For Such a Time as This

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FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
President David A. Bednar
Women's Week Welcome Address
March 16, 2001
©2001 by Ricks College. All rights reserved Sisters and brethren, it is a pleasure to be here with you today. I, like Sister Bednar, pray for the companionship and assistance of the Holy Ghost in the few minutes I will visit with you. Sister Bednar has done a remarkable job of reviewing the story of Esther and the theme "For Such a Time as This." May I suggest that at Ricks College, soon to become Brigham Young University-Idaho, we are living in "such a time as this." A miraculous thing has occurred on this campus beginning on June 21 of last year. As I have considered what I might discuss with you today, I have tried to identify a series of lessons or principles we have learned as an institution since last June that might be applied to each of us as individuals. I would like to highlight four such lessons. The first lesson is this: Changes can come into our lives quickly and unexpectedly reminding us of who truly is in charge. May I share a personal experience. It was indicated in the introduction that Susan and I and our family came to Ricks College in 1997. We received a phone call in April of that year inviting us to come to Salt Lake City to interview for the position. We were notified on the Friday before Memorial Day in May of 1997 that we would be moving to Rexburg. In the four weeks that intervened between the time we were notified and my first day on the job on June 28, I resigned my position as a faculty member at the University of Arkansas; I closed my business as a management consultant and concluded the contracts I had with all of my clients; we spent two weeks in Finland picking up our oldest son from his mission; we put our home on the market for sale; we began to pack and make all of our preparations to leave a place we believed would be our home until the time we would die; and we did a number of other things that I cannot recall. We went from a state of contentment to one of total chaos in a matter of minutes. Everything that was secure and predictable and expected in our lives, in just a matter of moments, was totally and completely turned upside down. Our experience is made even more interesting by the fact that the first time I ever saw Ricks College, the first time I ever stepped foot on this campus, was the day Sister Bednar and I were introduced to the faculty and staff. Everything we knew and loved and felt secure with was gone, and we were in a place I had never been before. Susan grew up near here in Star Valley, Wyoming, and she had been to Ricks College on a few occasions; but this was not an overly familiar place for her. I did not come here as a student; I did not know a thing about the school. In the middle of July of 1997, I flew back to Arkansas. We completed the packing of our possessions, and the moving van drove away. In our van and another car, we made the trip across the country to Rexburg, Idaho. I will never forget driving across the United States. It was very close to the time of the Sesquicentennial celebration, and I compared us driving along in our magnificent automobiles to what the pioneers must have done. And one thing that came to my mind was: "David, you are 44 years old. You have always thought you were in control. You thought you had planned a career. You thought you were making appropriate provisions temporally for your family and planning for the future." And what I learned as I drove was: "I never was in control." And it was the suddenness and the unexpectedness of the changes in our lives that helped me to learn that lesson. As Sister Bednar and I now look back, we see a pattern of shaping and directing in our lives. Just as Susan talked about our dear friend who lost her husband (and there had been years and years of preparation), there had been years and years of preparation for this tumultuous change that occurred in our lives. And only because of the suddenness of the change did we truly realize that we were never in control. For members of the Church, change causes uncertainty as it does for everyone else. It causes anxiety as it does for anyone else. But for us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the true lesson is to be reminded of who ultimately is in control and the need for submission to "His will" and not "my will." I hope I will never forget that lesson. It also has occurred to me that I could not be the president of this institution in a time such as this if our family had not experienced precisely the sudden, very unexpected, and very significant change in our personal lives. There may be a few who would say, "President Bednar does not understand. Change is not happening in his life." May I simply say, "I understand better than they might have any idea." And it was one of the necessary requirements in preparation to be here in this role as president at a time such as this. Let me suggest two scriptures. You may want to jot down these references so you can refer to them at another time. The first is Alma 37:37. You will note on the screen I have highlighted an element of this verse that is very significant:

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day (emphasis added).

From the Doctrine and Covenants, section 112, verse 10:

Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers (emphasis added).

Just a reminder, brothers and sisters, that sudden, unexpected changes can come into our lives and serve as a powerful reminder of who truly is in charge. They certainly can be, they certainly should be such reminders, if we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. The second lesson growing out of what is occurring presently at this institution that has application for each of us as individuals is this: Prophets and revelators indeed are prophets and revelators. Last Wednesday I spent much of the morning with President Gordon B. Hinckley in a Board of Trustees meeting. He is healthy; he is alert; he is energetic; he grows, in my estimation, more powerful each time I see him in those settings. And he has the most remarkable ability. It does not make any difference what the issue is, what the proposal being discussed is, what the analysis being reviewed is, no matter how long one has prepared, he can always ask the one question you have been praying he will not ask. And then you always have a "deer in the headlights" experience. (Have you ever experienced that?) He wants to make sure that you have done the spiritual and the temporal homework for what is being presented. He is indeed a prophet. The first verse I would like to highlight to emphasize this lesson that prophets and revelators indeed are prophets and revelators is Doctrine and Covenants, section 1, verse 38:

What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, [now note these next several lines] but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

May I suggest it is no small thing that President Gordon B. Hinckley did not delegate the announcement of Ricks College becoming Brigham Young University-Idaho to his counselors or to Elder Henry B. Eyring who serves as the commissioner of education. It was literally his voice, and the announcement included changing the name of the institution and eliminating intercollegiate athletics. ". . . Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." In 1 Nephi 22:2, reference is made to the plates and the preservation of the scriptures.

And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they [they is referring to the sacred writings] were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh.

I emphasize the word "all." The next reference comes from the Doctrine and Covenants:

Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith. For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory. (D&C 21:4-6)

Brothers and sisters, these promises about properly heeding the counsel of the president of the Church apply both to individuals and institutions. I have been studying lately all of the statements I can find by prophets pertaining to the mission and the role of Brigham Young University. Please think about the verses we have just read, and now consider with me several statements by President Spencer W. Kimball in light of what is occurring in Rexburg, Idaho, in such a time as this. These statements were made more than 25 years ago.

In some ways, the Church Educational System, in order to be unique in the years that lie ahead, [now note this line] may have to break with certain patterns of the educational establishment. When the world has lost its way on matters of principle, we have an obligation to point the way. We can, as Brigham Young hoped we would, be a people of profound learning pertaining to the things of this world but without being tainted by what he regarded as the pernicious, atheistic influences that flood in unless we are watchful. Our scholars, therefore, must be sentries as well as teachers! ("Second Century Address," Founder's Day Convocation, October 10, 1975, emphasis added)

This particular statement is especially interesting if you are familiar with the fundamental elements of President Hinckley's announcement pertaining to Brigham Young University-Idaho. I only recently became aware of this statement by President Kimball. This statement is a very significant thing given the direction that has been outlined for BYU-Idaho. Let me share another quote from President Kimball. Again, this statement was made in 1975:

We can do much in excellence and, at the same time, emphasize the large scale participation of our students whether it be in athletics or in academic events. We can bless many and give many experience while at the same time we are developing the few select souls who can take us to new heights of attainment. (Ibid., emphasis added)

Here is another quote from President Kimball, again made in 1975. Prophets and revelators indeed are prophets and revelators.

It ought to be obvious to you, as it is to me, that some of the things the Lord would have occur in the second century of BYU are hidden from our immediate view. Until we have climbed the hill just before us, we are not apt to be given a glimpse of what lies beyond. The hills ahead are higher than we think. This means that accomplishments and further direction must occur in proper order after we have done our part. (Ibid., emphasis added)

Brothers and sisters, I hope we appreciate a time such as this and what we are witnessing, what your children are participating in, and the marvelous things taking place on this campus. Continuing with President Kimball:

We will not be transported from point A to point Z without having to pass through the developmental and demanding experiences of all the points of achievement and all the milestone markers that lie between! (Ibid.)

We have focused on prophets and seers and revelators and their role. We have seen specific statements from President Kimball that were made in 1975. Now let's review the following statement made by President Hinckley in our last general conference in October of 2000:

In the past few months we have announced that Ricks College, a great pioneer educational institution, hitherto providing a two-year degree, will be expanded to provide four years of education and will carry the name BYU-Idaho. This in no way disparages the name of the great man for whom the school was named. This will enlarge the educational opportunities for many young men and women. It will make of what has been a great school an even greater one. It is an effort on the part of the Church to extend the opportunity of secular education within the framework of a Church school, where is taught faith in the Living God and in His divine Son, our Lord. (This Great Millennial Year, The Ensign, November 2000, p. 68)

I simply conclude my comments about this lesson with my testimony. I know by the witness of the Spirit and by personal experience that prophets and revelators indeed are prophets and revelators. The next lesson is this: Manna is provided one day at a time. I do not know about you, but I have prayed on a number of occasions, "Couldn't I just have a two-day supply?" People ask me many questions about the transition and what is coming at BYU-Idaho, and the answer is frequently, "We are working on it." Could I just have a two-day supply? Over the past several months I have spent quite a bit of time studying the scriptures about the consistent, steady, and incremental process for receiving help from heaven. I do not know about you, but I would really like it if the help would come all at once. But my experience suggests manna only comes one day at a time. There are great lessons to learn by studying manna. Let me share several introductory scriptures that highlight this incremental developmental process.

For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. (2 Nephi 28:30)

The same principle is emphasized in the 64th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 32 and 33:

But all things must come to pass in their time. Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

And from Alma:

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls. (Alma 37:6-7)

Now back to manna, which only comes one day at a time. Let's review how this significant substance was bestowed upon the children of Israel.

This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it [meaning the manna] every man according to his eating, an omer for every man according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

What this phrase means is: Do not try to store it. You receive a portion for the day. You will be preserved in that day. You will have sufficient for the day. But you must have the faith to know that the manna will be provided again tomorrow. Do not try to store it.

Not withstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

Here is the line I would like to emphasize:

And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. (Exodus 16:16, 18-21)

"And they gathered it every morning." What a great lesson for us to learn for such a time as this! There is a similar principle evident in Nephi building a ship. Nephi did not grow up near the ocean, and I do not think he knew much about ship building. It is intriguing how he was tutored and instructed by the Lord to build a ship. In 1 Nephi, chapter 18, we learn:

And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship. (1 Nephi 18:1)

Can you see Nephi building this ship and his brothers mocking him? "What's next?" they taunt. And he answers, "Well, I'm not sure; but the Lord will provide." Only enough manna comes for each day, and the portion for the day can be obtained only in the morning. Notice the same principle of gradual, constant, steady, and incremental help from heaven. In section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants we read:

Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. (D&C 121:45)

Have you ever gone outside at 3:30 in the morning to watch the dew distill and had the experience of saying, "The dew arrived; it just came." You could sit outside all night long and never see the dew distilling. It comes so gradually and so incrementally. But as the sun rises in the morning, as the rays of the sun shine on those little beads of dew, then we discern and identify the dew. The dew drops come in a way that is consistent, it is steady, it is incremental, and it is paced. Manna is provided only one day at a time. It comes in the Lord's way, not our way. And I must tell you that I know of few lessons that are more helpful to me than to remember manna comes every day. The last lesson I want to share with you is this: Revelation comes as a conclusion not as an explanation. I would be wary, I would even be suspect, of someone who purports to have an explanation for revelation. I have never heard President Hinckley articulate, beyond what we have reviewed in his quotes and in the official announcement, precisely the reason or reasons why Ricks College is becoming Brigham Young University-Idaho. It may be that even he does not know all of the reasons why. Let me use a rather simple example to illustrate this lesson. We are walking along, and the impression comes to turn left. We do not know why. "Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6). After we have turned left, after we have proceeded along that pathway, then perhaps we gain some insight that answers the question of why. Revelation is a what and a conclusion; it is not a why and an explanation. So there are many things that, frankly, cannot be fully explained to the satisfaction of the rational mind. Go back to the early 1980s and the time the announcement was made that the Hotel Utah would no longer be used as a hotel and would be renovated by the Church. Many cried, "Why? It will destroy business opportunities and the convention business in the downtown area of Salt Lake City. It will never be the same!" Many were very outspoken and critical that the Church would undertake such an action. Go now to Temple Square, to the mall between the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Conference Center, and the temple and tell me a mistake was made. Could all of the reasons have been articulated in the early 1980s? Absolutely not. ". . . Line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little and there a little . . ." (D&C 128:21). Remember, manna comes one day at a time. Here is a scriptural example of the fact that we do not always know why. Adam and Eve, when they were out of the garden, were commanded to offer sacrifice. Listen to the language in Moses, chapter 5:

And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why does thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. (Moses 5:5-6)

Then came the explanation:

And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. (Moses 5:7)

Similar instruction is given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. Here is what he said:

If you read the scriptures with this question in mind: Why did the Lord command this or why did he command that, you find that in less than 1 in a 100 commands was any reason given. It's not the pattern of the Lord to give reasons. We can put reasons to revelation. We can put reasons to commandments. When we do, we're on our own. Let's don't make the mistake that has been made in the past, trying to put reasons to revelation. The reasons turn out to be manmade to a great extent. The revelations are what we sustain as the will of the Lord, and that's where safety lies. (Provo Daily Herald, June 5, 1988, p. 21)

Brothers and sisters, there are great lessons we are learning as an institution during "such a time as this" that can apply to each of us as individuals in these latter days. I pray that each of us will study and ponder and apply what we are learning here so we will live faithfully and competently. I declare both my testimony and my witness. I know God lives. I know and witness that Jesus is the Christ. He lives. He is real. He knows us by name. I know that the Holy Ghost is a testator and a comforter and a teacher. I know that Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw. I know that since the time of Joseph Smith there has been an unbroken succession of presidents of the Church who hold all of the priesthood keys necessary to direct the affairs of the kingdom of God. And I know, I witness, I testify that Gordon B. Hinckley is the Lord's anointed spokesman on the earth today and that there are true messengers, even apostles and prophets, on the earth today. I testify of these things and declare my witness and pray for God's choicest blessings to be with you, with your children, during your time here at Women's Week and as we live in "such a time as this." In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.