This will be a devotional with a twist.
The twist is that this is also essentially
a business meeting of the BYU Board of Trustees.
President Russell M. Nelson is announcing
the conclusion of President Kevin Worthen’s remarkable service
as president of Brigham Young University.
This is a significant moment in the history of the university,
given the remarkable contribution that the Worthens have made.
We could have done a “Whoosh, Kevin!” but
He is truly a man of God,
a remarkable university president and a dear friend.
He's been recognized as such across the nation.
His skill and accomplishments have greatly enhanced
the stature of the university, and we love him dearly.
I am overflowing
with appreciation for all that you have done
to make our experience here wonderful and unforgettable.
I have a deep and abiding love for this university and all that it stands for.
You have treated us with such generosity, graciousness and love.
First, I want to say thank you, and especially beginning with Peggy.
I have found that the more I'm around her,
the happier I am and the better person that I am.
Second, I want to thank the faculty and staff at this remarkable place.
I don't know of a group of individuals
who are more mission-focused than those two sets of people.
And finally, thank you to the students.
They radiate goodness out
and on countless occasions
have lifted me up by their mere presence and the mere spirit that they carry.
Thank you, students. You really are remarkable.
If you know nothing else about me
and learned nothing else of my tenure, let me share with you
that I believe with all my heart, mind and soul
in the truth that there is a God in heaven.
He is our Heavenly Father and he loves us in ways
we cannot completely comprehend or understand.
A manifestation of that love is that he gave his Son, his only begotten Son,
whose life, death and resurrection make possible all good endings for each
and every one of us, because of God’s love.
We're pleased to note that the officers of the Board
have called President Christopher Shane Reese
to be the new president of Brigham Young University.
Shane, the clock starts running right now...
I want to start by expressing
my gratitude for President and Sister Worthen.
They have been great examples of faith, fortitude
and service to this university.
The motto of BYU is “Enter to learn,
go forth to serve.”
We look forward to serving and learning alongside each of you.
I am so humbled to stand
before you this morning.
Today, I’m in a place where I'm coming to grips
with the huge shoes that I'm asked to fill.
President and Sister Worthen,
we love you.
Our campus community is eternally grateful for your grace,
wisdom, kindness, individual attention,
and love that you have so generously offered us
during your amazing tenure as president.