You can view or print this speech in the following languages:
English | French | Portuguese | SpanishIt’s such an honor for me, dear friends across the world, to be able to speak to you today about BYU-Pathway. I just love that you’re enrolled in BYU-Pathway. I know how much it will bless you.We were living in Africa when BYU-Pathway was launched, and I have personally seen it bless many, many lives. All three of my executive assistants when we were living in South Africa (Zandile, Chatty, and Tshepiso) were each enrolled in BYU-Pathway at some point. I have a sister Stephanie and a brother called Kevin who live in New Zealand, which is where I grew up. They also each completed BYU-Pathway several years ago, and they loved it. I was recently in Japan, and Sister Kim from Korea and Sister McCune from USA, each of whom is married to a member of the Area Presidency, told me how much they are learning while also studying in BYU-Pathway.We have a very dear friend from the Republic of Congo who faced complete rejection by her family when she joined the Church. Her father told her she was no longer his daughter. But she served a mission, and then she returned to nothing. No home. No job. No education. But just like so many of you, Leonce had a wonderful testimony of the gospel, and she had faith that all would work out. So she enrolled in BYU-Pathway. She also invited her boyfriend, Juste, to enroll. It was there that they were able to progress to where both will soon earn a degree. And in case you were wondering, yes, they are now happily married.
Brian Nabende from Uganda was less active, but he was invited by a friend to enroll in BYU-Pathway. He shared that the institute classes rekindled his spiritual flame and were a lifeline back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In his email to me, he said, “The weekly gatherings reignited my commitment to live the commandments and to prioritize my relationship with God above all else.”Now above our bed at home, we have this painting by Joseph Banda from Malawi. I love this depiction of Lehi’s dream. Here we can see three groups: those who are mocking in the great and spacious building, those who are lost, and then those on the pathway leading to the tree of life, which represents the love of God. Next to the pathway, you can see this rod of iron. So, for each of you students on your own pathway, I urge you to hold fast to the iron rod by participating in institute and every day studying the word of God, especially the Book of Mormon.Of course, your education will surely bless you, and it help you along your path in life, but remember that the mission of BYU-Pathway is primarily spiritual rather than temporal. Yes, an education will help you get a better job, but there is so much more to a rich and rewarding life than a good job and becoming self-reliant, as important as those two things are. Many years ago, Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught me that self-reliance is not the end goal, but it’s actually a means to the end. We seek to become self-reliant so we can serve others. This is captured so well in the motto of BYU in Provo: “Enter to learn, go forth to serve.”Now, some people misunderstand self-reliance to mean how much money we make or how much we own; yet, I have met wonderful Saints throughout the world who have little material wealth and yet they are still self-reliant. They live so their wants do not exceed their needs. And they, like so many of you, embrace the joy of service and freely share what they have.
On the other hand, there are those who have many material possessions yet are still not self-reliant, often in debt or spiritually empty. They live lives of desperate selfishness, always pursuing more and never arriving. They have not learned that we find true joy and happiness as we lose our lives in the service of others. Jesus set the perfect example by helping those in need, lifting the downtrodden, easing the burdens of the suffering, and strengthening those who are weak in their faith. As you wonderful students follow His example by serving and sharing, you too will be saviors to those around you.
Over 50 years ago, Marion G. Romney gave a landmark talk, which was titled “The Celestial Nature of Self-Reliance.” He taught that “service is not something we endure on this earth so we [have] the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.”So as you embark and are embarking on your pathway to greater spiritual and temporal self-reliance, always remember that self-reliance is a “prerequisite to service.” Without temporal self-reliance, there is nothing to give the hungry and those with other physical needs. Without spiritual self-reliance, there is nothing to give those in emotional and spiritual need. Without learning, it is hard to teach others. So we hope that each of you who are blessed by BYU-Pathway will be filled with the desire to serve in the Church, in your families, and in your communities.My dear friends, I commend you for enriching your academic and spiritual education. In my office at Church headquarters, I have another painting of the tree of life, which is described in Lehi’s dream. It too reminds me of the joy we experience as we stay on the pathway leading to eternal life. I bear witness, nothing in your life will taste sweeter than the fruit of the gospel, the love of God, and living a life of discipleship and Christlike service that will lead others to also taste of this fruit.Bless you for the goodness of your lives and the righteousness of your desires. I am confident that your time in BYU-Pathway will be a great springboard for the rest of your life. I leave you my love, my encouragement, and my firm testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who leads this Church through living prophets and apostles. I am so grateful for their inspired direction in providing BYU-Pathway to you and many thousands of wonderful students like you throughout the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
