1. Change is a part of life.
2. God, through prophets, prepared us to expect changes to accelerate in the world.
These truths were the basis of Elder Eyring's article, which was given only a few days after the 9/11 tragedy. When an act of terrorism shakes the world, it is natural for one to take a step back and re-evaluate one's life. I think Elder Eyring was inspiring the students at BYU-Idaho to dive deep into those thoughts and he was reminding them to "Remember who you are."
I am so grateful for my opportunity to be here at BYU-Idaho; a university so dedicated and fixated on the progression of education and knowledge. Elder Eyring described the school as an institution which "inspires inquiry and innovation." We are not here to just learn, but to do. Applying that principle to the Business Deptartment, we have multiple resources and opportunities to help us get out into the "real" business world and start applying our knowledge to real life situations and careers.
Another thought that Elder Eyring shared that really struck me was, "Although we face an increase in challenges, there is another change sweeping the earth. It is a flood of opportunity." I love the idea of looking on the bright side in the case of tradegy. Hard times are here. As the world begins to tear through with chaos and destruction, we as Saints must remember to have strength, peace and joy. It is getting worse, and things are getting scarier, but we have the opportunity to be bright beacons of hope. Whether we are at home, at work, or even at the grocery store, we as Saints are different and people notice. We need to be setting an example and holding fast to our principles as the world degrades further and further into dark chaos.
I also enjoyed Elder Eyring's definition of, "Spartanism." Elder Eyring describes, "it refers to rigorously self-disciplined and self-restrained. That is part of the spirit of Ricks at Brigham Young University-Idaho—simple, frugal, or austere; courageous in the face of pain, danger, or adversity." This quote completely embodies the 'spirit of Ricks.' As I have been getting further into my major, I find myself with less 'free' time and with more items to add to my to-do list. But, no matter how busy I am, I feel good knowing that I am progressing towards my goals, and that I am capable of handling more than I ever knew I could. 'I can do hard things' has been a sort of mantra for me as of late.
With that in mind, I also like to remember the foundation for why I do what I do."Our hearts, fixed on Him and His work, will keep us on course, however the wind blows. We will follow His prophet. We will see the greatest work of our lives as nurturing others as the Savior did. We will see the potential in others as He sees it. We will treat every resource that comes into our hands as a trust from Him. We will see our victories as a gift from Him and so be proof against pride. We will not fear because we will know we are on His errand."
As I continue on my 'steady, upward course' I will keep the Savior and my Heavenly Father in mind always. They are the reason I have this incredible opportunity to get a quality education. I know that life is full of changes. As I change, and as the world changes, I will look for the opportunities to do good, instead of focus on the negative aspects of change. I know that as a latter-day Saint, I have a lot expected of me. I will prepare now to reach my fullest potential and to do so with dignity and honestly. I am glad I was able to read this incredible talk which inspired me to re-evaluate my choices and set my sights on what is most important to me.
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