It is a particular delight for me and my wife, Sytske, to be here with you on this beautiful summer morning. You have a great spirit about you. You have managed to do your work of philanthropy without getting overly caught up in raising money. That, to my way of thinking, takes some doing and makes you a unique group in this business. Elder Eyring once said of you that the Lord had blessed you with success because you are careful with His name. It seems He has also blessed you with a measure of His spirit; and that, in the end, is a much greater blessing that being successful at fund raising.
You also have chosen a wonderful theme for your meetings. This idea of "Agents of Change" takes the principle of discipleship and makes it a practical application. It gives you direction for the work you do and reminds you, and me, of the eternal motivations behind the temporal efforts we make.
I have to share with you a brief story related to your theme. A number of years ago a nice couple made a sizeable contribution to the Church of which the College received a portion. Because of that gift, we invited them to our annual appreciation dinner. We found out that my wife and his wife both worked in the Jordan River Temple, and a friendship was created. A number of months later, this man and his good wife asked someone from the College to come visit them to help them create a scholarship in memory of their son. We went, and after a number of visits had a scholarship document ready for them to sign. As they signed the documents, they begin to talk about their son, who had died at the age of 17. They said, "We're glad that in some small way we can perpetuate his memory." And then they cried. It was some time before they could regain their composure. It was a catharsis, a healing. For them it was a moment of change. For students at LDS Business College, their gift also brought and continues to bring change. But there was a third group that was changed that day. As we participated in the process, we realized the sacred responsibility that we have in administering their gift. We saw their gift as a consecration and we thanked the Lord for his infinite mercy in giving us the chance to have had our hearts changed also.
While this year's theme focuses on the change that occurs in the donor and the recipients, I cannot help but think that you who act as agents are the real beneficiaries. You see, almost every day, the impact for good in this process of giving, and that vista has a cumulative effect on the soul. When you finish processing a gift you no doubt feel a certain sense of satisfaction, but I hope more than that that from time to time you feel a deep sense of wonder and awe at being an eyewitness to the marvel that is the Lord's work of changing hearts. I hope that never becomes a casual or an unnoticed event for you.
If I could, this morning, I would like to spend a few moments discussing the scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants that you are using as a theme and talk about how they relate to LDS Business College.
In the Doctrine and Covenants section 64 verse 29, it says: "Wherefore, as ye are agents, ye are on the Lord's errand." Webster defines an agent as "one that acts as a representative of the other." Those of us who work at the College know that our institution is small in terms of our total number of students. We're anticipating substantial enrollment growth in the fall, but even at our projected enrollment of 1,000, our total student body will remain relatively small. We know we have the smallest campus in CES. Our campus could fit nicely into the quad area at BYU-Idaho. We have the smallest number of faculty and staff. That entire group could fit quite easily within one of the schools at BYU-Provo. We have a very small budget; in fact budget officers at the Church refer to our totals as "decimal dust." Our classrooms are small, our cafeteria is small, our bookstore is small. But despite that smallness, we are still on the Lord's errand. We are His agents and we have His work to do, and we don't think He judges us on the basis of our size. It is our effort and impact that matter most, and in that arena we are dedicated to largeness.
The second scripture of your theme says: "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." We refer to that scripture often. Is LDS Business College, as you see it now, the "foundation of a great work?" Out of this small place will things proceed that are great? We think so. I won't pretend to know what the Lord's long-term purpose for the College might be, but let me list some things to think about:
First: LDS Business College has been preserved by prophets and nurtured by men and women of faith for more than 115 years. We see heaven's guidance in the continuance of the College.
Second: The Lord intends for all of his children to receive education. That also includes non-members. Some of those people need an education delivered in a manner unique to LDS Business College.
Third: The need for education will last through the millennium. My belief is that the Church Educational System will fill a significant role during that time. Karl G. Measer said: "It has been said the Saints will be saviors upon Mount Zion, that they are destined to redeem the world. Redeem the world from what? From the thralldom of sin, ignorance, and degradation! In order to do this, Zion will have to take the lead in everything and consequently also in education." Will LDS Business College be there? I believe so. In fact, the College may well provide the model for career-based education throughout the world. When the Savior comes He will claim His kingdom. We want to be part of that and your work will help make that possible.
Most of the educational needs in the Church and the world have to do with career preparation. Many people, especially in third-world countries need to quickly learn skills that will lead to productive lives. When they learn employment skills, people gain confidence, they earn an income that can support their families and they have time to serve the Church. It is exactly for that reason that President Hinckley established the Perpetual Education Fund, and it is for that reason that LDS Business College exists has been preserved.
This last week, an employer in the valley called the College. His son, through an interesting set of circumstances, had become a student at the College. Now, a year later, this son was leaving on a mission. His dad wanted someone at the College to know how impressed he was with the applicable nature of his son's coursework. He said: "Everything was so useful." He added: "I've been in business for 20 years and I wish I could have taken the courses he was taking. What a kick-start. It's amazing. The classes seem like a perfect track to take." Unquote.
Infused in and permeating this career education is the principles of faith, prayer and a study of the scriptures. What a powerful force for change that combination makes. Now I fully realize that LDS Business College does not own the market on career education within CES, but that is our focus. That is what we must do best.
To be part of the Lord's kingdom both now and when the Lord comes, LDS Business
College and its larger counterparts must be worthy of that kingdom. Whether
large or small, our institutions must emulate the glory of the celestial kingdom.
We must bring honor to Christ and the Lord. We must strive to be stewards of
excellence.
We have thought a great deal of late about this notion of excellence and about
how one goes about achieving a celestial excellence. Part of that process seems
to lie in our ability to focus on goals and directions that are heaven-directed.
Obviously, we cannot be all things to all people, so our focus must center on
being what the Lord would have us be as an institution and as individuals within
that institution. One of the scriptures used for your theme says "whatever
ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord's business." That implies
that we know the will of the Lord, that we discover what He would have us do
in our stewardships. Said another way, to become a steward of excellence we
must discover, plan for, and then focus on those things that are critical for
success.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said it this way: "Our task is to be wise in the selection of good causes, using the scriptures and the modern prophets as our guide. Ann Morrow Lindberg, in her book, 'Gift from the Sea,' says, 'My life cannot implement in action all the demands of all the people to whom my heart responds.'" Elder Maxwell continues, "You will care for more things than you will be able to do things about. Wise selection of causes is one of the highest forms of the use of free agency, and one of the ways God tests our basic wisdom and our capacity to love." End quote
This academic year, we will be one of focus for us. Of all the good things we could do, we will focus on those essential things we should do to the end that we might be what we're intended to be. President John Taylor once said: "You will see the day that Zion will be far ahead of the outside world in everything pertaining to learning of every kind as we are today in regard to religious matters. You mark my words, and write them down, and see if they do not come to pass." He also said: "God expect Zion to become the praise and glory of the whole earth, so that kings, hearing of her fame, will come and gaze upon her glory."
We think we see evidences of excellence on campus. This year, students in the Students in Free Enterprise or SIFE business group earned first place in regional competition and participated in national competition. Their regional win came, in part, because of a program that teaches computer skills to the homeless. This program has impacted many, including one man named Big John. Jonathon Willson, the president of SIFE, taught Big John at the shelter and was riding a bus one day when he saw him sitting in the back. He walked back to talk with him and Big John told Jonathon that he had found a job, had moved out of the shelter and was independent and happy-a great success story.
This year, computer students began a company called PC Corps that refurbishes old computers and sells them at low cost to non-profit organizations. In the first six months, students gave 450 volunteer hours of service to refurbish computers that have ended up in schools, churches and volunteer medical clinics. This spring, PC Corps received an award from the Utah Campus Compact for their work.
Also this spring, graduating students from the interior design program swept
a statewide competition, earning first, second and third places as well as honorable
mention.
Medical secretary students were also recognized this year by a national accrediting
agency as completing a program of excellence. The agency said students had completed
a program that was, quote "one of the best in the nation," unquote.
Our computer students are creating a digital training program to help newly
called membership clerks learn the MIS system. But the real evidence of excellence,
of course, lies in what our students become, who they are, and in that area
we also see excellence.
Last month, students raised $2,000 for Operation Smile. Two of them even kissed a pig for the cause. In April, on a day we call service-learning day, students donated some 1,000 service hours in a single day. They made 14 blankets, created 1,100 panels for education bags, built hygiene kits for the Humanitarian Center, bagged bread and gave service in many other ways. During the year they gathered mountains of canned food for the homeless and provided on-going tutoring help at a local elementary school. In addition, a large group of students went to the temple each Wednesday last semester to do baptisms for the dead. And those are only the things I know about.
Now, what does all this mean? I can sum it up in two points:
First: We see heaven's directing hand in the development of the College. We see the work of the Lord in the curriculum, in the support services and in so many things that have happened in the last decade. Most importantly, we see the hand of the Lord in the lives of the students who come to us, who come sometimes with trepidation and some timidity and who leave with optimism and options. We see how their lives are affected and we are honored to be agents of change in this great work of the Lord. I wish you could see what happens to these students. It is a wonderful thing to educate anyone, but when you take a person who is not quite sure they can succeed and give them skills, they transform into a confident, determined individual. That is an amazing thing to watch. We produced a video last year that attempts to capture some of that feeling. Dave Richards has copies of it, and it's worth seeing. It is, in fact, the point of all we're trying to do and all that you're trying to do. Elder Eyring spoke to a group of Church public relations professionals last year. He said that the image and message for those people were the same: it was the smiling faces of the youth of the Church. Show them their faces, he said, and leave them wondering how they got to be that way.
The second point is that the Lord requires us to be stewards of excellence. The College must continue to improve, in its own way, it must become a model for the world. Our goal is to make LDS Business College the best career-centered institution on the earth. We will continue to be small. We will continue to attract students who may have less financial ability and may feel less academically confident. We will focus on those core attributes that heaven would have us refine and we will rededicate ourselves to building a college that the Lord will accept. In that effort, you are our great partners. You make so many things possible. In the last few years as an active part of the LDS Foundation, we have seen great blessings come to us. We have a record number of students coming, as I mentioned, and a record number of them have asked for scholarship help. That has stretched us, but thanks to what you are doing, we are confident we will meet the challenge.
May the Lord continue to bless you and us in this great undertaking.May He continue to give us direction to know His will, courage to be His agents and the insight to build the proper foundation, is my prayer.