This Devotional address with Elder Karl D. Hirst was delivered on November 18, 2025 at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Elder Karl D. Hirst was sustained as a General Authority Seventy at the April 2024 general conference. At the time of his call, he and his wife, Claire, had been serving as FSY session directors.

Elder Hirst was a full-time missionary in the England London South Mission. He was born in Bury, Lancashire, in the United Kingdom, and married Claire Elizabeth Wright in 1993.

They are the parents of six children and have four grandchildren, with another soon to arrive.

This Devotional address with David Ashby was delivered on November 11, 2025 at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. David Ashby was born in Reno, Nevada, and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He served in the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission.

He attended Ricks College and was the captain of the Ricks College spirit team. David graduated from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Spanish education and later earned a master’s degree in educational technology from Boise State University.

He has had an exciting career as a Spanish teacher and an instructional technology coach and director, and has been at BYU–Idaho for 12 years. He has also coached a variety of sports—including football, basketball, cheerleading, and golf—in Salmon, Idaho, and McKinney, Texas. He is currently the head coach of the Biting Goats mountain bike team where he helps kids get more kids on bikes.

David met his sweetheart, Christine Foster, in the dance studio in the Hart building. They were married in the Dallas Texas Temple in 2003 and are the parents of four children.

This Devotional address with Andy Johnson was delivered on Tuesday, November 4, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Andy Johnson was born and raised in Upstate New York. He came to Rexburg in 1987 to attend Ricks College.

Andy later served a full-time mission in Tallahassee, Florida. After returning to Rexburg, he met his wife, Melodi, in a communications class held in the Spori building. They were married in 1991 following his graduation from Ricks College. They have four children and five grandchildren. Andy has had a professional career in construction as a licensed HVAC contractor. His career placed him in the construction of several campus buildings. In 2008, he came to work for BYU-Idaho as a project coordinator for the BYU-Idaho Center. He graduated from BYU-Idaho in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in construction management.

Andy loves watching college football, providing for his family, spending time with his grandchildren, and serving in the Church. He has held numerous callings focused on youth and young adults, including Young Men advisor, Scoutmaster, counselor to three bishops, member of the YSA high council, and YSA bishop. He currently serves as bishop in a married student ward.

This Devotional address with Heidi Egan was delivered on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Heidi Egan grew up in Toronto, Canada, but moved to the United States for college in 1993. She has lived in Provo, Seattle, Upstate New York, Los Angeles, and now Rexburg. She enjoyed serving a unique mission as a church service missionary leader.

Heidi earned an associate degree in biology, a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in nutrition, another master’s degree in psychology, and, most recently, a PhD in health psychology.

Before coming to BYU–Idaho, Heidi was a full-time stay-at-home mom. She became an online adjunct employee in 2016 and has been a full-time employee since 2021.

Heidi has been married to Jonathon Egan for 30 years, and they have five children. Heidi’s hobbies include fiber arts and gardening. She has served in nearly every church auxiliary, but her favorite calling is the one she has now–Primary music leader.

This Devotional address with Elder Kim B. Clark was delivered on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Elder Clark was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 4, 2015. He was released on October 5, 2019.

At the time of his call, he had been serving as the president of BYU–Idaho since 2005. He served as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy, Idaho Area, from 2007 to 2014. He also served as the Commissioner of the Church Educational System.

Elder Clark received a bachelor of arts, a master of arts, and a PhD, all in economics, from Harvard University. He became a faculty member at the Harvard Business School in 1978 and was named dean of that school in 1995. He served in that capacity until the summer of 2005, when he was named the president of BYU–Idaho.

Elder Clark has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the South German Mission, elders quorum president, ward executive secretary, counselor in a bishopric, bishop, high councilor, and counselor in a stake mission presidency.

Kim Bryce Clark was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 20, 1949. He married Sue Lorraine Hunt in June 1971. They are the parents of seven children.

This Devotional address with Stephanie L. Colvin was delivered on September 30 at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Stephanie L. Colvin began her journey as a college student at Ricks College and attended BYU and Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, before returning to earn her undergraduate degree from BYU–Idaho.

She completed a master’s degree in leadership, with an emphasis in training and development, from Northeastern State University. For the past thirteen years, Stephanie has worked at BYU–Idaho in various roles and now serves as the Director of First-Year Experience.

Her greatest joy comes from her family—she and her husband of 32 years have four children and three grandchildren. In the Church, Stephanie has served in various leadership roles at the ward and stake levels in the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society, but her most cherished calling has been serving in the nursery. She loves baking, beachcombing, spending time with her family, and continually learning.

This Devotional address with Elder Clark G. and Sister Christine C. Gilbert was delivered on Tuesday, September 23, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Elder Clark G. Gilbert was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 3, 2021. He currently serves as the Commissioner of the Church Educational System. At the time of his call, he had been serving as an Area Seventy in the Utah Area.

Elder Gilbert has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Japan Kobe Mission, elders quorum president, counselor in a stake presidency, and bishop.

Elder Gilbert received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree in Asian studies from Stanford University, and a doctorate from Harvard University. He worked as a professor of entrepreneurial management at Harvard University. He was later the chief executive officer of the Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media. In 2015 he became president of BYU–Idaho and was subsequently appointed as the inaugural president of BYU–Pathway Worldwide in 2017.

Sister Christine C. Gilbert graduated from BYU in Family Science and taught elementary school before becoming a full-time homemaker. Sister Gilbert has served in multiple ecclesiastical roles, including Stake Young Women President, Primary President, early morning Seminary Teacher, and Sunday School Instructor. Sister Gilbert has a love for learning and a passion for her family, and a commitment to the gospel.

Elder and Sister Gilbert were married in 1994. They are the parents of eight children and the proud and delighted grandparents of one.

This Devotional address with President Alvin F. and Sister Jennifer E. Meredith was delivered on Tuesday, September 16th at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Alvin F. Meredith III became the 18th president of Brigham Young University-Idaho on August 1, 2023. He was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 3, 2021, and continues to serve in that role today.

Prior to his call as a General Authority, President Meredith served as president of the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. He also served as an Area Seventy in the North America Southeast and Asia Areas, and in a number of other Church callings including as a full-time missionary in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission.

In his professional career, President Meredith worked as a senior executive of Asurion in Tennessee, Hong Kong, and Singapore. He also worked for The Boston Consulting Group and GE Capital.

President Meredith earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University and a Master of Business Administration in finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Jennifer E. Meredith received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Brigham Young University. She worked in Human Resources for Franklin Covey. Sister Meredith served as a mission leader with her husband in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. She has served as a presidency member in multiple church organizations and as a full-time missionary in the Argentina Salta Mission. President and Sister Meredith were married on June 6, 1998, in the Salt Lake Temple, and they are the parents of six children.

As part of BYU-Idaho's Summer Session Devotional Recommendations, we’re featuring “The Power of the Book of Mormon" by Elder Michael T. Ringwood, which was delivered on March 15, 2016. Elder Michael T. Ringwood was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 2009.

Following his call as a General Authority, he served at Church headquarters as Executive Director of the Priesthood and Family Department and as a member of the Priesthood and Family Executive Council. He was also a member of the Church Board of Education. Elder Ringwood began service as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2024. He currently assists members of the Twelve Apostles in supervising the North America Northeast, Europe North, Utah, and Africa West Areas.

Elder Ringwood has served in a number of Church callings, including a full-time missionary in the Korea Seoul Mission, bishop, high councilor, high priests group leader, Scoutmaster, stake president, and mission president.

As part of BYU-Idaho's Summer Session Devotional Recommendations, we’re featuring “Love Thy God and Thy Neighbor" by Sister Reyna I. Aburto, which was delivered on June 4, 2019. Sister Aburto was sustained in April 2017 as the second counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society, the Church’s organization for its six million female members ages 18 and older.

Reyna I. Aburto was born in Nicaragua to Noel Blanco and Delbi Cardoza and married Carlos Aburto of Mexico in the Jordan River Utah Temple in 1993. They are both converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they have three children.Reyna I. Aburto says her husband, Carlos, is her “best friend” and her “biggest support,” and they enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.

She says two major incidents from her childhood greatly impacted her life: surviving an earthquake that destroyed her home and killed her older brother, and living through a period of civil unrest in Nicaragua in the late 1970s. Through these difficult experiences of loss, uncertainty and fear, she learned relationships, family, love and faith are our most precious possessions.

Reyna I. Aburto attended Universidad Centroamericana, where she studied industrial engineering for four years, and holds an AAS degree in computer science from Utah Valley University.

In 1989, after going through a difficult time in her life, she was invited by Latter-day Saint missionaries to attend church in California. She was hesitant at first, but recalls feeling safe and at home the moment she stepped into the meetinghouse. A few weeks later, at age 26, she was baptized. She says she has “never stopped marveling at the beauty of the gospel,” calling her membership in the Church a huge privilege and gift.

Her family attended Spanish-speaking congregations until 2013, when they began attending their neighborhood English-speaking ward, and she has served extensively in the Relief Society, Young Women, Primary, Sunday School and Scouting organizations in her ward and stake (diocese).

She served on the Primary general board from 2012 to 2016, where her responsibilities included coordinating resources for children in the Church with disabilities, involvement in the Scouting program, improving Primary web content and providing trainings to Church leaders in the United States and Mexico.

She has worked in the language industry for more than 25 years, balancing work, family and Church responsibilities, and now owns a small translation business with her husband.