President Kevin J. Worthen and Sister Peggy Worthen invited students to trust in the Lord’s way and gaining confidence in decision making in their devotional address on Sept. 6.
Sister Worthen began her address with a story about a rabbi and the Prophet Elijah.
“It is a natural tendency to question, as the rabbi did, the unfairness of the difficulties and opposition we see in our lives and the lives of others who are doing everything they can to follow and serve the Lord,” Sister Worthen said.
She continued to describe the importance of choosing to nurture a testimony of Jesus Christ to maintain an eternal perspective and appreciate the trials of life. Sister Worthen said that when these trials arise, miracles will happen in the lives of individuals who choose to respond by pressing forward with a testimony of Jesus Christ.
“As you search for Heavenly Father’s hand in overcoming your daily struggles, your testimony will grow and become your own,” Sister Worthen said.
President Worthen followed his wife with a discussion on the many choices college students face, basing his comments on President Russell M. Nelson’s address to young adults in May.
“If you want a break from classes in the afternoon, you can arrange that,” President Worthen said. “If you want a longer lunch hour, you can schedule accordingly. You even get to decide whether to show up for classes. Thank goodness compulsory education laws don’t apply to colleges.”
President Worthen then recounted the theme of President Nelson’s talk and said that there are more important choices that will affect an individual beyond college and this life. He emphasized the importance of identity as a child of God and using that identity to make choices that align with covenant making.
President Worthen also expressed that his deep love for the BYU community meant he wanted students to make the best choices to reach their highest eternal potential.
“If we can begin to see our choices as formative acts that manifest and increase our desire and ability to abide by the celestial laws that give God a fullness of joy, we will greatly advance our spiritual and secular education,” President Worthen said.
President Worthen then restated what Sister Worthen said about the choice being up to each individual to build a testimony of Christ and that chosen identities will influence eternal destiny. He said he most wanted students to know that there are some things, like God’s love, that are unchanging.
“We are His children, even if we refuse to recognize that fact,” President Worthen said. “Because we are His children, He will love us, even if we choose not to love Him.”
He closed his his talk with an invitation to revisit President Nelson’s May address.
“I promise that as you do so, you will receive personal revelation, so that you can proceed with confidence in making decisions,” President Worthen said.
