Rachel Weiss, Tate Fowler, Virgil Harvey, and Emma Sackett shared their personal experiences about finding hope at last night’s BYU-Idaho event.
Weiss, a sophomore studying graphic design, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease during her mission. She shared the lessons she’s learned from this life-changing experience and how she’s found hope through it.
“My value is absolute,” Weiss said. “It does not change. I’ve also learned that rare doesn’t get rarer than one. There is only one Rachel Weiss, and the only girl that has ever lived that is like me, is me. And that takes away all comparison immediately. There is only one of you.”
Fowler and Sackett each spoke about their struggles with mental health and how they’ve been able to cope and accomplish things in their life, amidst the challenges.
Harvey shared about his physical challenges, and that through his mission, he was able to connect with multiple people who were also diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Each of their experiences illustrated that hope is always possible.
“I’d like to thank the speakers,” said Mitchell Clayton, an attendee “Each of them spoke with vulnerability and honesty about their own experiences along with giving a confident, calming presence and reassurance about finding hope and aid.”
Representatives from the BYU-I Counseling Center also shared campus resources for varying challenges that students may face.
Students can find more information about BYU-I’s counseling services on their website.