Devotionals and Speeches

This Devotional address with Elder Neil L. Andersen was delivered on Sunday, February 22 at 5:00 PM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Elder Andersen was named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 4, 2009. Neil L. Andersen was born in Logan, Utah, and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. He graduated from Brigham Young University, where he was a Hinckley Scholar, and earned a masters of business administration from Harvard University. After completing his education, he settled in Tampa, Florida, where his business interests included advertising, real estate development and health care. Elder Andersen and his wife, Kathy Williams Andersen, are the parents of four children. Prior to his call as a general authority, Elder Andersen served as a mission president in the France Bordeaux Mission and as president of the Tampa Florida Stake. He was serving as the senior member of the Presidency of the Seventy prior to his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve. He was named a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 1993, at age 41. Elder Andersen previously led the work of the Church in southern Brazil and, again as a member of an area presidency, oversaw the Church in western Europe. He has also assisted in supervising the work of the Church in Mexico and Central America. In addition, he supervised Church audiovisual production, including the filming of “The Testaments: Of One Fold and One Shepherd” and managed construction of the broadcast facilities in the Conference Center as the executive director of the Church Audiovisual Department. He speaks French, Portuguese and Spanish in addition to his native English.

This Devotional address with Neihlee Muir was delivered on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Neihlee Muir came to BYU-Idaho in 2003, and just one week after arriving in Rexburg, she met her husband, Tyler. They were married later that year and are now the proud parents of three boys. Neihlee and her family have made their home in the Ashton, Idaho area for the past 20 years. Neihlee loves playing the violin, softball, ice hockey, snowmobiling, and riding horses with her family, but her favorite hobby is cheering on her boys in baseball, football, hockey, and rodeo. While raising her children, Neihlee continued her education and worked in both general contractor and subcontractor roles. She earned an associate’s degree in architectural technology and later completed a bachelor’s degree in construction management from BYU-Idaho. She also earned a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University. Neihlee has worked in BYU-Idaho’s Construction Management Services department since 2012. She has served in various church callings, including Sunday School teacher, Young Women’s advisor, and stake family history consultant. She is currently serving as the first counselor in her ward’s Young Women’s presidency.

This Devotional address with Jennifer B. Platt was delivered on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt is the daughter of Spencer and Alice Brinkerhoff and was born and raised in Arizona. She earned a PhD in educational psychology from Arizona State University. As a single adult, she led the first youth conference held in Ethiopia. Sister Platt has a deep love for the Church Educational System and has been a religious educator for 25 years. She taught seminary and institute in Arizona and has been a religion faculty member on three different BYU campuses: BYU, BYU–Idaho, and BYU–Hawaii. Sister Platt is currently the Associate Department Chair of Religious Education here on campus. Her happy places include the House of the Lord, her garden, the middle of a good book, and anywhere the sun is shining. Whether it is the BYU Cougars, shy Primary children, or weary marathon runners, Jennifer loves cheering for people. She is married to Jed Platt and is the mother of two children.

This Devotional address with President Alvin F. Meredith III was delivered on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 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.

This Devotional address with Sister Jennifer E. Meredith was delivered on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. 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.

This Devotional address with Perry Rockwood was delivered on December 9, 2025, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Perry Rockwood was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1995 but grew up in Enumclaw, Washington. Perry attended BYU–Hawaii in 2013 to play for the men’s basketball team. From 2014 to 2016, he served in the Las Vegas, Nevada Mission. Perry graduated from BYU–Idaho with an emphasis in public relations and received his master’s degree in professional communication from Southern Utah University in 2024. He is an adjunct professor for the public speaking class in the Communication Department, and he works full-time as the Social Media Manager for BYU–Idaho. Perry married his childhood friend and sweetheart, Brooke, on April 15, 2017, in the Provo City Center Temple. His hobbies include playing, coaching and watching basketball, as well as scrolling social media. He also enjoys spending time with close friends and family, especially as a new girl dad. Perry’s favorite places are the beach and Disneyland.

This Devotional address with Jane Clayson Johnson was delivered on December 2, 2025, at 11:30 AM MST in the BYU-Idaho I-Center. Jane Clayson Johnson is an Emmy award-winning journalist, widely known for her work in network television at CBS News in New York, ABC News in Los Angeles, and as a regular guest host on two nationally syndicated programs on NPR, based in Boston. Jane began her career at KSL Television in Salt Lake City. She attended Brigham Young University on a violin performance scholarship and later graduated with a degree in broadcasting. Jane is the author of two best-selling books. I Am a Mother chronicled her decision to leave her career in network news to have a family. Silent Souls Weeping is a candid and personal examination of those who suffer the ravages of clinical depression. Jane and her husband, Mark Johnson, are members of the President’s Leadership Council at BYU-Pathway Worldwide. Jane has served on the boards of Deseret Management Corporation and the Wheatley Institute at BYU. She was recently appointed a Trustee at the U.S. Naval Institute Foundation. Jane currently serves as an Emotional Resilience facilitator in the Longfellow Park YSA Ward in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her husband is the bishop. This summer, Jane and Mark sent their son on a mission to Stockholm, Sweden, and entered a new season as empty-nesters.

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.