♪♪
THIS BYU DEVOTIONAL ADDRESS BY
PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY,
WAS GIVEN ON OCTOBER 31ST 2006
>>WITH US THIS MORNING IS OUR
BELOVED PROPHET PRESIDENT
GORDON B. HINCKLEY.
HE WAS BORN IN SALT LAKE CITY
IN 1910 AND CELEBRATED HIS 96TH
BIRTHDAY THIS PAST SUMMER.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH,
PRESIDENT HINCKLEY WAS CALLED
TO SERVE A MISSION TO GREAT
BRITAIN AND UPON HIS RETURN
HE EMBARKED ON A LIFETIME
OF DEDICATED SERVICE
FOR THE CHURCH.
HE HAS SERVED IN THE FIRST
PRESIDENCY AS A COUNSELOR
TO PRESIDENTS KIMBALL,
BENSON, AND HUNTER.
AND IN 1995 HE BECAME THE
15TH PRESIDENT OF THE
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
HE IS EXHAUSTED MANY OF HIS
YOUNGER BRETHREN WHO HAVE
TRAVELLED FREQUENTLY WITH HIM
ON WORLD WIDE ASSIGNMENTS AS
THEY FIND IT CHALLENGING TO
KEEP UP WITH HIS FAST PACED AND
SENSE OF URGENCY IN PERFORMING
THE WORK OF THE MASTER.
PRESIDENT HINCKLEY AS YOU
KNOW RECENTLY RETURNED FROM
FINLAND WHERE HE DEDICATED
THE CHURCH'S 124TH TEMPLE
LOCATED IN HELSINKI.
ONCE AGAIN PRESIDENT HINCKLEY
WE'RE HONORED TO WELCOME YOU
TO BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY.
>>MY DEAR FRIENDS,
OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SPOKEN
MANY TIMES TO GENERATIONS OF
STUDENTS WHO HAVE ASSEMBLED
IN THIS GREAT MARRIOTT CENTER.
TODAY,
IF YOU WILL BEAR WITH ME,
I THINK I SHALL CHANGE
THE PATTERN OF THOSE
PREVIOUS ADDRESSES.
WHETHER THAT CHANGE
WILL BE ACCEPTABLE OR
NOT WILL DEPEND ON YOU.
FURTHERMORE,
IT IS HALLOWEEN,
[LAUGHTER]
AND THAT CALLS FOR SOMETHING
A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
[LAUGHTER]
THOUGH I DON'T
KNOW WHY IT SHOULD.
AS ALL OF YOU RECOGNIZE,
I AM NOW AN OLD MAN WHO HAS
WEATHERED MANY SEASONS AND
BEEN TOUCHED AND AFFECTED
BY MANY EXPERIENCES.
EMERSON WAS ONCE ASKED WHAT
BOOKS HE HAD READ THAT HAD
MOST INFLUENCED HIS LIFE.
HE REPLIED THAT HE COULD
NO MORE REMEMBER THE
BOOKS HE HAD READ THAN
THE MEALS HE HAD EATEN,
BUT THEY HAD MADE HIM.
AND SO,
IN THE SPIRIT OF
WHAT EMERSON SAID,
RATHER THAN GIVING A SPEECH I
HAVE THOUGHT TO OFFER SEVERAL
BRIEF CAMEOS OR VIGNETTES OR
SEEMINGLY LITTLE EXPERIENCES
THAT I REMEMBER FROM
OUT OF THE PAST AND THAT
HAVE TOUCHED MY LIFE IN AN
UNFORGETTABLE MANNER.
THEY HAVE ALL BEEN PUBLISHED,
AND SOME OF YOU MAY
BE FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
THEY WILL NOT BE IN
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
I BEGIN WITH NUMBER ONE.
I WAS IN THE CITY
OF TORREÓN, MEXICO,
AND WAS BEING DRIVEN
ABOUT IN A BEAUTIFUL AND
EXPENSIVE AUTOMOBILE.
IT BELONGED TO A MAN
NAMED DAVID CASTEÑEDA.
AT ONE TIME HE AND HIS WIFE
AND THEIR CHILDREN LIVED ON A
LITTLE RUNDOWN FARM.
THEY OWNED 30 CHICKENS,
TWO PIGS,
AND ONE SKINNY HORSE.
THEY WALKED IN POVERTY.
THEN ONE DAY TWO MISSIONARIES
CALLED ON THEM.
SISTER CASTEÑEDA SAID,
"THE ELDERS TOOK THE BLINDERS
"FROM OUR EYES AND BROUGHT
"LIGHT INTO OUR LIVES.
"WE KNEW NOTHING
"OF JESUS CHRIST.
"WE KNEW NOTHING OF
GOD UNTIL THEY CAME."
THEY MOVED INTO THE
LITTLE TOWN OF BERMEJILLO.
CIRCUMSTANCES LED THEM
TO THE JUNK BUSINESS.
THEY BOUGHT
WRECKED AUTOMOBILES.
THIS LED TO ASSOCIATION
WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES.
THEY GRADUALLY BUILT A
PROSPEROUS BUSINESS
IN WHICH THE FATHER AND
HIS FIVE SONS WORKED.
WITH SIMPLE FAITH
THEY PAID THEIR TITHING.
THEY LIVED THE GOSPEL.
THEY SERVED WHEREVER
THEY WERE CALLED.
FOUR OF THEIR SONS
AND THREE OF THEIR
DAUGHTERS FILLED MISSIONS.
THROUGH THEIR INFLUENCE SOME
200 OF THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
HAVE JOINED THE CHURCH.
MORE THAN 30 SONS AND
DAUGHTERS OF FAMILY AND
FRIENDS HAVE SERVED MISSIONS.
THEY DONATED THE LAND ON
WHICH A CHAPEL NOW STANDS.
AT THE TIME I MET THEM,
THE CHILDREN--
NOW GROWN TO MATURITY--
AND THE PARENTS WERE TAKING
TURNS GOING TO MEXICO CITY EACH
MONTH TO WORK IN THE TEMPLE.
THEY ARE A SHINING AND
INSPIRATIONAL EXAMPLE
OF THE MIRACULOUS POWER
OF MISSIONARY WORK.
THINK OF THE WONDERFUL
CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR BEING
TAUGHT AND RECEIVING THE
TEACHINGS OF THE GOSPEL FROM
TWO HUMBLE MISSIONARIES.
SUCH MIRACLES ARE OCCURRING
TODAY ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.
NOW, VIGNETTE NUMBER TWO.
I HAVE STOOD AT THE TOMB
OF NAPOLEON IN PARIS,
AT THE TOMB OF LENIN IN MOSCOW,
AND BEFORE THE BURIAL PLACES
OF MANY OTHERS OF THE MIGHTY
LEADERS OF THE EARTH.
IN THEIR TIME THEY
COMMANDED ARMIES,
THEY RULED WITH
NEAR OMNIPOTENCE,
AND THEIR VERY WORDS
BROUGHT TERROR INTO
THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE.
I HAVE REVERENTLY WALKED
THROUGH SOME OF THE GREAT
CEMETERIES OF THE WORLD.
I HAVE REFLECTED QUIETLY AND
THOUGHTFULLY AS I HAVE STOOD
IN THE MILITARY CEMETERY IN
MANILA IN THE PHILIPPINES.
THERE,
LAID OUT IN PERFECT SYMMETRY,
ARE MARBLE CROSSES
MARKING THE GRAVES OF 17,000
AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR
LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
ENCIRCLING THIS BURIAL
GROUND ARE BEAUTIFUL
MARBLE COLONNADES,
WHERE ARE REMEMBERED ANOTHER
35,000 WHO DIED IN THE TERRIBLE
BATTLES OF THE PACIFIC AND
WHOSE REMAINS WERE NEVER FOUND.
I HAVE WALKED WITH REVERENCE
THROUGH THE BRITISH CEMETERY
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF RANGOON,
BURMA (NOW KNOWN AS MYANMAR),
AND NOTED THE NAMES OF HUNDREDS
AND THOUSANDS OF YOUNG MEN
WHO CAME FROM THE VILLAGES,
TOWNS, AND GREAT CITIES
OF THE BRITISH ISLES AND
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
HOT AND DISTANT PLACES.
I HAVE STROLLED THROUGH OLD
CEMETERIES IN ASIA AND EUROPE
AND YET OTHER PLACES,
AND I HAVE REFLECTED ON THE
LIVES OF THOSE WHO WERE
ONCE BUOYANT AND HAPPY,
WHO WERE CREATIVE
AND DISTINGUISHED,
WHO GAVE MUCH TO THE
WORLD IN WHICH THEY LIVED.
THEY HAVE ALL PASSED INTO
THE DARKNESS OF THE GRAVE.
ALL WHO HAVE LIVED UPON THE
EARTH BEFORE US ARE NOW GONE.
THEY HAVE LEFT ALL BEHIND AS
THEY HAVE STEPPED OVER THE
THRESHOLD OF SILENT DEATH.
AS I HAVE VISITED THESE VARIOUS
CEMETERIES I HAVE REFLECTED,
FIRST,
ON THE TERRIBLE COST OF WAR.
WHAT A FRUITLESS
THING IT SO OFTEN IS,
AND WHAT A TERRIBLE
PRICE IT EXACTS.
I HAVE THOUGHT FURTHER OF
THE OBLIVION OF THE GRAVE.
WHAT WOULD WE DO
WITHOUT THE ATONING
SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST,
THE SON OF GOD,
OUR SAVIOR AND OUR REDEEMER?
HE HAS GIVEN US THE
ASSURANCE THAT LIFE
GOES ON BEYOND THE VEIL,
THAT IT IS PURPOSEFUL
AND PRODUCTIVE,
AND THAT EACH OF US
SHALL GO ON LIVING AFTER
WE DEPART THIS LIFE.
THE NEXT ITEM IN MY CHRONICLE
OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS,
IS THE GREAT AND DEADLY
PLAGUE OF THE 14TH CENTURY,
FOLLOWED BY THE RENAISSANCE,
AND EVENTUALLY FOLLOWED BY THE
RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL.
FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE
SAVIOR THE CENTURIES ROLLED ON.
A CLOUD OF DARKNESS
SETTLED OVER THE EARTH.
ISAIAH DESCRIBED IT:
"FOR, BEHOLD,
"THE DARKNESS SHALL
"COVER THE EARTH,
AND GROSS DARKNESS THE PEOPLE".
IT WAS A SEASON OF
PLUNDER AND SUFFERING,
MARKED BY LONG
AND BLOODY CONFLICT.
CHARLEMAGNE WAS CROWNED
EMPEROR OF THE
ROMANS IN THE YEAR 800.
IT WAS AN AGE OF HOPELESSNESS,
A TIME OF MASTERS AND SERFS.
THE FIRST THOUSAND
YEARS PASSED,
AND THE SECOND
MILLENNIUM DAWNED.
ITS EARLIER CENTURIES WERE A
CONTINUATION OF THE FORMER.
IT WAS A TIME FRAUGHT
WITH FEAR AND SUFFERING.
IN THE 14TH CENTURY THE
GREAT PLAGUE BEGAN IN ASIA.
IT SPREAD TO EUROPE
AND ON UP TO ENGLAND.
EVERYWHERE IT WENT
THERE WAS SUDDEN DEATH.
BOCCACCIO SAID OF ITS VICTIMS,
"AT NOON [THEY] DINED WITH
"THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS,
"AND AT NIGHT [THEY] SUPPED
"WITH THEIR ANCESTORS
IN THE NEXT WORLD!".
THE PLAGUE STRUCK TERROR
IN THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE.
IN FIVE YEARS IT TOOK THE
LIVES OF 25 MILLION--ONE THIRD
THE POPULATION OF EUROPE.
PERIODICALLY IT REAPPEARED,
WITH ITS DARK AND GHOULISH
HAND STRIKING INDISCRIMINATELY.
BUT THIS WAS ALSO A SEASON
OF GROWING ENLIGHTENMENT,
THE DAWNING OF THE RENAISSANCE.
AS THE YEARS CONTINUED
THEIR RELENTLESS MARCH,
THE SUNLIGHT OF A NEW DAY BEGAN
TO BREAK OVER THE EARTH.
THERE WAS A MAGNIFICENT
FLOWERING OF ART,
ARCHITECTURE,
AND LITERATURE.
REFORMERS WORKED
TO CHANGE THE CHURCH--
NOTABLY SUCH MEN AS LUTHER,
MELANCHTHON, HUS,
ZWINGLI, AND TYNDALE.
THESE WERE MEN
OF GREAT COURAGE,
SOME OF WHOM SUFFERED
CRUEL DEATHS BECAUSE
OF THEIR BELIEFS.
PROTESTANTISM WAS BORN WITH
ITS CRY FOR REFORMATION.
WHILE THIS GREAT FERMENT
WAS STIRRING ACROSS
THE CHRISTIAN WORLD,
POLITICAL FORCES
WERE ALSO AT WORK.
THERE CAME THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTIONARY WAR,
RESULTING IN THE BIRTH OF A
NATION WHOSE CONSTITUTION
DECLARED THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD
NOT REACH ITS GRASPING HAND
INTO MATTERS OF RELIGION.
A NEW DAY HAD DAWNED--
A GLORIOUS DAY.
HERE THERE WAS NO
LONGER A STATE CHURCH.
NO ONE FAITH WAS FAVORED
ABOVE ANOTHER.
ALL OF THE HISTORY OF THE PAST
HAD POINTED TO THIS SEASON.
THE CENTURIES,
WITH ALL OF THEIR SUFFERING
AND ALL OF THEIR HOPE,
HAD COME AND GONE.
THE ALMIGHTY
JUDGE OF THE NATIONS,
THE LIVING GOD,
DETERMINED THAT THE TIMES
OF WHICH THE PROPHETS
HAD SPOKEN HAD ARRIVED.
DANIEL HAD FORESEEN A STONE
THAT WAS CUT OUT OF THE
MOUNTAIN WITHOUT HANDS
AND THAT ROLLED FORTH AND
FILLED THE WHOLE EARTH.
THEN OCCURRED THAT
MOST WONDERFUL EVENT,
THE REVEALING OF THE FATHER
AND THE SON TO THE
14-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH SMITH.
THERE FOLLOWED IN ORDERLY
PROCESSION THE COMING FORTH
OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND THE
RESTORATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD
WITH KEYS TO UNLOCK
THE DOOR OF ETERNAL LIFE.
HOW THANKFUL WE SHOULD BE
FOR THESE MARVELOUS AND
WONDERFUL THINGS THAT SO
RICHLY BLESS OUR LIVES,
INCLUDING THE PRIVILEGE OF
ATTENDING THIS UNIVERSITY.
AND NOW,
NUMBER FOUR IS A CAMEO OF A
LITTLE DIFFERENT NATURE.
JOSEPH ANDERSON WAS A SEVENTY.
HE LIVED TO BE 102,
THE OLDEST GENERAL
AUTHORITY EVER.
HE SERVED AS SECRETARY TO
PRESIDENT HEBER J. GRANT,
BEGINNING WAY BACK IN 1922.
IN HIS OLD AGE,
PRESIDENT GRANT
BECAME SERIOUSLY ILL.
WHEN JOSEPH VISITED WITH HIM,
PRESIDENT GRANT SAID,
"JOSEPH, HAVE I EVER
"BEEN UNKIND TO YOU?
"HAVE I EVER ABUSED
YOU IN ANY WAY?"
JOSEPH SAID,
"NO, PRESIDENT GRANT,
"YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN UNKIND TO
ME IN ALL THESE MANY YEARS."
TEARS ROLLED DOWN
PRESIDENT GRANT'S CHEEKS,
AND HE SAID,
"JOSEPH, I AM GLAD THAT
"YOU CAN SAY THAT I HAVE
NEVER BEEN UNKIND TO YOU."
PRESIDENT GRANT
DIED THE NEXT DAY.
JOSEPH ANDERSON,
THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE,
HAD REASON TO REJOICE
IN THE KINDNESS,
THE CIVILITY,
THE DECENCY,
THE HONESTY,
AND THE INTEGRITY ON THE PART
OF A MOST REMARKABLE
AND WONDERFUL MAN--
PRESIDENT HEBER J. GRANT.
NOW A TOUCH ON THE LIGHTER
SIDE COMES NUMBER FIVE.
MY FATHER USED TO
TELL THIS STORY:
A BOY CAME DOWN TO
BREAKFAST ONE MORNING
AND SAID TO HIS FATHER,
"DAD, I WAS DREAMING
ABOUT YOU LAST NIGHT."
"YOU WERE?"
"YES."
"WHAT WERE YOU DREAMING?"
"I WAS DREAMING THAT I WAS
"CLIMBING A LADDER TO HEAVEN,
"AND ON EACH RUNG OF THE
"LADDER AS I WENT UP,
"I HAD TO WRITE
ONE OF MY SINS."
HIS FATHER SAID,
"YES, WHERE DO I COME
INTO YOUR DREAM?"
THE BOY SAID,
"AS I WAS GOING UP,
"I MET YOU COMING DOWN
FOR MORE CHALK."
[LAUGHTER]
NOW FOR NUMBER SIX:
[LAUGHTER]
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THIS PIECE
OF POETRY BY ROSEMARY
AND STEPHEN BENÉT.
IT IS ENTITLED "NANCY HANKS"
AND SPEAKS THE THOUGHTS OF
THE MOTHER OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
IT READS AS FOLLOWS:
"IF NANCY HANKS CAME
"BACK AS A GHOST,
"SEEKING NEWS OF
"WHAT SHE LOVED MOST,
"SHE'D ASK FIRST
"WHERE'S MY SON?
"WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ABE?
"WHAT'S HE DONE?
"POOR LITTLE ABE,
"LEFT ALL ALONE EXCEPT FOR TOM,
"WHO'S A ROLLING STONE;
"HE WAS ONLY NINE
"THE YEAR I DIED.
"I REMEMBER STILL
"HOW HARD HE CRIED.
"SCRAPING ALONG
"IN A LITTLE SHACK,
"WITH HARDLY A SHIRT
"TO COVER HIS BACK,
"AND A PRAIRIE WIND
"TO BLOW HIM DOWN,
"OR PINCHING TIMES
"IF HE WENT TO TOWN.
"YOU WOULDN'T KNOW
"ABOUT MY SON?
"DID HE GROW TALL?
"DID HE HAVE FUN?
"DID HE LEARN TO READ?
"DID HE GET TO TOWN?
"DO YOU KNOW HIS NAME?
DID HE GET ON?"
YOU KNOW THE ANSWER.
HE BECAME AMERICA'S
MOST-ADMIRED PRESIDENT.
NOW FOR NUMBER SEVEN.
NO SERIES OF VIGNETTES DRAWN
FROM CHURCH HISTORY WOULD BE
COMPLETE WITHOUT REFERENCE
TO THE HANDCART PIONEERS
OF 1856--156 YEARS AGO
AT THIS VERY DAY
MY WIFE'S GREAT-GRANDMOTHER,
MARY PENFOLD GOBLE,
WAS BAPTIZED IN ENGLAND.
THE FAMILY JOINED THE
HUNT WAGON COMPANY,
WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE
MARTIN HANDCART COMPANY.
HER DAUGHTER'S ACCOUNT
IS WRITTEN IN THE SIMPLE,
MATTER-OF-FACT MANNER
OF A YOUNG GIRL,
BUT BEHIND THOSE PLAIN
WORDS IS STARK TRAGEDY.
SHE WRITES AS FOLLOWS:
"WE TRAVELED FROM
"15 TO 25 MILES A DAY...
"WE TRAVELED ON TILL WE
"GOT TO THE PLATTE RIVER...
"WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE
"HANDCART COMPANIES THAT DAY.
"WE WATCHED THEM
"CROSS THE RIVER.
"THERE WERE GREAT LUMPS OF
"ICE FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER.
"IT WAS BITTER COLD.
"THE NEXT MORNING THERE
"WERE 14 DEAD...
"WE WENT BACK TO CAMP
"AND WENT TO PRAYERS.
"WE SANG THE SONG
"'COME, COME, YE SAINTS,
"NO TOIL NOR LABOR FEAR.'
"I WONDERED WHAT
"MADE MY MOTHER CRY...
"THE NEXT MORNING MY
"LITTLE SISTER WAS BORN.
"IT WAS THE 23RD OF SEPTEMBER.
"WE NAMED HER EDITH,
"AND SHE LIVED SIX
"WEEKS AND DIED...
[SHE WAS BURIED AT THE LAST
CROSSING OF THE SWEETWATER.]
"WHEN WE ARRIVED AT DEVIL'S
"GATE IT WAS BITTER COLD...
"MY BROTHER JAMES...
"WAS AS WELL AS HE EVER
"WAS WHEN HE WENT TO BED.
"IN THE MORNING HE WAS DEAD.
"MY FEET WERE FROZEN
"[ALSO MY BROTHER'S
"AND SISTER'S].
"IT WAS NOTHING BUT SNOW.
"WE COULD NOT DRIVE THE PEGS...
"FOR OUR TENTS...
"WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT
"WOULD BECOME OF US.
"ONE NIGHT A MAN CAME TO
"OUR CAMP AND TOLD US...
"[BRIGHAM] YOUNG HAD SENT
"MEN AND TEAMS TO HELP US...
"WE SANG SONGS,
"SOME DANCED AND SOME CRIED...
"MY MOTHER...
"NEVER GOT WELL...
"SHE DIED BETWEEN THE
"LITTLE AND BIG MOUNTAINS...
"SHE WAS 43 YEARS OLD...
"WE ARRIVED IN SALT LAKE CITY
"[AT] NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT
"THE 11TH OF DECEMBER 1856.
"THREE OUT OF [THE] FOUR THAT
"WERE LIVING WERE FROZEN.
"MY MOTHER WAS
"DEAD IN THE WAGON...
"EARLY NEXT MORNING...
"BRIGHAM YOUNG... CAME...
"WHEN HE SAW OUR CONDITION--
"OUR FEET FROZEN
"AND OUR MOTHER DEAD--
"TEARS ROLLED DOWN HIS CHEEKS.
"THE DOCTOR AMPUTATED MY TOES...
"[WHILE] THE SISTERS
"WERE DRESSING
"MOTHER [FOR HER GRAVE]...
THAT AFTERNOON SHE WAS BURIED."
WHAT A STORY IN A
FEW BRIEF WORDS.
NOW NUMBER EIGHT:
IN 1966, WHILE THE
VIETNAM WAR WAS RAGING,
I WENT TO THAT LAND.
WHEN WE LANDED AT
TAN SON NHUT AIRPORT,
COLONEL ROSZA PUT A PIECE OF
PAPER IN FRONT OF ME AND SAID,
"SIGN THIS."
I SAID, "WHAT IS IT?"
HE SAID, "IT'S A RELEASE
RELIEVING THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT OF ANY
RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU
WHILE YOU ARE IN VIETNAM."
I SIGNED THE RELEASE,
AND WE CLIMBED ABOARD AN OLD
"GOONY BIRD" AIRPLANE AND
WENT DOWN THE RUNWAY.
THE SERGEANT HAD
LEFT THE DOOR OPEN.
WHEN WE GOT UP
IN THE AIR I SAID,
"AREN'T YOU GOING
TO CLOSE THE DOOR?"
AND HE SAID, "IT'S TOO HOT."
AND SO WE FLEW UP TO DA NANG,
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT
MEETING AS LONG AS I LIVE.
MEN CAME IN FROM THE BATTLE
AREAS AND STACKED THEIR RIFLES
AT THE DOOR OF THE BUILDING.
THREE OF THEIR NUMBER HAD BEEN
KILLED THAT PREVIOUS WEEK,
AND WE HELD A MEMORIAL SERVICE
FOR THEM AND HAD A MEETING.
SOLDIERS OF THE JEWISH FAITH
WERE TO HAVE HAD THE BUILDING
THAT NIGHT--IT WAS SATURDAY--
AND WHEN THEY SAW HOW
MANY OF US THERE WERE
(THERE WERE ONLY
ABOUT A DOZEN OF THEM),
THEY GENEROUSLY SAID,
"YOU GO BACK IN AND
USE THE BUILDING."
WHEN THE MEETING WAS OVER,
WE WERE LOADED INTO AN
ARMY AMBULANCE AND TAKEN
TO STAY THE NIGHT IN AN
UNFINISHED FIELD HOSPITAL.
IT WAS MADE OF COMPONENTS
THAT WERE BEING BOLTED
TOGETHER--PRODUCED IN THE
STATES AND SHIPPED TO VIETNAM.
AND THE AIR-CONDITIONING
WASN'T WORKING,
SO IT WAS LIKE AN OVEN.
THE WINDOWS WERE ALL SEALED.
TO TAKE A SHOWER WE HAD A BIG
BARREL OF WATER WITH A DIPPER.
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT FIGHTER
AIRCRAFT WERE FLYING NORTH,
AND WE WONDERED HOW MANY
OF THEM WOULD COME BACK.
WE WENT DOWN TO NHA TRANG ON
SUNDAY MORNING AND HELD A
WONDERFUL MEETING THERE.
WE HAD THE SACRAMENT
WITH MEN WHO HADN'T HAD
THE SACRAMENT IN MONTHS.
FOR ME THAT WAS A
GREAT AND SIGNIFICANT AND
UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE.
NOW NUMBER NINE:
I HAD A LONG-REMEMBERED
MEETING WITH MR. SHIMON
PERES OF ISRAEL.
HE WAS A FORMER PRIME MINISTER.
HE HAD SEEN MUCH OF CONFLICT
AND TROUBLE IN HIS TIME.
I ASKED HIM WHETHER THERE WAS
ANY SOLUTION TO THE GREAT
PROBLEMS THAT CONSTANTLY
SEEM TO DIVIDE THE PEOPLE OF
ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS.
HE REPLIED,
"OF COURSE THERE IS."
AS I RECALL, HE SAID,
"WHEN WE WERE ADAM AND EVE,
"WE WERE ALL ONE.
"IS THERE ANY NEED FOR US NOW
"TO BE DIVIDED INTO SEGMENTS
WITH HATRED FOR ONE ANOTHER?"
HE TOLD A VERY INTERESTING
STORY THAT HE SAID HE HAD
HEARD FROM A MUSLIM.
THE MUSLIM TOLD OF A JEWISH
RABBI WHO WAS CONVERSING
WITH TWO OF HIS FRIENDS.
THE RABBI ASKED ONE OF THE MEN,
"HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN
"THE NIGHT IS OVER AND
A NEW DAY HAS BEGUN?"
HIS FRIEND REPLIED,
"WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE
"EAST AND CAN DISTINGUISH
"A SHEEP FROM A GOAT,
"THEN YOU KNOW THE NIGHT IS
OVER AND THE DAY HAS BEGUN."
THE SECOND WAS ASKED
THE SAME QUESTION.
HE REPLIED,
"WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE
"DISTANCE AND CAN DISTINGUISH
"AN OLIVE TREE FROM A FIG TREE,
"THEN YOU KNOW
MORNING HAS COME."
THEY THEN ASKED THE RABBI HOW
HE COULD TELL WHEN THE NIGHT IS
OVER AND THE DAY HAS BEGUN.
HE THOUGHT FOR A
TIME AND THEN SAID,
"WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE
"EAST AND SEE THE FACE OF
"A WOMAN AND YOU CAN SAY,
"'SHE IS MY SISTER.'
"AND WHEN YOU LOOK INTO
"THE EAST AND SEE THE FACE
"OF A MAN AND CAN SAY,
"'HE IS MY BROTHER.'
"THEN YOU KNOW THE LIGHT
OF A NEW DAY HAS COME."
THINK OF THAT FOR
A FEW MOMENTS,
MY DEAR FRIENDS.
HOW ELOQUENTLY IT SPEAKS OF THE
TRUE MEANING OF BROTHERHOOD.
AND SO,
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
I MIGHT GO ON.
I HAVE GIVEN YOU A SAMPLING
OF SIGNIFICANT OCCASIONS THAT
HAVE FOREVER TOUCHED MY LIFE.
THEY HAVE INFLUENCED MY
THINKING AND MY BEHAVIOR.
THEY HAVE AFFECTED MY LIFE IN
AN UNFORGETTABLE MANNER.
YOU LIKEWISE WILL HAVE
SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL WRITE THEM
DOWN AND KEEP A RECORD OF THEM,
THAT YOU WILL READ THEM FROM
TIME TO TIME AND REFRESH YOUR
MEMORY OF THESE MEANINGFUL
AND SIGNIFICANT THINGS.
SOME OF THEM MAY BE FUNNY.
SOME MAY BE OF
SIGNIFICANCE ONLY TO YOU.
SOME OF THEM MAY BE SACRED
AND QUIETLY BEAUTIFUL.
SOME MAY BUILD ONE UPON ANOTHER
UNTIL THEY REPRESENT A
LIFETIME OF SPECIAL EXPERIENCE.
SO IT WAS WITH THE GIRL I
MARRIED NEARLY 70 YEARS AGO.
MY EXPERIENCES WITH HER STAND
OUT VIVIDLY IN MY MEMORY.
I CANNOT FORGET THEM.
WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG I WAS
BEWITCHED AND IN LOVE.
THAT LOVE STRENGTHENED
THROUGH THE YEARS.
SHE CAME TO BE A WOMAN
OF RECOGNIZED CAPACITY.
SHE TRAVELED ACROSS THE
WORLD WITH ME AND SPOKE
ON EVERY CONTINENT,
GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT AND
BEARING HER TESTIMONY.
SHE AUTHORED BOOKS.
SHE WAS ONCE HONORED HERE
AS THE WOMAN OF THE YEAR.
A CHAIR AT THIS UNIVERSITY
CARRIES HER NAME.
SHE LEFT ME TWO
AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
THE RESULTING LONELINESS
NEVER ENTIRELY DISAPPEARS.
ON THE GRANITE MARKER
AT HER GRAVE SITE ARE
INSCRIBED THE WORDS
"BELOVED ETERNAL COMPANION."
SUCH SHE IS AND SUCH
SHE ALWAYS WILL BE.
I REMIND YOU THAT THE
ASSOCIATION YOU NOW ENJOY
AS STUDENTS IS PROBABLY
THE BEST TIME OF YOUR
LIVES TO FIND YOUR OWN
"BELOVED ETERNAL COMPANION."
DO SO WITH A
PRAYER IN YOUR HEART.
IT WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT
DECISION YOU WILL EVER MAKE.
IT WILL INFLUENCE YOUR LIFE
FROM NOW THROUGH ALL ETERNITY.
GOD BLESS YOU,
MY BELOVED FRIENDS.
MAY THIS BE A WONDERFUL
SEASON IN YOUR LIVES AS
YOU ATTEND THIS GREAT
CHURCH-SPONSORED UNIVERSITY
IS MY HUMBLE PRAYER,
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST,
AMEN.
>>FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON THIS PROGRAM,
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT:
BYUBROADCASTING.ORG
♪♪
THIS BYU DEVOTIONAL ADDRESS,
BY PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY,
WAS GIVEN ON OCTOBER 31ST 2006.
♪♪
