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Elder Mark S. Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy speaks during a BYU–Pathway devotional broadcast on Friday, February 7, 2025. 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Rachel Sterzer Gibson, Church News
Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy has seen firsthand the blessings a BYU–Pathway Worldwide education can bestow on individuals around the globe.
During a devotional broadcast to BYU–Pathway students on Friday, February 7, Elder Palmer — who served in the Africa Southeast and Africa South areas of the Church — related how three of his executive assistants in South Africa had been enrolled. His sister Stephanie and brother Kevin, who live in his homeland of New Zealand, each completed BYU–Pathway. And he was recently in Japan, where the wives of two members of the area presidency were studying through BYU–Pathway — Sister Seongmi Kim, wife of Elder Christopher H. Kim, from South Korea, and Sister Debbra McCune, wife of Elder John A. McCune, from the United States.
“Of course, your education will surely bless you, and help you along your path in life,” Elder Palmer told students. “But remember that the mission of BYU–Pathway is primarily spiritual rather than temporal.”
An education will help a graduate get a better job, but there is more to a rich and rewarding life than becoming self-reliant, he said.
During a BYU university conference in 2022, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that self-reliance is not an end goal but a means to an end.
Said Elder Palmer: “We seek to become self-reliant so we can serve others. This is captured so well in the motto of BYU in Provo, ‘Enter to learn, go forth to serve.’”
People should not equate an income with self-reliance, Elder Palmer said. “I have met wonderful Saints throughout the world who have little material wealth and yet they are still self-reliant. They live so their wants do not exceed their needs. And they, like so many of you, embrace the joy of service and freely share what they have.”
As students embark on their pathways to greater spiritual and temporal self-reliance, “always remember that self-reliance is a prerequisite to service,” Elder Palmer reminded listeners.
“Without temporal self-reliance, there is nothing to give the hungry and those with other physical needs. Without spiritual self-reliance, there is nothing to give those in emotional and spiritual need. Without learning, it is hard to teach others. So we hope that each of you who are blessed by BYU–Pathway will be filled with the desire to serve in the Church, in your families and in your communities.”
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Elder Mark S. Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy speaks during a BYU–Pathway devotional broadcast on Friday, February 7, 2025. Screenshot from byupathway.edu, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.In his office at Church headquarters, Elder Palmer said he keeps a painting of the tree of life from Lehi’s dream. “It, too, reminds me of the joy we experience as we stay on the pathway leading to eternal life. I bear witness, nothing in your life will taste sweeter than the fruit of the gospel, the love of God and living a life of discipleship and Christlike service that will lead others to also taste of this fruit.”
In conclusion, Elder Palmer expressed his confidence that BYU–Pathway will be a great springboard in students’ lives. “I leave you my love, my encouragement and my firm testimony of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who leads this Church through living prophets and apostles. I am so grateful for their inspired direction in providing BYU–Pathway to you and many thousands of wonderful students like you throughout the world.”
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