Invitation to Seminary

My young brothers and sisters and families of eligible seminary students may I personally share my testimony and encouragement to enroll in and make the most of your seminary experience. As you may know I am a professor of civil and environmental engineering at BYU and have been involved in learning and teaching my whole life. I value my educational experiences and believe with all my heart what President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, that you should get all the education you can. It is so important to take your studies seriously and prepare now so that you can reach your full potential. In seeking education never underestimate the importance of spiritual preparation and living in such a way that you qualify for the Spirit. More than a decade ago an apostle of the Lord, Elder Richard G. Scott, spoke at a gathering of engineering students in our college (Elder Scott was a nuclear engineer himself) and suggested the following equation as a means of obtaining educational and professional success:

The entire world teaches these principles as being important factors in our success, but by themselves they are limited. He went on to teach that the Power of God can increase our success when we add to the equation in the following way:

I have a personal witness that the power of God brings exponential success in all aspects of your life and that seminary and what you will learn there will be the most valuable knowledge of your entire high school experience. The purpose of seminary is to help you learn and apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ in your life, which will further help you to recognize and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. We all have agency and gaining a personal testimony is something that individually we must seek and pay a price for. Your time in seminary is a unique opportunity to do this and will open the door to personal revelation and a testimony that will be a foundation for your life. This year the seminary program will be in sync with the new Come Follow Me gospel study program for individuals and families, which will create additional opportunities for home learning and family discussions. I encourage you to make every effort possible to enroll in seminary and then go about participating in such a way that you maximize the benefits. May God bless you to enjoy these precious high school years and through active participation in seminary develop a faith and trust that with God all things are possible as indicated by Elder Scott’s equation.

Love,

President Jim Nelson

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