Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice spoke today at a BYU Forum.

It was AMAZING.  

this post will be long, but I thought I would share my notes

For BYU's article on the event, click here

To start off, did you know that Dr. Rice is one of my biggest idols?

I almost cried many times today.

It was so overwhelming, I can't even explain.

AND she's from Birmingham, Alabama : )

now, for her thoughts:

"Today's headlines and history's judgement are rarely the same"

It is not the large countries that we should be worried about war with. A broken, FAILED, weak country, Afghanistan attacked us.  Ironically, Taliban means students, so a group of students attacked our country. 

Every man, woman and child deserves to live in freedom.  The United States is the only country who truly advocates this truth. 

Every dictator fears the moment when their people no longer fear them. 

Creativity and innovation remain the forte of the United States. 

Despite the bad thoughts, people are glad that the U.S. is there to fight battles, aids, hunger, and tragedy. 

It doesn't matter where you came from, it matters where you are going... 

that is what draws people to the United States. We want people who are energetic and ambitious to be a part of the U.S. for generations to come. 

There is a transforming power about education.

Our greatest national threat is the decay of our k-12 educational system.

We are not held together by religion, blood, or nationality.  We are held together by the American myth/dream. 

Faith and education combined - the essence of being human is to integrate the knowledge of what is with the truth of what might be

Find your passion - what will make you get up every day and say, "I want to do this."  Take the time to find your passion and opportunities will open up that you never imagined. 

When you overcome something that is hard, you know you can handle all of life's challenges.  

So take something hard.

Take advantage of the study abroad opportunities, learn languages,

KEEP YOUR OPTIMISM.

As educated people, you have a responsibility to be optimistic. If we cannot be optimistic, with all the opportunities available to us, then who can be?

You might not be able to control your circumstances - but you can control your response to those circumstances.

When feeling non-optimistic, remember that

What at the time seems impossible - 

in retrospect often seems inevitable

Though Dr. Rice is of the Presbyterian faith, I actually received a lot of Gospel insight in her words.

We are aware of the large threats to our personal happiness and eternal salvation - pornography, adultery, addiction, etc. - but more often than not, it is the smaller things that will take us down.  Becoming relaxed in our daily studies and prayer, not paying our tithing, service.  Overlooking these things will allow the ultimate terrorist, Satan, to attack us. 

The Atonement is one of the greatest blessings of the Gospel, it is what allows us to return to our Heavenly Father.  None of us are perfect, and without the Saviors ultimate sacrifice, we would not be able to return to live with him again.  It is absolutely true, "It doesn't matter where you came from, it matters where you are going."  It doesn't matter what mistakes you have made, we have the opportunity to be cleansed of it all. Through baptism, repentance, and through taking the sacrament every week. 

We are all given trials.  How we handle our trials defines who we are. We all have the capability to overcome every trial that is laid before us. It is hard, very hard.  But not impossible. Embrace the trial with absolute faith. When you make it through, you will be a thousand times happier, stronger, more faithful than before.  You will look back on that period in your life, grateful for the trial; for without it, you would not be the person you are now. 

I could go on and on about my thoughts from this forum, but this post is already way past long.

It was amazing. Period.

If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak

DO IT.

You will not regret it.