My dear young brothers and sisters, I am grateful for this opportunity to visit with you this afternoon, and, in the process, experience a homecoming of sorts to both the state and the college.
It is a homecoming to the state because I was born 30 miles south of here on the banks of the Snake River - in a hospital. Yes, there were hospitals back then. Incidentally, through the years I've mentioned to Margaret that I would also like to be buried on the banks of the Snake River; perhaps somewhere in Island Park. I would like a custom tombstone fitted with a metal bracket, into which my fly rod could be placed and positioned out over the river. On Memorial Day, as a fitting remembrance, Margaret could come up and tie on a new fly and read a few pages out of an LL Bean catalogue. She tells me that's a low probability event.
It's a homecoming to the college because I was a student here for one semester in the spring of 1964. Let me tell you how that happened, because it says something important about this institution that you are each a part of. In early February of 1964, I was serving as a French missionary in a small town south of Paris. On a Tuesday, I learned that my father had died of a heart attack. On Wednesday, I spent most of the day in a city park with my head in my hands, wondering what it might mean both near term and long term. On Thursday, I learned that since my mission was nearly over, I would be going home - so I packed my trunk and took a train to Paris. Friday morning I caught a flight to New York City and another flight to Salt Lake City. Friday at midnight, I got on a bus for Idaho Falls. I arrived at 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning and helped make final arrangements for my father's funeral, which started at noon that day.
Monday morning, I found myself here in Rexburg in the office of John Clark, who was president of what was then Ricks College. I explained that I wasn't sure why I had come, because I knew school had already been going for a week and I knew I had no money for tuition. But I told him I wanted very much to get an education. He put his arm around me and said, "Brother Nadauld, if you want an education we will help you." And he did!
I went on to earn a bachelor's degree from BYU, a master's degree from Harvard Business School, and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. I don't know if any of that would have happened without President Clark and Ricks College and a willingness to help a young man get an education. So this institution means a great deal to me, and I hope it is becoming equally important in your lives.
It is clear to all who know you both individually and collectively that you are young men and women of extraordinary capacity and ability. You have wonderful talents and gifts that you will be called upon to use on behalf of your families, your communities, and the Church. Earlier in my career, I was the director of the MBA program at BYU, and I associated with young people of great ability just like you. I admitted them to the program, taught them in class, and helped them find jobs. I believed in them because it was my responsibility and I supposed that they might amount to something, but I had no real data, no hard evidence to point to.
Some years later I fulfilled Church assignments that, for a number of years, took me to many stakes scattered throughout the Church. In every assignment, I encountered former students who were relief society presidents, young women presidents, primary presidents, elders quorum presidents, scout masters, and in bishoprics and stake presidencies. They were community leaders, business leaders, and leaders of every other kind.
My dear young brothers and sisters, I now have data. I have first-hand evidence, you are for real! You really are going to amount to something. You can count on it. You can take it to the bank!
You are sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father who is even more sure of your success than I am. As such, you have been given two extraordinary and inestimable gifts that, if used wisely, will insure the ultimate outcomes you seek.
I do not speak of bright minds, golden locks, winsome smiles and the ability to Google, text, tweet and program VCRs. I speak of the two most profound and fundamental of all given gifts - the understanding and exercising of which are crucial to your success.
The first great gift, from the Father, given to each of you, is the gift of agency. It was given in our pre-mortal existence and has perhaps more power to explain our current circumstances, both macro and micro, than any other gospel principle. The gift of agency need not have been given. We read in Abraham 3:19:
"And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all."
It is clear from our earthly experience that a more powerful and intelligent person can impose his will on a less intelligent person. That imposition can come as a physical, emotional or mental force or restraint. God, as the most intelligent of all, could have devised a way to subjugate all other spirits to His will. But He chose not to. Rather, He chose to give His children the incomparable gift of agency. How remarkable!
Clear evidence that agency is a gift is found in a passage in the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. We read:
"Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down."[1]
The gift of agency was given by God to man, and God was unwilling to see that gift destroyed by Satan's plan.
It is important to note that Satan's plan, at least on the surface, was not unreasonable, as evidenced by the fact that one third of the hosts of heaven preferred it to the alternative. The arguments to support his plan were not trivial.
Undoubtedly, Satan pointed out that God was a just God and that those who made mistakes on earth would be punished. He surely argued that it was unreasonable to believe that God would sacrifice His Son for the ephemeral principle of agency. Perhaps he opined that it was equally unfathomable that anyone as powerful as God's Son would be willing to leave His vaulted station, be born in a stable, suffer incalculable pain in Gethsemane, be mocked, spit upon, and ultimately die an ignominious death on the cross. No, it wouldn't happen. It was too far fetched, too hard to believe. He suggested we would be born, we would experience uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. Christ would fail to perform. The Father's punishments for wrongdoing would be excruciating, long lasting, and without relief. It was a plan to be feared.
Agency should be rejected. It was a Pandora's Box filled with all the ills, plaques, troubles, trials and miseries we would find in a fallen world. It would be better to support a plan with a certain outcome. A certain plan would eliminate fear and uncertainty, and would guarantee the desired outcome to every person, " . . . that one soul shall not be lost . . . "[2] Surely everyone would see the brilliance of his plan and not worry about that one small inconvenience; namely, the total loss of agency.
By contrast, the plan of the Father and Son was built firmly on the concept of agency. Man was free to choose in pre-mortality, and the gift of agency would continue into mortality. Yes, God was a just God and mistakes that were made would have to be paid for. But the payment could be made by a surrogate who would suffer the penalty on behalf of any errant soul who met specified conditions. Thus, uncertainty and its outcomes were not to be feared but to be embraced as the mechanism by which God's children would grow in stature, wisdom and judgment, and ultimately become exalted beings like He is.
The central role of Savior would be filled by God's Only Begotten in the flesh. He was anointed to the task, He pledged to do it, and He could be counted on.
This gift of His Son would be God's second but unquestionably THE greatest gift. Without the assurance of a Savior and an atoning sacrifice, the gift of agency in mortality would likely not have been accepted. It would have been too risky, with too many penalties, too much suffering, too little likelihood of success, and too much to fear.
Thus, the battle lines were drawn. As the scriptures describe: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven."[3]
The war was not a conventional war, with rockets, land mines, and jet fighters. It was a war of ideas and concepts. It was fought over conflicting plans for redemption, over who would be in charge, and over the gift of agency. It was fought over two different visions for the future experiences and ultimate outcomes of the spirit children of God.
The Book of Revelation provides a wonderful insight into how the war in heaven was won. " . . . neither was there place found in heaven for the great dragon who was cast out; that old serpent called the devil and also called Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night: For they have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony . . ."[4]
As I have written elsewhere about this passage, the great pre-mortal conflict was won not by force or by abrogating agency, but by testifying that an atonement would be wrought by the shedding of the blood of Christ. Assurances were given that Christ would fulfill His role in the plan. The fears promoted by Satan and his followers were overcome by the faith and testimony of Michael and his hosts. Agency was not to be feared, but embraced. Mistakes made on earth could be forgiven and the punishments affixed would be paid for by the suffering and spilt blood of Jesus Christ, Savior and Redeemer of all mankind.
In the end, the polar positions of fear and faith were incompatible; they could not co-exist. God exercised His power and separated the two opposing forces. Satan and the one-third who followed him were "cast out." They became the devil and his angels. The "casting out" did not end the war. It was in some sense only the beginning. The war in heaven was the first great battle in a long, protracted struggle. The devil has not conceded defeat. He is still fighting a war. Essentially a war over how you will use the Father's two great gifts - the first, the gift of agency, and the greatest gift, the gift of His atoning Son.
That should not be news to you, and the extraordinary young people of your generation. Never in history has the gift of agency been more abundantly manifested. Never has the concept of agency been expressed in such an unbelievable spectrum of alternatives and choices. The possibilities for self expression through physical, mental, emotional and spiritual exploration seem endless. I submit to you that your Heavenly Father cares about all your choices, but He cares about some more than others. Let me explain.
The first great gift you were given was not the gift of free agency but the gift of moral agency. In the Book of Mormon, Alma observes: "Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good."[5]
God is most interested in the exercise of agency relative to both knowing good from evil and more importantly doing good or evil. This is the classic definition of morality - or moral agency - choosing between good and evil. Yes, you are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choices.
So the issue is not the red car or blue car, the Ford or the Chevy, fly or drive, or perhaps even Jane or Jill, or school teacher versus computer programmer. You can expect to receive help with both little and big decisions, but as you exercise your agency across the huge number of options that you are blessed with in your generation, consider focusing your greatest attention on those that require you to discern and choose between good and evil, right and wrong. These are the judgments that will make you wise and qualify you for the blessings promised by your Heavenly Father.
It's possible at your age to feel somewhat anxious and maybe a little worn out by all the exercise of agency that you have to do. Just as running or weightlifting or any vigorous physical exercise can leave our bodies temporarily fatigued, so can all this deciding decisions and choosing choices make us emotionally worn out.
On a bad day, you may think it's just too hard to figure all this out. School is too hard; life is too hard. I don't know which classes to take or what to major in. I just want to go back and work in the Dairy Queen. How can I figure out which girl to marry? Man, they're all a mystery to me! Or, when is this guy ever going to ask me out - men are just so clueless! I just wish someone would tell me what to do and I would do it.
This notion of wishing we didn't have to decide or that someone else would decide for us is not uncommon. We've all felt it. But the cloistered monastic earth life is not the way to eternal exalted celestial life. Embrace the gift of choice; do not wish it away. Do not cede it to someone else. The gift of agency is not to be feared, as Satan would have you believe. Embrace it, with joy and thanksgiving. Relish the opportunity to choose a career, to choose a companion, and to choose where to live. Relish even more the opportunity to make correct moral choices - to choose good over evil. God will help you in all choices. He will exalt you as a result of correct moral choices.
As you are busy choosing, remember you have received another gift - a third gift if you will - the gift of the Holy Ghost. You may hope for the Holy Ghost to tell you what to do and wonder why, in the process, He speaks with such a still small voice. Consider this: He speaks with a barely discernable still small voice to honor your agency. Any louder voice would abrogate - would take away - your agency. Only in exceptional circumstances is the Holy Ghost authorized to do that.
So you can pray to be told what to do, but it doesn't usually work very well. Instead, perhaps you could consider praying for better or more information. Acknowledge in your prayers that you will gladly exercise your agency, but you would be grateful for more facts - and then put forth the effort to seek them. You will be guided in that effort. Pray for someone wise to counsel with, and then be humble enough to give sincere and honest attention to the counsel you receive. Pray for discernment, that you might separate valid information and counsel given in love from that information that might be given to confuse or even deceive. Pray to perceive which decisions have moral implications, and be especially attentive to them. Remember, it is your learning to choose between good and evil that God is especially interested in.
As you go forward to grow in wisdom, stature and judgment, will you make the right choice every time? Can you anticipate the unintended consequences of even the most well-considered decisions? Are you immune from the pain and anguish of choices made by others? The answers to these three interrogatories are: not likely, not hardly, and no way! (in other words, no, no, and no!). You might even imagine an impish voice saying, "You make lousy choices, you're going to fail, and, see, I told you so."
That's the time to remind yourself how the war in heaven was won: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony."[6] It was won by the atoning sacrifice of the Savior and by the testimony, witnesses and assurances of those individuals who stood on the side of Michael and his angels. And who exactly were those individuals? They were you - every one of you. Your strategy then was to focus on the Savior, to believe His atonement was key to the plan and that it would work in your life. That is exactly the strategy you should employ today, here and now. The Savior's role is not only to forgive sins but to comfort, strengthen, and buoy up each of us as we encounter the normal vicissitudes of life that are inextricably associated with the exercise of agency.
The Father's greatest gift, the atoning sacrifice of His Son, allows us to use His first gift, that of agency, with confidence. You can go forward with faith, not fear. You have used your agency wisely in a pre-mortal state. You can do it again here.
Let me conclude my remarks today with a wonderful vignette found in the Book of Moses that describes a conversation between Enoch and God. Beginning with Moses 7:27, we read: "And Enoch beheld angels descending out of heaven, bearing testimony of the Father and Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion."[7]
Any parent who has anticipated the coming home of a child can imagine how our Heavenly Father must have felt as He saw many of His righteous children returning to His and their heavenly home. There was undoubtedly great rejoicing, as is present in any reunion between loved ones. Our contemplation of the sweetness of such reunions provides a dramatic backdrop for what happens next. The next verses explain: "And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains? And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?"[8]
Enoch is clearly perplexed. Hadn't God just welcomed home many of His spirit children? Why, as He looked upon the residue of the people, would He weep? Enoch could not immediately understand why someone who was holy and whose power and understanding spread from "all eternity to all eternity" would be found weeping.
In his struggle to comprehend, Enoch continues to rehearse some of what he knows about God as additional context to his astonishment. We read in verse 30: "And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever."[9]
Enoch not only reviews the vastness of God's physical creations but also pauses to remind himself of the vastness of God's other attributes, such as justice, mercy, and kindness. He then continues: "And thou hast taken Zion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations, from all eternity to all eternity; and naught but peace, justice, and truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?"[10]
From Enoch's perspective, an all-powerful, all-knowing God, whose attributes include peace, justice, truth, and mercy, should have no conceivable reason ever to weep or ever to be sad. In modern vernacular, we might think of Enoch as saying, You are a huge success! You have cars, houses, and money. You are good and wise and kind. Why would you be unhappy?
God's answer should give us powerful reason to pause and contemplate: "The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency."[11]
God is explaining to Enoch that all those who were not taken up into His bosom are also the workmanship of His own hands. They are His children whom He had created, to whom He had given knowledge, and to whom He had given the incomparable gift of agency. The implication is clearly that He cares about them and loves them. God's love for His children and His desire to see them all come home to Him makes the final verses especially poignant. God says: "And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood."[12]
Now it is clear why God has wept. He has only one desire for His children. He has created them, endowed them with knowledge, and given them agency. He desires only that they choose Him, their Father. He wants only that those children whom He loves so much return that affection and choose to love Him back. And when they choose to be without affection for Him or for their own children, He has cause to weep.
Surely you understand the poignancy of this story and the implication for each of us. God loves us as every parent loves a child. His only wish is for our success and happiness. Of all the wonderful and extravagant gifts that the Creator of the Universe could give His children, He has chosen the two that He deems the most important - the gift of agency and the gift of the Atonement. His most profound and heartfelt desire is the same as any parent's - that in all our choosing we choose Him. We choose to value what He values, to love who He loves, and to live where He lives; to choose Him, to dine with Him, to use our gifts wisely and well - those are His desires for us.
My dear young brothers and sisters, go forward with faith and courage. Know that you are supported by the love of your family and Church leaders. Know especially of the love of your Father in Heaven. My prayer for you is that, as you exercise your God-given gift of agency in this life, you will choose Him - in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Moses 4:3
[2] Moses 4:1
[3] Revelation 12:7-8
[4] JST, Revelation 12:6-11
[5] Alma 12:31
[6] Revelation 12:11
[7] Moses 7:27
[8] Moses 7:28-29
[9] Moses 7:30
[10] Moses 7:31
[11] Moses 7:32
[12] Moses 7:33; emphasis added