Dear brothers and sisters, it is such a privilege for me to stand before you on this very special day. Believe me when I tell you that when I was sitting where you are now, I could not have imagined being on this side of a commencement speech. What is it you do? There is, however, some similarity between what you are feeling and what I am feeling right now—both of us want me to be done as quickly as possible.
This is a very exciting day for you. It is a wonderful time for faculty and administration, parents, spouses, and especially for you graduates. It is a milestone in your lives and represents a culmination of your hard work and the seemingly limitless support of many, many others. You have had a remarkable experience—one that cannot be exactly duplicated anywhere else in the world.
During your time here, you have learned many important characteristics and qualities necessary for your future success. I would like to explore a few of these qualities with you and remind you of the importance they will have in your lives.
First is gratitude. Your BYU-Idaho experience is unique and will be a blessing to you. But it will be a life-changing blessing if you recognize and feel gratitude for the contributions of others to this remarkable experience.
Certainly, many parents sacrificed for and looked forward to this day of accomplishment. They can be seen everywhere on campus today—with big smiles on their faces. Many have been saving for years, forgoing things that they desired, so you could have a college education and be successful in your chosen pursuits. Evidence of this may be found in future months as you notice pool tables or hot tubs in your old bedroom, newer cars in the garage, cruise brochures in conspicuous places, or perhaps emails returned to you with “delivery error” stamped across them. You may find that they have left for various parts of the world to serve missions.
Faculty members have watched you—perhaps dubiously at times but with great anticipation since your first day—excited and hopeful for the potential that they saw in each of you. Many professors have done far more than their job descriptions demand to secure your understanding, success, and graduation.
For some, it is a spouse who has spent long nights beside you helping with studies and being your biggest fan when, quite frankly, fans were hard to come by.
We must never forget the millions of Church members worldwide who support this university and other Church universities with their faithful contributions. Yes, even the widow who has cast in her mite has a place
And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.[1]
We must never find ourselves as the nine—but as the one—a grateful stranger.
All those graduating today, please stand facing someone to whom you are grateful, those who have made this day possible for you—perhaps a parent, spouse, friend, or faculty member. If they are not in this auditorium today, face in their direction, east for Africa, west for Japan, south
Doesn’t that make you feel happy? Gratitude is an important gateway to joy. Recognizing from whence our blessings flow will lift us, open our hearts to others, and remind us of our worth in the eyes of our benefactors, primarily our Heavenly Father. It will lay the foundation for a genuine self-perception of who we are and help us to realize that we have a role to play in the lives of others. When we recognize that our lives have been blessed by many, our understanding of our need to bless the lives of others increases. The family of God truly depends upon one another, and our Heavenly Father relies
True gratitude produces a clarity of thought that can guide us forward, define our relationships with others, and help us in times of trial. It is key to our understanding of the Atonement of the Savior and our eternal success and happiness. Those who are unable to show and express gratitude will seldom rise above their own capabilities. However, those who are genuinely grateful will find themselves the beneficiaries of unexpected abundance, opportunities, and help from others.
The second quality I would emphasize is integrity. Integrity, unlike some other qualities that we may seek, is not a characteristic that can be embraced in part or parcel. We cannot be “kind of” honest or “kind of” have integrity. But by living the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can become full of integrity. As with all Christlike attributes, achieving a fullness and completeness of integrity will take some work. I was very interested in the definition of integrity found in the dictionary.[2] Integrity is defined in three parts:
- Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty;
- The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished; and,
- A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition.
Each of these definitions can be applied to us as we seek to become more like the Savior. While the last two uses of the word often refer to something inanimate such as the integrity of boundaries or borders or the integrity of a piece of steel, I believe these meanings can be applied equally to characteristics that we may seek in ourselves. Can perfect integrity make us whole, entire, or undiminished? Can it make our character sound, unimpaired, or in perfect condition? I suggest that one can respond to these questions by considering the alternative. Certainly, a lack of integrity will leave us diminished and impaired, particularly as our society has increasingly sought to blur the lines between right and wrong.
When confronted with some decisions in my career, I have heard advisors counsel, “It is legal.” Yet legality had little to do with the moral rightness of the decision. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard of complete and perfect integrity. Integrity demands that we consider not only ourselves but all with whom we may associate and all who may be affected.
Over the last many years, I have watched and have been party to many business negotiations. Some believe that in order for negotiations to be successful they must win and the other party must lose. If winning is our driving force, we will soon find ourselves not disclosing important facts, engaging in hyperbole, or misrepresenting ourselves in order to appear to be something we are not. We will be tempted to sacrifice our integrity for the win. Integrity, in contrast, demands fairness. A successful deal leaves all parties satisfied. Anything
Imagine for a minute that now you have that long-awaited job with the big fat paycheck. So you decide to trade in the 1980 Buick inherited from your grandmother. You go to the car dealership, but during your conversations, you fail to mention that the recently repaired odometer had been stalled on 60,000 miles for the last 10 years, the intermittent alternator makes the lights flash, but only in the dark, the passenger door randomly flies open, and a plethora of pizza-fed mice are now dead under the
The dealer, on the other hand, recognizes a first-time car buyer and the fat paycheck and decides to take advantage by overcharging for the new car as well as for a variety of accessories, warranties, fees, and so on. As you can see, there are no winners here, just losers.
You will be involved in transactions in which much more is at stake than Grandma’s Buick. What is most important will always be your integrity.
In a recent interview with a prospective faculty member at this university, I was impressed with the man’s efforts to be completely and perfectly honest. As we proceeded through the questions, he was thoughtful in his responses and careful to represent all of the facts, paying attention to even small details. It became clear to me that his integrity would never be compromised. He exemplified the truth of what Albert Einstein once said: “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”[3] I’m certain that the man I interviewed could be trusted with important matters. Your future associates will likewise respect and appreciate your complete honesty, and you will benefit immeasurably from their trust.
To be trusted will be a blessing in your life. Those living by a higher standard of integrity are immediately recognizable in our communities and especially in the workplace. It is important that you learn to say what you will do and do what you say. If you decide now to be such a person, you will appropriately represent yourself, this university, and the Lord’s Church throughout your life. Your mind will always be at peace, and you will be left spiritually whole, undiminished, and unimpaired.
Those who are truly successful and happy have made two other Christlike attributes part of their lives and have also made them a priority in their relationships with others. But before I share those attributes with you, let me congratulate you.
Brothers and sisters, this is your day! You have achieved something that a very small percentage of the world has the opportunity to do. You are the product of an amazing and unique experience. Because of your experience and what you have learned, you will be viewed differently. Many will value your opinions and seek your counsel. Imagine that! Many will place your efforts in high esteem because of who you have become. With the help of the Lord and continued support from others, many of the dreams that you now have will come to fruition by virtue of your continued efforts. Those who surround you will recognize your accomplishments, your remarkable capacities, and of course, your striking good looks. But what will make you extraordinary in their eyes and set you apart in this world is a humble heart.
A number of apostles and prophets have taught us to remain humble and to be kind to others. In order to become more like the Savior, we must seek after these Christlike characteristics. Elder Neal A. Maxwell once taught: “Humility is not the disavowal of our worth: rather, it is the sober realization of how much we are valued by God. Nor does true humility call for the denigration of what truth we already know: rather, it is the catching of one’s breath as he [or she] realizes how very little that which we mortals presently know really is!”[4]
Perhaps, brothers and sisters, a daily “taking stock of ourselves,” a regular time of introspection, will help us to understand and feel our Heavenly Father’s love and show us what we must still learn and do in order to become more like He is.
Such introspection is not meant to make us feel inadequate or unworthy but should help us to understand that, even in our seemingly insignificant place in the universe, we are individually valued by a loving Heavenly Father and Savior and that we are an important part of an eternal plan to exalt us all. As we ponder these things, not only will our hearts be filled with a wondrous sense of humility but they will also open toward those around us with whom we share this incredible journey.
Clearly, humility and kindness are essential attributes for us to learn in order to become more Christlike. The Apostle Peter stresses the importance of kindness as one of the attributes
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [a]
To be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord certainly cannot be our desire. As used in the scriptures, being fruitful means to be productive, of value, even
We are here on earth at this time and at this university because, in our hearts, we want to please God. In order to please Him, we must consider others. It is paramount in our spiritual progression to recognize that we move through this life not alone but with the rest of God’s children and that we have a responsibility to lift and help all around us. In short, there are no unkind people in the celestial kingdom.
We live in a world in which kindness and understanding are becoming increasingly rare, falling prey to a discouraging and disheartening divisiveness growing in the world. It seems as though we have lost the ability to have a diversity of opinion without contention and controversy. Impatience and cruelty in thought, word, and action are prevalent. You each can change that reality within your sphere of influence, which is much broader than you may think. Never underestimate your ability to spread the light and love of Jesus Christ.
What we learn when we reach out to those in need, lift those who are faced with
In contrast to and in spite of its difficulties, the world is a beautiful place with very exciting, wonderful things happening. Embrace your part in this wonder. Know that you, your children, and your children’s children can be an unconquerable force for good. Our Church leaders are optimistic and hopeful. They testify that our Heavenly Father’s plan is for everyone and can help all to rise above the problems of society. They do not dwell on the problems we face today because there is no scenario or situation, no sinfulness, pain, or suffering that our Father’s plan and the Savior’s atoning sacrifice cannot overcome. We must seek these blessings through faith in the Savior and obedience to the principles upon which our Father’s plan is predicated.
As Latter-day Saints, we should be beacons of optimism, lovers of all things good, and witnesses of joyful, eternal blessings. We must all discover and play our role in lifting those around us and spreading feelings of hope. When we do so, we find ourselves in a holy alliance with the Savior and our Heavenly Father in bringing Their glorious plan to fruition.
Young brothers and sisters, you are entering a very exciting time of your lives. You are at a commencement, stepping forward into of the rest of your lives. You have passed Life 101 and are now ready for new, challenging experiences. Important decisions that will determine your path are before you. And while that sounds daunting, it is not. By your following the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, your lives will be better than you can even imagine.
Believe me when I tell you that opportunities and experiences you cannot possibly anticipate will be yours. You will make some mistakes, endure some hardships, and experience some grief and pain. You will also experience the love of the Savior and, with His help, conquer difficulty and overcome hardship. You will feel comfort, experience joy, and succeed in righteous endeavors. Your lives are going to be very, very good. Much, however, depends upon your attitude, your love for all things praiseworthy, and your faith in our Heavenly Father and His Son. And in spite of whatever difficulty or challenge you face, you may look into the eternities with an understanding that God keeps His promises.
It is my prayer that you go forth from these proceedings today with hope, excitement, determination, love for others, and that you embrace this life, love it, and live it to the fullest. May you be grateful for all things, full of integrity and humility, and especially, brothers and sisters, be kind.
I bear humble testimony that the Church is true. I testify that God lives. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior
Notes
[1] Luke 17: 12–18.
[2] “Integrity,” Dictionary.com.
[3] Albert Einstein: A Photographic Biography, ed. Kenji Sugimoto (1989), 166–67.
[4] Neal A. Maxwell, All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience (1979), 127.
[5] 2 Peter 1:4–8.