Casey Hurley, an instructor in the Brigham Young University-Idaho Department of Business Management, taught students about finding and fulfilling the Lord's special purpose for their lives in a devotional address given Tuesday, May 27.

She began her remarks by sharing statistics from a recent study of American youth that shows only about one in five young people in the 12-22 year age range express a clear vision of where they want to go, what they want to accomplish in life, and why. Almost a quarter of those interviewed expressed no aspirations at all, with some claiming they see no point in acquiring any.

"It's easy to see how many of the common complaints about your generation could be blamed on this lack of purposefulness and direction," Hurley said. "Fortunately, you don't have to wonder hopelessly about the purpose of your life. The restored gospel teaches us that life has a purpose, that God has a plan--even a plan for happiness--for all of His children. Furthermore, we know that God has a special individual purpose for each one of us."

Hurley used the Old Testament story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, as an example of the need to trust in the Lord and have faith in His plan for our lives.

"What looked at the time like obstacles in Joseph's life turned out to be key events leading to fulfillment of Joseph's special calling," she said. "Like Joseph, I have often looked back on events in my life that didn't make much sense at the time to discover that they were key events in the Lord's plan for my life. If only I had been more faithful at the time, I would have avoided so much worry and stress."

Hurley then gave four principles students should live by to increase trust in the Lord: draw upon all of your spiritual resources, endure faithfully knowing that God will deliver you, seek to find God's will by understanding the pattern for personal revelation, and trust in the Lord and in all thy ways acknowledge him.

She closed her remarks by quoting Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "Oh, how I would encourage you to weave deeply into the fabric of your soul the recognition that your life now is a part of a much bigger plan the Lord has for you. You lived part of it in the premortal existence. You were valiant there and came here because you wanted to grow and enjoy greater happiness. What you decide to do now will affect how well you fulfill that divine, personal plan He has for you."

Next week's devotional speaker will be Bronco Mendenhall, head football coach at Brigham Young University. Devotionals are held every Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium with additional seating in the Taylor Chapel during Summer Semester. Devotionals are broadcast on KBYI-FM 100.5 at 2 p.m. and rebroadcast Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.