As I contemplated my theme for this talk, I was reminded of a clever cartoon that was published in the Daily Universe<\/i> when I was a BYU student in the 1970s. It illustrated a part of our culture\u2014the BYU experience\u2014that we continue to share in 2005.<\/p>\n
The scene is the BYU campus. A BYU security officer is standing over a student who has been bloodied and bruised, apparently by several stones that lie next to him. The officer is dutifully taking careful notes. The caption reads, \u201cAnd then I said .\u00a0.\u00a0. he who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.\u201d<\/p>\n
My recollection is that Elder Dallin H. Oaks, then president of BYU, referred to this cartoon in a devotional address<\/a>. He regarded it as one of his favorite humorous entries in the Daily Universe<\/i>. He reminded us that although we are not perfect, the standards we set at BYU are so unusual, even peculiar, that it\u2019s easy to let a spirit of self-righteousness appear on our campus. He also reminded us that it\u2019s all right to laugh at ourselves occasionally as we strive to live these standards.<\/p>\n I have good memories of my BYU experience as a student\u2014ward activities, teaching at the MTC, intramural football games, challenging business classes, and weekly devotionals here in the Marriott Center. But I didn\u2019t really appreciate what BYU offered until I had graduated and left the campus.<\/p>\n Since returning to BYU in 1994, I have started to understand the unique opportunities offered to students that make this campus different from our peer institutions.<\/p>\n In a campus devotional seven years ago, President James E. Faust made the following statement:<\/p>\n Brigham Young University is a continuing experiment on whether an institution\u2014the majority of whose trustees are prophets, seers, and revelators\u2014can continue to be true to its trust by the world\u2019s changing standards and yet be a first-class university academically.<\/i> [James E. Faust, \u201cLearning for Eternity<\/a>,\u201d BYU 1997\u201398 Speeches<\/i> (Provo: BYU, 1998), 75\u201376]<\/p>\n We indeed are part of a grand experiment as we study, work, and live on this campus. This morning I will discuss three observations about the BYU experience. Hopefully, as we understand these points, we can appreciate and even enrich this experience we share together.<\/p>\n Observation number one: Sacred tithing funds given by faithful members of the Church are used to support the operation of this university. I believe this first observation is one of the reasons why this campus is holy ground as we consecrate our efforts to your education and preparation for life after graduation.<\/p>\n The Gospel of Mark in the New Testament teaches the doctrine of the widow\u2019s mite:<\/p>\n And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.<\/i><\/p>\n And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.<\/i><\/p>\n And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:<\/i><\/p>\n For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.<\/i> [Mark 12:41\u201344]<\/p>\n In 1985 President Gordon B. Hinckley, then second counselor in the First Presidency, shared a devotional message on this campus entitled \u201cThe Widow\u2019s Mite<\/a>.\u201d Let me summarize some of his thoughts from that talk.<\/p>\n President Hinckley began:<\/p>\n Some time back a small, bent, elderly woman came to my office. For the purpose of this talk I shall call her Mary Olsen, although that is not her name and she would not wish her identity disclosed. She said she had just come over from the temple. She took from her purse her checkbook. She said that she had been a widow for many years, that life had not been easy for her. She had a great love for the Lord and his Church. She had faithfully paid her tithing all her life. She felt she would not live much longer. Now, she said, she felt she ought to be doing more to help than she had done. In a hand shaky with age, she wrote a check for $5,000. She handed it to me. I noted the address where she lived. It was in a poor neighborhood. I confess that as I looked at that check tears came into my eyes. I have held many larger checks than that in my hands. But as I held the check of this widow woman, I was almost overcome by her faith and the seriousness of the trust that was mine in the expenditure of her consecrated contribution. <\/i><\/p>\n .\u00a0.\u00a0. She gives her offering to the Lord, and she is then released from responsibility. The responsibility then becomes mine\u2014<\/i>and yours!<\/p>\n What might she expect of you<\/i> [at this institution, which is supported by tithing funds]?<\/p>\n President Hinckley then shared five points that he believed this faithful widow, Mary Olsen, would expect of you as students of Brigham Young University:<\/p>\n First, [you will have] a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation<\/i> [for] the sacred funds of the Church<\/i> [that are appropriated to operate this university].\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0.<\/i><\/p>\n Second, [you will] save, protect, and do all you can to preserve these remarkable facilities that have cost so much.\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0.<\/i><\/p>\n Third, .\u00a0.\u00a0. you will experience an increase in faith and a strengthened knowledge of the things of God, and, more particularly, of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0.<\/i><\/p>\n Fourth, .\u00a0.\u00a0. many of you will find your companions here.\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0.<\/i><\/p>\n Fifth, .\u00a0.\u00a0. you will better qualify yourselves to fill positions of responsibility in the world of which you will become a part.<\/i> [Gordon B. Hinckley, \u201cThe Widow\u2019s Mite,\u201d BYU 1985\u201386 Devotional and Fireside Speeches<\/i> (Provo: BYU, 1986), 10\u201311]<\/p>\n I\u2019ve read this talk by President Hinckley several times. I often reflected upon the Mary Olsens whom I have met in my life:<\/p>\n All of us know one or two Mary Olsens in our lives. They are the humble and faithful members of the Church who, despite their want, do cast in all that they have, \u201ceven all [their] living\u201d (Mark 12:44), because they love the Lord and obey His commandments. Such are the funds that are used to operate this university.<\/p>\n Do we really recognize and appreciate the sacrifices of Mary Olsen and other faithful members of the Church that allow you students to participate in the BYU experience?<\/p>\n President Hinckley\u2019s invitation applies to all of us\u2014students as well as faculty and staff. We should have a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for the widow\u2019s mite. When I am filled with gratitude and appreciation, a spirit of humility is invited into my heart. I am then more ready to be taught and to serve with the Spirit of the Lord.<\/p>\n Although the amount of tithing funds appropriated to the university is significant, it\u2019s not as important for us to know the amount of such appropriations as it is for us to follow President Hinckley\u2019s counsel and receive these funds with \u201ca deep sense of gratitude and appreciation.\u201d I\u2019m pleased to work with colleagues, both in Salt Lake City and on this campus, who have taught me over the years how to translate this gratitude and appreciation into an efficient use of funds. So what can you students do to show your gratitude and appreciation for these sacred funds?<\/p>\n Talking to full-time missionaries in the Washington, D.C., area, President Hinckley stated, \u201cIf each of you is the kind of missionary your mother thinks you are, then you are all right\u201d (Gordon B. Hinckley, News of the Church, \u201cPresident Hinckley Visits U.S. President, Others During Busy Period<\/a>,\u201d Ensign<\/i>, February 1996, 74). In a similar way, if each of you is the kind of student your mother or even your bishop thinks you are, then you are probably showing gratitude and appreciation for these sacred funds.<\/p>\n I firmly believe that the Brethren want BYU to offer you, the students, an excellent education. I also believe that adequate funds will always be available to fulfill that objective if we are wise and unselfish with our use of resources on this campus.<\/p>\n May I comment briefly on one other point in President Hinckley\u2019s talk: He encouraged the students in 1985 to save, protect, and preserve the facilities on this campus. I believe his counsel continues to be heeded by many of you students today. Let me relate a recent experience.<\/p>\n I was walking toward the Wilkinson Student Center last summer. A group of visitors had finished eating lunch, but not all of their garbage had been properly disposed of. A pile of trash was conspicuously in the patio area and needed to be removed. As I reached down to grab an armful of boxes, I noticed a BYU coed next to me picking up the rest of the boxes. She looked at me and said with a smile, \u201cSome of our visitors don\u2019t appreciate what it takes to keep this campus clean.\u201d I think her mother and bishop would be pleased with the kind of student she had become. Her actions showed the gratitude and appreciation she had for the tithing funds allocated to BYU.<\/p>\n As a matter of fact, a letter to the editor in this morning\u2019s Daily Universe<\/i> reads:<\/p>\n BYU is a phenomenal school\u2014our facilities, faculty, and students are among the best in the world. What a privilege it is to attend such a school and receive a higher education. I personally hope that there is a spirit of gratitude in every student\u2019s heart and mind for the chance to be here. <\/i>\u2014Adam Olsen<\/p>\n My second observation is that it is a great blessing to have prophets, seers, and revelators lead the board of trustees of this institution. President J. Reuben Clark Jr. stated:<\/p>\n\n