Elder Takashi Wada of the Seventy invited the campus community to learn from Book of Mormon prophets, learn of Christ and develop Christlike charity at the BYU devotional on Oct. 15.
Elder Wada said one of the significant benefits of studying at BYU is gaining an "unwavering conviction" of the Book of Mormon and experiencing the supporting power to go forth to serve in the world after graduation.
"The blessings associated with the trials in our lives are to become closer to the Lord and to develop the characteristics of charity, even the pure love of Christ," he said.
Elder Wada shared several stories from the Book of Mormon, saying this "textbook" inspires people to liken the scriptures to themselves, come to know Christ and acquire Christlike attributes, particularly charity, he said.
Leaving our Jerusalem
Speaking about Nephi's experience leaving Jerusalem to obey the Lord, Elder Wada asked attendees to identify Jerusalem in their lives.
From his personal experience, he said two examples of leaving "Jerusalem" included when he first accepted the gospel and left traditional beliefs behind, and when he left his home to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.
Despite his friends' judgments, Elder Wada said he committed to leave his "natural man" through Christ and strived to be like Nephi, who stayed faithful and obedient to God's commandments.
Our promised land
Elder Wada said he often pondered about his own "promised land" — the place he would establish his life after completing his education at BYU.
He said the Lord blessed Nephi with the knowledge of a promised land from his "great desires to know of the mysteries of God," as he "did cry unto the Lord."
Nephi was told he would be led to the land and prosper if he kept God's commandments, Elder Wada taught. Because of his "lowliness of heart," the Lord blessed him and prepared it for him.
Tests of obedience are repeatedly demonstrated to those who inherit the promised land, Elder Wada said. As Nephi and his followers arrived in the promised land, they "lived after the manner of happiness."
He said those who kept their covenants with God were blessed, had the Spirit of God and were at peace. He also said they experienced miracles through Christ's disciples, who ministered to the people as Jesus taught.
Developing charity through tribulations
Nephi gained Christlike attributes from witnessing Christ and His love for himself during his journey towards the promised land, Elder Wada said. Nephi refined his life by receiving constant guidance from the spirit, which led him to develop Christlike attributes, one of the most important of which was charity.
"A true test of charity, or the pure love of Christ, is trusting God's love enough to move forward, sometimes without knowledge, believing without leaning on your own desires and understanding," Elder Wada said.
He said Nephi's family learned long-suffering, which is a critical element of charity, by living the commandment to return to Jerusalem to obtain the brass plates.
While Nephi's family endured trials and tribulations, Elder Wada said to pay attention to Nephi's positive words, bearing their journey in the wilderness without a murmur.
"When you receive all things with gratefulness as Nephi did, you can truly understand the will of God even in your trials and believe that all things will 'be made glorious,'" Elder Wada said.
Our wilderness
"Wilderness" is a good word for likening the scriptures to "our own challenging circumstances," Elder Wada said.
It seemed common to Elder Wada that a wilderness is viewed as a lonely place; some people may imagine wilderness as a dry desert in Utah or an island surrounded by ocean.
Individuals might be going through their own wilderness if they experience a sense of loneliness, thinking they are the only ones going through problems and that nobody understands or cares about them, he said.
Elder Wada taught the brother of Jared was commanded to "go forth into the wilderness" instead of "go into" the wilderness, encouraging him to face his problems with courage and purpose.
Amulek taught in the Book of Mormon that people must pour out their souls in the wilderness to remember God always, no matter how lonely they might feel, Elder Wada said.
Get up 'into the mountains'
Elder Wada continued and taught that the Lord nourished Nephi and his family spiritually and temporally through their obedience to keeping God's commandments. As they arrived near the seashore Bountiful, and pitched their tents, the Lord instructed Nephi to go up to the mountain and to cry unto Him.
Elder Wada asked the audience if they had established a place to communicate with God. He said the Lord commanded Nephi to construct a ship for him and his family to travel to the promised land in the mountain where he prayed.
Nephi built a ship "according to the instruction of the Lord," and he was not commanded to visit the mountain once, Elder Wada said. He added the Lord showed Nephi "great things" as he often prayed unto the Lord.
Preparing your unique ship through 'study and by faith'
Students at BYU are blessed with many opportunities to seek God's direction and prepare their own unique ship, Elder Wada said.
People might feel ready to make excuses or to crumble as they travel their wilderness and cross their oceans of trials and oppositions, he said.
Elder Wada taught that Nephi continued to love and forgive his brothers for all they had done to him and he remembered to pray to God, he said. When Nephi's brothers bound him for the second time, he endured without murmuring and praised God all day.
Nephi endured all trials and learned to become "kind" and "not easily provoked" by trusting the Lord to lead him to the promised land, Elder Wada said.
He said he hopes students' time at BYU will become more meaningful as they recognize they are building their ship to sail through the trials and challenges in their lives.
