Elder and Sister Jaggi, President and Sister Kauwe, fellow graduates, family and friends, good morning and Aloha!
At this moment, I always picture a screen of rolling credits just like the ones at the end of a movie. And I would just like to take this time to give special mention to Google. and the underrated and often forgotten, Quizlet, in helping us graduate today.
Well, all jokes aside, I am so grateful for those who have helped us get here. To the amazing professors on whom I can always count on for extra credit opportunities. I am ever so thankful for the many chances you give us to succeed. I have never felt more cheered on by my professors than at BYU–Hawaii, and we are all here today because you have not given up on us. Thank you.
To the neverending support of our families and parents back home who believe in us despite the constant nagging to study hard, I know you’ve always seen our potential to succeed.
And I am grateful for all of you, my fellow graduates. I don’t know how I could have made it without you! While I may not know all of you personally, I know that on multiple hard days, many of you have been a source of light and warmth as I see your smiling faces along the walkways.
Well now that I’ve gotten the credits out of the way, can we all just address the elephant in the room. Let’s be real, we’ve all kind of been anxious about this day, knowing that life ahead is a little uncertain. Some have been lucky enough to find a job or even post-graduate school, and to those who have found their path, I am so happy and excited for what your future holds! and then there are those who are maybe still trying to identify where to go, what to do, or who to marry. But if there’s one thing I know, it is that we are not born to fail. Each of you graduates sitting here today have so much potential. Remember, you are a part of David O McKay’s prophetic vision in which he said, “..from this school will go men and women, whose influence will be felt for good towards the establishment of peace internationally.”
Well then, if we are not born to fail, where are we to find our stable ground? Just like birds, we are not measured by where we land. Imagine, a bird landing on a weak branch that breaks. Does it fall? No, it flies! And I hope that all of us remember that as we move forward because sometimes even I forget we are born to fly and our Heavenly parents are like the wind beneath our wings, they lift us and carry us further than we can imagine. We just need to spread our wings and trust that as we fall, the wind will carry us.
Over the past few weeks as I have been reflecting on my journey at Brigham Young University–Hawaii. It was an emotional moment when I realized that the Lord desires our success as much as, if not more than we do. No doubt, there will be tough times, the Lord expects no less than our best effort. As President Nelson would say, "the Lord loves effort."
And just like your Robinhood account, the more you invest, the more you are likely to reap rewards. In closing, I would like to remind the graduating class to continue pursuing those goals you have set, work hard, consult with the Lord, then spread your wings and see where that takes you.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen