Elder Christofferson urges BYU graduates to keep learning, serving

PROVO — Although it was Thamina Christensen's third time putting on a cap and gown for graduation, she still enjoyed participating in BYU's commencement exercises Thursday in the university's Marriott Center.

Christensen was one of 6,174 BYU graduates to receive academic degrees as part of the class of April 2010.

"It's very rewarding, after spending two years working day after day with 150 of your best friends, and now you get to celebrate that achievement together," she said. "It brings feelings of accomplishment and relief."

Although Christensen now has three degrees — a bachelor's degree in history teaching from BYU, a master's degree in education from Arizona State and now an MBA from BYU — she said this service was the most enjoyable because this degree was the one for which she worked hardest.

"It was two years of blood, sweat and tears," she said. "But it also made it so much more exciting."

Christensen, who is still searching for a job, said that although she doesn't know exactly what lies ahead, graduation was a great way for her to recognize her hard work.

"I have an interview on Monday," she said. "I have been doing a lot of job searching. It is a harder economic time, especially in the business world, so it is just a matter of you just keep searching and plowing forward, and eventually the job that you need will happen. But I'm excited to be done."

For Brandon Gardner, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations, graduation represents sacrifice and accomplishment.

"It has been a long journey that has been very difficult because of various challenges I've had, so I need this closure," he said. "Not for the gown, but for the closure of finishing."

During commencement ceremonies, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told graduates the real purpose of this mortal experience is the moral test of whether individuals will do all things the Lord commands.

"Our central quest is to learn and to live the celestial law," he said. "If we can learn to abide the celestial law, we become what the scripture calls persons of a celestial spirit."

Elder Christofferson spoke of the importance of gaining knowledge, learning to serve one another and achieving personal holiness. He said that regardless of an individual's college degrees or employment, opportunities to live a life of Christian greatness come to all.