REXBURG — Today’s BYU-Idaho devotional speaker spoke about the importance of deciding to live the mission of BYU-Idaho and what a student can do to live that mission statement.
Brandie Miguel is the Student Leadership and Events coordinator at BYU-Idaho.
In an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Miguel said she felt led to the topic she chose to speak on.
“The minute they asked me, I knew my topic should be about the mission of BYU-Idaho,” Miguel said. “There were a lot of conversations on campus that quickly led me to believe that that was definitely the topic, and as soon as I made the decision, the Lord gave me lots of insights, and quotes, and scriptures and things that would help me to round out that devotional.”
Miguel began her talk titled, “Living the Mission of BYU-Idaho,” by quoting the university’s mission statement and sharing how former university president, Kim B. Clark, used to summarize the mission statement. He would use just three words: build, disciple, leaders.
Throughout her talk, Miguel outlined three points that are crucial to becoming the best disciple-leaders possible. The first of those points was that the Lord calls or brings individuals to BYU-Idaho.
“I bet you have a story!” Miguel said. “I have not come across a faculty member, an administrator or a student-leader that hasn’t expressed the story of their personal journey to BYU-Idaho.”
Miguel has her own story of how she came to BYU-Idaho as a student. It started with disciple leaders in her life.
“My best friend growing up is named Chantell,” Miguel said. “She came to Rexburg, Idaho to attend what was then Ricks College. She loved her experience here. Every time we spoke on the phone she would invite and encourage me to join her. Those invitations would end up changing my life forever.”
Once she arrived on campus, that single invitation led to many others being extended and accepted by Miguel. Once her roommates found out that she was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they invited her to read The Book of Mormon. They would often ask her what she thought. These conversations led to sincere prayer and ultimately to Miguel joining the Church.
The second of the three points Miguel talked about was that disciple-leaders freely utilize the power of invitation. Just as Miguel’s friend and roommates changed her life by their invitations, Miguel taught that students can have that same impact on others through invitation.
Her third and final point focused on a disciple-leaders' need to lift and lead where they stand.
In that same interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Miguel said that though the charge to build Zion where you are might seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be.
“It comes through the small and simple things that we do every day,” Miguel said. “It doesn’t have to feel like this grand, big, scary thing to build Zion. It’s really through how we live our lives and inviting people to join us in a life that we consider joyful.”
She closed her address with these words of encouragement.
“I invite you to take a moment to think about one person who needs and invitation from you,” Miguel said. “You just might change someone else’s life forever and you will be living the mission of BYU-Idaho!”