A few years ago, my wife, Donna, and I enjoyed a very special visit to the Holy Land, where we followed the footsteps of our Savior Jesus Christ.
While we visited traditional and historical biblical sites, I gained a new perspective on the words in the New Testament that I have read since my youth. I felt a special spirit as I visited Nazareth, Galilee, Jerusalem and Gethsemane and walked where Jesus walked.
But this was not the first time that the scriptures came to life for me. This first happened for me in the seminary program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Seminary helped shape my life’s direction. In the late 1970s, I was the only active Church member in my high school in Los Angeles, California. Although I had some good friends, I sometimes felt that I didn’t fit in with most of my classmates. I didn’t feel comfortable attending their parties and other activities. Besides, I was a dedicated athlete, and I didn’t have much free time.
But I did take the time to attend seminary every weekday morning. Seminary became a refuge and a bright start to each day.
In November 2023, in a message to youth, President Russell M. Nelson extended his personal invitation to attend seminary. He said: “As you face many wonderful opportunities, important choices and even difficult challenges in your lives, what can help? I encourage you to participate in seminary. Seminary can change the course of your life. It really can.”
President Nelson shared that “seminary can help you learn to love and understand the scriptures” and “how to use the scriptures to help solve problems in your life and find answers to your questions.”
I am forever grateful to my instructors Larry Johnson, Justin Tolton and Janice Tate for bringing the scriptures to life in a way that I could apply their lessons directly to my life. I remember walking out of many lessons with a desire to be bold like Moses; to flee from temptation like Joseph; to be loyal like Peter and Nephi; to be a missionary like Paul, Alma and the sons of Mosiah; and to be courageous like the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Most importantly, I wanted to be more like Jesus Christ. Through seminary, my love and gratitude for the Savior grew, as did my understanding of His infinite Atonement and what that means for me as I repent and try to improve.
Many years later, I was grateful to be called as an early morning seminary teacher for the four years prior to my call to serve as a mission leader with my wife. Nothing could have prepared me better to work with our amazing elders and sisters in Australia. I love seminary.
During our trip to Israel, while attending Sabbath services at the BYU Jerusalem Center, I had an unexpected, joyful reunion with Larry Johnson, who happened to be there as well. I thanked my teacher again for his powerful influence and example to me.
I am forever grateful to Brother Johnson and to the many faithful, dedicated seminary instructors throughout the world who help bring the scriptures to life and who inspire the youth of the Church to keep on the covenant path and to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.
— Brother Peter G. Vidmar is a member of the Young Men general advisory council.
