Welcome! We are so glad you are here with us today at the beginning of winter semester. It’s going to be so good.
We hope you enjoyed your holiday break. I wish I could sit with each of you over a cup of hot cocoa and hear all about it. For our family, it meant time together playing games, talking, and enjoying a little bit of skiing.
For those of you joining us electronically, we’ve had a bit of snow here in Rexburg, Idaho. It has been a little chilly, dipping to -13 over the break. Today, we are at a balmy 35 degrees, and the snow is magical. I hope you students see it that way as you make your way to class.
As I mentioned, we took our family skiing. The Grand Targhee Ski Resort is about an hour away on the border of Idaho and Wyoming. We were all excited to try out a new lift that was installed over the summer. It is a smooth, state-of-the-art, six-seater lift that looks futuristic and fancy. With all of the enthusiasm of a first-time ride, I said to the lifty, “This is our first time on the new lift.” He replied, “Oh, you are going to love it. The safety bar is voice activated.” I was so excited to try it out.
We hopped on and as the chair began to glide up on the cable, I said, “Bar down.” Nothing happened. I tried, “Down bar.” Still nothing. Then, I realized that the lifty was chuckling to himself. After our first run down the hill, I said to him, “You got me.” He laughed and replied, “You know how you know if a lifty is lying? His lips are moving.” We all enjoyed the joke and had a great day skiing and putting the bar down manually.
I thought about the experience later, a little embarrassed to have been so gullible. But just that morning I had asked Siri, “What's the weather?” and I had requested Alexa to “turn on kitchen lights” and “play music,” so it didn’t seem that crazy to ask the ski chair to put the bar down. I could see a spiritual lesson in this for me and maybe for you too.
In April of 2022, Elder Neil Andersen spoke to our winter graduation. He asked the graduates,
Who are you listening to? The answer will shape your future and your eternal destiny.
Will you largely be influenced by virtuous, motivating, righteous, insightful, and spiritually sensitive voices, or will you be influenced more by negative, complaining, flattering, cynical and carnal voices?[1]
Elder Andersen said some voices should be avoided or considered less important than others.
I realize I wasn’t put in any real danger by listening to the lifty, but I did fall prey to his joke by not thinking hard enough about what he was saying.
We are starting a new semester at BYU–Idaho. It is a great place to be able to be guided by the right voices. BYU–Idaho is under the direction of the prophet and apostles. My husband, President Eyring, meets with them in the Board of Education councils twice a month to get guidance for you. They are trusted voices.
Good friends and family members can be trusted voices. Here at school or online, you can listen to good friends because they want to learn in a spiritual environment just like you. They will have valuable insights and new points of view that will teach you. You might hear the phrase “the spirit of Ricks” around campus. It is a feeling of inclusivity and nurturing that has been specially cultivated at this school. You can add to that by being a great friend to your classmates and roommates. And don’t forget your professors.
BYU–Idaho, like the other Church Educational System schools, is an environment where you will be able to hear the Holy Ghost. Elder Andersen shared that the Lord did more than promise the companionship of the Holy Ghost. He promised enlightenment to everyone “that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.”[2] I hope we will be looking for that enlightenment as we study, learn, and interact this semester. It will make all the difference. It will make the semester good.
Finally, and most importantly, Elder Andersen said, “Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I plead with you to listen to His words and follow Him.”[3]
I can personally testify that Jesus is the answer to all of our questions, concerns, and the source of all that you and I really want. President Eyring and I can feel His love for each of you and promise that you will be able to feel it here at BYU–Idaho if you are seeking and listening.
Now, just a reminder, if you go to Targhee, you will have to put the bar down on the lift yourself; as cool as it would be, it is not voice-activated yet but maybe someday. The bar is a safety feature just like listening to the right voices will be. Let’s help each other to listen to the prophet and apostles, our good friends and family, the Holy Ghost, and most importantly, the Savior, and to have fun as we navigate this exciting time together. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Neil L. Andersen, “Who are You Listening To?” Brigham Young University-Idaho Commencement, Apr. 7, 2022.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.