On Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 11:30 a.m., President Henry J. Eyring and his wife, Kelly Eyring, delivered their devotional addresses in the BYU-Idaho Center, welcoming students and faculty back to campus for a new semester.
Sister Eyring spoke first, centering her message on the significance of students making the most of their time at BYU-Idaho and doing so with the presence of the Holy Ghost. According to her, many may feel the Holy Ghost by surrounding themselves with trusted voices.
“Good friends and family members can be trusted voices,” Sister Eyring said. “Here at school or online, you can listen to good friends who are here because they want to learn in a spiritual environment just like you.”
She went on to finish her remarks by testifying of the everlasting love of Jesus Christ. She encouraged both students and faculty to help one another feel the love of Christ and the Holy Ghost.
“I can personally testify that Jesus has the answer to all of our questions, concerns and the source of all that you and I really want,” Sister Eyring said. “Let’s help each other listen to the prophets and apostles, our good friends and family, the Holy Ghost, and most importantly, the Savior and to have fun as we navigate this exciting time together.”
Following her devotional address, President Eyring spoke, focusing his message on nurturing one another and its relevance in a college setting. He began by sharing a story of when his mother first taught him the popular primary song, “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream.” He related streams to nature and how they can nurture the living things around them.
He shared various scripture passages from Enos to Ephesians to 3 Nephi, each of which talks about nurturing. He invited a student, Mattie Thomas, to share her experiences of how she’s felt nurtured at BYU-Idaho.
“As a student here at BYU-Idaho, I feel it’s almost always possible to feel the love and compassion that teachers and administration have for every single student,” Thomas said. “In all of this, I find it important to remember the gift of accepting service and the loving attempts from others to be nurtured.”
After Thomas shared her thoughts, President Eyring also invited Bob Morley, a member of faculty management, to share some words. He shared two Bible stories: Jesus Christ’s resurrection and Christ asking Peter if he loved Him three times. He said that if we want to inspire others, we need to be inspired by Heavenly Father, just as Christ was.
Following Morley’s words, President Eyring closed the devotional by bearing his testimony on the power of nurturing and the fruits that come from consistently doing good.
“In going about doing good, you and I can be assured that we are in the Lord’s work,” President Eyring said. “We will have the capacity to work miracles in our own lives and in the lives of others.”