Friday, October 8, 2010

Convocation at the Mem Chu!

Every year the Stanford Memorial Church (also nicknamed the Mem Chu) holds a Convocation for the LDS community. Several Apostles (ie., Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, President Henry B. Eyring) have been former speakers.

This year, Steven Wheelwright, President of BYU-Hawaii, gave the guest remarks. We briefly met Steve and Margaret Wheelwright when they moved into our ward in Boston over 20 years ago. Sister Wheelwright replaced me as a Seminary teacher when we left Massachusetts for California in 1987.

On Wednesday night President Wheelwright shared 5 principles of faith and scholarship:

#1: There is a power and confidence in knowing that a loving Heavenly Father and his Son know all; a peace that comes from learning this!

#2: We live in the dispensation of the fullness of times when all things will be revealed.

#3: We can learn by many means! And, all of these means can be enhanced by learning with the Holy Ghost!

#4: We learn incrementally! Like it says in the scriptures, line upon line, precept on precept.

#5: When we learn and follow promptings, our lives will be blessed beyond measure!

Holding the Convocation inside the Stanford Memorial Church makes it hard for me to resist attending! The church is a beautiful sight! Driving onto campus along Palm Drive the church is a striking centerpiece.

The church interior is really incredible! With pipe organs, gorgeous stained glass windows, and intricate interior mosaics, it's truly a crown jewel of the Stanford campus.

Jane Stanford, who had the church built for her husband, Leland, the university founder, once remarked: "While my whole heart is in the university, my soul is in that church."