It is another great day at BYU-Idaho. It is, actually. It is a tremendous day. I was asked by Elder Oaks a few days ago to say a few words at this historic occasion, and I've been pondering what I should say. But I got a very clear message from the Lord. I, today, am to bear witness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for in this day and in these actions you can see firsthand, and you are witnesses of, a promise He made long ago at the very beginning of the restoration.
In 1832, when there were very few members of the Church, the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph this marvelous passage of scripture, the 84th section. And in this section, the very end, the Lord said this to Joseph and to us: He said, "For I, the Lord, have put forth my hand to exert the powers of heaven; ye cannot see it now, yet a little while and ye should see it, and know that I am, and that I am and that I will come and reign with my people."[1]
Brothers and sisters, what's happened today--the creation of BYU-Pathway Worldwide and the call of President Gilbert and Sister Gilbert to leave Rexburg, which they love with all their hearts and would--if they could, they would stay here forever, but the Lord has called them to serve in this new role. And you can also see the call of Henry J. Eyring and his dear wife, Kelly, to now serve as the president of BYU-Idaho. You can see the Lord's hand. The Lord has been at work for a long time, preparing this place and preparing these great brothers and sisters to serve Him in this new way for a long time. Many of you know in the 1930s, when the Church was in serious financial distress, the Church gave this institution back to the community for a couple of years, providing no financial support, and even tried to give this institution to the state of Idaho. That gift was voted upon the Senate of Idaho three times, and the last time it failed by one vote. If it had not failed, this place would have become a state college. As it was, it stayed Ricks College and could be then prepared by the Lord to become this great university. The Lord has been at work to prepare President and Sister Gilbert, amazingly, all along for years, years, and years, preparing them to do His work, and He has been preparing Kelly and President Eyring to serve this great place. President Eyring wasn't kidding when he was talking about decades. He was a little boy on this campus; he walked the halls and the sidewalks in a much smaller place when he was just a boy, never imagining as a six- or seven-year-old boy that one day he would stand at this pulpit. But the Lord knew, and the Lord has been watching over him and preparing him to be the president of His great institution.
So, brothers and sisters, that's my message. God watches over you in exactly the same way. Every one of you is precious in His sight. He has work for every one of you to do. Every one of you has responsibilities and opportunities to serve Him in His kingdom, to do work that will bless the lives of literally thousands and tens of thousands in your time here in mortality. You are here in this place by His design. He has watched over you and brought you here to come to know Him and love Him, that your testimony of Him might grow deeper in your heart, that your commitment to do what He wants done will be powerful and strong when you leave here, that you will go out and build His kingdom, because you will know what it means to live in Zion because you have been here in this sacred place.
And so I leave you my witness that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer. He is the head of this church. He watches over and guides it and leads it in a very powerful, personal, and intimate way. I know He lives. I love Him. I am grateful for Him. I pray that we all will feel His love and grow and deepen our commitment to do what He wants done, for in His plan and in his way is life and truth in this life and eternal life in the world to come. In the sacred name of our Lord and our Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] D&C 84:119