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VIEW THE 2021 COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM
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"Commencement Speech"
Jessica Meyers
Ensign College Graduate
Brothers and sisters, friends and family, faculty and administration, honored guests and graduates. What a day and time this is. I am deeply honored and humbled to be speaking to you today and to be one of the firsts to congratulate you on a job well done and good luck in the next phase of your life.
As many of us will remember from our days here at LDS Business College and Ensign College, “This is a day never to be forgotten.” These words spoken by our dear President, President Kusch, have been an anthem and will be a happy remembrance on our time at Ensign College. Before I continue, let us just take a deep breath. We made it. It may have been touch and go for a bit, especially during the last year, but we are here. Though we may not be physically together, we are together in spirit and in joy. Family and friends that may have not otherwise been able to participate in this ceremony can from across the world.
Though this portion of our education is over, we are not done learning. Many of us may continue on here at Ensign College and be a part of the first ever graduating class of Ensign with Bachelor’s degrees, others may go on to other Universities. We have been taught by this institution how to become learners and seekers of truth. As a learner, innovator and dreamer Walt Disney once said, “We keep moving forward, opening doors, and doing new things because we are curious, and curiosity leads us down new paths.”
My friends and colleagues, as we open new doors and go down new paths may be never forget the lessons we have been taught by instructors and by the Spirit of God. May we continue to be trusted and capable disciples of Jesus Christ in all that we do. Congratulations and good luck. May we consider ourselves lucky to have been the Ensign College graduating Class of 2021.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
"Commencement Speech"
Lucas Gomes de Araujo
Ensign College Graduate
President Kusch, faculty and administration, honored guests, and all the parents, friends, and fellow students I wish to say thank you in the name of all graduates here today.
Our journeys here have been filled with joy, pain, happiness, sadness, fun, stress, and many other emotions. But of one thing I am certain, your love and support have made this day possible and the journey here much easier.
I have learned over these past few years, on a personal level, that God knows what we need and who we need at specific times of our lives. Even if we are not meant to be with someone or at a certain place for long, He places us exactly where we need to be to have the experiences that will help us become like Christ, being this one of the reasons a lot of us felt inspired to come here and study at Ensign College.
The past year has changed so much in our lives, and for many - including myself, it has not been easy. To all graduates, I want to commend you for your strength despite all the challenges, internet connection issues, due dates, zoom classes, and much more. I am proud of you! We all are, and most importantly, God is proud of you. He knows each of us, He knows our hearts, and He is happy with the progress we are making.
Our time here at Ensign has come to an end, but the lessons we have learned, the friendships we have made, the love we have felt, will be with us in our hearts and memories forever, helping us become better disciples of Christ every day. Now, it is our turn to go out in the world and spread that love, that support, the belief that each person is an important and beloved child of Heavenly Parents.
In closing, if there is one lesson that we should take from our time here is to focus on Christ. He is the Master and Savior of the world. He is the one we should look for and follow. If we make the effort to live as He did, we will become better people and spread his light and love to everyone. We will never live a perfect life in this world, and He knows that. He is happy when we even just have the desire to be good. He loves us, brothers and sisters. The promise He made to Joshua is also ours, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” I know with all my heart the He is always there to helps us, to strengthen us, to guide us, and walk beside us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
"Character"
Bruce C. Kusch
President of Ensign College
As I begin this morning, I would like to share some details about these graduates.
Today we will award 457 two-year degrees and 316 certificates to a total of 438 graduates. 217 are women and 221 are men. 140, or 32%, have served full-time missions.
273 of the graduates are from the United States. 165 graduates are from 35 countries outside the United States, representing 38% percent of this graduating class.
Finally, 112, or 26% of our graduates are first-generation college students, meaning they are the first in their families to earn a college degree.
This is remarkable and one of the distinguishing characteristics of Ensign College. It is a place of hope and opportunity.
Each of you graduating today should feel a sense of accomplishment and achievement. You have worked hard to reach this point in your education.
Now graduates, in your minds I invite you to think about the many faculty members and others at Ensign College who have helped you learn, cheered you on, and assisted you along the path to becoming capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ. I hope you might find a way to express your gratitude to them for their love, their dedication, and their extraordinary service.
As you watch and participate in this broadcast, I hope you are doing so in the company of parents, other family members and close friends. If we were in the Tabernacle on Temple Square it might be a little challenging to find them in the audience, but if you are with them now please take a minute to express your love and appreciation to them for their support and guidance. I hope you sense the depth of their joy and love as they celebrate this accomplishment with you today.
Living near Los Angeles in the 1960’s and early 1970’s it was easy to be a fan of the UCLA Bruins basketball team and their coach, John Wooden. They were. perennial champions. Coach Wooden’s career at UCLA included a record 88 game winning streak, and 10 national college basketball championships in a 12-year period, including seven consecutive championships.
He was a great coach but John Wooden was also known as a man of great character. He once said,
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
In this era of Instagram, tik tok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook much of the content posted on these social media platforms is about creating a reputation, and often at the sacrifice of character. Many measure their personal worth based on “likes” and emojis and followers. What we see is not often a view of “things as they really are” rather, “things as I want you to think they are.”
No doubt your character has already been tested – and likely more than once. It will continue to be tested time and again throughout your life. The Savior’s character was tested by Satan following 40 days of fasting. In the Book of Mormon, Jacob’s character was tested by Sherem. Alma and Amulek’s by Zeerom, and Alma the younger’s by Korihor. Moroni could have denied his testimony of Christ and perhaps been spared by the Lamanites, but he stated firmly he would never do such a thing. It would have been contrary to his character. The Lord needs you and me to be people of character and courage and faith. It is the measure of who we truly are and will ultimately define us.
We see examples every day of those who put personal gain over character – and who justify or deny cheating, lying, or other forms of dishonesty – with the sole purpose of gaining some kind of advantage. It is a tool and tactic of the devil. You may feel pressure to do the same – because you may feel it’s the only option in a very competitive world. Don’t do it! The Lord warned Joseph Smith about this when he said, “...wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive...” (see D&C 10:28)
Twenty years ago, several prominent athletes were caught in a scandal over the use of performance enhancing drugs – even though they denied it. In an ABC News interview, the person at the heart of the scandal said:
“It's not cheating if everybody is doing it. And if you've got the knowledge that that's what everyone is doing, and those are the real rules of the game, then you're not cheating.”
Brothers and sisters, it WAS cheating and those involved remain disgraced to this day. Some were stripped of Olympic medals and others have been denied entrance into their sport’s hall of fame. In spite of significant achievement, they are remembered as cheaters and people who lacked character.
The Lord loves people of high moral character.
To Hyrum Smith he said, “...blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I, the Lord, love him because of the integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right before me...”
About Moroni, Mormon wrote that he “...was a strong and mighty man of a perfect understanding...who was firm in the faith of Christ...” further, “...if all men had been, and were, and ever would be like Moroni...the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.”
Brothers and sisters, please guard your character as you would guard your own life. It is an essential part of being a capable and trusted disciple of Jesus Christ. Character and a moral compass will cause you to become a highly sought-after employee. When the Lord knows we can be trusted, the heavens open and blessings are poured out far beyond anything we might imagine.
Character is not built in the crucible of challenges, trials and tribulations, but it is tested in these fiery furnaces. When we face them, and face them we will, if we are found lacking in character, it will be too late to develop it. Rather, character and the companion virtues of courage and faith are intended to guide us and sustain us, to lift and strengthen us, so that when we find ourselves in the midst of the fiery darts of mortality, we will drink deeply of Christ’s Living Water, extinguishing those fiery darts of the adversary and we will come off conqueror.
My invitation and plea to each graduate this day is to live as men and women of character in all things, at all times, and in all places. As you do, I promise the windows of heaven will open and you will be highly favored of the Lord.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
"Finding True Happiness"
Elder Paul V. Johnson
Commissioner of the Church Educational System & General Authority Seventy
It is a joy to celebrate this important day in your lives. I understand you have made great efforts to be able to graduate, and I congratulate you on that accomplishment. I also have a profound regard for the efforts of others that have made this day possible for you, namely, your parents and other family members, those who work at Ensign College, the Board of Trustees of this institution, the many donors to the college, and the faithful tithe payers of the Church around the world. I offer my gratitude to you all.
You are all facing major changes in your lives as you go forth from Ensign College. I am sure there is still a lot of uncertainty about what lies ahead in your futures. As you move forward, what can you focus on that will bring you happiness?
Lehi taught his children that “men are that they might have joy.”[i] Recently I have been listening to a podcast by Arthur C. Brooks titled “The Art of Happiness.”[ii] Arthur Brooks is a behavioral sociologist who teaches at Harvard University. In the podcast, he synthesizes from many research studies, specifying elements that make a difference in people’s happiness. He said that there are four areas of life that, if handled well, contribute significantly to a person’s happiness. These areas are faith, family, friendships, and meaningful work. He explains that meaningful work is not limited to work in the marketplace, but can be volunteer activities or raising a family, for example. He uses the metaphor of an investment portfolio and encourages people to make investments daily in each of these areas in order to get significant happiness as returns on these investments.
The findings of these studies do not come as a surprise to those of us who understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith, family, friendships, and meaningful work all fit into what we have learned are priorities in our spiritual lives.
Dr. Brooks warns of four things which look good but are not sources of real happiness. They are money, power, pleasure, and fame. He explains that some people become too focused on and attached to these thinking they will bring happiness. But an overemphasis on these things crowds out those other aspects of life—the elements that actually bring true happiness. In the scriptural descriptions of Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness,[iii] none of these are ever mentioned. Some of you will acquire a lot of money, and some will become prominent and wield great influence. If you have continued to keep your covenants and kept your heart focused on the core elements of the gospel, you will not allow these parts of life to diminish your focus on the central things that bring true happiness.
In a dream, Lehi saw a tree with fruit that “was desirable to make one happy.”[iv] It brought great joy to those who partook of it.[v] He beckoned his family to come to the tree and partake of the fruit.[vi] Some people who had tasted the fruit turned away from the tree and stopped eating the fruit. They did this because they gave heed to the people mocking them in the great and spacious building, and they became ashamed.[vii] The building itself and the fine clothing worn by those in the building represent the pride of the world. It was this pride that may have tempted multitudes in the dream to feel their way toward the great and spacious building.[viii] The building in Lehi’s dream had no foundation. It was destined to fall.[ix] In contrast, the tree of life and the fruit of that tree are eternal. Those who ignore the scoffing and remain at the tree are filled with “peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come.”[x]
Last conference, Elder Christofferson taught, “Our joyous message to our children and to all humanity is that ‘the truth of God’ points a better way, or as Paul said, ‘a more excellent way,’ a way to personal happiness and community well-being now and to everlasting peace and joy hereafter.”[xi]
May you go forward to your next steps in life, firm in your commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ, knowing that true happiness—joy—is what our Heavenly Father wants for each of us. This joy is made possible only through the Savior, Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[i] 2Nephi 2:25
[ii] Arthur Brooks, “Three Equations for a Happy Life,” April 27, 2020, in The Art of Happiness, produced by Arthur Brooks and Ceci Gallogly, podcast, MP3 audio, 45:02, https://arthurbrooks.com/podcast/three-equations-for-a-happy-life/ .
[iii] Alma 42:8.
[iv] 1 Nephi 8:10.
[v] 1 Nephi 8:12.
[vi] 1 Nephi 8:15.
[vii] 1 Nephi 8:25-28, 33.
[viii] 1 Nephi 8:31.
[ix] 1 Nephi 11:35-36.
[x] Doctrine and Covenants 59:23
[xi] D. Todd Christofferson, “Sustainable Societies,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 34.
"The Foundation for Happiness"
Elder Quentin L. Cook
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Graduates, Families and Friends:
It is a great pleasure to join with you students, your marvelous president, Bruce C. Kusch, his wife, Sister Alynda Kusch, and your talented faculty. We congratulate you graduates on this special day. I commend you wonderful students and your parents for attaining this singular honor. You are graduating from a special college that maintains the highest standards of integrity and spirituality. Many have sacrificed to allow you to reach your goal and obtain your diploma. We pray that many are able to participate virtually and share this wonderful occasion with you. To attain a cherished goal is a memorable experience.
I have had the privilege of watching the growth and development of Ensign College. It has a remarkable past. It was originally named The Salt Lake Academy and opened in 1886. It has had a close proximity to the Church headquarters from the beginning. In fact, from 1901 to 1961 the school was located where the current Church Office Building stands. The name has changed several times over the years, but the school has always been a popular destination for students. Many of you students have come from around the world seeking important and relevant instruction in this excellent church environment. Over this long history this institution has blessed generations of students. My wife Mary’s older sister attended this school many decades ago in the 1950s.
Recent years have brought remarkable success culminating last year with the transition to Ensign College including enhanced class offerings and degrees. President Kusch and this faculty have done outstanding work, and I congratulate them at the same time I congratulate you students.
I love the diversity of students that attend this great institution. Every time I have talked with any of you individually or visited this school, I have felt the unity that is such an eternally significant principle especially when there is diversity.
You will draw on what you have been taught here at Ensign College throughout your life. The education you have received prepares you, not only for significant employment, but also for the continued pursuit of knowledge of all kinds in the years to come.
This is one of those unique times in life when the doors to all decisions seem to be open. In a way, this is an illusion because as you progress from this point in your life, you will need to make choices. That means you will walk through some doors but have to close other doors. Please do not be concerned because you can receive guidance in the decisions and choices you need to make. You will be inspired to make wise and righteous decisions if you strive to live a life based on virtue, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping the commandments of God.
Certain foundational principles I learned when I was your age have guided my subsequent decisions and choices that I hope will be helpful to you. You will find that the teachings of parents, Church leaders, mission presidents, and this marvelous faculty at Ensign College will continue to be an important influence. Some advice may help you be both happy and successful; it can provide a ‘foundation for happiness.’
First, be humble and grateful for all your blessings.
Humility and gratitude are closely intertwined. We live in a very self-centered age. Social media, in particular, can easily be used for self-promotion. It has never been more important to be both humble and grateful. Those who possess these attributes express appreciation for their blessings as they follow the Savior’s example.
I was deeply impressed that in this unusually difficult pandemic period, including unprecedented trials, that President Russell M. Nelson was inspired to make a world-wide message about gratitude. I love the fact that he expressed gratitude for “the marvelous privilege of receiving revelation.” He made it clear that revelation is “available to everyone of us.”i
It is important to be grateful for our heritage and for our parents. I have loved the fact that Nephi commences his profound doctrinal and historical record now recorded in the Book of Mormon by simply saying, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents,…” He also emphasized the “great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God.”ii A great mentoriii of mine taught me that not everyone has goodly parents, and the essential lesson from Nephi’s message is that each of us should be determined to be goodly parents.
Two teachings from the past demonstrate my counsel for you. An old Chinese Proverb reads, “When you drink the water, don’t forget the well from whence it came.” The great German philosopher Goethe put it this way: “What from your father’s heritage is leant, earn it anew to really possess it.”iv It is clear that we need to be grateful for goodly parents and take positive action to acquire that which they would hope to bestow upon us.
It is also important to make a habit of counting our blessings. President Nelson taught, “Counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems.”v He recited the scriptural injunction, “In every thing give thanks.”vi It is important to be humble and grateful!
Second, be valiant in your own testimony as a foundation for all the choices you make.
The foundation for every important decision and choice you will make is your testimony of Jesus Christ and the restoration of His gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is an essential element of that testimony.
My wife, Mary, and I had the great privilege of accompanying President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Wendy, to South America in August of 2019. I loved the way President Nelson introduced the Book of Mormon to the president of one country we visited. President Nelson gifted him a leather-bound copy of the Book of Mormon with the country's president's name embossed on the cover. When President Nelson handed the book to him, he explained that the Book of Mormon is a thousand-year history of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. President Nelson noted that because it was a history, it was not like a book where there was a beginning and an end that would be read from cover to cover.
President Nelson informed this leader that the Savior, Jesus Christ, had visited the Americas and it might be preferable to start reading at that point in the Book of Mormon. President Nelson requested that this respected leader read the heading to Chapter 11 of 3rd Nephi. This reads:
The Father testifies of His Beloved Son—Christ appears and proclaims His Atonement—The people feel the wound marks in His hands and feet and side—They cry Hosanna—He sets forth the mode and manner of baptism—The spirit of contention is of the devil—Christ's doctrine is that men should believe and be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost.
As the heading was read out loud, there was a special spiritual feeling.
The Book of Mormon is a powerful witness of Jesus Christ and contains His commandments and teachings. If you will establish a lifetime goal to continue reading this sublime book, it will strengthen your desire to live His commandments and deepen your testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.
Many of you, if not most, have a testimony. We each need a personal testimony. President Joseph F. Smith said, "One fault to be avoided by the Saints, young and old, is the tendency to live on borrowed light [and] to permit . . . the light within them to be reflected, rather than original.”vii
Heber C. Kimball, who was a counselor to Brigham Young, said it this way:
"The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand?...
…If you don't have it, you will not stand; therefore seek for the testimony of Jesus and cleave to it, that when the trying time comes you may not stumble and fall”viii
It is interesting to me that Heber C. Kimball, of the First Presidency, gave this message—23 years after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith. An entire generation had grown up after the death of Joseph. They had not heard Joseph's personal testimony of the First Vision.
Through all of the trials of Kirtland, Missouri, and Nauvoo, Heber had remained faithful to Joseph and to his own testimony of the Savior which had sustained him.
The 76th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants refers to the three degrees of glory and compares the Celestial Glory to the sun. It then compares the Terrestrial Glory to the moon.ix
It is interesting that the sun has its own light, but the moon is reflected light or "borrowed light." The bright line demarcation between the Terrestrial Kingdom and the Celestial Kingdom is BEING VALIANT IN THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.x
Third, commit yourself to the eternal institution of the family as the foundation for happiness.
In our doctrine, the family is central to our Father in Heaven’s plan for the eternal destiny of his children. Each of us, regardless of our marital status, is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents. We are promised that if we “keep the commandments of God,” we “may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.”xi We also know, “the family is ordained of God…” “Marriage between a man and a woman…” “is central to the Creator’s plan….”xii
In the world at large many are choosing not to get married or are delaying marriage. From 1920 through 1970 the percentage of married households in the United States was between 65% and 72%. Between 1980 and 2010 it dropped from 62% to 51%.xiii As of 2020 the percentage has remained close to 50%. The drop has been less precipitous among Church members. But there has been a decline. The number of children born into each family has dropped across the world.xiv In many countries this drop is so dramatic that there is a steep decline in population, sometimes referred to as the Demographic Winter.xv
The family is an eternal institution ordained of God from before the foundation of the world. I pray that most of you will marry and be blessed with the opportunity of having children. There is no greater blessing in this life than having children. Some of the most poignant passages in all of scripture capture the subliminal significance of children in our Heavenly Father’s plan. They are truly “an heritage of the Lord.”xvi
There are many righteous members who are not married for various reasons at this time. It would not be correct to say they are “choosing not to be married.” For those in this situation, please know that you play a significant role in this life and in the Lord’s Church. One role that you play is as a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. He does not define you by your circumstances; He will help you to make the best of your circumstances—whatever they are. When you keep His commandments and follow Him, you are entitled to every blessing that our Father in Heaven has for His children.xvii
Fourth, be involved in the world in a positive way.
As you embark on your various occupations, you can be a powerful force for good. A very significant challenge will be to adhere to the scriptural injunction to live in the world but not of the world. Joseph Fielding Smith taught that while we are in the world, “We are not of the world in the sense that we are [not] under any necessity to partake of …evil customs, …fashions, …follies, false doctrines and theories, ….”xviii In addition, your contribution to the place where you live in a positive sense is part of your challenge if you are to be an example, share the gospel, and live in accordance with the teachings you have received at this great institution.
To accomplish this, you graduates will want and need to be involved in the world in a very positive way. We must be tried and tested and found worthy of a greater kingdom. As President Monson taught, “…decisions determine destiny.”xix (End of quote)
This is not an easy life; it was not meant to be. Nevertheless, we know that the Lord will cause our trials to bless us and be for our ultimate good. He will give us the strength to stand firm despite opposition. Righteousness is its own reward, and the scriptures promise us the reward for righteousness is peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come.xx I counsel you to be involved in the world in a positive way.
Fifth, live and communicate your standards to those with whom you work.
A challenge will come to many of you as you attempt to find employment. You will need to be very wise. My recommendation to you would be to let potential employers know you have high ethical and moral standards, including a commitment to your family.
I learned the significance of this early in my career. After finishing my education at Stanford Law School, I had focused on working for a particular law firm. There were no members of the Church associated with the firm, but they were lawyers of character and ability. After a morning of interviews, the most senior partner and two other partners took me to lunch. The senior partner inquired if I would like a pre-lunch alcoholic drink and later if I would like wine. In both cases, I declined, and the second time informed him that I was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and did not drink alcoholic beverages.
I received an offer of employment from the firm and a few months later the senior partner told me that the offer of the alcoholic beverage was a test. He noted that my resume made it clear that I had served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had determined that he would only hire me if I was true to the teachings of my own Church. He considered it a significant matter of character and integrity.
In my years in San Francisco, I knew some members who avoided letting their associates know they were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Invariably they were drawn into compromising situations which could have been avoided had they forthrightly declared what they believed.
Finally, you will need to be a light to the people where you live.
I would not be concerned about returning to communities that have very few Church members. When my wife, Mary, and I were starting out as a newly married couple in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-1960s, the Church population was relatively small. In addition, the San Francisco Bay Area had become a magnet for drug usage and all manner of promiscuous and sinful conduct. A concerned stake president back then asked the leadership of the Church if leaders should encourage Church members to remain in the San Francisco Bay Area. Elder Harold B. Lee, then a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve, was assigned to address the issue. He met with priesthood leaders and explained that the Lord had not inspired the construction of a temple in the Bay Area only to have the members leave. His counsel was:
- To create Zion in our hearts and homes
- To be a light to those among whom we live, and
- To focus on the ordinances and principles taught in the temple.
Mary and I determined that we would follow President Lee’s counsel. We found that when these principles are lived, we can be in the world, but not be of the world. However, we must each determine whether we will face the world or focus on the temple.
We inevitably must make choices. If we know the doctrines and principles of the gospel, we will make wise choices. If our lives are pure, the Spirit will guide us. Then we will be able to symbolically pitch our tents toward the temple and the covenants we make to our Lord, and we can be in the world and not of the world.
As you spread across the world, you will be faced with many worldly challenges. One of these challenges is that you will find the Church and its teachings are not understood and are sometimes misrepresented. Where appropriate, let your voice be heard in defending the faith and correcting false information. In a world with diverse communications and with members spread all over the globe, there is a need for your generation to respond and defend against irresponsible and inaccurate descriptions of the Church if and when they occur. I counsel you to be a light to the people where you live.
I am confident that you can attain the joy and happiness you desire, and that God wants for you if you are:
- Grateful for your blessings, especially your heritage,
- Valiant in your testimony of Jesus as a foundation for your choices,
- Committed to the eternal institution of the family,
- Involved in the world in a positive way,
- Living and communicating your standards to those with whom you work.
- And being a light to the people where you live.
It is my prayer that as you leave Ensign College to seek happiness in your families and success in your occupation, you will also use your knowledge and influence to bring greater righteousness, peace, understanding, and freedom to people all over the world. Again, to you graduates and your families I express my congratulations and best wishes. May God be with each of you and bless you, in the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.
[1] Russell M. Nelson, The Story Behind My Global Prayer of Gratitude, see President Nelson Blog https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/inspiration/the-story-behind-my-global-prayer-of-gratitude
[2] 1 Nephi 1:1
[3] Elder Marion D. Hanks
[4] Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, trans. Bayard Taylor (1912), 1:28.
[5] Russell M. Nelson, The Story Behind My Global Prayer of Gratitude.
[6] 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
[7] Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939),87.
[8] Heber C. Kimball, in Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, 6th e. (1975), 450.
[9] See also 1 Corinthians 15:41.
[10] D&C 76:79.
[11] Mosiah 2:41
[12] “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[13] Andrew L. Yarrow, “Falling Marriage Rates Reveal Economic Fault Lines,” The New York Times, Sunday, February 8, 2015, 15.
[14] Quentin L. Cook, A Banquet of Consequences—The Cumulative Result of All Choices, address given at BYU Devotional in Provo, UT, February 7, 2017. See also, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/01/07/japans-birth-rate-problem-is-way-worse-than-anyone-imagined/?utm_term=.b17c3c057740
[15] Ibid. See also, http://www.byutv.org/show/5e819b00-5e99-4bf4-931e-c154d3c2dc8d/new-economic-reality-demographic-winter .
[16] Psalm 127:3. See also “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[17] Mosiah 2:41.
[18] Joseph Fielding Smith, in Conference Report, October, 1916,70.
[19] Thomas S. Monson, “Invitation to Exaltation,” Ensign, April,1988.
[20] See D&C 59:23.
List of Graduates
Two-Year Associate of Applied Science
Business/Accounting
Eugene Lim*
Igor Ramos De Magalhaes*
Ricardo Rubio*
Tanner Post
Business/Business Management
Brayan Aguilera Mudrovich
Helaman Antay Sanchez
Jessica Arellano Lagunas*
Melvin Alegria Pavon*
Scott Atkinson
Britton Taylor*
Aaron Jarrett*
Andrew Nielson
Ashton Pehrson*
Daleen Walker*
Dana Martinez Medina
Dixon Ellis*
Douglas Franco Madruga
Edgar Martinez
Elizabeth Hamilton*
Emily Suarez Rivera
Ezequiel Rearte
Ivette Cruz Hernandez
Jaehwan Jung*
Jerome Joseph
Jessica Smith*
Josue Rabanales-Tobar
Kaycee Gibson*
Kevin Correa Valarezo*
Kevin Huerta Leiva
LilyAnn Wardell*
Luciane T. de Lacerda de M. Oliveira*
Lucio Gallegos
Mariana Rodriguez Morales*
Matthew Jardine
Molly Menendez*
Princess Daniels
Robert Vega Compan*
Ruben Varela Fuentealba*
Santiago Paez Hurtado*^
Sara Zapata Cuartas*
Sergio Cienfuegos Pereyra*
Silvia Suarez Feijoo
Vanessa Flores Villanueva
Wan-Yu Chen*
Business/Entrepreneurship
Michael Wolfe*
Business/Global Supply Chain & Operations
Abinadi Torres Camacho*
Alfonso Scudiero Salazar*
Christopher Wilson
Mateus Nunes Rosa*
Business/Project Management
Emily Pazos
Jonathan Schmutz
Kelly Beckstrand
Mahonri Gomez Hernandez*
Maria Denny*^
Marjorie Davila Dale Dutra*^
Paula Lopez Restrepo*
Purevbaatar Dagvasuren
Stella Nunes Ferraz*^
Digital Technology/Business Intelligence
Adriana Silveira*
Bruno Simao De Freitas*
Eloisa de Oliveira Mariano Soares*
Jose Pedroso dos Santos
Keith McLean*
Lucas Gomes de Araujo*^
Rodrigo Goto
Thiago Stearns Reisen De Pinho
Digital Technology/Cyber Security
Bruno Agostinho
Carolina Guzman Cardenas*
Daniel Wydner
Grant Fetzer*
Henry Bigelow*
Jacob Hansen
Jacob Spencer*
Lydia Lundell
Oliver Tragante
Rebecca Andrade De Oliveira Guedes*^
Ricardo Condom Sanz*
Samuel Silva Andrade
Digital Technology/Database Administration
Keith McLean*
Digital Technology/Network Engineering
Ricardo Chavez Itzep
Benjamin Marecos Esquivel*
Galo Lastra Mosquera
Jordan Wilhelmsen
Kalonji Kazadi
Kody Kitchin
William Southwick
Wingi Kuza
Digital Technology/Network Engineering
Limhi Gomez Calderon
William Southwick
Digital Technology/Social Media Marketing
Daniela Corzo Trevino
Deborah Teixeira Parrela Vasconcelos*
Hannah Beckstead
Jesse Morganti*
Jordan Wheeler
Juan Solis
Katlyn Averett*
Lloyd Evans*
Matthew Bishop*
Molly Cox
Nidia Souza dos Santos Vidigal*
Ryan Nord
Sara Do Carmo Silva Sa*
Sara M. Barlow^
Spencer Lybbert*
Trent Hulme*
Zachary Jensen
Digital Technology/Software Development
Ciarra Stevenett^
Curtis Jensen
Fritzner Junior Izame
Gabriel Silva de Almeida*
Heven Dias Miranda
Ivan Regino Hernandez*
Lucas Melo Roberto de Lima*^
Mayra Serrato Mora
Penelope Haide Sanchez*
Digital Technology/Systems Analysis
Marcus Backendorf*
Professional Services/Executive Medical Assistant
Amanda Williams
Amber May
Aurora Galindo Alvarez
Estefania Calderon Sigcha
Inkyoung Lee*
Jonathan Silva Marques
Laura Vaca Guzman Balata
Wan-Yu Chen*
Professional Services/Interior Design
Alexa Crane*
Avelina Boza Vera*
Adelyn Cummins
Ayesha Selway*
Colene Turner
Danielle D’Costa*
Emmalie Frye
Eva Stilson*
Heather Ipson
Heather Wolthuis
Isabel Reiswig
Isabelle Rayburn
Ivette Cruz Hernandez
Jacqueline Van Roosendaal
Jade Bloomfield*
Kandace Okerlund*
Marlee Lorimer*
Meaghan Lynn*
Michele Anderson*
Nicholas Woodward*
Oliver Rivera Arenas
Rebecca Rosenvall*
Rie Tsukamoto*
Sarah Sumner*
Savanah Kennick
Savanna Gallacher*
Shayleigh Platt
Sofia Fontes*
Zeneli Mejia
Professional Services/Paralegal Studies
Anahi Medrano*
Daniel Bargueiras*
Faith Arendt
Hannah Proctor
Ivette Cruz Hernandez
James Marshall
Kim Meyer*
Olena Shykht*
Rebeca Camargo
Vania Morales Baranda*
Valentina Reyes
Two-Year Associate of Science
Associate of Science
Adam Fordham
Allie Hamilton*
Andrea Brown
Angela Shannon
Amy Sherwood*^
Annalee Anderson*
Askar Kudaibergen*
Bailey Brady*
Bart Humphries*
Blake Lofgreen
Brynn Bailey
Calyer Smith
Carlos Ticona Perez*
Chris Smith*
Christian Buxton
Coby Hunsaker*
Collin Rawlings*
Cristina Escobar*
Daisy Daniel
Daniela Castro Flores
Desiree Cirano Vieira*
Devan Allen
Douglas Matias da Silva
Edson De Aquino Lopes*
Eduardo Ibanez Vasquez
Emma Taylor*
Erin Reiche
Fernando Sant Anna Frediani
Franco Giuffra Gonzalez*
Gabriela Ramos
George Slaughter
Griffin Yentes*
Hailee Lawson*
Hunter Bangerter
Jacob Grondel*
Janine Russell*
Jared Hogan*
Jared Tobler*
Jarryd Dicus
Jessica Meyers^
Jonathan Browning*
Jonathan Garcia Trujillo
Josue Jason*
Julia Raymer
Julie Ashby
Justis Rayburn*
Kateryna Yurchenko*
Katherine Johnson
Kenneth Schepman
Kory Stanley*
Kristina McKnight
Lucas Amorim Sanz
Lucas Rodrigues de Castro*
Luis Arias guerrero
Luisa Duran Gomez*
Madison Jean Ashby*
Markus Rawlings*
Mandy Steadman*
Mariah Burton
McKenna Archibald
McKinley Wilson
Megan Pazos*
Michael Adamo*
Nadine Brito Silva
Natalia Carlos Ruvalcaba
Natalia Freire Soares*
Paul Edwards*
Pedro Castro Souza*
Rebekah Hatten*
Sam Tragante*
Sara Acevedo Rodriguez
Scott Robinson*
Sebastian Colomo Paniagua
Sergio Mariella Castillo
Sharlene Mafi
Stalin Medina Moreira*
Sydney Holcomb*
Taryn Troutman
Thiago Cesar Pedroso Dos Santos*
Tim Haines*
Vanina Vazquez Mercier*
Whitney Scott*
Zoie Schmauch
Integrated Studies
Aaron Jarrett*
Aki Ylimaula*
Alessandra Fernandez Castellano*
Alexandre Diniz de Melo Filho*
Alice Roque Grego Silva*
Allyson Hoffman
Amanda Raines*
Amy Marrott
Amy Sumsion*
Andrea Cabrera Canenguez*^
Andrew Carter
Anissa Howell
Anna Carter*
Annalese Jensen Rogers
Annie Willardson*
Anya Meure*
Ariadna Costa Vidal*
Ariel Webb
Austin Bartlett
Bailian Blackham*
Braden Dalton*
Brandon Mata
Breanna Ely*
Brenda Bello - Garcia
Camille Gottscheck*
Carlos Carranza Martinez*
Chavannie Ekhator
Chialing Liao*
Christopher Wilson
Chun-Shen Huang
Ciarra Stevenett^
Colt McLean
Daleen Walker*
Damarys Torres
Dana Martinez Medina
Daniel Avendano*
Daniel Hernandez Gonzalez*
Daniel Kang*
Daniela Corzo Trevino
Daniela Fitiavana
David Galvan
David Smith*
Dezjaron Dorsey
Diego Trevino Lopez
Donna Miller
Douglas Franco Madruga
Edith Madrid Martinez*
Eduardo Garcia
Edward Gomez Daga
Eeno Kalola
Efrain Matus Diaz*
Elizabeth Johnson*
Emilio Rodriguez Paniagua*
Emily Suarez Rivera
Emma Merrill
Enzo Malpartida*
Esteban Gonzalez Lara*
Estefania Calderon Sigcha
Eugene Lim*
Fabianna Stracuzzi Letamendi*
Faith Arendt
Felicity Michaels*
Felipe Velasco Derderian
Fernanda Carlos Ruvalcaba
Franklin Huerta Salazar
Gabriel Balint Cruciol Tobias
Gabriel De la Cruz Rodriguez*
Galo Lastra Mosquera
Gavin McRae
Grant Fetzer*
Grant Mccolm
Grecia Pineda Zuniga
Hannah Proctor
Heather Ipson
Heidi Miller
Helaman Antay Sanchez
Hugh Miller*
Hyrum Tirado Leon*
Inkyoung Lee*
Italia Vallecillos*
Ivan Regino Hernandez*
Jacalyn Hood*
Jacob Lee*
James Marshall
Jared Guerrero Vasquez
Jared Haws*
Jarede Castro Souza*
Jarim Carrillo Uruchurtu*
Jason Larson
Jeffrey Quintanilla Meza
Jen Blackham*
Jenna Hughes^
Jessica Perry
Jessica Smith*
John Thorn
Jonathan Silva Marques
Jordi Vasquez Huera*
Jorge Baeza Munoz*
Jose Luna
Joshua Bird
Joshua Christensen*
Joshua Groesbeck
Joshua Muse*
Josue Rabanales-Tobar
Juan Ramirez Rubio
Juan Rangel Barco*
Juliana Mori*
Junhyeong Kim*
Justin Hershey*
Kadence Gordon
Kanika Srey*
Kazjana Lee
Keisha Crawford
Keith McLean*
Kelli Hall*
Kevin Correa Valarezo*
Kevin Huerta Leiva
Kimberly Hammond
Kinsey Morse
Kyle Denny*
Kyle Jensen
Laura Vaca Guzman Balata
Lealand Blum*
Leonardo Gimenes Silva*
Leonardo Medeiros Netto
Liliane Aparecida Tixiliski*
Lizmaylin Alvestegui Montero
Lloyd Evans*
Luana Yuyes Mori Recuenco*
Lucas Gomes de Araujo*^
Luis Aguirre Reyes
Luis Lopez
Lukas Taylor
Madolyn White*
Maria Resendiz Olivas
Mariana De Souza*
Marsela Rubio*
Mason Kaelberer
Matheus Silva de Mattos
Matthew Murray
Mauricio Mejia
Mayra Serrato Mora
Melany Villanueva Cornejo*
Melvin Alegria Pavon*
Merie Brito Hercules*
Michael Simmons
Miguel Banuelos Cruz
Miguel Maldonado Gutierrez*
Molly Cox
Morgan Miller*
Moroni Gaona Villanueva*
Mykola Onyshchuk*
Naiomy Mejia-Vazquez
Nancy Tapusoa*
Nathan Hansen*
Nayara Borges Guerra*
Nelly Jara Osorio*
Nimrod Alfaro Quiroz
Olena Shykht*
Oliver Rivera Arenas
Oscar Samanamud Valentin*
Pablo Pineda Madrigal*^
Pamela Hirwa
Penelope Haide Sanchez*
Priscilla Da Silva
Rachel Perrier*
Rafael Lopes Sousa*
Raul Barrera
Rebecca Rosenvall*
Ricardo Rubio*
Richard Ruben
Rickey Rom
Robert Vega Compan*
Roshanak Puri
Ryan Lunt
Ryan Nord
Samanta Cruz Ruiz*
Samuel Silva Andrade
Sarah Lee*
Sarah Sumner*
Savanah Kennick
Savanna Gallacher*
Scott Atkinson
Sejun Yun*
Sergio Cienfuegos Pereyra*
Shane Alder
Shawn Sadleir*
Shayli Bennion
Shirley Enriquez Alcivar
Silvia Suarez Feijoo
Sofia Fontes*
Stella Nunes Ferraz*^
Stockton Huish
Tanner Cardiff
Tanner Lee*
Toko Numata*
Trent Hulme*
Tyler McDougal*
Tyson Heywood*
Veronica Pachiarotti Perez*
Vinicius Dos Santos*
Zackary Kohlieber*
One-Year Certificate
Accounting
Aki Ylimaula*
Alexandre Diniz de Melo Filho*
Amy Sherwood*^
Andrew Carter
Annalese Jensen Rogers
Bart Humphries*
Brenlyn Rodabough*^
Candice Karper*
Diego Trevino Lopez
Eduardo Garcia
Emilio Rodriguez Paniagua*
Felicity Michaels*
Felipe Velasco Derderian
Gabriel Balint Cruciol Tobias
Gavin McRae
Grant Mccolm
Hugh Miller*
Hyrum Tirado Leon*
Jeffrey Quintanilla Meza
Jordi Vasquez Huera*
Leonardo Medeiros Netto
Liliane Aparecida Tixiliski*
Lucas Amorim Sanz
Madison Jean Ashby*
Markus Rawlings*
McKinley Wilson
Nancy Tapusoa*
Olena Shykht*
Priscilla Da Silva
Rachel Perrier*
Raul Barrera
Ricardo Rubio*
Richard Ruben
Roshanak Puri
Sara Acevedo Rodriguez
Sara M. Barlow^
Shawn Sadleir*
Shirley Enriquez Alcivar
Tanner Lee*
Thiago Cesar Pedroso Dos Santos*
Toko Numata*
Vanina Vazquez Mercier*
Zackary Kohlieber*
Business Analytics
Alfonso Scudiero Salazar*
Alfredo Najera
Brenlyn Rodabough*^
Bruno Simao De Freitas*
Bryan Hirschi*
Chris Smith*
Edson De Aquino Lopes*
Eduardo Ibanez Vasquez
Efrain Matus Diaz*
Emilio Rodriguez Paniagua*
Marc Tharp*
McKenna Archibald
Natalia Freire Soares*
Sandra Gee*^
Tyson Heywood*
Business Intelligence
Douglas Matias da Silva
Business Management
Brynn Bailey
Carlos Ticona Perez*
Daniela Castro Flores
Devan Allen
Gabriel Balint Cruciol Tobias
Griffin Yentes*
Jessica Meyers^
Justis Rayburn*
Kenneth Schepman
Mariah Burton
Paul Edwards*
Sam Tragante*
Scott Robinson*
Taryn Troutman
Williamson Sintyl
Zoie Schmauch
Computer Science
Jared Hogan*
Lucas Rodrigues de Castro*
Digital Content Creation
Matthew Bishop*
Digital Marketing
David Smith*
Enzo Malpartida*
Fernanda Carlos Ruvalcaba
Hailee Lawson*
Heidi Miller
Jacob Lee*
Jarryd Dicus
Jessica Meyers^
Joshua Groesbeck
Kateryna Yurchenko*
Kevin Nilsson
Lealand Blum*
Limhi Gomez Calderon
Lloyd Evans*
Mariana De Souza*
Mauricio Mejia
Michael Wolfe*
Molly Cox
Nichelle Stephens*
Oscar Samanamud Valentin*
Sara M. Barlow^
Sarah Lee*
Sebastian Colomo Paniagua
Sharlene Mafi
Zachary Jensen
Global Supply Chain & Operations
Chun-Shen Huang
Coby Hunsaker*
Colt McLean
Daniel Avendano*
Jarim Carrillo Uruchurtu*
Jeremy Turner
Joshua Bird
Katherine Johnson
Maria Denny*^
Mason Kaelberer
Matheus Silva de Mattos
Melany Villanueva Cornejo*
Michael Adamo*
Miguel Maldonado Gutierrez*
Natalia Freire Soares*
Nathan Hansen*
Pablo Pineda Madrigal*^
Rickey Rom
Sariah Venoza Romero*
Shane Alder
Shayli Bennion
Stockton Huish
Tanner Cardiff
Human Resource Management
Allie Hamilton*
Askar Kudaibergen*
Bailey Brady*
Erin Reiche
Gabriela Ramos
Janine Russell*
Joy Escalante
Kristina McKnight
Liliane Aparecida Tixiliski*
Melany Villanueva Cornejo*
Interior Design
Alice Roque Grego Silva*
Andrea Fisher
Bailey Daugherty
Chanya Cozzens
Jessica Smith*
Mallory Gifford
Sejun Yun*
Seth Cannon
Whitney Scott*
Management
Colt McLean
Daniel Hernandez Gonzalez*
Medical Assistant
Amanda Williams
Amber May
Andrea Brown
Andrea Cabrera Canenguez*^
Annalee Anderson*
Annie Willardson*
Anya Meure*
Aurora Galindo Alvarez
Bailian Blackham*
Brandon Mata
Brooke Milman*
Carlos Carranza Martinez*
Chavannie Ekhator
Collin Rawlings*
Daniela Fitiavana
Donna Miller
Eeno Kalola
Emma Merrill
Emma Taylor*
Esteban Gonzalez Lara*
Estefania Calderon Sigcha
Fabianna Stracuzzi Letamendi*
Franco Giuffra Gonzalez*
Franklin Huerta Salazar
Gabriel De la Cruz Rodriguez*
Grecia Pineda Zuniga
Inkyoung Lee*
Jared Guerrero Vasquez
Jarede Castro Souza*
Jenna Hughes^
Jessica Perry
Jonathan Silva Marques
Jose Luna
Juliana Mori*
KellyAnne Chapman
Kimberly Hammond
Kyle Jensen
Laura Vaca Guzman Balata
Lizmaylin Alvestegui Montero
Luis Lopez
Lukas Taylor
Marsela Rubio*
Merie Brito Hercules*
Miguel Banuelos Cruz
Naiomy Mejia-Vazquez
Nayara Borges Guerra*
Tyler McDougal*
Wan-Yu Chen*
Medical Coding
Anna Carter*
Damarys Torres
Sergio Mariella Castillo
Paralegal Studies
Alessandra Fernandez Castellano*
Amy Sumsion*
Anissa Howell
Brent Williams*
Cybil Child*
Elizabeth Jameson*
Elizabeth Johnson*
Jared Haws*
Jaxon Jaggi^
Lexington McCombs
Melissa Cates Daley*
Sharilyn Hunter*
Spencer Merrell*
Professional Sales
Amanda Raines*
Michael Wolfe*
Project Management
Adam Fordham
Allyson Hoffman
Austin Bartlett
Brenda Bello - Garcia
Christian Buxton
Daisy Daniel
Jared Tobler*
Joshua Muse*
Julie Ashby
Junhyeong Kim*
Justin Hershey*
Kadence Gordon
Kaycee Gibson*
Kyle Denny*
Mariana Rodriguez Morales*
Miguel Maldonado Gutierrez*
Morgan Miller*
Pablo Pineda Madrigal*^
Pamela Hirwa
Pedro Castro Souza*
Rebekah Hatten*
Sariah Venoza Romero*
Sharlene Evans*
Stalin Medina Moreira*
Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship
Calyer Smith
Julia Raymer
Kory Stanley*
Luisa Duran Gomez*
Madison Jean Ashby*
Mandy Steadman*
Megan Pazos*
Nickolas Sorenson
Social Media Marketing
Ariadna Costa Vidal*
Angela Shannon
Breanna Ely*
Camille Gottscheck*
Chialing Liao*
Cristina Escobar*
Daniel Kang*
David Galvan
David Smith*
Desiree Cirano Vieira*
Edith Madrid Martinez*
Efrain Matus Diaz*
Enzo Malpartida*
George Slaughter
Hailee Lawson*
Hannah Martherus*
Jacalyn Hood*
Jessica Meyers^
John Thorn
Jonathan Garcia Trujillo
Juan Rangel Barco*
Keisha Crawford
Kinsey Morse
Kristina Kham*
Luana Yuyes Mori Recuenco*
Luis Arias guerrero
Makala Russo*
Mariana De Souza*
Natalia Carlos Ruvalcaba
Samanta Cruz Ruiz*
Sharlene Mafi
Spencer Martin*
Sydney Holcomb*
Tim Haines*
Vinicius Dos Santos*
Wyndee Garcia
Software Engineering
Blake Lofgreen
Fernando Sant Anna Frediani
Jacob Grondel*
Technical Support Engineer
Anthony Hales*
Cody Sheffey
Daniel Hernandez Gonzalez*
Dezjaron Dorsey
Edward Gomez Daga
Hunter Bangerter
Jen Blackham*
Jorge Baeza Munoz*
Joshua Christensen*
Josue Jason*
Juan Ramirez Rubio
Leonardo Gimenes Silva*
Lucas Gomes de Araujo*^
Michael Simmons
Mykola Onyshchuk*
Nadine Brito Silva
Nimrod Alfaro Quiroz
Rafael Lopes Sousa*
* Honors Student
^ Recipient of an Ensign College Leadership or Service Graduate Program Award