Rick Anderson, the university librarian, explored symbols from Lehi’s vision in the Book of Mormon as he delivered Tuesday’s devotional. He emphasized the choice individuals face between following worldly wisdom and finding joy in partaking of God's love.
Anderson explained that the great and spacious building symbolizes the world and its wisdom, while the tree represents the love of God. Those who partake of the tree's fruit experience joy, unlike the prideful inhabitants of the building.
Understanding the plan of salvation makes it easier to choose to follow God, said Anderson. He emphasized that this understanding expands one's perception beyond the physical world.
"Eternity, it turns out, is not just a word that denotes an endless and impersonal stretch of time; it refers to a world — to an order of things — that exists on the other side of a real but flimsy veil, through which a personal God who is our literal Father in Heaven reaches, regularly, to reveal His will to us as individuals, as well as to prophets and other true messengers charged with administering His church and building His kingdom on Earth."
In contrast to the world's perspective, Anderson highlighted this understanding, which acknowledges that eternity extends beyond the physical realm.
Anderson urged those in attendance to consider how relevant Lehi’s dream is to our day, especially with the increasing tension between the claims of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and societal acceptance.
“In academia, standing conspicuously and unequivocally for the Restoration will always be risky. We risk looking foolish, and we risk being seen as out of step with the current best thinking. We risk standing alone — sometimes, maybe, entirely alone.”
Desperation for hipness is one of the defining characteristics of academic culture, said Anderson, and it’s a powerful force that, if we aren’t careful, can gradually nudge us off the covenant path.
"We can’t keep our covenants with a wink — and cool, ironic discipleship simply is not a thing."
Anderson stressed the crucial choices tied to the restored gospel, advising against sacrificing truth for societal approval. He pointed out the clear, binary nature of these choices, where one option may be socially difficult but true, while the other is socially easy but false.
"When it comes to the restored gospel, the chasm between what is true and what it is socially and academically acceptable to believe is just too wide for us to be able to stand with one foot on each side."
Remaining faithful to the Restoration and our covenants prevents intellectual arrogance, said Anderson, positioning us outside the mainstream secular narrative that denies God's existence in our lives.
“These truths challenge the world’s furious and jealous claim to be all there is, and when we stand in defense of them, we have to expect pushback. We must be prepared, if necessary, to stand alone.”
Anderson emphasized the enduring nature of faith, describing it as a responsibility and a burden, requiring believers to ignore the pointing fingers and the mockery of others and to continue to deepen their testimonies by study and prayer.
“The restored gospel of Jesus Christ will reward every intellectual effort you invest in it,” he said. “I testify that as we put both our minds and our hearts to work in studying and applying the truths of eternity, miracles will happen for us and, through us, for others.”
