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This commencement address entitled Covenants and Service, Shoring Up Your Foundation,

was given on April 23, 26, by C. Shane Reese, president of Brigham Young University.

It never gets old being up here, seeing all of you amazing students.

Class of 2026, you look absolutely amazing.

Thank you. You see, as the president of

BYU, I feel like God has given me eyes to see your potential.

And you each have brighter futures than even you can possibly imagine.

When President Russell M. Nelson invited me to serve in this role, my wife Wendy, and I had the privilege of visiting with him at the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As we entered President Nelson's office in Salt Lake City, we were both struck by the amazing view of the historic Salt Lake Temple.

Even while undergoing intensive renovations, the temple was still magnificent.

As you might know, the recent renovations to the temple have focused on creating a new foundation which will allow the nearly 200 million

pound temple to remain virtually unmoved even as the earth might quake or tremor around it

during our time together in president nelson's office he offered treasured counsel and just before

we were set to leave the prophet paused gest, gestured toward the temple, and said,

tethered those students to Jesus Christ, he said, and shore up their foundation just like this temple.

President Dallan H. Oak visited this very campus in February, and he stood at this very

pulpit and encouraged us to, quote, focus on developing our faith in God and in the mission

of his son, Jesus Christ, quote, close quote. This, he said, would require, quote, daily trying

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