One morning several weeks ago, I was driving to school and looked toward the sunrise. I saw the BYU-I campus and the Rexburg temple and thought about the many changes that had occurred since I began to teach here. I reflected on the lessons I had learned through my life that helped me through these changes. The thought came to me, "write this down for your devotional talk." I was alarmed, even a little shaken. I reacted by reprimanding myself for even thinking about being considered to give a devotional talk. Then the thought came to me, perhaps this was not my idea and I needed to prepare.
A few weeks later, I was humbled when I received the invitation to speak in devotional. The Lord is always out in front of us preparing the way. I pray that the Spirit will be here and teach you the things which may be helpful for you to learn from these experiences.Change - it happens. Change shapes not only this university but even us as individuals. Perhaps you experienced change when you came to school and had new roommates, classes, time schedules, assignments, tests, and church callings. It has been said there is nothing so constant as change itself. Many of us tend to think of change as an enemy. However, change offers opportunities to let us grow.
Let me illustrate this by sharing a story. Rulan, my husband, loves working with plants. In fact, my father said Rulan not only had a green thumb, he also had green fingers because plants thrive under his care. Now there have been plants in our home that I thought were growing beautifully, but Rulan noticed they had stopped growing. They had become root bound because the pot they were growing in was not large enough. He would take the plant to the washroom sink and shake it out of the small pot. Then he would loosen and sometimes snip apart the tightly bound roots. The plant would then be placed into a larger pot, and have fresh soil packed around it. Next, Rulan would prune the top portion so it would have a good shape and give it a drink of water.
I am sure the plant hurt a little at being disrupted from its familiar environment. At first, you couldn't see the effect of the change but soon the plant would take new life and grow again. Likewise, change is usually not easy for us but can provide opportunities for personal growth.
Unlike the plant, the new situations you are in often require you to make a decision on how to respond to the change. Your daily decisions will lead to the most important change of all, the change within yourselves. Elder Oaks taught us: "The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change.... The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change."
Lesson 1 - Choose to act and not to react to change.
The first lesson I would like to share with you is the importance of choosing to act and not react to change. To illustrate this principle I would like to share a story about my grandmother. For President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, "It is good to look to the past togain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future."
Lettie, a fun-loving and talented girl, grew up in Bluff, Utah during the late 1800's. Since she had a strong desire to learn and loved music, she saved her money and went to Brigham Young Academy. A journal entry indicates one morning she went to devotional and saw "an earnest, clean looking young man" who had recently returned from his mission. To make a long story short - she married this young man in 1902 and together they began a new life in a small town in southeastern Colorado.
James and Lettie bought a rubber-tired buggy soon after they got married. Lettie felt confident driving the horse drawn buggy and enjoyed taking the children on outings. However, the early 1900's was a period of great change in the transportation industry. The Model-T Ford was new on the market and began replacing the buggies as a means of transportation. When James bought a Model T, Lettie was cautious about learning how to drive it but gradually gained confidence.
One day, she decided to visit her husband in the fields and loaded the children in the back seat of the car and started off. All went well until she came to the ditch. Automatically she reacted by shouting out Whoa, pulled back on the steering wheel, and pushed her foot down - on the gas pedal. They jumped the ditch. The children bounced high and yelled out in delight but Lettie was shaken. It was not quite what she was expecting. Fortunately no one was hurt.
Many times our natural response to change is to react based on our past experiences. This can lead to bumpy transitions. Sometimes when I am faced with change and things do not go very smoothly I think about Lettie, my grandmother, and how she must have felt as she tried to learn how to drive the Model-T Ford. She may have wondered why she needed to learn how to drive a car because she was very proficient at driving the buggy. If only she could see the transportation we have now.
What can you do when change threatens to unsettle you? What actions can you take to help you make the right decisions? The story of Lehi and his family leaving Jerusalem teaches us the importance of being teachable and humbly turning to the Lord in prayer.When Lehi took his family into the wilderness, his sons did not fully understand why they were leaving Jerusalem. Laman and Lemuel chose to react to the change. We read in 1 Nephi chapter 2 verse 12:
And thus Laman and Lemuel being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
Compare Laman and Lemuel's reaction to Nephi's action. It must have been equally as hard for Nephi to leave all the familiar things in Jerusalem and travel in the desert. What did he choose to do? In verse 16 we read:
And it came to pass that I Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, where, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
Instead of murmuring about the situation and creating conflict, Nephi had a desire to gain a better understanding. He prayed, his heart was softened, and then he was teachable.
How many times do we react to situations when we rely on our own understanding? How easy is it for us to be taught by the Spirit when we have fear or when conflicts in our hearts arise? Elder Scott taught:
The inspiring influence of the Holy Spirit can be overcome or masked by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, passion, fear, or pride. When such influences are present, it is like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeño pepper. Both flavors are present, but one completely overpowers the other. In like manner, strong emotions overcome the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit.
There have been times when I have felt conflict in my heart and the accompanying burning of the jalapeño pepper. I have needed to turn to the Lord in prayer and ask for my heart to be softened. The answers to my prayers did not always come immediately. But when they did, my heart was softened and it was sweet to have the pain of the jalapeno pepper removed.
Lesson 2 - Hold fast to that which is good.
Elder Scott counseled with us:
Father in Heaven knew that you would face challenges and be required to make some decisions that would be beyond your own ability to decide correctly. In His plan of happiness, He included a provision for you to receive help with such challenges and decisions during your mortal life.
There are unchanging principles that will help guide us through change. To illustrate the blessings of holding fast to that which is good by having secure anchors, I would like to share some experiences from my father's life.
Cliff Johnson was born in 1921 and grew up during the depression. Although his family did not have much in the way of money, he was richly taught by his parents how to securely anchor his life.
During the early 1940's World War II was raging across Europe when Clifton Johnson, my father, joined the Army. Prior to leaving for boot camp he was given a blessing and was told others would have as their purpose the destruction of his ideals. Cliff was promised if he would be humble, courageous, and kept himself morally and spiritually clean that those who were inclined to ridicule and oppress him would be rebuked and many of them would come to look to him for leadership and advice.
At the train station his mother told him "Son, remember, praying will keep you from sinning and sinning will keep you from praying. Always remember to pray." The first night in the barracks, after the lights were turned out, Cliff knelt down by his bunk and began to say his nightly prayer. Immediately others in the room began to mock and ridicule him. The next night he had a decision to make. He could yield to the pressure and avoid mockery by just climbing into his bunk, or he could pray. He decided to pray. Eventually those who ridiculed him apologized and, realizing the battles they would soon face, asked him to say a pray for them too.
Cliff had the opportunity to go to officer candidate school, OCS. He described the experience as tough. Many dropped out of the program; and with two weeks left, there were only 42 left out of a class of 100. His tack officer, a tall imposing man, thought my father looked too young and inexperienced to lead others. He called my father to his office and said, "Candidate Johnson, this is the GROUND forces where they need men to lead men. You're appearance is decidedly against you. I've got some suggestions for you. Oklahoma City isn't far away, neither is Dallas, Texas. Why don't you go out and drink a little, smoke a little, find yourself some girlfriends? Then if you've aged a little, I'll consider that GOLD BAR on your shoulders for second lieutenant."
Cliff told the officer if that's what it took to get a commission, he didn't want it. He turned around and left the office without saluting. Cliff was kicked out of OCS and sent to a heavy artillery outfit that had orders to go prepare to go overseas into battle. Cliff was with the outfit as they passed their final field tests, and then he was called back into OCS where he completed his training.
Before Cliff went overseas the colonel in charge of his unit called him into the office. He said, "Lieutenant Johnson, I see by your record that you are a Mormon. Is that right?" Cliff answered, "Yes sir." The Colonel continued "I had a Mormon boy with me over in North Africa and through Europe, a Captain Glen Cassidy. I wonder whether you knew him." Cliff said, "Yes sir, I knew him well, I went with him through school. He was a mighty fine person." The Colonel responded, "You don't need to tell me about him. He was the best officer I ever had serve under me, period."
Cliff was chosen over thirty other officers to accompany the Colonel based on the decisions made by another person to hold fast to that which is good. Likewise, decisions you make influence not only yourself, but others around you.
Cliff experienced the ugliness of war and was in several battles, including the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle of the war that raged from mid December 1944 through the end of January 1945. At the end of the war General John Francis Uncles, a three star general, came to inspect the outfit Cliff was in. Cliff was chosen to show the General and his staff around the camp. Afterward, General Uncles asked Cliff to be his Aide-de-camp, a position where he would assist the general in his responsibilities. Cliff responded, "Sir, I need you to know I am a Mormon, so I don't drink or smoke." The general responded, "I know that, but the job is still yours if you care to have it."
Cliff was promoted to the rank of Captain and was again experiencing change as he went from the battlefront to the general's staff. Can you imagine how the new Captain Johnson must have felt when another officer began to make fun of him because he didn't drink and smoke in the presence of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a five star general and the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe? What happened next would be forever etched into my father's memory. General Eisenhower rebuked the officer who had been ridiculing Cliff. General Eisenhower demanded, "You stop that for Captain Johnson! I smoke, and I wish I didn't! And I don't want you making fun at him."
One of General Uncles' responsibilities was to inspect the military establishments across Europe. Among the officers at one of the establishments was the tack officer who had kicked Cliff out of OCS. By this time Cliff outranked the lieutenant. When the general gave the outfit a showdown inspection, the tack officer looked up to Cliff and respected him. The promises given in the blessing before he entered boot camp were fulfilled. Those who would have as their purpose to destroy his ideals would be rebuked and later would come to respect him.
Lesson 3 - Study and ponder the scriptures.
Elder Hales taught us:
For when we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
When Cliff returned to Salt Lake City, he was granted a scholarship to go to Harvard. Shortly thereafter, Cliff's bishop came to visit one day and asked Cliff if he would go on a mission for the church. Another change in life. Cliff wrestled with the decision because he was now 26 years old. He wanted to finish his education, get married, and have a family. He wondered if all those things would happen if he went on a mission. Cliff turned to the scriptures to help him make the decision. He read in Matthew chapter 6 verse 33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Cliff chose to change his plans and went on a mission to Maine. He had many wonderful experiences with the people there. After he came home from his mission he met my mother, got married, and was blessed with six children. He received all the things his heart desired.
I have felt the blessings of the scriptures in my life. I have turned to them in times of change seeking to know what to do. Sometimes the answers were immediate. Most times they helped calm my heart. I would encourage you to daily study, ponder, and even memorize scriptures to help guide you.
These have been some of the important lessons I have learned to help guide me through change. Now, there may be times you don't understand why there are so many challenges with the changes in life. The road of progression leads along an uphill journey. Sometimes it may feel steep. There may be mocking blows of adversity and personal battles to overcome. I will be forever grateful for the examples and stories of others who taught me how to respond to change for the guiding principles remain constant. They can be secure anchors in your life.
This week many of us are preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday. We often search for fun centerpiece ideas, take time to plan out menus, go grocery shopping, invite guests, clean houses, and prepare food. Then comes the time for the great feast. There is joy when we gather to take time for feasting and gratitude.
Your opportunity for an education here can be compared to a great feast. The ongoing planning and preparation for this feast has stretched the faculty beyond their natural abilities. I have been inspired by many of the faculty, both on campus and those teaching online, who have sought for guidance and inspiration on how to improve the quality of the education and lower the costs. Long hours of sacrifice have been given to help you students, many of whom they will never meet, prepare to become disciple leaders in a changing world. Sometimes the transitions can be a little bumpy, but we are on a steady upward tract.
I would invite you to learn by participating in this great feast. Embrace the opportunities here at school. Don't be content with just nibbling or consuming the leftover crumbs. That will not adequately prepare you. But rather, work hard in your studies to nourish your minds and spirits. We are counseled in Doctrine and Covenant section 88 verse 118 to "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."
Brothers and Sisters, change will come to each of us. We can become experts at and embracers of change. Be grateful for opportunities to become better. To avoid being shaken, remember to act and not react, turn to the Lord in prayer, hold fast to that which is good, and work diligently.
The Lord is out in front of us preparing the way. His promises are sure. Your Father in Heaven is aware of your desires and loves you. I pray with all the energy of my heart that when you experience unsettling change, you will turn to Him and seek guidance and strength. He will guide you and sustain you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.