Thank you, President Kauwe. What a blessing it is to be here with the University Faculty, Brother and Sister Haws, President and Sister Kauwe, Family, and especially you graduates. As Brother Haws said, it was such a joy to stand there and feel your joy as you came in today.
This is my first time wearing a university gown. I graduated from BYU, but was not able to attend graduation and so I'm doing it my first time with each of you. I feel such joy and energy, it's tangible! And feel especially grateful for the beautiful number by Brianna and Jennifer, thank you for that beautiful message. I'm sure we're reflecting now what is it that matters.
I wish I could just speak to you individually and hear your stories of how you arrived at this moment of graduation today. Just like we heard Rosalind's story. I could just imagine looking at you, your sacrifice, and hard work on the one hand, and the lasting friendships and spiritual strength that you’ve gained from your years here.
I’m so grateful that surrounding us are our family and friends, including countless others we can't see that are joining virtually from other nations. Each of them has played an important role in your life, supporting you in many ways so that you can be here, receiving a university diploma.
I love the mission of Brigham Young University–Hawaii; it's so inspiring, inviting all “to prepare to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in your families, communities, chosen fields, and in building the kingdom of God.” [1]
Lifelong disciples and leaders. This is a perfect pair, because a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is a leader. True leadership needs no title in the workplace or calling in your ward. The leaders the Lord needs are those who are His disciples, and through your example and love for God and others, you will lead and lift everyone around you. You are a leader when you help others have a desire to come closer to the Savior.
In a few days many of you will be moving to nations across the earth. I recently learned that this graduating class comes from over 30 nations. So this visual here shows all of you gathered here this morning on this tiny island are soon to spread across the world to the nations of the earth, and this slide was done intentionally to show the light that you will be taking. It has been impressed on my heart that the Savior, Jesus Christ, is counting on you to take His light, His joy, and the knowledge you have gained here at BYU[–Hawaii] to the nations of the earth. Your example as a disciple of the Lord, Jesus Christ, will bring miracles!
A few months ago, I traveled on a Church assignment to a country in the Middle East, a Muslim country with very few Christians and very few members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We held meetings with government officials to build relationships and offer humanitarian relief. In one meeting, we were surprised that a very high-level official attended. He told us that decades before, when he attended a university in the eastern United States, his roommate was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had never forgotten the example of this young man and was anxious to meet with us as members of the Church to learn more about our faith. Little did that student know that his example would open doors for the Church thousands of miles away and several decades later. Miracles await you, too!
Shortly after I graduated from BYU, my husband and I married in the Washington D.C. Temple, and we began our life together in Massachusetts. Bruce was in school, and I had found my first job out of college, earning a small salary. But we were starting our “real life” in the “real world” with everything that money couldn’t buy.
Bruce and I were the proud owners of a red couch. We had seen it on the street on garbage day, and so we hauled it up to our second-story tiny student apartment and set it in the living room. It was broken in the middle, and when you sat on it, you almost sank to the floor. Nevertheless, we spent many happy hours on that red couch talking about plans for our future together, sharing our hopes and dreams.
What are your hopes and dreams? Perhaps during your college years, you have been asked, “What do you want to be?” Your answer may have been a teacher or a computer scientist, mom, dad, husband, wife. In our time together I’d like to consider the question, not of what are you going to be, but who are you going to become.
Over twenty years ago, President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.”[2]
This morning I’d like to share with you some thoughts about becoming, specifically “Our Journey of Becoming.”
Our journey through life is not meant to be simply a compilation of what we accomplish or what we have experienced. We often hear about our bucket list. But our journey in life is most importantly about change, or, as a friend has called it, the evolution of our soul.
The most important decision we can make in this life, as we've heard this morning is to look to the Lord, Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer, Savior, and Exemplar. Becoming His disciple is the way to navigate through the ups and downs of life, so that we can receive joy and happiness, now and forever.
Elder Neil L. Andersen observed, “This life is a time for becoming, not just for experiencing.”[3] Therefore, a fundamental question we might periodically ask ourselves is, “Who am I becoming?”
Our most important resume will not be degrees earned or jobs held. What will be most important and will bring us the most joy is the résumé of our soul. That résumé will include the Christlike qualities and characteristics we have developed through our covenant relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son, helping us become more than we ever imagined.
We can move forward on our journey with this sure promise, “Blessed are they who are faithful and endure … for they shall inherit eternal life.”[4] Each of us has the capacity to invite the Savior to help us become ever more faithful to Him so that we may endure well our life journeys. He, who has offered you the most priceless gifts available, stands with open arms ready to help you.
He can help you navigate the smooth sailing and the unexpected turns in your journey because He is the only One who has successfully overcome the world. We want Him to abide with us through good times and bad, as He knows, He understands, and He can help. Through daily repentance, we can return to Him time and time again. He will never give up on us.
Mists of darkness and unexpected detours can be the result of living in a fallen world. Our motto while facing challenges shouldn’t be to just “hang in there,” although that can be helpful in the short term, but it is to look to the Savior to help us learn and change in fundamental ways. While we don’t have the power to control much of what happens to us, we can control how our experiences change our soul.
We can choose to become “hardened” and block the ability of the Lord to help us grow in learning and understanding, or we can choose to be “led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering.” [5] As we are blessed with these attributes of the Savior, we will change in profound ways.
Consider the experience of Lehi. Lehi and Sariah’s family were told by the Lord they would be led to a promised land. If I were a member of their family, I would have thought the whole point is to travel quickly, do this efficiently, because the point of the journey was to arrive at the promised land. However, we know that it took the family eight years just to reach the shore! It became clear that the Lord’s purposes were not simply to get the family to their destination, but to allow them to have experiences that would help them become a people ready to inherit the promised land. Each person had moral agency to determine who they would become through their experiences with hunger and fatigue, anger, and death of beloved family members. They could also choose to become more devoted disciples as they witnessed the miracle of the Liahona and received strength to endure their journey.
Through our life’s ups and downs we can choose to “wax stronger and stronger in [our] humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling of [our] souls with joy and consolation.” [6]
During my journey of life I have encountered joy, along with detours and disappointments. I would like to share three lifelines that have helped me invite the Savior to walk with me, guide me, and strengthen me on my journey of becoming. And, because I serve in the Primary, I will, of course, use the simple, but profound words of Primary songs!
In addition to graduating from university today, how many of you are primary graduates? And how many of you have been blessed by the words of primary songs? So, we're just going to do three today.
Heartfelt prayer
First, have you ever cried out in your heart the words of this Primary song? “Heavenly Father, are you really there? And, do you hear and answer every child’s prayer?” And then, have you felt the reassuring whispering of the spirit: “Pray, He is there. Speak, He is listening.” [7]
That picture of that young man praying, I chose intentionally. It shows someone really seeking, really needing to know. As you move forward in your life, you're going to have really important decisions and you will want to go pleading to the Lord.
In order for prayer to help us change and become, President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “Please don’t let your prayers sound like a shopping list…[Bless mom, dad, my sister, my brother, my friend] Our prayers can be – and should be – living discussions with our Heavenly Father.” [8] Think about what it means to have a discussion with Heavenly Father.
You can reach up when you’re on your knees, you can reach up when you're at school, and frequently during the day. Open your heart and share your hopes and dreams, disappointments, and fears with your Heavenly Father, who knows you better and loves you more than anyone.
I have learned through my life’s experiences that when things don’t go the way I had prayed for, I don’t ask the Lord why. I ask Him what. I ask Him what I can learn from this experience and what He would have me do. I ask Him to open my eyes, ears, and heart to receive His answers. Sometimes answers come when I’m on my knees, but more often I receive them when I’m driving, walking, talking to a friend, or in the temple.
As Alma invited, “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.” [9] Our living discussions with the living God will help us become what He wants us to be.
Scriptures
Second, how many of you remember singing “Scripture power" at the top of your lungs in Primary? "Scripture power keeps me safe from sin". Listen to these words relative to what we're talking about today. "Because I want the power His word will give to me, I’m changing how I live, I’m changing what I’ll be…" or as we're talking about today, I'm changing who I'll be... "Scripture power! Every day I need the power that I get each time I read.” [10]
Spending time pondering the scriptures can indeed change what we will become.
Consider this promise made by President Nelson, “I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions – every day.”[11] And the coming days and years will be so important. The decisions you make. I personally rely on this promise President Nelson had made every single day.
We can search the scriptures to learn how the Savior’s disciples of long ago made decisions. I have gained courage to follow an impression, just like Rosalind was talking about, even when, like Nephi, I went forth “not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.” [12] When my father and my husband passed away unexpectedly within three months of each other, I looked to Ruth, who stayed true to her faith and moved forward despite losing her husband and father-in-law. I have looked to Esther when I’ve been called upon to do hard things, like speaking in general conference or speaking to you today! Studying the scriptures tunes our hearts to recognize the voice of the Lord more clearly. We can receive guidance that will help us make decisions on our journey.
Temple covenants
Do you remember singing this song? “I love to see the temple, I’m going there someday, to feel the Holy Spirit to listen and to pray… I love to see the temple. I’ll go inside someday. I’ll covenant with my Father; I’ll promise to obey.”[13]
Nephi saw in vision “the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” [14]
That blessing is available to you. You can be armed with the power of God as you make and keep covenants in holy temples. I encourage you to prepare to make covenants in the house of the Lord if you have not done so yet.
As I’ve read President Nelson’s talks, I’ve made a list of the many promises he has made to us as we worship in the house of the Lord and strive to keep the covenants we have made there. Just one example from last conference in October:
“Here is my promise to you: Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple. You will feel His mercy. You will find answers to your most vexing questions. You will better comprehend the joy of His gospel.” [15]
Worshipping in the temple has changed me. In the temple I can set the world aside, feel God’s presence, and receive answers to my prayers. As I have tried to honor the sacred covenants I have made in the house of the Lord, I have received power to do what the Lord has asked of me. Feeling the joy and peace and strength that only the Savior can offer changes us, chasing fear and doubt away.
Prayer. Scriptures. Temple covenants. Each of these are conduits through which we can receive the Savior’s guidance, strength, and peace throughout our journey of becoming.
In my home today, I have a red couch. Fortunately, it is not broken in the middle like the couch we dragged up from the street many years ago. As I sit on my couch now, I remember the plans Bruce and I made. Our life unfolded differently than we thought. There were professional detours, several moves, and serious health challenges that altered our plans. However, as I reflect on my journey, I count the many blessings I have received from the Lord. I learned lessons and grew in ways that could only be learned by experience. I have felt both joy and heartache I didn’t anticipate, and was led to opportunities I never envisioned.
I invite you to periodically ask yourself, “Who am I becoming?” You can move forward filled with hope as you embark on the next phase of your life’s journey, filled with a desire to become the glorious son or daughter of God that He wants you to become. “Blessed are they who are faithful and endure … for they shall inherit eternal life.” [16]
Your graduation day is a day of rejoicing for all of you and a sacred day for Christians. I’m grateful that it has come to be known as Good Friday. That day, over two thousand years ago, was filled with agony for our Lord and Savior and a sense of great loss for His followers. But, on Sunday morning, He arose with healing in His wings,[17] offering salvation and exaltation to His followers, and resurrection for every person who has ever lived or will yet live on earth. He did it for us because of His love for you and for me. [18]
I leave with you my witness that God, our Heavenly Father lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ will come again. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] BYU–Hawaii Mission Statement
[2] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, November 2000, 32
[3] Neil L. Andersen, Facebook, July 23, 2020, facebook.com/neillandersen
[4] Doctrine & Covenants 50:5
[5] Alma 13:28
[6] Helaman 3:35
[7] “A Child’s Prayer,” Children’s Songbook,12 ; emphasis added
[8] Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial,” Ensign or Liahona, November 2023, 118
[9] Alma 37:37 ; emphasis added
[10] “Scripture Power,” Additional Songs for Children, Gospel Music app
[11] Russell M. Nelson, “President Nelson Promises Scripture Power,” Inspiration (blog), October 22, 2020, ChurchofJesusChrist.org
[12] 1 Nephi 4:6
[13] “ I Love to See the Temple”, Children’s Songbook, 95; emphasis added
[14] 1 Nephi 14:14
[15] Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ will Come Again,” Ensign or Liahona, November 2024, 121-122; emphasis added
[16] Doctrine & Covenants 50:5
[17] 3 Nephi 25:2
[18] John 15:13