Commencement proceedings at BYU on April 25 took on the appearance of what President Thomas S. Monson described as "a family day."
President Monson, second counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the graduation exercises in BYU's Marriott Center and delivered the concluding remarks. (See additional coverage of commencement events on page 11.)President Monson's reference to the day's events as being family-oriented was in connection with his recognition of parents, grandparents, spouses, children and other relatives of graduates attending the ceremony. He made particular reference to the graduates, who, wearing traditional caps and gowns, had earlier in the program applauded those who had helped make possible their opportunity to attend BYU.
To further illustrate a child's gratitude toward parents, he told of an LDS young woman in Denver, Colo., who paid high tribute to her father when her high school class was given an assignment to write a letter to a great man. Some students wrote to the governor, others to the attorney general. Some wrote to the president of the United States or to a sports hero. The young woman wrote to her father, Edward Drury, then president of a stake in Denver. In her letter, she said he was the greatest man she had ever known. She expressed the hope that she would so live that some day she could stand by the side of her mother and father in the celestial kingdom.
"I believe there emanates from the heart of every graduate here today a feeling of gratitude to mothers and fathers and, indeed, a pledge, `I will so live that one day I will be able to be with you in the celestial kingdom of our Heavenly Father," said President Monson.
To the graduating students, President Monson said, "Today you graduate. Tomorrow you will enter the halls of justice as attorneys, the plants of industry as businessmen, the classrooms as teachers, the corridors of hospitals as technicians and nurses, and other chosen professions."
He then gave graduates four thoughts to remember, which he called a formula: labor to learn, strive to serve, think to thank, and pause to pray.
Labor to learn. President Monson quoted from modern scripture: " . . . seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118.)
"Graduation day does not mean closing the cupboard of the books of life, the books of literature, the books of continuing revelations of God."
President Monson cited Ralph Waldo Emerson: "God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take what you please - you can never have both."
Since some of the graduates were business majors, President Monson said he felt it appropriate to quote the industrialist Henry Ford, who said: "An educated man is not one whose memory is trained to carry a few dates in history - he is one who can accomplish things. A man who cannot think is not an educated man, however many college degrees he may have acquired. Thinking is the hardest work anyone can do, which is probably the reason why we have so few thinkers."
President Monson said the Lord gave a message that overshadows the words of Ford and Emerson: "Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.' (Matt. 11:28.)
Strive to serve. President Monson quoted the English biologist and writer Thomas Huxley: "The end of life is not knowledge, but action."
President Monson said he puts it another way: "Vision without work is dreaming, and work without vision is drudgery. But vision, coupled with work, will assure success."
Think to thank. In those three words, said President Monson, are "the finest capsule course for a happy marriage, the formula for enduring friendships and a pattern for personal happiness.
"One of the problems of this troubled world is that people think only of getting - not giving; of receiving - and not even expressing their gratitude for that which they do receive."
Pause to pray. President Monson told the graduates, "Please do not pray - I plead with you - for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle."
Concluding his remarks, President Monson said, "Remember, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has said to you graduates and to me and to all attending here today, `Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.' (Rev. 3:20.)
"Will you listen for that knock? Will you make room in your heart for the Savior of the world, that He may dwell with you?"
