What Is Relevant to You Today?
When I came to this campus in 1953 there were approximately 1,100 students. The administration building, the gym building and some army barracks we called the sheep sheds would have fit in this building with room to spare. It was primitive compared to today's standards but the spirit of the restored gospel that broods over this campus has continued to prevail. Some of the most important lessons of my life were gained here. The most important decision of my life was made here, for this is where I found my eternal companion. The purposes for this university have not changed. You will learn many of the most vital lessons of life and many of you will find or have already found your eternal companions here.
I marvel at the maturity of this student body. It seems to me you are years ahead of where we were at this point in our lives. The direction of the curriculum and the individual responsibility you have been entrusted with is unheard of in the world of education. I would like to talk to you today about how you can make the most of your time here. I envy you! What a marvelous time you live in, and what a happy time this should be. I don't want to live my life over-it has been full and wonderful-but from my perspective, BYU-Idaho students have never had it better.
The Chosen Generation
From the time I became a deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood I remember hearing from Church leaders that we were the "chosen generation," that we were among the spirits held back to come forth in this last dispensation. We were told that great responsibility would rest upon us to prepare the way for the coming of the Savior, that no one had ever faced the challenges we would face, and that no one had ever been equipped to handle them as we were. I confess my feelings upon hearing this were mixed. There were days I believed what we were told, and other times I suspected it was hyperbole, words spoken with the intention to get us to behave better than the previous generation. Now that I am in a position to do the preaching, I admit to some hyperbole, but I say with conviction that the Lord meant what He said: that "even before [you] were born, [you], with many others, received [your] first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men."[1]
So How Do You Become Chosen?
From the beginning of creation, our Father in Heaven has singled out from among His children those He has referred to as chosen. We can be chosen by birthright, through the covenants we make, or both. Abel was chosen, for it was said of him that he hearkened unto the voice of the Lord. . . . And the Lord had respect" for his sacrifices.[2] Because Cain wanted it his way, he was not counted among the chosen and rebelled against God. After Cain killed Abel, Adam and Eve prayed for a worthy son, and Seth was born after the image and likeness of Adam. Seth was called chosen, and his sacrifices were acceptable before the Lord. Being born after the image and likeness of Adam, he looked like him, but more importantly, he acted like him. He was chosen because of the way he chose to live.
Throughout time, the Lord has chosen righteous servants to carry out His work. Noah pronounced Shem the chosen of his three sons, and in his patriarchal blessing although he was not the eldest, he received all the promised blessings of the birthright. Through the lineage of Shem came Abraham. The Lord made a covenant with Abraham: "I will . . . multiply thee exceedingly. . . . Thou shalt be a father of many nations."[3] The covenant included the priesthood and great responsibility that through his seed "all the nations of the earth [would] be blessed."[4]
The Responsibility of Being Chosen
There is a bit of irony in being chosen. One might suppose that being chosen makes a person better than others, yet the Lord has made it clear He is no respecter of persons. What does it mean, then, to be chosen? Peter spoke of "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;" (that doesn't mean strange, although it could; but in Greek the word means purchased. To become chosen one must be purchased by the atonement of Christ) Peter went on to say, "that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."[5] To those who are chosen, the Lord has always opened the heavens to that marvelous light. The promised light includes understanding the plan of salvation and participation in the covenants and blessings from God. It includes the blessings of the priesthood and the key of the knowledge of God and exaltation. That marvelous light comes through the Holy Ghost. Those who have not enjoyed that experience of light and knowledge through the Holy Ghost ridicule those who have, because they cannot produce empirical evidence to substantiate their knowledge. Notwithstanding the disdain of skeptics, we have that knowledge, and with that marvelous light we have great responsibility. The Lord said, "Of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation."[6]
The Holy Ghost and the Marvelous Light
The Savior promised His disciples that when He left, they could continue to learn from the Holy Ghost, who would "teach [them] all things, and bring all things to [their] remembrance, whatsoever [He had] said unto [them]."[7] The Prophet Joseph Smith, in explaining the Godhead, said the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit so He can dwell in us.[8] As he dwells in us that marvelous light is increased and he works as the agent to cleanse us of sin and confirm truth to our minds and our hearts as we hear it or read it. It is through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost that we come to know the things of God.
Inspiration and Agency
There is an interesting dichotomy between inspiration and agency. The Lord has made it clear: He will inspire, He will guide, He will prompt, He will teach, but He will not choose for us. Oliver Cowdery thought that getting inspiration and guidance would be easy. The Lord simply does not work that way. First we must "study it out in our minds," and then we must decide.[9] It is with the exertion of studying out that inspiration comes. It is through our earnest seeking and thinking that the Holy Ghost can speak to our minds. Part of that deliberation is formulating the right question in our minds so we can then ponder and seek the answer to the question. When we have made a preliminary decision and settled on a solution or answer, we then take it before the Lord. He has promised us a confirmation of our decisions through a burning in our bosom if it be right, or a stupor of thought if it be wrong. A stupor of thought affects each of us in different ways; it may come as a complete brain cramp-when you can't think of anything. I remember some of those times here at BYU-Idaho when I had not studied adequately for an exam. Of course, if an exam is multiple-choice you can always guess. But the important questions of life are essay questions, and you either know or you don't.
Asking the Right Question
In 1972 we had a large family and a very small home. We had seven children under the age of 12 and only one bathroom. Our five girls shared a single bedroom. We had the opportunity to move to a much larger and nicer home that was also closer to my work. It seemed like a simple, uncomplicated decision. It meant a change in ward, stake, and school, but that didn't seem important in light of the advantages. I spent two frustrating months considering the move. I was learning about stupors of thought. I finally decided to take the problem to the Lord in a serious way. I determined I wouldn't eat until I made a clear decision. For three long days the same frustrating ideas went through my mind. Finally, I asked the right question-not about money and convenience but about family and Church. The next morning in the shower I knew we should stay and made the decision. The calm peace that "passeth all understanding"[10] came over me, and I knew it was right. I didn't know why, I just knew. I learned two months later, when I was called to be the stake president. The Lord, of course, knew all along. I just had to ask the right question.
The Light of Christ
In addition to the blessing of the Holy Ghost, our Father in Heaven has provided another marvelous resource to guide us in our choices. When Elohim confronted Lucifer in the Garden of Eden, He said to him, "I will put enmity between thee and the . . . seed [of the woman]."[11] We feel this enmity toward Satan through the Light of Christ. The Light of Christ plants within our hearts a natural hostility toward Satan and his followers, who have set about to frustrate the plan of God. The Light of Christ is given to every man, and it is what makes sin repulsive to the honest in heart. The goodness, the innocence and faith, the disgust at the sight of sin, and the honesty of a little child is the personification of that enmity. If we follow the Light of Christ, it becomes one of the most precious possessions that we hold. However, if we persist in rejecting His inviting and enticing, we can lose that help, for the Spirit "will not always strive with man."[12]
The Meaning and Purpose of Agency
The Light of Christ gives us the foundation in choosing between good and evil. The Holy Ghost is our teacher. Together, they will guide us toward the light, but the choice is ours, with no compulsion. The purpose of our existence is to develop the character and capacity to make right decisions; it is based on the eternal principle of agency that began in our pre-mortal existence. I believe it was just as difficult to make right decisions then as it is now. There was as much uncertainty then as we face now. We had to be decisive, to make up our minds. We chose right in the War in Heaven; otherwise we wouldn't be here.
Agency and Eternal Life
Explaining the meaning and purpose of agency, Lehi told Jacob that if there were not opposition in all things, it would destroy the wisdom of God and His eternal purposes.[13] A life without opposition would be a life without agency, and without agency there could be no progression. But because of agency there can be progression. Lehi continues: "Men are free according to the flesh. . . . They are free to choose liberty and eternal life," through the Atonement of Christ, or "captivity and death, according to the . . . power of the devil."[14] God gave man agency that he could act for himself, which he could not do if he were not enticed by one or the other.[15] Agency is the essence of eternal life, for eternal life, or God's life, cannot be, if there is no agency. Or in other words, if we make our agency eternal through right choices, then through the grace of Christ we will have eternal life.[16]
Man is free to choose eternal life (which is an eternal continuation of the right to choose) or eternal death, wherein we can no longer choose. One choice perpetuates agency; the other terminates it.[17] When we make wrong choices the door of opportunity closes behind us. If we continue in error, the doors keep closing until the night of darkness comes when agency is lost and no labor can be performed.[18]
We Will Prove Them Herewith
The Lord said through Abraham, "We will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them."[19] I have no doubt you are among the noble and great ones Abraham saw, but that is not a free pass; you will have to prove yourselves. The choices we make always determine the outcome or consequence. The Lord has given us commandments to guide us. That seems simple enough. The rub is to make the right decisions. That will require the application of faith. To even know there is a God requires faith. Faith is the basis of our obedience to God. It follows that faith is an important part of making right decisions.
Exercise of Faith
With each decision we exercise our faith. That expression-exercise faith-has always intrigued me. I know what exercise means in a physical sense. Physical exertion causes us to sweat. But exercise of the mind and will, the exercise of the spirit is harder to understand. With greater uncertainty, greater faith is required. Perhaps every decision, to be consistent with God's plan, requires an element of faith. The real exercise of our faith and spirit comes when we make decisions out of our comfort zone. At this time in your lives, you are weighed down with decisions outside of your comfort zone. If you are single you have a marriage decision ahead of you. If you are married you have homes to buy and children to bring into the world. You wonder, "How will I support my family?" These decisions you face today will require the exercise of faith. We exercise our faith by stepping into the darkness. If we step with faith surely the light will follow. The courage to take that step is based on the evidence and the substance we have added to our faith by earlier stretching. If you have practiced that procedure, you will be decisive and boldly step into the darkness, knowing the light will follow.
Mature Faith, Pure Knowledge
When our faith has matured, making the right decision in spiritual things is automatic; it requires little effort, for when you are standing in the light the decision is clear. The choice has already been made. Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain, where he was able to see all of creation, from the beginning to the end. When he came down from his great vision, Satan came tempting him. He appeared as an angel of light, claiming to be the Only Begotten. (He can do that, you know.) But Moses was not deceived, for he said: "[The Spirit of the Lord] hath not altogether withdrawn from me. [Therefore,] I can judge between thee and God."[20] When we have the Spirit of the Lord with us, the decisions are easier, for, with that light, the difference can be as clear as the day from the darkest night.[21]
Time of Uncertainty
We live in the information age. With a keystroke or two you can access information that, when I was here, would have taken hours of research in the library. These are also very uncertain times, in part because of the flood of contradictory information. What is truth, and what is propaganda? What is right? What is wrong? Isaiah saw this day and declared, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"[22] During the American Revolution, Thomas Paine declared: "These are the times that try men's souls." He spoke of summer soldiers and sunshine patriots who chose to "hide and watch," to wait and see.[23] We have our choice today. We must never be sunshine Mormons or summer Saints.
This Is Not a Time To Wait and See
This is not a time to wait and see. This is a time of decision. Unfortunately many of us go through life knowing the things we should do but failing to make the decisions that allow us to act. We put off important decisions until they require a quick or impulsive answer. Early in life our choices and decisions were guided by our parents, teachers, or Church and political leaders. My father died 19 years ago. I miss him. I miss him because there was great certainty in his counsel. It is always comfortable to have someone validate your decisions, but the most important thing is to learn to make right decisions yourself.
Following the gospel plan trains us in making decisions. Through the gospel we receive God's commandments, and we choose to obey or disobey. As we make the right spiritual choices our capacity to make right decisions increases in every facet of life. You are here at school to learn how to make right decisions from the experience of others. Going to school is for your temporal life like studying the scriptures is for your spiritual life.
The Season of Decision
In teaching missionaries I counsel them to make up their minds about what they intend to do when they grow up, and I teach them that this decision will help them to be better missionaries. In Mexico, one of the elders, obviously a very bright young man, asked, "You mean you want me to take time out of my missionary service to make that decision?" I asked, "How much time do you need?" He replied, "At least a week of fasting and prayer so that I can know the will of the Lord in that important choice in my life." My answer surprised him, as it may surprise some of you. I said, "Elder, I don't think your career matters to the Lord as long as you keep the commandments and prepare to serve Him; your career is your decision." I don't mean to imply we should not confirm that kind of decision with the Lord, but I believe He expects us to go through the process of making the decision first. I received a letter from Tyler Seibert last October thanking me for the challenge that set his feet on the path to a very happy and successful career. Elder Bruce R. McConckie told a group at BYU in Provo about meeting the girl he would later marry. "When I saw Amelia," he said, "I knew what I wanted. I didn't have to ask the Lord." Then in reflection he said, "I guess I could have confirmed that with the Lord, but it was clear to me."
Indecision Is No Choice at All
Becoming decisive is part of our spiritual growing up. This growing up requires constant decision making. We must learn to be decisive for indecision is no choice at all, and if we fail to choose, we fail to act. With no action, the second law of thermodynamics takes over. That law, simply stated, is that without power or energy applied, things tend to deteriorate. The easiest path is always followed unless we choose otherwise. The Lord expressed it this way: "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."[24] And "wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat."[25] This is a life-or-death issue. To overcome this entropy requires power. That power is generated by faith, as we become decisive and follow the narrow way.
The Most Important Choices
There are two kinds of decisions we make in our lives. The critical decisions determine our standing before our Eternal Father. These decisions have to do with eternal truth, and the Holy Ghost can confirm the rightness of our choices. There are many other decisions that don't make a difference in our standing before the Lord, but they are schoolmasters that help us to learn and gain experience. These are noncritical decisions like "What color shirt should I wear today?" (For me that is easy; with my assignment it is always white.) We should make those decisions, learn from them, and move on. A wrong decision in the noncritical department may embarrass us or cause some other discomfort, but it will not affect our standing before the Lord.
The Non-Negotiables
The critical decisions have to do directly with the gospel, the plan that the Father has given us to guide us back to His presence. Those decisions are eternal in consequences and require non-negotiable commitments. These are the "I will never" and "I will always" parameters that will accelerate our progress and build in a powerful protection when we are tempted to stray from the celestial path. I knew a young man who exemplified this. He overcame difficult physical obstacles in order to fulfill his life's dream-to serve a mission. At his farewell his father said, "My son will not make many decisions on his mission"-I wondered where he was going with that statement; then he said, "Because he only makes a decision once." We all need to be like that.
The Thomas Paradox
These non-negotiable commitments give us greater access to the Holy Ghost to build and strengthen testimony. A testimony of the gospel goes beyond believing to a profound certainty that comes through personal spiritual witness. As Latter-day Saints we are surrounded by the truth and the testimonies of others. In that insulated environment we run the risk of depending on others for our certainty. We can find ourselves caught in what I call the Thomas paradox. Thomas had spent three years with the Savior, yet when Jesus told His Apostles He was leaving and was going to prepare a place for them, Thomas said, "We don't know where you are going; we don't know how to get there."[26] Contrast Thomas's indecisiveness with the testimony of Peter, when the Savior asked him, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter declared, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then the Savior confirmed Peter's source of knowledge: that flesh and blood had not revealed that to him, but the Father which is in heaven.[27] If we will be decisive in our desire for personal witness, we can know just as Peter knew.
The Step of Faith
In San Antonio, Texas, I met a man who had married a faithful Latter-day Saint girl. He was not a member of the Church, so they made an agreement that they would not discuss or argue about religion. His wife was true to her commitment, but shortly after they were married the missionaries came calling. He remained true to his commitment and didn't argue or complain, and the missionaries just kept coming. He went through so many sets of missionaries he lost count. Three years went by, but he still remained indifferent to the gospel. He was a good man; he was just not willing to expend the faith necessary to believe. One evening he came home from work, and his wife said, "The missionaries are coming tonight." He thought to himself, "Oh, no. Not again! Haven't I been through this enough already?" But that night was different. There was an older stake missionary with the elders, and as they began the lesson he said to this man, "John, It's time you joined the Church. You need to make the decision now!" He heard himself saying, "I know; you're right. It is time." As he said those words, he felt a powerful confirmation of the Spirit and knew it was true. He said to me, "I really didn't know until that moment, but then I knew with a confirmation that I could not deny." His one step of faith into darkness opened the door to the confirming Spirit.
I rejoice in the principle of agency. I am grateful for opposition that helps us grow. So what happens when we make wrong choices? With mistakes in everyday temporal decisions, opportunities are lost, there may be physical or mental discomfort, but these consequences can be overcome, and the experience gained is valuable to our development. If we make wrong choices in keeping the commandments the consequences are far more serious. You have heard of the gates of hell. When we disobey the commandments of God, we suffer spiritual death. We cannot return to His presence without help.
There is a trap used to catch pigeons. It is a wire cage with a hinged gate that only swings to the inside. As the pigeon eats the feed on the perch, he focuses his appetites on the food and blissfully walks through the gate, finding himself trapped. The gate will not swing out. The gates of hell are like that. If we follow our carnal appetites and commit sin, in effect, we pass through that gate and suffer spiritual death. We are powerless to open it, but the Master can and will if we will repent.
How To Get Out
There are those who suppose that the Judgment will be like a graph and if the good we have done is greater than the bad, all is well. But with only one un-repented sin, we will suffer spiritual death. James said, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." If we have one un-repented sin the Savior will not, he cannot open the door to salvation for us.
How I love our Savior. I know he suffered spiritual death for us if we will leave behind the wrong choices we make and follow Him. We can become the "new creature" through Him.[28] I know that is what He wants, and above all else that is what I want.
Notes
[1] D&C 138:56
[2] Moses 5:17, 20 (italics added)
[3] Genesis 17: 2, 4
[4] Genesis 22:18
[5] 1 Peter 2:9 (italics added)
[6] D&C 82:3
[7] John 14:26
[8] D&C 130:22
[9] D&C 9:7-9.
[10] Philippians 4:7
[11] Moses 4:21
[12] 2 Nephi 26:11
[13] 2 Nephi 2:11-12
[14] 2 Nephi 2:27
[15] 2 Nephi 2:16
[16] D&C 84:37-38; 121:46
[17] D&C 93:30-31
[18] Alma 34:33
[19] Abraham 3:25, 22
[20] Moses 1:15
[21] Moroni 7:15
[22] Isaiah 5:20
[23] The American Crisis, December 23, 1776
[24] Matthew 7:14
[25] Matthew 7:13
[26] John 14:2-6
[27] Matthew 16:15-17
[28] 2 Corinthians 5:15-17