'Tomorrow is today,' graduates told
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PROVO, UTAH
Almost 31 years to the day after his own graduation, Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Seventy addressed the 2,342 Brigham Young University graduates and their supporters in the Marriott Center on August 11.
As he spoke, he told of his experience sitting in the Marriott Center — while wearing a cap and gown — listening to his own graduation ceremony.
"I must confess that while I was sitting where you now sit, it never dawned on me that this transition would actually happen, or that it would come so quickly," he said.
In his address, Elder Christensen spoke of the importance of looking forward and thinking about how the small steps taken each day make a difference in an individual's ultimate happiness and accomplishment in the future.
"Everything we hope to accomplish in the future, how we prepare for the responsibilities that will ultimately be ours, is really a function of what we do today," he said. "Though some things about the future will always seem uncertain, the future is not entirely a mystery. To a great extent, the future is shaped by the accumulation of all our daily activities and disciplined efforts."
Citing Alma teaching his son Helaman in the Book of Mormon, Elder Christensen said that by "small and simple things are great things brought to pass."
"Success in life, no matter how it is defined, is achieved in small steps, day by day, one day at a time," he said. "In this sense, tomorrow truly is today."
It is through their hard work — and a continuation of that hard work — that individuals will be able to make a difference for good in the world in which they live, he said.
Elder Christensen shared three small steps to take daily in order to ensure long-term happiness and ultimate success:
Seek spiritual experiences every day
"First and foremost, seek to feel the Spirit each and every day of your lives," he said. "Work diligently to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost and to recognize the many times the Spirit speaks to your mind and to your heart."
Feeling the Spirit each day and drawing near to the Lord requires dedicated, sufficient time and energy to daily prayer and personal devotion, he taught. It is through immersing oneself in prayerfully studying the scriptures — specifically the Book of Mormon — individuals are able to gain an eternal perspective and open their hearts and minds to revelation.
"From my own experience, I have learned that dedicating the effort to nurture personal feelings of revelation, given all of the demands on our time, is challenging at best," he said. "Like a resolve to exercise every day to become physically strong, our commitment to daily prayer and scripture study to become spiritually strong must be equally steadfast and absolute."
Work productively every day with purpose and balance
"Many in the world embrace a philosophy that work is a necessary evil and that the pursuit of leisure and recreation is the primary focus and purpose of life," he said. "This philosophy is a direct contradiction to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ."
Not only is working hard and being productive gratifying, it is one of the ordained ways individuals are able to become like Heavenly Father, he said.
"Perhaps the greater issue is not learning how to work hard, but learning how to balance effectively all of the demands that will inevitably be placed upon you," he said. "Whatever your daily work will be, however you choose to consecrate your efforts, we invite you to focus on the preeminent goal of becoming more like the Savior Jesus Christ."
Find ways to daily serve others
Drawing from the statement at entrance to the BYU campus, "Enter to Learn, Go forth to Serve," Elder Christensen spoke of the importance of seeking opportunities to serve others.
"We become familiar with the Lord's voice by immersing ourselves in the scriptures, yet we become familiar with the Lord Himself and become His true disciples by doing what He did — serve others," he said.
Quoting from the Hymn, "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today," Elder Christensen spoke of the importance of serving others and helping those individuals in need.
"While setting a goal to do good in the world every day might sound ambitious, those who do find that opportunities abound," he said. "The distraction, it seems, is that we get so wrapped up in our own lives that we miss the needs of others all around us. To go an entire day and miss serving those who desperately need our help is to live far below our privileges. … Finding ways to serve others, whether early in the morning or late at night, is essential to achieving spiritual balance and purpose in life. …
"Your futures will be blessed as you come to understand that what you do each day, shapes who you will become in the future — that tomorrow truly is today."
Other speakers included Elder Cecil O. Samuelson of the Seventy and BYU President; Chris Feinauer, BYU Alumni president, and Chelsea Johnson Kennedy, a graduate.
Grad stats
June 2011
Bachelor's Degrees 419
Master's Degrees 94
Doctorates 8
Total 521
August 2011
Bachelor's Degrees 1516
Master's Degrees 280
Doctorates 25
Total 1821
Combined
Bachelor's Degrees 1935
Master's Degrees 374
Doctorates 33
Total 2342
Men — 49 percent
Women — 51 percent
Average age of graduates is 26.6
Oldest student receiving a bachelor's degree is 64 years old.
Graduates come from
U.S. states — 49
Countries — 44
Territories — 4
