teaches us:
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.[17]
Several years ago, in my mid-twenties and single, I moved to Boston seeking a change of scenery and new opportunities. I was employed part-time at two jobs while seeking full-time employment. The first was planting flowers (especially tulips) at the Boston Massachusetts Temple. I loved that job! The other was working in the Student Life program at an all-women’s Catholic College. One day in a meeting, I was asked about my other job by some of the Catholic sisters, who were dressed at the time in common clothing, not their traditional cloaks or habits. When I revealed that I worked on the grounds at the Latter-day Saint temple, they immediately became very inquisitive.
Two things stand out to me from that conversation: the first was their reverence for not only the ceremonial clothing worn at the temple as a symbol of purity, but their obvious respect for the garment worn daily as a constant reminder of our covenant connection to Jesus Christ. Finally, they asked, “Are you recommended?” I was grateful to acknowledge that I did hold a current temple recommend; and took it from my purse to show them. They passed it around the room, and each examined it with such carefulness, as if it were a valuable treasure. And in fact, it is.
Sister J. Anette Dennis shared this about taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ: “I am so grateful for the privilege of wearing the garment of the holy priesthood to remind me that the Savior and the blessings of His infinite Atonement constantly cover me throughout my mortal journey.”
She goes on to share, “There is deep and beautiful symbolic meaning in the garment of the holy priesthood and its relationship to Christ. I believe that my willingness to wear the holy garment becomes my symbol to Him. It is my own personal sign to God, not a sign to others.”[18]
When we choose Him, we also choose His loving kindness and mercy.
Daily Discipleship
To be recognized as a disciple of Jesus Christ, it is by doing what He would do and saying what He would say. At BYU-Idaho, our mission is to develop disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities. Will others know who we follow by how we live, what we speak or write online, how we treat others, or choose to spend our time?
You may wonder if that is possible for you to be the disciple you hope to be.
Do you sometimes feel that you fall short of perceived or expressed expectations of daily discipleship? Or do current circumstances make discipleship difficult, and you wonder if it is possible to make up the distance from where you are to where you want to be?
Over the course of the past year, our two youngest children, now 11 and 13 years old, have been continuously striving to stretch their fast from two meals to a full 24 hours. Last month, they were closing in on that 24-hour fast, and the day dragged on; they became focused on the gap that remained rather than the progress made. When the gap still seemed too great, they were overwhelmed and overtaken by their hunger pangs. They expressed feelings of guilt for not making it the full 24 hours when they were so close. It gave an opportunity for us to share with them that Lord is focused on your progress and the direction you're headed, not where you lack. As President Nelson taught, “The Lord loves effort.”[19]
When we become focused on the gaps in our discipleship rather than direction and progress, sometimes feelings of discouragement, guilt, and hopelessness overtake us.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert taught:
We all have different intercepts in life—we start in different places. … Our future will be determined far less by our starting point and much more by our slope. Jesus Christ sees divine potential no matter where we start. He saw it in the beggar, the sinner, and the infirm. He saw it in the fisherman, the tax collector, and even the zealot. No matter where we start, Christ considers what we do with what we are given. While the world focuses on our intercept, God focuses on our slope. In the Lord’s calculus, He will do everything He can to help us turn our slopes toward heaven.[20]
Start where you are. There is no checklist to measure discipleship. When you choose Him, you also choose His strength and His power.
Becoming a Peacemaker
I served a mission in Brazil. My last and favorite companion was Sister Sueli Bomfim. Her name literally means “good ending.” She came on her mission at 38 years old. One day she shared her story with me.
When Sister Bomfim was a young child, her mother abandoned the family. Her father died unexpectedly just a few years later, leaving the children to the state child welfare. Their mother was eventually located and required to provide for the children. A few years later, Sister Bomfim turned 16, the age that she could be recognized as independent, and her mother kicked her out of the home to provide for herself.
In her mid-twenties, she was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized at the age of 26. She determined she would serve a mission as soon as she was eligible. Within three months of her baptism, a state in Northern Brazil, 20+ hours from her home in Rio de Janeiro, contacted her about her mother in a care facility without financial means to remain there. Sister Bomfim had no car but arranged to pick up her mother and take her to Rio. This required her to move to a new apartment across the street from her employment so that she could go home throughout the day to care for her mother. She did this for 12 years! When I asked her why she did all this, she replied, “You don’t have to have a good mother to be a good daughter.”
When she found the gospel, Sister Bomfim embraced the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. To do anything other than care for her mother felt inconsistent with what she had learned in the gospel and the invitations of our Savior. Justification was turned to sanctification.
Maybe you have also been hurt deeply and are wondering if you can find peace. Especially when you cannot change the circumstances. Or maybe impatience, passion, or pride disrupt your peace more often than you would like.
I have felt each of these things on many occasions. I am grateful that life is long and perfection is a process.
President Dallin H. Oaks in his most recent address shared, “Living worthy to meet Christ is no easy task. Many current writers characterize the time in which we live as toxic, a time of contempt or hostility toward adversaries. This hostility affects many different relationships in society, involving many whose Christian beliefs should orient them otherwise.”[21]
Gratefully, the transformation Christ offers comes with a promise that He will send peace, not as the world giveth, but His enduring peace,22 and maybe especially when it is hard.
When we choose Christ, we also choose His enabling power, His grace, His compassion, and His charity. Not only for us—but through us—for others.
I hope you have received impressions of things you can do to more fully embrace, follow and exemplify the teachings of Jesus Christ.
My invitation to you is that each time you open an electronic device and see the Bluetooth icon, you pause to remember your covenant connection to Jesus Christ and that you will choose Him—every day, in every way.
I testify of His eternal love for each of us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Kari Leibowitz, How to Winter, Penguin Life, Oct. 22, 2024, 185
[2] Arthur Herman, The Viking Heart, Mariner Books, Aug. 3, 2021
[3] Alma 19:33
[4] Alma 22:23
[5] Alma 23:2
[6] Alma 23:6
[7] Alma 24:22
[8] Alma 24:26
[9] Alma 27:22-23
[10] Leviticus 19:18
[11] Matthew 18:22; Luke 6:27-29
[12] Mosiah 24:5
[13] Dallin H. Oaks, “Love Your Enemies,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 26
[14] Camille N. Johnson, “June 2026 CES Religious Educators Conference – Keynote,” Gospel Library, Jul. 2, 2026, 20:01–21:01
[15] Alvin F. Meredith III, “Covenant-Keeping Disciple Leaders” (Brigham Young University-Idaho devotional), byui.edu/speeches, Sep. 17, 2024
[16] Alvin F. Meredith III, “How Can One Person Be a Peacemaker?” (Brigham Young University-Idaho devotional), byui.edu/speeches, Apr. 21, 2026
[17] Ulisses Soares, “Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ,” Liahona, May 2024, 17
[18] Anette J. Dennis, “Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ,” Liahona, May 2024, 11-12
[19] Joy D. Jones, “An Especially Noble Calling,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 16
[20] Clark G. Gilbert, “Becoming More in Christ: The Parable of the Slope,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2021, 20
[21] Dallin H. Oaks, “Alive in Christ,” Liahona, May 2026
[22] John 14:27
About Kriss Pond
Kriss Pond was raised in Rexburg and graduated from Ricks College before earning a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Utah State University in sociology, social work, and human environments.
Sister Pond served in the Brazil Belo Horizonte Mission and has held various ward and stake callings. She is grateful to serve in the Church in any capacity and particularly enjoys teaching the youth.
Before coming to BYU-Idaho 19 years ago, she lived and worked in Utah and Massachusetts and enjoyed traveling throughout the world.
Sister Pond is the Student Living Manager and enjoys helping students strengthen their apartment living experiences by navigating challenges successfully. She also teaches the Peace 101 course.
Kriss was 36 when she met her sweetheart, Matt Pond. With their marriage came three wonderful boys and then Kriss and Matt were blessed with two more children. They love theater, nature, traveling and participating in recreational activities together.