How is my experience at BYU influencing my life?
Personal Response by Natalie
A Glimpse Into a Mormon Student’s Values & Lifestyle
Attending Brigham Young University, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church), has helped me realize that the key aspects of my religion–repentance, revelation, prayer, and coming closer to Jesus Christ- are applicable to all areas of my life. My religion has become more than a Sunday trip to church, or an occasional reading of scriptures. The gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is my life. As I study the bones in the human skull or the process of embryo development in my anatomy class, I am reminded that God is the creator of all men and women and that He created us in His image, and that the body is a sacred gift from God. As I study American History, I am reminded that the Lord’s hand was in the making of our country and the unfolding of our Constitution so that the gospel could later be restored on this earth. As I study the behavior of atoms and molecules in my chemistry class I am reminded that God is the creator of the universe, and that everything he does is ordered. The more I learn and study science, history, and humanities, the more my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ grows and my testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior is strengthened. As my knowledge of physics, civilization, and health expands, so does my knowledge of who I am, who God is, and what my purpose on earth is.
Being at BYU has also given me a greater desire to serve those around me, and be able to make a positive difference in the world. One of the goals of BYU is to prepare students to serve their communities for the rest of their lives. The motto on the front of our campus reads “Enter to Learn, Go Forth To Serve.” While I am learning in school, I am also trying to prepare myself to better the world in some way. Because of the knowledge I have gained—spiritual and secular—I believe I have an obligation to share it with others around me.
My experience at BYU has also strengthened my desire to uphold high personal standards. In order to grow both spiritually and intellectually, and to be able to receive inspirations from the Holy Ghost as to what I should study, how I should spend my time, and my future plans, I choose to live a morally clean life. At BYU we have what is called an Honor Code. By attending the university, we agree to uphold this code. We commit to refrain from drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or other harmful substances. We follow certain guidelines about being with members of the opposite sex, such as not entering bedrooms or bathrooms of the opposite sex, and leaving apartments or dorms at appropriate times at night. While some may see these guidelines as restrictions that keep me from having fun, I see them as protections to allow me to have the best possible experience I can here at BYU. Because I uphold these standards, and others around me are upholding these same standards, I find that my mind is clear and I can concentrate on my studies. I know that by keeping myself clean, I am preparing myself to become who God wants me to become.
Tags: Brigham Young University, lifestyles Mormons, Mormon Beliefs, Mormon student, teen values
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