Yifen Beus, professor of International Cultural Studies at Brigham Young University Hawaii, spoke at the weekly devotional, Thursday, 14 June. Sister Beus was introduced by colleague, Cynthia Compton, as someone who loves languages and international cooking. A native of Taiwan, she was converted and baptized into the LDS Church while studying at Brigham Young University in Provo. “Cheerful dignity describes Yifen Beus,” said Sister Compton.
That quality was evident as Sister Beus shared her thoughts about the relationship of God to his children, and the relationship we should have with each other because he is our father. (Watch video clip. )
Referencing several scriptures Sister Beus began her remarks by defining our relationship with God. She said the idea that God is the father of our spirits and that we have the potential to become like him fascinated her as an investigator and has since helped her through many trials.
“In addition to the fact that we are offspring of God, we are also His servants,” said Sister Beus. She went on to say that many people, including her children, sometimes have a negative attitude toward service, but that our true relationship with God is manifest by our actions.
“True disciples of Christ simply follow his footsteps in serving others, regardless of their status and the status of the people that they serve,” said Sister Beus. “We can choose to see our relationship with God as a contracted obligation through serving others, or we can choose to see this commandment as a natural extension of our love to Heavenly Father.”
To become as Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are, said Sister Beus, we must become one, as they are one. She referred to President Hinckley’s talk in which “he stressed the necessity of love and tolerance towards each other despite our diverse appearances and physical conditions.”
The continued international growth of the Church, said Sister Beus, depends on “members who understand and respect each other’s cultures and heritages. Within the gospel culture, we must be like a delicious fruit salad, made up of distinctive parts, yet unified in our purpose,” said Sister Beus.
In order to do this, we must seek learning and use that learning in the service of God. Sister Beus referred to a talk given by Elder Henry B. Eyring to make that point. He said that spiritual learning should come first, but that spiritual learning should not replace a drive for secular learning. The scriptures make it clear that we are to learn about secular things, in order to serve our fellow beings, and ultimately God.
Referring to the recent Concert Choir tour to China and Mongolia as an opportunity to learn and serve the Lord, she said, “The tour has been such a spiritual tour de force to all of us who went. Seemingly unknown faces, I saw in so may of them the light of Christ, for they have treated us with utmost respect and love.”
As the conclusion to her remarks, Sister Beus invited members of the Concert Choir to sing “Holding Hands Around the World” as a photo montage of faces from China and Mongolia were shown on a screen.
