When I was nearing the end of my high school career many of my friends assumed I would be continuing my education at what they referred to as “the Mormon School,” namely BYU. This idea isn’t totally erroneous. It does seem to be a trend among Mormon education seekers to make the trek to Utah for the cheap tuition, academic and spiritual enlightenment, and--let’s be real--the dating pool. They were always somewhat surprised to learn that I had no interest in BYU and that I was actually headed to Aggieland; the home of Texas A&M University.
I guess my peers assumed that I would I want to be surrounded by like-minded individuals that were warm and welcoming to my lifestyle. They probably thought that BYU offered the best opportunities for a Mormon like me to do what Mormons do. Little did they realize that Aggieland is a wonderful place to be a Mormon. In fact, Aggies make great Mormons! Mormons make great Aggies! Much of what we strive for as members of the church is similar to the core values and principles of the Aggie Family. As it happens, here are nine ways in which Aggies make great Mormons.
Excellence
We are all children of God with a divine nature. We are given spiritual gifts and talents to develop throughout our lives. With the guidance of our Heavenly Father and through the grace of Jesus Christ we can attain excellence not only in this life but also in the life to come.
Integrity
“The Aggie Code of Honor which Aggies recite by heart, is: 'Aggies do not lie, cheat or steal nor tolerate those that do' shows what goes to the heart of being an Aggie.”
“I recall a time—and some of you here tonight will also—when the standards of most people were very similar to our standards. No longer is this true…We have been and continue to be taught God’s laws. Despite what you may see or hear elsewhere, these laws are unchanging…. As we go about living from day to day, it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged. We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others and yet standing in the minority or even standing alone concerning what is acceptable and what is not. Do we have the moral courage to stand firm for our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone?”
In a world of decreasing morality integrity is a high prize. It is an easily distinguishable trait and steadily sought after in the workplace, among social groups and in the home. Though there must needs be opposition in all things, we know from the best examples that choosing the “harder right instead of the easier wrong” is all worth it in the end.
Leadership
“The spirit of leadership is instilled in every student — whether they go on to lead in the boardroom or in the backyard — they have the values, the confidence and the experience to lead change in their world."
The greatest leader history knows is Jesus Christ. He loved, served, and taught His followers. His example of leadership, like Him, is flawless. Each of us are leaders in some way. May we all strive to follow the example that our Savior has set forth.
“Through unity, strength.” -- Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets Motto
“I think of loyalty in terms of being true to ourselves. I think of it in terms of being absolutely faithful to our chosen companions. I think of it in terms of being absolutely loyal to the Church and its many facets of activity. I think of it in terms of being unequivocally true to the God of heaven, our Eternal Father, and His Beloved Son, our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Covenants and the commandments that help us maintain them support us on our journey to salvation. As we work towards these eternal goals and help others to do the same we develop obedience and charity and become closer to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Respect
“A&M students embody a refreshing spirit: born of the values of friendliness, caring, support, confidence and a can-do attitude.” -- Former student
“Teach your children to respect their neighbors. Teach your children to respect their bishops and the teachers that come to their homes to teach them. Teach your children to respect old age, gray hairs, and feeble frames. Teach them to venerate and to hold in honorable remembrance their parents, and to help all those who are helpless and needy. … Teach your children that when they go to school they should honor their teachers in that which is true and honest. … Teach your children to honor the law of God and the law of the state and the law of our country … and thereby they will grow up to be men and women choice above all the men and women of the world.”
Each of us has great worth in the sight of God. We are commanded to love and serve all our brothers and sisters, no matter the circumstance.
Selfless Service
“If I had to tell you about Aggie values in one sentence I would simply ask the question: How can I be of service?”
“A&M encourages volunteerism, encourages being one of a thousand points of light, helping others ... and it comes naturally to Aggies.”
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:… Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? …And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
A&M has established the largest one-day, student-run service project in the nation. The Big Event brings together tens of thousands of Aggies to say “Thank You” to the BCS community for their support through raking leaves, painting houses and whatever else they need. Mormon Helping Hands provides community service and disaster relief to those in need and this doesn’t include the various other humanitarian efforts of the church.
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Friendliness
‘‘‘Howdy’ is the official greeting of Texas A&M. Students greeting one another — and especially campus visitors — with a “howdy” has earned the university a reputation as the friendliest campus in the world. The origins of this tradition are unknown, but it is one that Aggies proudly continue.”
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” -- John 15:13
I remember my first day as a freshman at A&M. It was terrifying! Everything was so big and confusing. But my fears quickly melted away when I started hearing “Howdy!” and seeing the accompanying smiles. It brought to mind a slight variation of a common phrase, “friendliness is next to Godliness.”
Patriotism
“Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war.”
“And it came to pass that he [Moroni] rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.”
How grateful we are for this promised land of liberty in which we can worship as we choose!
Seekers of the Spirit
“Some may boast of prowess bold, of the school they think so grand. But there’s a spirit that can ne’er be told, it’s the Spirit of Aggieland.”
“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
Ultimately, all these values and principles help us attain and maintain the spirit. The Spirit of Aggieland is one of warmth, welcoming and greatness. The Spirit of Truth teaches, testifies and guides. One is enjoyable here on Earth and the other will follow us to Eternity.
There is no doubt that both Mormons and Aggies are a “peculiar people.” Both are unique and strong in their beliefs. Both are proud of their heritage. Both are very eager to share the joy that comes along with membership. And both have very recognizable jewelry.
So you see, combining the two just makes perfect sense.
Koby Dudley is the loudest and proudest member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2017. After double majoring in Spanish and Communication for her Bachelor’s degrees, she plans to pursue a Master’s degree and a career in the field of Bilingual Speech Language Pathology. Koby loves surprises and tries to focus on the little things in life. Her personal motto is "preparation brings blessings."
Excellence
“Excellence stems from a great sense of pride in who we are and what we believe in.”
“And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
-- Former Texas A&M President Dr. Robert Gates
“And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
-- Matt. 25:20-21
We are all children of God with a divine nature. We are given spiritual gifts and talents to develop throughout our lives. With the guidance of our Heavenly Father and through the grace of Jesus Christ we can attain excellence not only in this life but also in the life to come.
Integrity
“The Aggie Code of Honor which Aggies recite by heart, is: 'Aggies do not lie, cheat or steal nor tolerate those that do' shows what goes to the heart of being an Aggie.”
-- Texas A&M leadership
“I recall a time—and some of you here tonight will also—when the standards of most people were very similar to our standards. No longer is this true…We have been and continue to be taught God’s laws. Despite what you may see or hear elsewhere, these laws are unchanging…. As we go about living from day to day, it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged. We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others and yet standing in the minority or even standing alone concerning what is acceptable and what is not. Do we have the moral courage to stand firm for our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone?”
-- President Thomas S. Monson
In a world of decreasing morality integrity is a high prize. It is an easily distinguishable trait and steadily sought after in the workplace, among social groups and in the home. Though there must needs be opposition in all things, we know from the best examples that choosing the “harder right instead of the easier wrong” is all worth it in the end.
Leadership
“The spirit of leadership is instilled in every student — whether they go on to lead in the boardroom or in the backyard — they have the values, the confidence and the experience to lead change in their world."
-- Texas A&M Leadership
“Hence many are called, but few are chosen. No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge…”
-- D&C 121:40-42
Loyalty
“Through unity, strength.” -- Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets Motto
“I think of loyalty in terms of being true to ourselves. I think of it in terms of being absolutely faithful to our chosen companions. I think of it in terms of being absolutely loyal to the Church and its many facets of activity. I think of it in terms of being unequivocally true to the God of heaven, our Eternal Father, and His Beloved Son, our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
-- President Gordon B. Hinckley
“A&M students embody a refreshing spirit: born of the values of friendliness, caring, support, confidence and a can-do attitude.” -- Former student
“Teach your children to respect their neighbors. Teach your children to respect their bishops and the teachers that come to their homes to teach them. Teach your children to respect old age, gray hairs, and feeble frames. Teach them to venerate and to hold in honorable remembrance their parents, and to help all those who are helpless and needy. … Teach your children that when they go to school they should honor their teachers in that which is true and honest. … Teach your children to honor the law of God and the law of the state and the law of our country … and thereby they will grow up to be men and women choice above all the men and women of the world.”
-- President Joseph F. Smith
“If I had to tell you about Aggie values in one sentence I would simply ask the question: How can I be of service?”
-- Current Texas A&M student
“A&M encourages volunteerism, encourages being one of a thousand points of light, helping others ... and it comes naturally to Aggies.”
-- Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:… Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? …And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
-- Matthew 25:35-40
A&M has established the largest one-day, student-run service project in the nation. The Big Event brings together tens of thousands of Aggies to say “Thank You” to the BCS community for their support through raking leaves, painting houses and whatever else they need. Mormon Helping Hands provides community service and disaster relief to those in need and this doesn’t include the various other humanitarian efforts of the church.
Fri
‘‘‘Howdy’ is the official greeting of Texas A&M. Students greeting one another — and especially campus visitors — with a “howdy” has earned the university a reputation as the friendliest campus in the world. The origins of this tradition are unknown, but it is one that Aggies proudly continue.”
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” -- John 15:13
I remember my first day as a freshman at A&M. It was terrifying! Everything was so big and confusing. But my fears quickly melted away when I started hearing “Howdy!” and seeing the accompanying smiles. It brought to mind a slight variation of a common phrase, “friendliness is next to Godliness.”
“Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war.”
-- General George S. Patton
“And it came to pass that he [Moroni] rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.”
-- Alma 46:12-13,16
How grateful we are for this promised land of liberty in which we can worship as we choose!
Seekers of the Spirit
“Some may boast of prowess bold, of the school they think so grand. But there’s a spirit that can ne’er be told, it’s the Spirit of Aggieland.”
“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
-- Joseph Smith - 13th Article of Faith
Ultimately, all these values and principles help us attain and maintain the spirit. The Spirit of Aggieland is one of warmth, welcoming and greatness. The Spirit of Truth teaches, testifies and guides. One is enjoyable here on Earth and the other will follow us to Eternity.
So you see, combining the two just makes perfect sense.
References:
Koby Dudley is the loudest and proudest member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2017. After double majoring in Spanish and Communication for her Bachelor’s degrees, she plans to pursue a Master’s degree and a career in the field of Bilingual Speech Language Pathology. Koby loves surprises and tries to focus on the little things in life. Her personal motto is "preparation brings blessings."
