Here you will find well-loved speeches given at least a decade ago. Jeffrey R. Holland speeches, 1980-1989 Dates. Jeffrey R. Holland recalls the story of the prodigal son, which testifies that no matter how mild or how severe our sins, there is always a way back to light, peace, and eternal life. For one thing I’ve arrived at: Jeffrey R. Holland. See Also. I shrunk and would that I might not slay him” (1 Nephi 4:10). The path to a complete Christian education passes through the Garden of Gethsemane, and we will learn there if we haven’t learned it before that our Father will have no other gods before him—even (or especially) if that would-be god is our self. EXPLORE BY. Scope and Contents Contains records related to Patricia Terry Holland, President Holland's wife. So how do we speak of such spiritual freedom and intellectual independence in one breath only to plead with you to be submissive and very dependent in the next breath? Translation of the BYU Speeches + LEARN. Speaker . or. Tune in to hear experts discuss their tips for finding success and growing their relationships with God. when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth” (3 Nephi 11:11–12). I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, [I] am not silent.” “Hide not thy face far from me; . However, the very day after their engagement, Patricia flew to New York to study music at The Juilliard School. I quote Elder Howard generously in summarizing this story. Their love endured, despite their prolonged separation, and on June 7, 1963, they were married in the St. George Temple. But education, or public service, or social responsibility, or professional accomplishment of any kind is in vain if we cannot, in those crucial moments of pivotal personal history, submit ourselves to God even when all our hopes and fears may tempt us otherwise. speeches@byu.edu Abbreviations About FAQ GIVE to Speeches. It is a dazzling display. We must be willing to place all that we have—not just our possessions (they may be the easiest things of all to give up), but also our ambition and pride and stubbornness and vanity—we must place it all on the altar of God, kneel there in silent submission, and willingly walk away. The doctors told then–Elder Romney that the damage from the hemorrhage was severe. It is pretty much a bitter cup all the way around. He wanted to make sure that he had done all he could do. . The BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies custom essays writer was established and constructed in Jerusalem during Holland's tenure. leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.” “Be not silent [un]to me” (Psalms 10:1, 22:1–2, 27:9, 28:1). Photo by Trisha Panzo. Soon Joseph Smith no longer felt him to be of use in the First Presidency, and after the Prophet’s death, Rigdon plotted against the Twelve in an effort to gain unilateral control over the Church. Only fifty-two words. . [“Not My Will, But Thine” (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988), p. 1]. We believe we are on in Act II, but we know almost nothing of how Act I went or how Act III will be. January 14, 2020. Jeffrey R. Holland was a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this fireside address was delivered at Brigham Young University on 2 March 1997. BYU’s podcast of acclaimed devotional speakers is here to help! Sound familiar? Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown [them]!” (Nature [1836], section 1). for those things which thou hast done. Lectures. Others have disappeared into the sea, never to be seen again. It seemed as if the Lord was speaking directly to him. How should he make his way in the world?” the wise old general said, “Teach him to deny himself. Not now, of all moments! Let me use an example from what is often considered by foes, and even by some friends, as the most unsavory moment in the entire Book of Mormon. In the spirit of that very provocative thought, I invite you to consider another startling—and much more important scene that should evoke belief and adoration, a scene which, like the stars at night, we have undoubtedly taken too much for granted. And to a lesser degree we hear the supplication from Liberty Jail: “O God, where art thou? Then have your head examined, bud,  Rudyard Kipling, eat your heart out. Somewhat stunned by all that had happened, he sat down on the edge of the bed only to hear his wife’s frail voice for the first time in months. A little hope in your inbox. He fell to his knees and poured out his heart, and as he concluded his prayer with the phrase, “Thy will be done,” he either felt or actually heard a voice which said, “It is not contrary to my will that Ida be healed.”. 1980-1989 Conditions Governing Access. Commencements . Convocations. “This miracle is rich in symbolism and suggestion,” writes Elder James E. Talmage. A desire to shrink? . . And what he as a child of God did, we must try very hard to do also. When it is over we will be told. Obedience is the first law of heaven, but in case you haven’t noticed, some of these commandments are not easy, and we frequently may seem to be in for much more than we bargained for. “And . I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning. It will be required of each of us to kneel when we may not want to kneel, to bow when we may not want to bow, to confess when we may not want to confess—perhaps a confession born of painful experience that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are his ways our ways, saith the Lord (see Isaiah 55:8). The words of the scripture so touched his heart that for the first time in weeks he felt he had tangible peace. But we, never seeing the play from the outside (as Sister Holland has just suggested), and meeting only the tiny minority of characters who are “on” in the same scenes as ourselves, largely ignorant of the future and very imperfectly informed about the past, cannot tell at what moment Christ will come and confront us. Search. Results 1-27 of 27 Current facets: xContributor: Holland, Jeffrey R. Narrow your search: Record Type. (1) Holmes, Douglas D. (1) ... Sign up for the BYU Speeches newsletter to receive monthly inspiration. The Author knows. Patricia caught his eye, and the two began dating. I choose it precisely because there is so much in it that has given offense to many. Upcoming Translated Speeches. “Be of good cheer,” he called out. We do so because no amount of university education, or any other kind of desirable and civilizing experience in this world, will help us at the moment of our confrontation with Christ if we have not been able—and are not then able—to yield, yield all that we are, all that we have, and all that we ever hope to have to the Father and the Son. . He is the focal point and principal figure behind every fireside and devotional and family home evening held by those Nephites for the last six hundred years, and by their Israelite forefathers for thousands of years before that. But in such times of seeming injustice, we must remember that God’s accounts are not always settled in October (see “The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom” in Hope[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1988], p. 200). Failure. But we think this way because we keep on assuming that we know the play. We want you to be strong and to have the most enlightened intelligence possible. Contact. When Elder Holland returned from his mission, he married Patricia in the St. George Temple. Topic. Perhaps you were thinking of going on a mission or paying your tithing or denying yourself some indulgence. Photo by Trisha Panzo. Work (26) Person (1) Area. He had been reading in the book of Helaman about the prophet Nephi, who had been falsely condemned and unfairly charged with sedition. (1) Holman, Curt (1) Holman, Thomas B. Thirty days after his return, the two were engaged. But Satan’s performance can be instructive. . Although Marion Romney had read that story many times before, it now struck him this night as a personal revelation. He fasted that he might know how to show the Lord that he had faith and that he would accept God’s will in their lives. Speech Page: Her humor, storytelling abilities, and genuine love for BYU and her family shines through her words, making all of her addresses memorable and meaningful. Brent C. James March 18, … Robert L. Millet and Larry E. Dahl [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1989], p. 147). Classic BYU Speeches podcast on demand - Stuck in a spiritual rut? Just a few lines. Melanie Kennelly February 4, 2020. But there it is, squarely in the beginning of the book—page 8—where even the most casual reader will see it and must deal with it. Elder David A. Now it would not behoove us here in the security of our pleasant quarters to pass judgment on Brother Rigdon or anyone else who suffered these indignities in Missouri, but to say that Christ’s atoning sacrifice, bearing the weight of all the sins of all mankind from Adam to the end of the world, was foolishness compared to Brother Rigdon’s confinement in Liberty Jail smacks of that defiant and finally fatal arrogance we so often see in those who end up in spiritual trouble. ), The work of devils and of darkness is never more certain to be defeated than when men and women, not finding it easy or pleasant but still determined to do the Father’s will, look out upon their lives from which it may seem every trace of God has vanished, and asking why they have been so forsaken, still bow their heads and obey. Preparation. I use the word advisedly. [Helaman 10:4–5], There was the answer. To be able to say at the final curtain “I have suffered the will of the Father in all things” is our only avenue to an ovation in the end. Perhaps you were going to get married next month. Blind Faith, but Big Faith. . It is one of the best speeches/talks I've heard in a long time (and all of Elder Holland's are wonderful) Tagged BYU Speeches, Choosing the Right, Convenience, discipleship, Elder Jeffrey R. While many of his talks are well-known and frequently quoted, here are five of the best talks you’ve never heard by Elder Jeffrey R. Watch Queue Queue. There’s something wrong with you. We are led to expect that the Author will have something to say to each of us on the part that each of us has played. I have to give something of this same speech to the missionaries in the various Missionary Training Centers around the world, because they, too, are living in a rarefied, near-perfect, idealized environment surrounded by sweet, good, spiritual people who love them dearly and want them to succeed and want to take care of every human need. . Let me take a moment to set the stage. “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded.” Well, we shall see. Patricia T. Holland, born Patricia Terry, considers herself “a genuine farm girl” hailing from the tiny town of Enterprise, Utah. I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of. How long shall thy hand be stayed. Healing . Sterling W. Sill August 15, 1957. Is it any wonder that Christ chooses first and foremost to define himself in relation to his father—that he loved him and obeyed him and submitted to him like the loyal son he was? She recalled the account in the fourteenth chapter of Matthew, when a storm arose on the Sea of Galilee and the ship containing the disciples was “tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary” (Matthew 14:24). . Provo, Utah 84602. Such freedom is exactly what universities are about, especially this one. It is difficult, therefore, to get a hearing for what the words obedience and submissiveness really mean—even when the clarifying phrase, “to God,” is attached. It is not intended that either Nephi or we be spared the struggle of this account. In a unique devotional at Brigham Young University in 19852, one of the special addresses in which Elder and Sister Holland spoke side-by-side, they tenderly expressed their reliance on one anothers constant support through those daunting early years and well beyond. One by one he invites us to feel the wounds in his hands and his feet and his side. We try very hard here to unshackle you from the bondage of ignorance and the captivity of wrong opinions. I close with an adaptation of an account by C. S. Lewis entitled “The World’s Last Night,” which I have commandeered and changed for our purposes here this morning. why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” “Why art thou so far from helping me? Listen on Apple Podcasts. I speak of Nephi’s obligation to slay Laban in order to preserve a record, save a people, and ultimately lead to the restoration of the gospel in the dispensation of the fulness of times. Records date from 1980 to 1989. . See, it sounds exactly like BYU–Hawaii! In the end he died a petty and bitter man, one who had lost his faith, his testimony, his priesthood, and his promises. Hope. Where’s my notebook? This kind of not knowing seems to some people intolerably frustrating. . Stuck in a spiritual rut? he do this thing? Obedience. But it was Christ walking on the water toward them. In fact, we don’t know much of it. Walter Hooper [Great Britain: Fontana/Collins, 1975], pp. Professor Keith W. Perkins of our Church History Department has written that this moment marks the turning point for ill in Sidney Rigdon’s life (see “Trials and Tribulations: The Refiner’s Fire” in The Capstone of Our Religion: Insights into the Doctrine and Covenants, eds. Her upbringing on the family farm consisted of milking family cows with her five brothers, driving a pickup truck, and missing school to gather potatoes every October. She would have dearly loved being with us, but she is in Houston, Texas, tonight, helping with a brand-new granddaughter born to our daughter and son-in-law there. Satan would have done well to listen to that wisest of Scottish pastors, George MacDonald, who warned: “There is one kind of religion in which the more devoted a man is, the fewer proselytes he makes: the worship of himself” (C. S. Lewis, ed., George MacDonald: An Anthology [New York: Macmillan, 1947], p. 110). We must be careful not to miss the hand of the Lord when it is offered, when it is his desire to assist. The only problem is that we know this, but Nephi does not. Quickly he put on his tie and coat, then went out into the night to visit Ida in the hospital. She had, of course, been administered to, but Elder Romney was “reluctant to counsel the Lord about the matter.” Because of his earlier unsuccessful experience of praying that he and Ida might have children, he knew that he could never ask in prayer for something which was not in harmony with the will of the Lord. . So many things would be interrupted. In today’s society, at the mere mention of the words obedience and submissiveness hackles rise and people re put on nervous alert. Follow the links below to read, watch, listen to, or to find the speech wherever you listen to podcasts. My daughter Mary made this point in a recent conversation, and I asked her permission to repeat it. Watch Live Stream. The scripture read: Blessed art thou, . I think that is why Jacob says to be learned—or, we would presume, to be any other worthy thing—is good if one hearkens unto the counsels of God. We don’t know why those plates could not have been obtained some other way—perhaps accidentally left at the plate polishers one night or maybe falling out the back of Laban’s chariot on a Sabbath afternoon. Holland, Jeffrey R. (24) Holland, Patricia T. (9) Hollingshaus, Wade J. Brother Romney confided to those closest to him that in spite of his anguished, personal yearning for Ida’s restored health and continued companionship, above all he wanted “the Lord’s will to be done and to take what he needed to take without whimpering.”. While attending Dixie High School, Patricia met “the smartest boy in school, who was also a terrible tease, and even though [she] couldn’t stand him at the time, [she] had the strangest feeling, even then, that, when [she] was older, [she] would marry him.” That boy was Jeffrey Holland, the academic and athletic all-star. This was a stark contrast to what she experienced when, at age 16, she and her family moved to the larger city of St. George, Utah. . Closed for 50 years from the date of creation of the records, and thereafter open to the public in accordance with the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Restriction Policy. They think they know how the story is going to end, and they are quite wrong. Following a miraculous deliverance from his accusers, Nephi returned home pondering the things which he had experienced. Collection: Overcoming Adversity. But time is measured only unto man, says Alma (see Alma 40:8), and God has a very good memory. hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. Endurance. Holland and her husband are the parents of three children, including Matthew S. Holland, who was president of Utah Valley University from 2009 to 2018. Then, as you and your neighbors are milling about the temple grounds (a place that has suddenly seemed to many like a very good place to be), you hear a voice and see a man clothed in a white robe descending out of heaven. Did we submit, even if the cup was bitter indeed? I begin with a bit of humor only because the task I wish to discuss with you this morning is a sobering one—not something we can laugh off or say doesn’t matter. . Adversity . The servant, however, has no such delusions. Turn on every tape recorder in town. . BYU Speeches. 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