Commencement Speech

Yesterday I opened up the August Ensign to look for the visiting teaching message and found an article on Elder D. Todd Christofferson. Elder Christofferson spoke at my graduation commencement just over a year ago, so I decided to look up the speech he gave. His speech was entitled Greatness.

At such a milestone in our lives, Elder Christofferson encouraged us that greatness was achieved through our every day happenings and not on individual events. He quoted Howard W. Hunter saying, "True greatness is never a result of a chance occurrence or a one-time effort or achievemnt. . . It requires a multitude of correct decisions for the everyday choices between good and evil that Elder Boyd K. Packer spoke about when he said, 'Over the years these little choices will be bundled together and show clearly what we value.' Those choices will also show clearly what we are."

Today I was listening to the radio and Governor Jon Huntsman was talking about something, I am not sure what. But one thing he said stood out to me. To paraphrase it he said, there are not many things that people are remembered for after their deaths. We do not leave behind very many things. But one of the things that people can remember us by is how we treat our children. When he said children he meant the all the children, not just our own. What we do in our everyday life really does define us, and how we treat those around us really can make a difference in the world.

Perhaps my favorite part of Elder Christofferson's speech is when he quoted President Joseph F. Smith saying, "Those things which we call extraordinary, remarkable, or unusual may make history, but they do not make real life. After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, is the truest greatness. To be a successful father or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman. . . It is true that such secondary greatness may be added to that which we style common-place; but when such secondary greatness is not added to that which is fundamental, it is merely an empty honor, and fades away from the common and universal good in life, even though it may find a place in the desultory pages of history."

As I read this speech, I couldn't help but think about the past year of my life. I am grateful that Elder Christofferson spoke on this subject, because it really does define all of our lives. I am glad that I had the opportunity to learn more about this great man in the Ensign, and to reread his speech.

If you want to look up this speech, just go to speeches.byu.edu.