I gave My Last Lecture. I have been thinking about it all year and collecting ideas for things I might like to share, and suddenly one day last week, it was here. I went into my last two classes and gave the lecture in each one. (Can you really give a Last Lecture two times?)
The students were wonderful, even taking notes like they might be hearing something they might like to remember. They were very kind afterwards, one class looking serious and shaking my hand and the other class applauding. A former student even remembered that I had told him about my plan months ago and he came to listen in. That was nice.
I talked about 12 things I thought were important like "Be present," and "Some things are not what they seem," then finished up with the story of Joseph in Egypt. I admire him sooooo much. How would it be to be sold by your brothers and then have to deal with a strange country, strange language, strange culture, and people who didn't even believe in the same God you do. But Joseph did it, even being unjustly accused by Potiphar's wife and languishing in jail for years.
In spite of all that injustice, he rose to the top time and time again. And, above all, he kept his faith and his knowledge of revelation from God.
Years later, when his brothers came to get food from Egypt, he had already forgiven them. Amazing!
How did he do all that under such difficult circumstances? I love his integrity and his courage; his hope and his hard work; his stalwartness and his leadership. In the end he tells his brothers that he knows he was sent to Egypt to preserve all their lives.
My friend, Laurie Swim, took me to see Emma Smith, the movie, afterward. It's a great movie. Then Laurie took me to her house where she gave me dessert---four kinds---and had fireworks---sparklers in a dish of salt or sugar! Shades of Thanksgiving at ein Gev. Thank you, Laurie.
I felt properly celebrated and grateful for the whole experience. Now we gradually begin on the next phase.
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2 comments:
Wow I can not believe that you retired from BYU after being there since my mom was a kid! I thought it would be so funny if you took my Zachie Joseph book to that class. Well It is Sunday and Tyler is leaving my house tomorrow at 7:30 in the morning. I am sad for him to go but I am happy that you are coming to my house soon and especially because from tomorrow I will be half way done with this whole entire journey! It is amazing I think that I have been here for that long and how it flew by so very quickly and I only have that much time left until I come home!
- Zachie
Yay for Laurie and celebrating! Congratualtions. You have put so much into the University over the years and I know there are not enough words to say goodbye to something like that. You've done well kid!
Now enjoy what is to come...first of all England! We can't wait to have you.
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