Rachel Schwartz
ST DEV 358R Final Reflection
BYUSA is an incredibly unique organization in the fact that its main focus is teaching others how to leave BYU campus as leaders centered on Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives and it facilitates this through providing service. As I have come to serve with BYUSA and better understand the true vision of the organization, I have come to find that the lessons learned in BYUSA are applicable to all walks of life. There are a variety of ways to learn leadership, but what I love about BYUSA is that it encourages its leaders to follow in the footsteps of the greatest leader of all, Jesus Christ. The man who lived a perfect life, who touched thousands in His day and continues to touch an insurmountable number of lives today, provided His example as the blue print for how we should lead our fellow brothers and sisters.
It’s been interesting to serve with BYUSA and to simultaneously work with the BYU Police Department, because while they are two very differently run organizations they manage to convey the same message. BYUSA tends to be more rigid in rule keeping, it makes sure that all protocol is followed and when it isn’t there can be very severe consequences. Leaders are thrown into the fire without any training and are expected to learn as they go. The BYU Police Department is different in that it provides at least 3 days of training annually, along with interspersed trainings throughout the year, and then throws its employees out into the work field. Everyone is obviously expected to enforce rules and regulations, but each person is allowed the agency to decide for themselves on a case to case basis how they will enforce certain situations. While they may provide different types of training to their student leaders, I have found that each organization has the core value of that people are what’s important. My coordinators at BYUSA always seek to make sure that I am not physically cared for, but that I am emotionally, academically, and mentally cared for as well. I have found the same sentiments with my full-time officers at BYU PD as well. They earnestly seek to make sure my life is not hectic, that I am handling work and school and making sure that my physical needs on the job are taken care of as well. As I have somewhat analyzed these two organizations over the past year, I’ve come to realize that if I want any organization I am apart of to be successful, I must focus on the hearts of the people. If you are informed as to the happenings and circumstances of the lives of those you work with, you are more forgiving and loving towards them. It can be easy to be upset and hold a grudge against a co-worker because they failed to meet a project deadline, but if you understand that their wife has been in the hospital for the past 3 months you will no longer have ill feelings towards your co-worker, but you may be inspired to take more of the burden upon your own back and serve him as he goes through a down-cycle in his life. If BYUSA has taught me anything, it is that small and simple acts of service can have massive effects on the lives of others. As I go forth to serve in my future careers, I will seek to knit my heart with those I work with and show them my care through serving them in whatever way I can.
While employment mainly focuses on accomplishing tasks and getting results, I feel that the Church often takes an opposite approach and focuses on the hearts of people and places less importance on accomplishing tasks. I believe there is a fine balance that makes the Church successful in its endeavors. Last year my roommates and I were sitting in an overly rowdy Sunday School class waiting for the teacher to arrive and begin the lesson. After 15 minutes of waiting, and after being annoyed by the lack of reverence, I took my Gospel Doctrine handbook everyone gets at the beginning of the semester and started and taught the lesson. Shortly afterwards I was called as a Sunday School teacher, ironically. I mention this because there have been times at BYUSA where I have been invited to attend a meeting and that meeting not start at the stated time, causing me to shift my schedule around. Once everyone shows up to the meeting, there’s another 10 minutes of time used in socializing before the meeting is ever brought to open. While socializing and learning the hearts of others is crucial in both your church callings and in BYUSA, there is a time and place for everything. People’s lives are busy and many find themselves on a minute-by-minute timeline of To-Do’s and places to be. I have learned that when you say you are going to commit to anything, a Sunday School lesson or a Youth Activity that you stay true to your word and start promptly at the time designated. If others are late, then that is their fault and they will learn that if they wish to socialize before the lesson or event, to arrive to that event early. As I hold leadership positions in the Church, I will strive to be prompt in starting my meetings and activities on time and allowing socializing time to be present afterwards or before.
I had the opportunity to serve as an event lead with BYUSA where I dealt with many different entities of the Provo community. In regards to each and every vendor we worked with, every person was impressed with the professionalism, communication, and low-maintenance of my committee members. They were able to change the mindsets of how those vendors saw BYU students and BYU and we were able to build wonderful relationships with those various companies. What I found to be the most important lesson learned was that I am always serving, and being looked at, as a representative. Whether I will be a representative of BYU again, I’m not sure, but I will always be a representative of myself, of my family, and of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When I deal with others in my current and future community, I will uphold myself to the standards that I would expect of another person and of another Latter-day Saint member. I am a representative of Christ at all times, in all things, and in all places and I will always be steadfast in upholding His values and good name in all my doings with those I serve, work, and communicate with in my community.
While I feel I can give a thousand examples of how I can best go forth and serve in my home and the lessons I have learned on how to do such through BYUSA, I think one of the most important lessons was learned through the example of a fellow Executive Director. This E.D.’s love language is words of affirmation, and she has taught me about the importance of always expressing gratitude to those you love. She would write notes of appreciation not only to people who provided her with service, but to those who asked for her service. I remember we were asked to go on a road trip and transport this person’s car to his grandparent’s home in Washington. The car’s owner paid for all of our transportation costs, including a hotel and plane flight home, and this sweet E.D. wrote a note of appreciation for the expenses and for their friendship and love. I would have never in a million years thought to write and leave a note of gratitude, but I now have seen the effect it has had on those who have received those simple love notes. I have made a goal to show my family more appreciation, and as I have, I have felt the bonds of love strengthen between us. As I go forth to serve in my family, I will make it a point to always show my family members my love and gratitude for their examples and love in my life.
As I’ve said before, all of the lessons I’ve learned in BYUSA while they have been different and while they are applicable to many areas of life, all stem from the same core of following in the footsteps of Christ. If I follow the example the Savior has set for me, I will be able to go forth and serve as a lifelong leader for the Church, in the community, in my home, and in any of my future forms of employment with love.
