By Sheiyenne Baloo-Seegmiller
One of the Savior’s most impactful lessons found in the Doctrine and Covenants is about seeing others as Heavenly Father’s children and remembering the “worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” (D&C 18:10). While we all have many opportunities to serve others and share the Gospel, I did not expect to be able to show my love for others and share this message while promoting clean energy at the same time.
After graduating from BYU, my sights were set on practicing law. I had different jobs in both the legal and accounting fields, however, I found myself led to the world of clean energy. My current work is focused on helping Tribal nations and communities transition to renewable power sources, which can be a great boon to their society. A majority of tribes are located in rural, remote areas where blackouts and brownouts are frequent and interfere with their lifestyle, especially those who need power for cooking, using medical devices or other daily activities. However, updating and maintaining the power infrastructure in these areas is not a priority for electric companies, who continue to bill at high rates. Implementing renewable energy creates opportunities for Tribes to have reliable power sources and establish their energy sovereignty.
These projects allow me to visit Tribal nations across the country through stakeholder engagement, educating their communities on renewable energy and seeking funding for their projects through grant writing and corporate partnerships. Being a Tribal member of the Navajo Nation myself, I share their views on protecting the Earth and wanting to be a sustainable steward of the land. Tribal members have shared with me their creation stories and how the land, vegetation and animal life work together to provide for their Tribe. Moments like this remind me of how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints view earth stewardship and show gratitude for the things that “please the eye and…gladden the heart” (D&C 59:18).
Working in clean energy and being a BYU alum, has led to various missionary experiences to clarify questions about the Church and a chance to teach simply, like the Savior. These experiences vary from each other, however, the Spirit has been present and reminds me of being a missionary again. I served in Edmonton, Alberta and was fortunate enough to serve among the First Nation communities in both Alberta and Saskatchewan. Teachings from my mission president and from the Indigenous people continue to be a part of my testimony and spiritual foundation. For many Tribal Nations, there is a strong connection to honoring the land, since the land has protected and provided for their cultural sustenance among their communities. Whether through agricultural efforts or making sure the waterways stay clean, Indigenous peoples seek different ways to protect the areas where they have a traditional tie to Mother Earth.
Little did I know that many of my past experiences in Canada would continue to be applicable in my life and future career. A lot of little things in my job remind me of being a missionary again, such as traveling with a work companion, wearing skirts and dresses as my business casual look and having a ‘return and report’ culture within our firm. I often chuckle to myself because of the sharp similarities between corporate and missionary life. Although my ‘pass along cards’ now have a job title and QR code to LinkedIn, my job and past mission experience still coincide with the same message: render loving Christ-like service and care for the Earth. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide support for Tribal communities and encourage others to seek ways to foster responsible earth stewardship, through promoting clean energy.
Sheiyenne Baloo-Seegmiller works in energy finance and stakeholder engagement, helping Tribal communities in the renewable energy sector. She is a member of the Navajo Nation and resides in Texas with her husband and Golden Retriever, Scout.
Note: Blog posts are written by volunteer writers; the opinions of writers are their own and are not necessarily representative of Latter-day Saint Earth Stewardship.