Brother Joseph West, an IT Project Manager at BYU-Idaho, addressed the BYU-Idaho community during a devotional talk.
In his talk entitled “Look Back, Look Forward,” West described some past experiences in his life and how he got to where he is now. The major message he shared is that we can look back on our lives one day and know that God was guiding us along the whole time.
“That insight comes from hindsight,” West said. “I invite you to look back over your life. Look carefully to see when and where the Lord guided you, indeed carried you. Don’t let yourself become dead in the water because you are afraid. I invite you to boldly move forward in faith. I did, and I have been richly blessed.”
West also spoke with BYU-Idaho Radio about his devotional message a little more in-depth. He described some of the experiences he mentioned in his talk, as well as some things to keep in mind as we endure the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If you have that faith in the Lord…and His interest in you…somehow, you’ll make it through,” West said in the interview. “While you’ll have trials, He’s in charge; you will make it through, there is no need to be hopeless.”
Along with his thoughts on the principles in his talk, West shared some details of a major IT project he’s overseeing on the BYU-Idaho campus. He said his project involves redoing the systems the Testing Center uses to manage its capacity.
West said the project would help the center better calculate wait times for people in line, and it may also promote better social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 when campus reopens. The project will help prevent long lines and waits, like the ones at the end of the Fall 2016 semester.
West, who’s retiring at the end of the semester, said he’s grateful for BYU-Idaho and its atmosphere, and he invited others to feel that way as well.
“[BYU-Idaho] is a truly unique place to be, and I hope people appreciate that,” West said.
West’s message comes as a reminder that better days ahead, as we all fight our way through the pandemic, along with anything else we may be facing in our lives.