BYU Speeches
Alphabetical by Speaker

President Monson spoke undeniable truth when he said, “One day, when we look back at seeming coincidences of our lives, we will realize that perhaps they weren’t so coincidental after all.”

Each of us has the ability to receive the direction we need to achieve a balanced life. My hope and prayer is that we will do what we need to do to have the influence of our Father in Heaven in our lives.

Be a ray of light. Be your best self and let your character shine. Cherish the gospel of Jesus Christ and live it. The world needs you, and surely your Father in Heaven needs you if His blessed purposes for His children are to prevail.

[The family proclamation] unequivocally proclaims: “We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”

A strong trunk is essential if the branches and secondary roots are to receive quality nourishment. The parent trunk in Provo must be extraordinary both spiritually and secularly if the reach is to be infinite.

Agency and responsibility are inseparably connected. You cannot avoid responsibility without also diminishing agency. Mercy and justice are also inseparable. You cannot deny the Lord’s justice without also impeding His mercy.

As you keep the flame of testimony burning brightly, you will become a beacon of righteousness—even a light—for all to see.

Missionary work is not just one of the 88 keys on a piano that is occasionally played; it is a major chord in a compelling melody that needs to be played continuously throughout our lives if we are to remain in harmony with our commitment to Christianity and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

While the trials and challenges we face may be difficult, we are taught that they are needed for our growth, just as a kite needs a strong opposing wind to soar.

With your knowledge of who you are and what is important in life and by maximizing options, adding value each day, and avoiding these inhibitors of success, the changing world you face presents great opportunities, not threats, for you.

If you follow the suggestions I have offered and combine them with earnest prayer and pondering, they can provide you with the insight needed to see where and possibly how you can maximize your potential and leave your indelible mark in the world.

You Latter-day Saints, the youth of the noble birthright, if you can say, as Martha said, “Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world”—if you can say that and know that he is in his heaven, and you believe that with all your soul, you will not be trapped in the pitfalls of life.

I pray that you will light spiritual beacon fires that burn brightly in the lives of the students and that you will sound doctrinal trumpet calls that will echo in their hearts and minds throughout their lives.

Whatever your circumstance, it will work out well eventually if you do your best to cause it to happen. Sometimes these trials are blessings in disguise, and what the Lord may have in store for you later could be dramatically better than your current conception of optimal achievement.

Eliminate all “would haves,” “could haves,” “should haves,” and “ if onlys.” What has happened is past and finished. Leave it there. Profound power will come in living and making things right in the present.

There are lots of disappointments in the world that may be hard to understand. Instead of stressing over them or blaming others, sometimes it is best to “be still,” become humble, and put your trust in God that all is well.

As you have the courage to be true to your beliefs, your exemplary conduct will not go unnoticed. While you will be tried and tested, your faithful adherence to the Lord’s standards will be seen as a beacon in the night to those around you.

The Lord has given us specific doctrines and principles that show us how to clothe ourselves in the armor of God so that we can stand against the powers of evil.

I believe that we, the graduating class of 2015, are the students that Alfred Kelly saw more than one hundred years ago. What can we do to be the vision?

Our reason for being a university is to encourage and prepare young men and women to rise to their full spiritual potential as sons and daughters of God.

Perfection is a long, hard journey with many pitfalls. It’s not attainable overnight. Eternal vigilance is the price of victory. Eternal vigilance is required in the subduing of enemies and in becoming the master of oneself. It cannot be accomplished in little spurts and disconnected efforts. There must be constant and valiant, purposeful living—righteous living. The glory of the Lord can be had only through correct and worthy marriage and living a clean, worthy life.

One area of confusion not rare among us is the notion that worthiness is synonymous with perfection. It is not! One can be fully worthy in a gospel sense and yet still be growing while dealing with personal imperfections.

God’s beauties of the earth are all around us and He wants us to find them and feel gratitude for them. All we have to do is open our eyes to see them or our ears to hear them.

The greatest impact comes as we move forward with faith—keeping our covenants in order to receive His direction and His power, submitting to His will, and letting God prevail.

Jesus is the Christ! He broke the bands of death. He is our Savior and Redeemer, the very Son of God. He will come again, as the scriptures proclaim. And that day is not far distant.

By using our best thinking, by choosing to act with real intent, and by seeking direct revelation from God, we can come to a humble yet firm conviction of the truth of all things.

Each of us has the capacity to accomplish much good in this life, but we must always return credit and appreciation to the source of all that is good and truthful.

“Unless we align our eyes and our hearts with God’s glory, we will, to that extent, be filled with darkness.”

Let us understand our eternal perspective and turn our lives into beautiful works of art that were planned by a loving Heavenly Father who developed a plan of redemption so that we could return to His presence.

Fully consecrate your life to Heavenly Father and draw ever closer to Him and His Son. Have an attitude that you will serve Him in spite of the pain you are going through and the lack of true understanding you have of where He is taking you. Continue to feast on the word of God and have faith.

Integrity is the very core of our being. It is who we really are. When all the scaffolding is removed, it is our integrity that both defines us and identifies us.

Because attaining knowledge is such an important task—and a lifelong endeavor—it is important to understand the meaning and implications of being teachable. When we are teachable, the Holy Ghost bears witness of truth and we increase in knowledge and wisdom.

I know that as we embrace and apply gospel methodology, concepts, and insights in our individual and collective work, we will be entitled to heaven’s help.

The mission of BYU “is to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.” This mission does not end today at graduation. Your learning doesn’t end, your quest doesn’t end, and our relationship doesn’t end.

The mission of BYU is to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life. That assistance should provide a period of intensive learning in a stimulating setting where a commitment to excellence is expected and the full realization of human potential is pursued.

There are people all around us, in our classes in school, in our work, in our homes and families, who cry, like Bartimaeus, “Have mercy on me.” And we, in turn, reflect on the Savior’s answer to Bartimaeus: . . . “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” [Mark 10:51–52]

Begin with the end in mind. Shape your own destiny. Remember that the development of your career, your family, and your faith in God is your individual responsibility—for which you alone will be held accountable.

Merit your own self-respect! Be someone. Be a self that you can respect. Get your life in order, and then you can truly be an asset to the Lord.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—our elder brother—is there to pick us up, dry our tears, and heal the wounds we have received while living in a fallen world. The point of my address today is simply this: a humbling duty we have as disciples of Christ is to be His hands in helping make this happen.

To be in tune with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we have to find a way to see the truth we share and work toward peace and unity.

It is my prayer, my young, valiant brothers and sisters, that we will seek to be one with our Savior, Jesus Christ, by applying the principles of the gospel in our lives and living obediently to his commandments…

Many of us are trying to save ourselves, holding the Atonement of Jesus Christ at arm’s distance and saying, “When I’ve done it, when I’ve perfected myself, when I’ve made myself worthy, then I’ll be worthy of the Atonement.

The paths your lives take today have areas that could be marked by the phrase “Here Be Dragons” as a warning that you should and must avoid them. A firm testimony of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is so necessary to maintain the proper perspectives and withstand the buffetings of the adversary that can and often will bombard you from all directions.

Looking back upon journal entries from my freshman days at BYU, I found what I had written to sum up my year of learning: “An unconfident man will say he has no talent. A foolish man will believe him.” This idea has made a strong impression upon me.

As university students—bright and blessed and eager and prosperous—do we yet know what faith—specifically, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—really is, what it requires in human behavior, and what it may yet demand of us before our souls are finally saved?

By all means let’s continue to pray for the poor and needy, the sick, and those who mourn. But let’s all—every one of us—do more than pray. Let’s do what we can, according to our circumstances, to lift those arms that hang down. Let’s act in a way that will bless the poor and needy.

You may well doubt that you can have much effect on the people around you. But you will have help.

“I encourage you to use every talent and every bit of knowledge and inspiration you have to change the world, but while you are doing that, I invite you to make a difference in the world by being true peacemakers.”

Work is an eternal principle. Whom do you know who has all the riches of the earth and more and yet is continually working? Our Heavenly Father! He is a worker. Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have shown us by Their examples and teachings that work is important in heaven and on earth.

May our testimonies motivate us to improve our lot in life, to withstand the temptations of the adversary, to enjoy good friends, and to face adversity with hope and courage, knowing that unspeakable joy awaits us in the eternities.

As important as choices are—such as what to major in, what career path to take, where to live, and where to send the kids to school—the choices you make regarding the type of person you want to be are, in my opinion, more important and will help you make those very important decisions regarding the direction you choose for your life and your family.

We may not be able to walk where Jesus walked, but of greater worth is that we can think what Jesus thought. The Book of Mormon reveals the thoughts of Christ. Heroes of the Book of Mormon are worthy of emulation. Sill highlights Mormon, who possessed a celestial mind.

Hugh Nibley discusses the military strategy and tactics of the wars in the Book of Mormon compared to other modern and ancient warfare.

A man studying to be a Catholic priest reads the Book of Mormon and becomes convinced of its truth. He finds answers in the Book of Mormon that he could not find during in his biblical studies.

Why is it so important for you individually to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon? Because if you do, it will become your personal iron rod.

Each one of us here is writing the book of his or her life, and reading, learning, loving, serving, and worshipping are integral parts of the process.

I believe with all my heart, I believe as certainly as I stand here, that—if we can repent of our sins, if we can be charitable with the sins of others, if we can take courage toward our circumstances and want to do something about them—there is a power, a living Father of us all who will reach down and, in the scriptural term, “bear us as on eagles’ wings.”

Clearly, weakness and the recognition of it, the humility that follows, and the application of faith in Christ are essential to our eternal progression. Weakness is also the key to authenticity.

To what should you be attached so that you will be safe? What is your dock, your mooring, your anchor? It is your relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ.

We are dedicated to cultivating the Spirit of the Y by keeping you informed and connected to the good works faculty and alumni are doing in the world and by providing opportunities for you to learn, volunteer, contribute, and serve with the students, programs, and activities of your alma mater—keeping you “Connected for Good.”

You may find yourselves in situations where you have to be brave in defending the principles of righteousness even when no one is watching. In such situations, you may draw courage to defend the principles of righteousness from your faith in God and also from your love toward God and your fellow man.

To avoid money’s corrupting influence, we must love only God and our fellowman and embrace only virtue as the defining and motivating force in our lives.

I have a special respect and admiration for President Brigham Young as he led the colonization of the pioneers here in the West. As we meet on the campus that bears his name, it seems appropriate to remind ourselves of some of the teachings, philosophy, and vision of this great leader.

Brigham Young died with the name Joseph upon his lips. He spoke of him and his work in these words: “I honor and revere the name of Joseph Smith. I delight to hear it; I love it.

The university and the Church have added light to your being, but none has received the fullness that lies ahead.

“If your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.” He will help us in our quest for knowledge if we will—as we have done here at Brigham Young University—center our learning on Him.

As we enter into a covenant relationship with [God], we will experience the joy and exhilaration of becoming one with Him. When we give Him the reins, He will make of our lives more than we could ever dream, more than we could ever do running wild through life on our own.

It is my hope and prayer that we may serve our Lord by being actively engaged in blessing the lives of all our brothers and sisters and being an instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father.

Being a beloved community means daily beginning again at building this beloved community.

What a privilege and solemn responsibility is ours to be laborers in a house of learning that shares not only proximity with the temple but the same vision of learning as set forth in section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Your spiritual development, particularly the development of a firm Matiu Kauri–like testimony, will be of great value to you in perilous times.

It is imperative that Jews, Christians, and Muslims learn how to share their common spiritual roots and their common futuristic hopes without prejudice in order to avoid discrimination and religious and racial hatred so that they all can raise their children in peace and security on the basis of “Ethics of Sharing.”

BYU is unique among American universities because it incorporates the restored gospel as an integral part of its academic program. It is also true that both our uniqueness and also our effectiveness are enhanced to the extent that we use the Restoration to inform what we do academically.

We are blessed to have good role models of character at the university—both among the faculty and staff, as well as in the student body. To that end I would ask all of us to consider the impact our actions and decisions have on others.

It is a wondrous opportunity and a sacred responsibility to build up the kingdom of God on earth, to be kingdom builders—right now.

While five or six years of graduate school may have started us on the path toward becoming pretty good scientists or literary scholars, they did not necessarily qualify us to redesign the campus, or to replace Norm Chow in calling the football plays, or to run the Church.

You, my young brothers and sisters, and you who teach them, have an obligation to participate fully in this wonderful and sometimes tumultuous time of preparation. We simply cannot afford to be anchored to anything less consequential than the saving rock of our Redeemer.

You have loved ones in your past who created pathways and bridges to connect you to them and thus enable you to benefit from their dreams, experiences, sacrifices, and teachings—necessary components of bridge building.