President Thomas S. Monson reminded the largest BYU graduating class in history April 24 of one immutable law: the more you give away, the more you receive.

"You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give," said President Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, during graduation ceremonies in the BYU Marriott Center.A total of 3,919 students received bachelor, master or doctoral degrees - a 3 percent increase over the 3,806 degrees conferred a year ago.

President Monson presided over and conducted the ceremonies.

Also in attendance were Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Henry B. Eyring, both of the Quorum of the Twelve; Elder Merrill J. Bateman of the Seventy and BYU president; Relief Society Gen. Pres. Mary Ellen Smoot; Young Women Gen. Pres. Janette Hales Beckham; and Bishop Richard C. Edgley, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.

Carsten Smith, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Norway, gave the commencement address and received a BYU honorary doctorate. Maestro Joseph Silverstein, musical director of the Utah Symphony Orchestra, was also honored and performed a violin solo as part of the commencement exercises.

President Monson told the graduates that they have special reason to contemplate their year of graduation.

"This is the sesquicentennial anniversary of the historic entry of the Mormon pioneers into the valley of the Great Salt Lake," President Monson said. "We honor their sacrifice; we admire their courage. They were true to the faith."

He said the graduates walk in the sacred footstep of the pioneers, who went before, showing others the way to follow. "That is what the pioneers did then; this is what you can do now," President Monson said.

He told the students not to forget the lessons that they learned at BYU.

"You enter a world which desperately needs you. Remember that learning is not just an in-class activity, but an all-day, everywhere process. It is not all formal, rarely neat, and not at all cut and made to order. Maybe that is why it is so challenging," he said.

President Monson commended Pres. Bateman, his associates and the BYU faculty for their excellent work and dedicated service.

"We join with your parents, husbands, wives, loved ones or friends and extend to you, graduates of Brigham Young University in this sesquicentennial year, our faith in your future, our prayers for your success, and our belief in the achievement of your ideals, remembering that ideals are like the stars. You will not succeed in touching them with your hands; but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny."

Elder Bateman told the students that any society in today's world that does not promote education will diminish economically, socially and spiritually. "A society that does not foster learning, strong work habits, self-reliance and provident living will provide only meager opportunities for its citizens," he explained.

Elder Bateman also emphasized that BYU's high purpose is to educate both the mind and the spirit.

"We believe in you," he said. During his commencement address, Justice Smith emphasized that a land shall be built with law.

"I hope to convey a message to the graduates by highlighting two basic forces in human life and society that are of a universal character," he said. "First is the individual's inner strength - especially youth's desire to do great deeds and seek adventure - which drives us toward new heights, and then there is the fellowship's moral strength, especially in protecting international human rights."

He told the graduates that they each should "hear a calling" or vocation for their life. "The best advice an older man can give is to listen intently and then follow the calling from the known into the unknown," Justice Smith said. "The lure of the unknown lies deep in the human mind. The border to the unknown may be in your neighborhood or far away, in art or science, in craft or commercial enterprise, in state affairs or service of compassion. But listen to your own calling."