Response to Elder Eyring's Talk

Elder Henry B. Eyring. Great man.

On October 21, 1997, Apostle and then-Church commissioner of education Elder Henry B. Eyring delivered a devotional address at BYU titled “A Child of God.” Elder Eyring talks about how humility, not pride, is the key to achieving educational excellence. He also offers a way to protect oneself against pride, which is to remember that we are God’s children and that we depend on the Savior and His atonement. Consequently, we become both eager to learn and modest in our achievements, recalling that everything we have accomplished was with the Lord’s help and that we are eternally in His debt. Finally, Elder Eyring teaches five characteristics of great learners: they welcome correction, keep commitments, work hard, help other people, and expect and overcome resistance.

I liked Elder Eyring’s point about how great learners help those around them, and I have observed that here at BYU. I think that in our individualistic society many people suppose that in order to be successful they must claw their way to the top and act selfishly or even ruthlessly. Elder Eyring acknowledges that these self-absorbed scholars exist and are well-known. However, he maintains that the best learners help others and learn from everyone they meet because they recognize that each individual has unique abilities that they can learn from. Elder Eyring says that this kind and generous attitude comes easily for Latter-day Saints because we believe that everyone is a child of God and that we all have divine potential. It follows that my peers at BYU are intelligent, helpful students who are striving to increase their secular and spiritual knowledge while lifting others around them in the process. Elder Eyring’s talk is just as applicable to students today as it was in 1997, and I am grateful to attend BYU and have leaders like him to guide me through my college years.