Dear brothers and sisters, aloha!
Such a privilege to be with you and I can testify of the love that President Kauwe has for all of the students and all of the people involved in the wonderful BYU–Hawaii university. We're grateful to be here.
I feel blessed for this opportunity to be with you in this celebration of your academic achievements. I express my gratitude to the families, friends, faculty, and administrators who have accompanied you in your efforts to attain higher education.
I invite you all to continue this path as lifelong learners and disciples of Jesus Christ. I will strive to lift and inspire you in your ongoing journey in preparation for salvation and exaltation, a journey of joy.
First, we all are beloved children of Heavenly Father. As such, we all have a divine identity. As children of God, our souls consist of a mortal body made of physical elements and our eternal spirit born of Heavenly Father. In the Guide to the Scriptures, we read: “All persons are spirit children of God. He cares about each of His children and considers each one important. Because they are His children, they have the potential to become like Him. Therefore, they are of great worth.” [1]
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve shared more on the topic of the worth of our souls while on assignment in Central America in 2023. Elder Renlund taught Latter-day Saints about how the Savior values each son and daughter of God. “How much are you worth?” the Apostle said. “You are worth what Jesus Christ was willing to pay.” [2] The fulfillment of our divine potential depends in part on our growth as disciples of Jesus Christ. We grow as such by first getting to know of Him and then getting to know Him. This happens as we follow His doctrine as taught in the scriptures and teachings of prophets, as we receive sacred priesthood ordinances, and then keep the associated covenants. That is discipleship of Jesus Christ. [3] It is a path of true joy.
Second, we follow Jesus Christ because of our love and devotion for Him, and in eternal gratitude for His Atoning sacrifice. Jesus Christ's Atonement for each one of us is at the core of Heavenly Father's plan and is the biggest expression of Their love for us. We choose to come to Jesus Christ as we follow His teachings. In 1 John 4 we read:
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins....We love him, because he first loved us....And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” [4]
These and other verses in 1 John 4 are a great summation of the two great commandments in the eternities: “…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. … Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” [5] There is joy in loving and being loved by God and neighbors.
Third, we act in accordance to Christ’s teachings and our covenants with Him. In Preach My Gospel, we read the following about how Jesus Christ loves us, and how Jesus Christ impels us to love Him. It says, “Charity is a gift from God. The prophet Mormon said that we should ‘pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love…’ [6]. As you follow this counsel and strive to do righteous works, your love for all people will increase, especially those among whom you labor. You will come to feel a sincere concern for the eternal welfare and happiness of other people. You will see them as children of God with the potential of becoming like our Heavenly Father, and you will labor in their behalf.
You will avoid negative feelings such as anger, envy, lust, or covetousness. You will avoid judging others, criticizing them, or saying negative things about them. You will try to understand them and their points of view. You will be patient with them when they are struggling or discouraged.
Charity, like faith, leads to action. You will develop charity as you look for opportunities to serve others and give of yourself.”[7] like Manu already explained so very well. Brothers and sisters, these are also evidences of discipleship of Jesus Christ. We feel joy as we are sincerely concerned about the happiness of other people.
Fourth, we then continue the process of conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ as we go forward on the covenant path. Conversion to Jesus Christ happens in part by following revelation from the Holy Ghost through:
- Our increasing belief in Him as we study His word and act accordingly
- Our spiritual experiences as we obey commandments and covenants, and
- Our growing relationship and connection with Him and as we build a relationship with our neighbors. We then serve Him as we love and serve our neighbor. [8]
The power of godliness is manifested through sacred priesthood ordinances of salvation and exaltation. [9]. President Russell M. Nelson taught: “When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the gate that leads to becoming joint heirs to all the promises given anciently by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.” [10]
In his Liahona article of October 2022, The Everlasting Covenant, President Nelson taught more on the covenant path and our relationship with God, “Adam and Eve accepted the ordinance of baptism and began the process of being one with God. They had entered the covenant path.
When you and I also enter that path, we have a new way of life. We thereby create a relationship with God that allows Him to bless and change us. The covenant path leads us back to Him. If we let God prevail in our lives, that covenant will lead us closer and closer to Him. All covenants are intended to be binding. They create a relationship with everlasting ties.” [11]
In Mosiah 2:41 we read, “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.” Brothers and sisters, we grow in godliness as we faithfully walk the covenant path and obey the commandments. This verse in Mosiah continues, “…O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.” [12] I testify that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the source of ultimate joy. Receiving Their joy is well worth all efforts on the path of discipleship of Jesus Christ.
In President Nelson’s article again, The Everlasting Covenant, he also said “Once we make a covenant with God, we leave neutral ground forever. God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him. In fact, all those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In the Hebrew language, that covenantal love is called hesed.
Hesed is a unique term describing a covenant relationship in which both parties are bound to be loyal and faithful to each other.” … It … “is a special kind of love and mercy that God feels for and extends to those who have made a covenant with Him.” … And, … “we reciprocate with hesed for Him.
Because God has hesed for those who have covenanted with Him, He will love them. He will continue to work with them and offer them opportunities to change. He will forgive them when they repent. And should they stray, He will help them find their way back to Him.
Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us.” [13] As Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, “In the stillness, we can ponder the many ways we have seen the Lord relentlessly pursue us ….” [14]
Repentance should always be a source of joy. This includes daily repentance as we turn our hearts and minds to Heavenly Father and our Savior and strive to be more like Them. When our sin is egregious and completely out of line with what God expects from a member of the Church, our repentance process will require confession to our bishop, as a common judge in Israel.
In the General Handbook, 32.3, we read about common judges in Israel. It says, “Bishops and stake presidents are loving and caring as they help members repent. … These leaders teach that there is ‘joy … in heaven over one sinner that repenteth’. [15] They are patient, supportive, and positive. They inspire hope. They teach and testify that because of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice, all can repent and become clean. Bishops and stake presidents seek guidance from the Spirit to know how to help each person repent.” [16]
There are promised blessings that come from repentance. In Mosiah 4:3, we read of how King Benjamin's people were blessed as they repented and received a remission of their sins:
- "…the Spirit of the Lord came upon them,
- "...and they were filled with joy, . . . and
- "...having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.” [17]
The joy in true repentance comes in part because of forgiveness of our sins. In 2 Nephi 4:28 we read, “Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.” [18]
Another great source of joy in our path of discipleship of Jesus Christ comes from having true past prophets whose records we have in scriptures, as well as true and living prophets today. I testify that President Dallin H. Oaks is a true prophet who receives revelation for the whole Church. In the Old Testament (or covenant), in 2 Chronicles 20:20 we read, “Believe” that is, have faith, “…in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” [19]
My wife Nuria and I were taught the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in Mississippi in 1982 by full-time missionaries and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the time we were already married but did not have children yet. The first lesson we were taught was with a filmstrip titled, “Man’s Search for Happiness”. [20] It gave us a glimpse of the vast panorama of the plan of salvation. What caught our attention the most was a mystery of God for us that families can be eternal. That became a clarion call for Nuria and me. To become an eternal family has been our lifelong pursuit, through our ups and downs in life. These ups and downs have played a key role in our paths of discipleship of Jesus Christ. We hold on to His promised blessings as we go forward. As the missionaries taught us the words of Christ, we came to know for ourselves that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that Spencer W. Kimball was the Lord’s true and living prophet in those days. I testify that there has been an uninterrupted chain of living prophets from the Prophet Joseph Smith to this day with President Dallin H. Oaks.
We are now in the covenant path through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, unto repentance, unto baptism of water and of fire. We strive to keep the baptismal covenant by taking upon us His name, serving God, and keeping His commandments. Having received the gift of the Holy Ghost, we are forgiven of our sins as part of our baptism by water and by fire. This brings us to my fifth and final point: Following our baptism, we go forth in discipleship of Jesus Christ through daily repentance of our sins, as we are all sinners. [21] Repentance brings rich blessings of joy. This is the Church of joy. This is the path of joy.
In closing, I invite you to follow our Savior Jesus Christ and His restored gospel throughout your mortal lives and in the eternities. Walk with Him along your path of discipleship. I promise that it will bless you with all you need and all He delights in giving to you. Now go and serve and have a great life today and throughout all of eternity, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, amen.
Notes:
[1] Guide to the Scriptures, “Souls, Worth of Souls”, Gospel Library
[2] Trent Toone, “Elder Renlund ministers to Latter-day Saints in Central American countries”, Church News, March 7, 2023. See also Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-11
[3] Guide to the Scriptures, “Disciple”, Gospel Library
[4] 1 John 4:9-10, 19, 21
[5] Matthew 22:37-39
[6] Moroni 7:48
[7] Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ [2019], 127
[8] Mosiah 2:17, Matthew 25:35-45
[9] Doctrine and Covenants 84:20
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, October 2022
[11] Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, October 2022
[12] Mosiah 2:41
[13] Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, October 2022
[14] Patrick Kearon, “Welcome to the Church of Joy,” Ensign or Liahona, October 2024, 37
[15] Luke 15:7
[16] General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 32.3, Gospel Library
[17] Mosiah 4:3
[18] 2 Nephi 4:28
[19] 2 Chronicles 20:20
[20] “Man’s Search for Happiness” (video), Gospel Library
[21] Romans 3:23