It is good to be with you this morning. It has been over 40 years since I was here on campus. I have traveled much, but in North and South America, Europe, and Africa, but not in this direction. I was here with a group of young men from Utah as part of a recognition trip for scouting. We traveled by boat from San Francisco. The majority of the group were sick from the ocean travel. We were on a type of troop transport. I wasn’t seasick during that part of the trip. However, when we arrived on the island and travelled by bus to campus, I became sick. The island seemed to be moving. I remember having my head out the window of the bus as we travelled from Honolulu.
Another major memory was my first experience surfing. I was a farm boy from central Utah. Most of our group were not into trying. I remember that the size of those old boards seemed huge. It felt like a boat. I do remember getting up a couple of times. There wasn’t any skill by way of turning; I was trying to stay up. I moved too far forward, and the front end of the board headed down. I fell off and could feel the board coming forward through the air and water, and I wondered if I was going to be pounded on the head. You can probably visualize my experience. I survived, my adventure was good, but that was the end of my surfing career. I am glad to be with you today.
It is the middle of the semester, the second semester of the year. How are you doing? Is it survival or opportunity? I hope you are enjoying your learning opportunity. It is always a challenge to see the opportunity versus the burden.
You may remember the following story shared from General Conference a few years ago. Elder Carl B. Cook was telling of a long day at the end of his first week as a general authority. His briefcase was overloaded, and his mind was occupied with the thought “How can I possibly do this?” He entered the elevator as he was leaving the Church Office Building. As the elevator descended, his head was down, and he was staring at the floor. The door opened and someone entered, but he didn’t look up. I quote the words of Elder Cook:
“As the elevator door closed, I heard someone ask, ‘What are you looking at down there?’ I recognized that voice – it was President Thomas S. Monson. I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh nothing.” But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, ‘It is better to look up!’ As we traveled down one more level, he cheerfully explained that he was on his way to the temple. When he bid me farewell, his parting glance spoke again to my heart, ‘Now remember, it is better to look up.’”1
At times in our educational experience, we need that reminder. We go from class to class, book to book, and semester to semester. At times, we look beyond the mark of learning – it is an interesting challenge. We may even carry a down-trodden appearance. It may have the feeling of survival.
In Doctrine and Covenants section 88, the Lord gives direction concerning the hastening of the work; instruction and direction on learning and teaching about our opportunities. This was a season of revelation, of revealing how we prepare. In verse 118, we are instructed to seek learning:
“And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”2
You are part of that instruction to seek learning. We are to seek from the best books and from the scriptures. We are to do so with diligence. We are to share with each other. Diligently means with focus on effort. In his book The Power Within Us, Elder Nelson referred to the power to learn. The power to learn is foundational to our presence here upon the earth. The power to learn is a special blessing to all. The power is within us to seek and obtain learning at levels we never thought possible.
One of the greatest blessings of my life has been an interest and desire to learn of those things that are before us on this earth. I have come to love the study of nature, the miracle of the body, the blessing of music, the understanding of plants and animals, the teaching of the scriptures, and the history of this and other lands. This learning opportunity from many areas has helped me to come to understand that learning is part of the gospel. Elder Neal A. Maxwell shared a thought that helps us better understand our learning opportunity and responsibility:
“For a disciple of Jesus Christ, academic scholarship is a form of worship. It is actually another dimension of consecration. Hence, one who seeks to be a disciple-scholar will take scholarship and discipleship seriously; and likewise gospel covenants. For the disciple-scholar, the first and second great commandments frame and prioritize life. How else could one worship God with all one’s heart, might, mind, and strength?”3
Our effort to gain learning and understanding is part of our eternal progression. We are all presented with opportunities to gain in learning.
How did the Prophet Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and others of limited amounts of education increase in knowledge and learning? The majority of these were commonplace men who established a pattern of learning that blessed their lives.
Learning how to learn and a love of learning are paramount to our earthly and eternal happiness. My current stake president tells of his experience coming out of high school. He grew up in the Salt Lake Valley and Southeastern Idaho. He tells of his friend and him taking the ACT. His friend received his score, back and it was relatively low. Our stake president laughed at him, only to find as he opened his results that his score was even lower. He was not accepted at the university he desired. He told of starting at another university and then leaving on a mission. He told of how he learned how to learn, of how he felt the help of the Lord, with the power of the Holy Ghost, in the learning process. He returned from his mission and attended a good university where he was successful in his studies. Today, he is a very successful professional with a degree in civil engineering. Our Father in Heaven provides all of His children the opportunity to learn.
My first thoughts have shared reference to the importance of looking up and seeking learning. I want to share with you some basic principles that are to be applied if we are to obtain our fullest in learning and understanding.
Vision
The first is vision. The perception of where we are going and why has an impact upon the goals and outcomes we desire. Here are questions you may ask yourself:
Why do I persist in learning? Why do I need an education? How am I going to accomplish this? Will I ever be finished with learning? How do we create that vision for learning? This love for learning?
How do we create that vision for learning? We can share facts about the value of education. Certainly a degree will pay off. Certainly the benefits of learning and education will pay off financially, but more than that, it will pay off spiritually and with the quality of life. How do we create a vision and expectation for learning? We must search, ponder, and pray.
Elder Godoy in October General Conference made a very important reference to an experience that he had concerning the gospel and learning. He tells of a time frame at the end of the eighties that was very important for him, his wife, and their four children. He was living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, working for a good company. He had finished his degree and had just been released from serving as bishop. He felt that life was good and everything that it needed to be. One day, an old friend came to visit. Let me quote the words of Elder Godoy:
“At the conclusion of his visit, he made a comment and asked a question that unsettled my convictions. He said, ‘Carlos, everything seems to be going well for you, your family, your career, and your service in the Church, but—‘ and then came the question, ‘if you continue to live as you are living, will the blessings promised in your patriarchal blessing be fulfilled?’
“I had never thought about my patriarchal blessing in this way. I read it from time to time but never with the intent of looking toward the blessings promised in the future and evaluating how I was living in the present.
“After his visit, I turned my attention to my patriarchal blessing, wondering, ‘If we continue to live as we are living, will the promised blessings be fulfilled?’ After some pondering, I had the feeling that some changes were necessary, particularly in relation to my education and profession.”4
He then told of how he would have to seek additional education. He would have to leave his job, sell everything he had, and come to the United States. The TOEFL and GMAT tests became his major goals. Three years of preparation were required. He came to understand that as a child of God, he could succeed in learning and acquiring more education. He was successful and completed his education and returned to his native land. Elder Godoy was blessed by an increased perception of the importance of learning. He developed a vision for his efforts in gaining learning and education.
When I was a student at BYU–Provo a number of years ago, we had an experience that was part of an education class. We were to go on a three-day camping trip west of the Utah Valley area, which is basically desert. The first day, we arrived at our destination. The second day, it started to snow – heavy snow. A decision was made that we would pack up and leave versus staying the second night and into the third day. I realize that to some of you, snow is very foreign.
We started back out, and this was in the days before there were a lot of four-wheel drive trucks or cell phones. We ran into difficulty in the deep snow. We became confused at a fork in the road and took a wrong road. Eventually, we were stuck in the snow. A few of us hiked out to the main highway and caught a ride to the nearest community. This was a small Utah community named Eureka. About the only thing that was open at that time of night was the local bar/café. They connected us with some help, so we could help the others come out. As the people who were going to help us were establishing our location, I described the area, turn-off, etc. They finally said that this was the “No Name Road,” and that it wasn’t usually scraped to clear the snow until spring.
I have thought about the name of that road many times in my life – “No Name Road.” Sometimes, we can be on this road not knowing where we are going or what path we are on. A vision of where you would like to go and expectations of what you need to do is paramount. A vision of the blessing and opportunity of learning is special. Searching, pondering, praying, studying, and seeking inspiration will help create your vision for learning. It is important that we establish the road and path to follow.
Gratitude
The second point that I mention is gratitude. Elder John H. Groberg mentioned in his writings that gratitude is the key to growth. I want to share some reminders for different blessings that impact our opportunities for learning. The Lord has not left us alone as we journey through this life in search of learning, wisdom, and understanding.
You have a great blessing of coming to this university. You have faculty who know and care about you. You have faculty who go to great lengths to facilitate your learning and to stimulate your interest. They expect something from you and provide a way for you to learn how to accomplish the task. You have a wonderful place – a special site for you to receive an education. You have great faculty who will bless your lives. They provide ways to help you apply and understand. They mentor and coach. Let me reference a few teachers who were important in my life.
I think of my first university economics teacher. My background is in economics. His name was Robert Parsons. We held the class in a large room with probably 100 students or more. There was something about his excitement for the subject – his interaction with students. The class had an impact upon my decision to pursue a degree in economics.
I share another example of a sister I had as a freshman English teacher at BYU. Her name was Mrs. Watkins. As I started that class, my grades on papers were weak. She started to work with me. My grades improved and I received a good grade in the class. The most important element was that I developed the ability to write. I felt a growth of confidence and an understanding that with more work, I would develop even greater confidence. I came to know the value of a good teacher who mentored and coached me and other students.
I remember a faculty member in my master’s program. We developed a mentoring relationship that was very helpful. My interest in finance was increased because of his coaching and mentoring. I had another special experience in my doctorate program with a Dr. Armstrong at the University of Idaho. We worked and collaborated together in discussion on human capital, the brain, and learning. Not only was I mentored, but I developed a close friendship with him. I know that there are faculty who know you and want to help you be successful. And faculty, I know there are many students who look to you – they know you and will remember you forever. You are important in helping them rise to new levels. I think of the master teacher – the Savior, who lifted and blessed people’s lives. There are special bonds that grow between learners and teachers – bonds because of expectations, because of mentoring, and because of the action of the learner and the teacher.
Another area of major importance as we think of expressing gratitude is to our families – more particularly our parents who sacrifice and seek ways of helping us gain an education. There are family members and parents who pray for you each morning and night that you will be successful as a student. They pray that the Holy Ghost will help you in your studies. You come from a wide variety of backgrounds. From the mainland, from the islands, from parts of Asia. Your families work to sustain your opportunities. Some of them have prayed that you will have more of an opportunity and success than they did. I was blessed with parents who cared about my education, even though they had less than they desired by way of formal education. I share just briefly the background of my mother and her blessing upon her family by her example to acquire learning.
She was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. She lived there for the first several years of her life. During her seventh year, in a four-month period of time, she lost her baby brother, her mother, and an older brother who was lost at sea in World War 1. It became very difficult for her father to care for all of the children. She lived with aunts and other family members for a while. An aunt had joined the Church and migrated to Utah. She had married, and this aunt and her husband sent a letter to my mother’s father asking him to send one of the children, and they would raise the child. My mother was chosen. She thought she was going on a holiday. She didn’t understand that she would never see her father or siblings again in this life. She traveled by boat to Ellis Island and New York City and from there, by train to Utah.
She was raised in her new location in central Utah. She finished the eighth grade, but because of distance to school and other reasons, she never finished more of formal education. However, her life was an example of learning and education. You would often find her doing crossword puzzles, reading the newspaper, reading books, studying the scriptures, and watching quiz shows. Her writing and penmanship was beautiful. I would watch her prepare lessons for teaching in Relief Society or Sunday School. She would work at having depth and perception. She was an example of learning and teaching. She blessed our home and our lives by instilling within each of her five children a desire to know of the things spiritually and temporally.
Again, I remind you of the importance of gratitude for the blessings and prayers of your parents.
Next, I hope you have appreciation – a spirit of gratitude for the special mentoring and partnership of the Holy Ghost. I don’t know exactly how everything works through the Holy Ghost, but I know that it works. We are blessed in our learning both spiritually and temporally by the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Desiring, inviting, living worthy, recognizing, and recording the help of the Holy Ghost provides assistance in learning. If we follow these steps, we prepare a climate for learning. This is not to say that the Holy Ghost will bear witness to every question on your next chemistry test, but it is to say that by having the Holy Ghost with you, you will be better prepared, walking by faith and acting with an effort to learn. You will have promptings on how to improve your learning.
As I reference the Holy Ghost as a blessing for which we need to show gratitude, I am reminded of a conversation with a potential hire to our faculty. I was visiting about his preparation to teach. We were discussing some of the challenges in engaging students in the classroom. He teaches at a university in the eastern part of the United States. You could see that he works very hard in being a good teacher and excellent facilitator of learning. In our discussion, he shared that each day before he started teaching, he closed his office door, kneeled, and asked for our Father in Heaven’s help in having the companionship of the Holy Ghost in his teaching. The companionship of the Holy Ghost is a blessing for students and teachers, and when both merit and seek that help, a special climate of learning will bless the experience.
Gratitude for the many blessings that help us achieve learning is most important. Gratitude for this university, for your parents, and for the Holy Ghost is important in growing in learning.
Work
I have mentioned vision and gratitude. I now encourage you to understand the importance of action on your part. You have an opportunity to work hard and to work smart. Let me share a scripture given to the saints while in Jackson County, Missouri. They were waiting to learn the will of the Lord. In an often referred to scripture, we are taught that there is power within us. D&C 58:27-28 states, “Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.”5
We have to establish patterns of action that help us use the power and potential. We are agents unto ourselves. When our Father in Heaven implies that we are agents, I am assuming that He wants us to figure out ways and patterns that will help us learn. I have been impressed by two quotes from Preach My Gospel:
“Study is an act of faith requiring the use of personal agency.”
“While learning from a good teacher is very important, it is more important for you to have meaningful learning experiences on your own.”6
The understanding of our own individual role in the learning process is important. If we want to be successful in temporal and spiritual learning, we have to develop good patterns for learning. Those patterns will indicate preparation, engagement, and reflection. There is a level of investment that is required.
We need to develop patterns of investment that will produce results. The results will move us from recall and understanding to application and deep learning. We study the gospel so we can apply the principles in our lives. We study accounting so we can apply the concepts and processes in our work. Think of what you do in preparation. I mentioned the Holy Ghost earlier, and certainly we pray. We read, mark, and try to solve problems. We review and discuss. I encourage you to ponder on the patterns you use. Become a student of how you can improve your learning. Work hard at your learning opportunity. Work hard and with perception of how you can improve your learning experience. I share a quote taken from a recent Priesthood and Relief Society lesson from President Ezra Taft Benson:
“I grew up believing that the willingness and ability to work is the basic ingredient of successful farming. Hard, intelligent work is the key. Use it, and your chances for success are good.”7
He emphasized hard and intelligent work. We must work hard and work smart.
I share with you a pattern that my wife used as we were called to serve in Brazil. She had no experience with Portuguese, other than the use of a few words or phrases. She thought she had accomplished something when she could go to McDonalds and order numero 1/number 1 by holding up one finger. She developed a few patterns of investment. She would read the Book of Mormon in Portuguese. From daily contact and conversation, she would write down new words or vocabulary. When she was going to give a talk in a meeting, rather than use an interpreter, she would write the talk in English, have someone translate the words into Portuguese, and then she would put the phonetics or the sounds above the words. She would then read the talk through her sounds and phonetics. She now understands the language very well and does a good job of speaking. The pattern and work blessed her.
Be wise and develop good patterns and strong efforts as you seek learning. Don’t follow old patterns that lead to shallow or recall type learning. This applies to temporal and spiritual learning. Do not let your efforts be shallow. Work to develop patterns that help increase learning.
Recognize and Record
The next point I share with you is the importance of recognizing and recording your learning experience. Ponder upon promptings. Record your learning experiences temporally and spiritually. Learn how to learn is a phrase that we often hear in the Church and in education.
It is a process that requires action and pondering. I admonish you to keep a journal of your learning experiences. Record when the light comes on in a physics class. Record what you observe from your teacher. Record what you struggle with and identify how you learn. I have always appreciated Elder Scott’s direction on recording promptings and personal revelation. He reminds us that as we do, we build. If we are going to learn how to learn, we will need to record and analyze the events that are taking place in the process.
And to the faculty, I would encourage you to record the experiences of your teaching. Record the names and thoughts of student; record what you observe in the learning process. Each day, take time to record the learning experiences of the day. You will be blessed, and your students will be blessed. The Lord will build upon your ability to learn and to teach. You will grow as a mentor, facilitator, and coach.
Build Others
As I came onto your campus on Sunday, I saw the familiar words “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.” The last principle I would share with you is that with all of this special blessing of learning, you have the opportunity to find out what the expectations are. The expectations are that you will go forward and serve others. You will build others. You can do that now. Work to bless and help others learn. Learn from and with each other. There is a great experience that comes with teaching one another. You will take the blessing of this wonderful school and go throughout the world. I love the first line of the heading of Matthew 10:
“Jesus instructs and empowers the Twelve Apostles and sends them forth to preach, minister, and heal the sick.”8
You are being taught and empowered to go throughout the world and build others – in your homes, wards, and communities.
Many years ago when I received my call to serve a mission, I had an interesting experience. I knew that I needed to serve a mission, but I couldn’t get a type of confirmation. I was still wondering why. It was in the fall months, with about a month before I left on my mission. I was out hiking in the mountains in central Utah. My friends were back in college or on missions. I decided to kneel down and pray about my concerns. I think that I thought that I would have a Joseph Smith experience. I didn’t. In fact, it was about six months later when I was in Brazil that I received an answer. We were teaching a second discussion – it was on the Book of Mormon. My turn came to share my testimony. As I bore my testimony, another feeling or prompting came to me. It was the answer to the prayer. You are here to share with these people the same blessings that you have had in your life. That blessing is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
To all of you, you are children of the covenant with promises and direction. I share Elder Russell M. Nelson’s teaching concerning our covenants:
“We are also children of the covenant. We have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are our ancestors. We are of Israel. We have the right to receive the gospel, blessings of the priesthood, and eternal life. Nations of the earth will be blessed by our efforts and by the labors of our posterity. The literal seed of Abraham and those who are gathered into his family by adoption receive these promised blessings – predicated upon acceptance of the Lord and obedience to His commandments.”9
We have a major responsibility as children of the covenant to seek learning and understanding in order to fulfill our responsibilities.
You have been blessed. You can bless and serve others now, at this university and as you graduate and go forward. You have been empowered to learn with and from one another, empowered to take your education and go forth and bless others. There is a reason for this school and that is to prepare you to better serve our Father in Heaven’s children. The better prepared you are, the easier it is for the Lord to use you. Being prepared temporally and spiritually is the Lord’s desire for us.
I pray that you will take advantage of your time here – learn from the faculty and leaders, create an ongoing vision, express gratitude for those special blessings, act upon your opportunities, work hard, record your efforts on learning, and learn how to learn and serve and build others. You are His covenant children. I leave you my witness that our Father in Heaven knows you, cares about you, and loves you. The blessing of the gospel brings growth and happiness into our lives. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
1. Carl B. Cook, “It is Better to Look Up,”
Ensign, October 2011.
2. D&C 88:118.
3. Neal A Maxwell,
The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book, 1997, pg 102.
4. Carlos A. Godoy, “The Lord Has a Plan for Us!,”
Ensign, October 2014.
5. D&C 58:27-28.
6.
Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service, 2004, pg 17-28.
7.
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Ezra Taft Benson, 2014, pg 59.
8. Matthew 10 (heading).
9. Russell M. Nelson,
Perfection Pending, 1998, pg 190.