Non-LDS attendance reaches high with influx of international students

by Amber Warner WAR05005@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

When Tarun Kanagala tells his fellow BYU-Idaho students that he is Hindu, their reaction is usually one of shock.

Kanagala, a sophomore from Hyderabad, India, first came to BYU-I out of curiosity and has become one of 32 non-Latter-day Saint students that are attending this year.

“I have been to a lot of religious schools, and I try to get an inside perspective instead of just reading about it,” said Kanagala. “I didn’t even know Mormons existed until my senior year of high school.”

Kanagala was raised Hindu in India, and says that his parents have chosen to be supportive of his decision to attend a predominantly LDS university.

“They’re not extremely religious,” Kanagala said of his parents. “Hindu [people] believe it’s okay to go around and get a knowledge and perspective of different religions.”

Currently there are 32 students of other faiths, a 59 percent increase from Fall 2004 semester which totaled 19 students, according to Kevin Miyasaki, BYU-I Registrar. Students’ religious affiliation includes religions such as Baptist, Christian, Hindu and Presbyterian.

William Lam, a freshman from Hong Kong, also came to BYU-I to learn more about the LDS religion after spending a year as a foreign exchange student in Massachusetts. It was there that he stayed with an LDS family and became best friends with one of the young men in the ward.

“I heard the mission discussions three times in Hong Kong and one time in Massachusetts, but my mom didn’t want me to get baptized,” Lam said. “My best friend told me about BYU and BYU-I and that they were really good schools. I started to do research and I went to a college fair. I was looking for a good art school. I did what I felt like I needed to do. I followed my heart.”

Kanagala has also taken the missionary discussions but has not made the choice to join the Church.

“In the middle of the semester I had a lot of missionaries coming over every day,” Kanagala said. “I enjoy hearing the missionary discussions. They help me learn a lot.”

Lam’s I-team leader, Derence Walk, a senior from Walla Walla, Wash., has enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Lam and has tried to see things from his perspective.

“When I found out that he wasn’t a member of the Church I was very happy for him because I knew that he was going to have some wonderful opportunities here that would help his testimony,” said Walk. “I asked [Lam] if he knew the church was true and he said he came here to find out. He is an extremely outgoing person, very happy.”

Both Kanagala and Lam said they have felt welcomed and accepted by BYU-I students.

“I have met a lot of nice people,” Lam said. “They make me feel good about this school. No one knows I am not a member unless I tell them. People think it’s pretty cool. They ask me why I picked BYU-Idaho.”

“No one treated me differently when they found out I am not Mormon,” Kanagala said. “In the beginning it seemed really weird, because everyone was so good at following the rules, and I didn’t expect them to.”

Regardless of their religious affiliation, all BYU-I students are required to enroll in religion classes. They are also welcome to participate in ward activities if they so choose.

“The bishops are really cool about it, they say you can come if you want, you don’t have to,” Kanagala said.

One LDS students, Holly LaMont, a junior from Boise, is grateful for the diversity that non-LDS students bring to the campus

“I think it’s cool that non-members can come to this school and follow the honor code,” said LaMont. “This summer there was a non-LDS guy in our ward, but I never realized it because he came to church every Sunday and to all of the activities.”

While Kanagala is undecided about whether or not he will eventually join the Church, Lam is considering being baptized.

“I have to wait until I am 18, and I want to feel ready and feel good about it. Also, I want my parents to feel good about it,” Lam said.