When you think of the word “mighty,” what comes to mind? For some of you it may be fictional characters like Thor, Superman, and Wonder Woman, or athletes like LeBron James, Lionel Messi, or Tiger Woods. For me, I think of words like strength, endurance, integrity, monumental, enormous. “Mighty” may be a word that we hope describes us. Maybe we are mighty in testimony, knowledge, a skill we have, mighty in our service to others or in our personal relationships. Why the symbol of an oak tree? Oak trees are found all over the world. In fact, at least 15 countries around the world have the oak as their national tree. Oak trees can grow to be fifty to seventy feet tall, with a fifty-foot spread. The average lifespan of an oak tree is 200 years, with many living over a 1,000 years. The last picture is of the oldest oak tree in North America, located on the Pechanga Indian Reservation in California, and is thought to be close to 2,000 years old.
Jacob Spori, the first principal of the Bannock Stake Academy, which later became Ricks College, and now BYU-Idaho, invoked the image of a mighty oak tree when he prophesied concerning the academy: "The seeds we’re planting today will grow and become mighty oaks and their branches will run all over the earth."
Jacob Spori was a highly educated Swiss immigrant and served as principal of the academy from 1888 until 1891. The academy struggled financially in its early years. During one of those early years, Brother Spori applied his salary to the debt of the school and took an additional job with the railroad. The salary he made with the railroad was then used to pay the teachers at the academy. He was an example of sacrifice and service, and never lost sight of his vision for this place and students that attend. Jacob Spori was a “mighty oak.”
Brother Spori’s prophecy is prominently displayed on campus in the Manwaring Center. Here is a picture of our student employees wearing their mighty oaks T-shirts under the sign in the MC. You, too, can earn a mighty oaks T-shirt. Stop by the Internship & Career Services office and we will tell you how.
In 1973, then President Henry B. Eyring held a design competition for a symbol of Ricks College. Faculty member Richard E. Bird won the competition with a symbol of an oak tree. In a letter to faculty and staff, President Eyring explained:
The tree, traditionally a symbol of longevity and deep-rooted integrity, has been adopted as the symbol for Ricks College. The symbol was chosen because of its link with the history of the school. In 1890 Jacob Spori, the first principal of the Bannock Stake Academy, made a prophecy that the Academy would grow from an acorn into a towering oak whose branches would reach around the world. [1]
Four oak trees have been planted on the north side of the Spori Building to represent the potential of BYU-Idaho and the students who attend here, and to remind us of the prophetic statement made by Brother Spori.
Now, those trees are small and hard to see in the picture, but trust me; they are there. When you bring your kids back in ten to twenty years to attend BYU-Idaho, they will be “mighty oak” trees. But they do not become “mighty oaks” overnight. It takes faith, time, nourishment, and direction to become a “mighty oak.”
Alma outlines the process for growth and development perfectly in Alma 32 when he compares the word of God to a seed. This gospel principle concerning gaining a testimony has application in all aspects of our lives, whether it be growth of an oak tree, acquiring a new skill, talent, or knowledge. For our discussion today I'd like to equate these verses in Alma to your career preparation.
Alma 32:27 - Awake, desire
Alma 32:28 - Plant the seed, try things out, experiment
Alma 32:37 - Nourish
Alma 32:38 - If we neglect the seed it will not take root
Alma 32:43 - Reap the rewards
Development of our lives and career preparation takes constant care and nourishment.
Some of you may be asking, “Brother Hodges, how can I become a ‘mighty oak’ and fulfill this prophecy? I don't even know what I want to do with my life!”
Alma uses the term "experiment" many times in chapter 32. I recommend that you take time and establish a process of personal exploration.
Our own President Eyring, in his April 2018 devotional address, stated:
Even if you’re not sure about your own interests, the best way to find your own major is to make your best guess and “try it on.”
If you were not on campus to hear that devotional talk, I highly recommend you go back and read it.
How do we establish a process of personal exploration? Let me offer some suggestions:
- What are my natural, God-given gifts, skills, talents, and inclinations?
- What three words describe me best? And do those characteristics have application to certain careers?
- Learn from others by conducting information interviews with professionals or alumni in careers you may be interested in.
- Complete an internship or two—or three or four.
- Re-read your patriarchal blessing. Does it have any insights as to your career or natural abilities?
- Seek guidance from the Spirit and a loving Heavenly Father. As Brother Gordon taught us last week, the Lord wants to be involved in the details of our lives, but we need to invite Him in.
In 2003, President Thomas S. Monson gave a CES Fireside where he spoke on choosing a career. He outlined this process when he stated:
What will be my life’s work? I have counseled many returning missionaries who have asked this question. My advice to them, and to each one of you . . . is that you should study and prepare for your life’s work in a field that you enjoy, because you are going to spend a good share of your life in that field. It should be one which will challenge your intellect and which will make maximum utilization of your talents and your capabilities. Finally, it should be a field that will supply sufficient remuneration to provide adequately for your companion and your children. Now that’s a big order. But I bear testimony that these criteria are very important in choosing your life’s work. [2]
Let’s look closer at what President Monson outlined and how it correlates to what Alma taught:
Alma President Monson
- Awake, desire Study and prepare for your life's work
- Plant the seed, experiment Find a field that you will enjoy
- Nourish A career that will challenge your intellect
- Nourish Utilize your talents and capabilities
- Reap the rewards Provide sufficient remuneration (get paid!)
He concluded by saying, "Have discipline in your preparations. Have checkpoints where you can determine if you're on course."
Career preparation, or often-termed “career readiness,” comes in many different forms: development of hard skills—those skills necessary to perform the work in your specific field or discipline; soft skills—those are leadership, teamwork, problem solving, creative thinking, and the ability to communicate; development of a résumé that articulates and demonstrates what you have done and accomplished, development of interviewing skills and the ability to tell your story to others.
Employers tell me over and over again that “we love your students, their character, their preparation, their ability to contribute and make a difference.” They tell me you have the skills and experience they are looking for but you are too humble and cannot articulate your accomplishments and how they are applicable to the company and/or job you are applying for.
So with that thought in mind, I'd like to have some fun today and see if we can help you in this area of telling your story.
“Me in 30 seconds,” or sometimes called an ”elevator pitch,” can be used in an interview or networking setting. It is usually broken into three parts: present, past, and future.
The present is about where you are now. In my introduction I shared my name, where I am from, and my major. The “present” part of your 30-second pitch can be as simple as that.
The past is all about why you are in the field you are in. You want to talk about your passion for the industry. You can do this is by talking about your conversion story to that field of study. You can also mention past experiences, awards, qualifications, or professional attributes that make you a good fit for the field.
Lastly, the future is all about your vision. What are you wanting to do and accomplish in your field? Make sure you also include how your vision is aligned with the company and the position you are applying for.
I’ll represent the employer. Michael is a potential candidate for a marketing position in my company.
Michael, thank you for your application and interest in the company and position. Before we begin the interview, please tell me about yourself.
Michael: I am a business management-marketing major at BYU-Idaho finishing up my sophomore year. I have an interesting story that has brought me to this field. I first found a love for psychology in high school working for a grocery store, of all places. I found it very interesting and wondered why customers would choose the products they did. From this initial interest and passion, I have since found that marketing is basically the application of the psychology of why people choose what they do. I would love to eventually take this passion and become a marketing consultant for your firm and help to improve your profits through effective marketing strategies.
Wasn’t that great? Thank you, Michael! Now I would like each of you to try. On my word I’d like you to stand up and turn to the person either in front of you or behind you. Not side to side. I figure you are sitting by someone who already knows you. Turn to them and introduce yourself, sharing information about where you are from, your major and why you chose it, career aspirations, and what skills, knowledge, and experience you have that make you a good fit for that career.
I hope you enjoyed that exercise and will continue to practice telling your story as it relates to your career aspirations.
One of my favorite stories in the scriptures comes from Moses 1. Moses is having a face-to-face encounter with God on Mount Sinai. Moses is transfigured to be able to endure the presence of God and is shown great visions of Christ and the Creation of the earth. After God leaves Moses, he is left to his own strength and falls to the ground. After many hours, Moses begins to regain his strength, and Satan then comes to tempt him. As a natural man, Moses can behold the presence of Satan; no transformation was needed. Moses immediately notices this difference and asks Satan why he should listen to him. Obviously his glory and power is not as great as God’s. What has always impressed me in these verses is the difference in how God and Satan address Moses. God says, “Moses, My son,” denoting Moses’ greatness as a son of God. Satan addresses Moses as a “son of man,” in an effort to have Moses forget his birthright, potential, and God-given abilities. This is an important difference for us to recognize.
Satan’s message to us is one of average, limited potential and no heavenly inheritance. Satan wants us to think we are less than what we really are. God’s message is one of potential, greatness, ability, and inheritance.
In conclusion I would like to show you some of BYU-Idaho's “mighty oaks.” Please pull out your phones and go to your camera, and take a selfie. You are the “mighty oaks” Jacob Spori spoke of! But it takes direction, practice, and development. Little things done consistently over time lead to greatness. Elder Bednar probably said it best when he stated, "Ordinary people who . . . [consistently and diligently] do simple things . . . will [produce] extraordinary results." [3]
You will become part of the legacy of “mighty oaks” established over a hundred years ago. I invite you to become a “mighty oak”—to involve a loving Heavenly Father in your career decision and to take steps now to prepare.
Notes
[1] David Lester Crowder, The Spirit of Ricks: A History of Ricks College, 308, 1997.
[2] Thomas S. Monson, “Life’s Greatest Decisions,” CES Fireside for Young Adults, Sept. 7, 2003.
[3] David Bednar, “By Small and Simple Things Are Great Things Brought to Pass,” BYU Women’s Conference, April 29, 2011.