In June 2024, I had the opportunity to participate in the groundbreaking for the Teton River Idaho Temple, just three miles from this campus. It was a beautiful, sunny day with little wind. The groundbreaking site was neat and orderly, but at first glance, it was also just folding chairs, shovels, and dirt. Pretty simplistic. However, all morning, I tried to imagine how heaven might have viewed that same spot and seen something different, something holier.
Try to imagine with me the sacred and drastic transformation to take place in that space. First, there’s the physical structure that would be built: made of steel, concrete, granite, and glass, which would climb high and be visible from miles away, even at night.
There’s also everything that would spiritually be built there, too. In this new house of the Lord, there will be covenants made, sacred ordinance work done for the dead, testimonies strengthened, prayers answered, and families sealed for time and all eternity. Generations will be blessed because of this temple, and not just those who visit, but their ancestors and descendants can also partake in these blessings.
There is no way to comprehend the full potential of that little plot of land! It’s quite the transformation from its humble beginnings. Today, I still can’t grasp it all, but I will say it gets easier to imagine the end result, as slowly but surely construction on the temple progresses.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Twelve Apostles once said:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities.”
In the same address, he added:
“We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won’t, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.” [1]
If it’s a challenge to picture how a groundbreaking site will become a beautiful temple and all the many blessings that will follow, it’s something else entirely—at least for me—to think of our becoming, one day, “glorious beings.” The Apostle Paul described this as our becoming “new creature[s],” [2] or someone who is perfected in Christ. We know that the ultimate goal for our life here on earth is to one day become like our Heavenly Parents. That is a transformation even more drastic and sacred.
I’ll be the first to say: I am very imperfect and I feel very imperfect. Even so, I have a testimony that because of His Atonement, Resurrection, and role as our Savior, Jesus Christ can, will, and wants to transform us, and that joyful process of becoming can start now. Today, I would like to explore just five out of countless aspects of our lives that can be completely transformed as we embrace the enabling strength and power that comes from Christ. I pray that the Holy Ghost will be here to testify of Him, too.
1. Jesus Christ transforms our desires.
Have you ever talked to someone who’s quit sugar, or have you ever done so yourself? Sometimes hearing friends describe that switch in their brains when they start craving sweets less, I’ve secretly thought, “Mm, I think you’re lying.” I mean, what are you talking about?
But if you’ve ever tried that or a similar challenge, it’s real! Over time, the easy reward isn’t as satisfying or appealing. There’s an outcome you crave even more.
This change in preference and desire is somewhat comparable to the change we read about among the believers in Mosiah 5. After listening to King Benjamin prophesy of Christ, his people respond saying, “We believe all the words which thou hast spoken … which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” [3]
When we learn of Christ and make covenants to follow Him, our spirits recognize truth and we long for more. The quick and easy rewards of the world become less fulfilling as we experience for ourselves that “wickedness never was happiness.” [4]
However—and maybe those of you who have quit sugar before can also relate—sometimes we still crave sugar. Comparatively, time and again, the natural man within us may crave natural, fallen ways. We’re tempted and we make mistakes—but that doesn’t mean that the Savior’s atoning power isn’t working for us, or that we’re broken.
A quote I dearly value shares: “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” [5] There may be ways of the world that we find ourselves still tempted by as we walk the covenant path, but as we draw on Christ’s enabling power continuously, through faith, prayer, and studying His teachings, we will be reminded of the things we truly want most—things of an eternal nature.
2. Jesus Christ transforms our weaknesses.
Whenever you feel discouraged by things that don’t come naturally to you, remember you’re not only not alone, you’re in the best of company. Countless prophets and faithful disciples have felt the same way in every dispensation.
President Spencer W. Kimball, the twelfth president of the Church and for whom one of our buildings on campus is named, once wrote of his great internal struggle when he received the call to be an apostle:
“I was telling [the Lord] that I had not asked for this position, that I was incapable of doing the work, that I was imperfect, and weak and human, that I was so unworthy of so noble a calling…. How I prayed! How I suffered! How I wept! How I struggled!” [6] And yet, despite these concerns, our dear President Kimball later served for 43 years as an apostle and prophet. During the 12 years of his presidency, the number of operating temples literally doubled and missionaries serving around the world increased by 50 perecnt. [7] He helped bring about tremendous good for both the Church and the world.
Consider also Moroni, the last prophet we read of in the Book of Mormon. I imagine him carefully and even sorrowfully engraving in metal plates, “Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing … and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words.” [8]
To this, the Lord replies, “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” [9]
I hope we can respond as Moroni did, who answered, “And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was comforted.” [10] He believed the Lord’s response.
Moroni’s final testimony, asking readers to ask God “with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ,” [11] has since become one of the most read verses out of the entire Book of Mormon, shared by missionaries all over the world.
God always sees the bigger picture, even as Moroni shared with Him his concerns, even as President Kimball wept in prayer to the Lord. These two men gave the Lord their best efforts, weaknesses and all, and the Lord not only accepted those efforts, He magnified them. He will do the same for you and me.
3. Jesus Christ transforms our relationships.
Relationships are an integral part of our life on earth. The two great commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. [12] However, with different opinions, backgrounds, and priorities, navigating relationships can be frustrating and even painful.
I’d like to share two examples of prophets who navigated painful relationships with faith. My mom loves the story of Joseph in Egypt and she’s passed that love to me. My heart is so touched every time I read of how, despite years of rift and sorrow and after seemingly unforgivable betrayals, Joseph's relationship with his brothers was healed. Because Joseph continuously lived a life of integrity and obedience to God, and because of his brothers’ repentance, what once seemed irreparable was made whole.
In the Book of Mormon, we read of Nephi’s family—who had a brother also named Joseph, named after Joseph in Egypt. They, too, were a family divided. I am sure that they also prayed and hoped for a similar reconciliation with their brothers, Laman and Lemuel, and other loved ones, who strayed from the covenant path.
Speaking generally of his people whom he loved, Nephi writes, “I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry.” [13]
Nephi’s relationship with his brothers ultimately didn’t end well, as far as we know. But does that mean the Lord didn’t hear Nephi’s prayers for his family or support him through that trial? No.
Nephi could have easily felt bitterness and discouragement as more of his people chose to “harden their hearts,” but instead he continued to hope for them, later saying: “I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgement-seat.” [14]
Nephi’s faith teaches us that feeling charity, or the pure love of Christ, for others doesn’t depend on them changing first. Instead, it is rooted in faith that anyone can repent and that the Savior can transform them, too.
Not every relationship is fully restored, repaired, or mended in this life. But through faith in Christ, we can always experience peace, healing, and a transformed perspective of others as we continue to trust in His timing and His power to redeem.
4. Jesus Christ transforms our circumstances.
A personal example for you: Almost ten years ago, I received my mission call, and let me tell you, it was not what I expected or wanted it to be. I grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho and received my call to serve the first three months of my mission in the Idaho Idaho Falls mission, which at the time, was the next closest mission to my home. Basically, I was going to serve about 30 minutes away from my family, and after three months, receive a new mission call.
This was shocking to me, and I was so embarrassed. And I want to pause and say: I should not have felt that way. I know now that any mission, calling or opportunity to serve the Lord is an invitation to become and show our love and trust in Him.
However, at 19, I was very prideful. And if you knew me before my mission, you probably would think, “Wow, you shouldn’t have been so shocked.” I was very shy, painfully so, in high school. (Doing something like this would have been unfathomable). I was already nervous for a mission in the first place, and I was now embarrassed to have an unusual mission call and required to answer everyone’s questions about it. On top of it all—hate is a strong word, but I strongly disliked Idaho. I thought Idaho was dry, ugly, and boring, and I selfishly looked forward to serving a mission as a way to escape.
However, after feeling sufficiently humbled, I felt the Spirit confirm that there was no better alternative than to trust the Lord’s plan. And almost as shocking as my call initially was, I was so surprised by how much I soon fell in love with everything about where I served. The physical place and people of Iona, Idaho completely transformed in my eyes and became so beautiful to me.
Iona truly felt like my own sacred grove. It’s where I learned that God knew me by name and where I came to know Him a little more in return.
Southeast Idaho didn’t change, but my experience in that place did, and when I was reassigned to Washington to finish my mission, it was heartbreaking to leave.
You may find yourselves in places and circumstances that you don’t fully love or it’s not what you were hoping for. Maybe like how I felt at that time, you also don’t love Idaho or even BYU-Idaho. That isn’t a crime.
However, when I chose to fully trust the Lord, a place I once resisted and disliked became somewhere I received the most personal revelation and I changed for the better. Faith in Christ did not remove my circumstances, but He transformed completely how I experienced it.
5. Jesus Christ transforms our perspective of ourselves.
Hopefully, these last four points already help you recognize that God is constantly seeking to help us understand our worth and transform how we view ourselves, but here’s one more example for you:
Laman and Lemuel often tried to discourage Nephi and make their doubts his own. On one occasion, when they were highly critical of his ability to build a boat for their family, Nephi responded:
“If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done. And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?” [15]
I love Nephi’s conviction and testimony! He not only believes that the Lord can do wonders, but he believes that the Lord can do wonders for him and through him. Do we have that same faith? Do we believe that God will not only aid us with the boats we are building and waters we are crossing—do we also believe God can use us to accomplish His purposes?
Just as the Lord once said to his prophet, “I have a work for thee, Moses, my son.” [16] He has a work for us, too. He trusts us, if we will just trust in Him.
Conclusion
President Kimball, in his address, “Jesus, the Perfect Leader,” said, “Jesus let people know that he believed in them and in their posiblities, and thus [H]e was free to help them stretch their souls in fresh achievement.” [17]
With that in mind, I have two invitations for you. First, I would invite you to put a reminder somewhere you see often that God believes in you—and that through Jesus Christ, He can and wants to transform you and your life. My reminder is my most favorite quote ever by Elder Richard G. Scott. As a teenager, I cut it out of a church magazine and hung it on my bedroom door—and if you visit me on campus today, the quote is also hanging by my office door. It reads, “Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously.” [18]
This quote reminds me that through the happy and hard days our Heavenly Father not only wants us to succeed, His plan is designed for us to succeed, should we embrace it. Jesus has already “[gone] to prepare a place for [us].” [19]
My second invitation is to ask yourself, “How can I invite Jesus Christ to transform me?” I invite you to ponder and explore your own answers. Some of these answers could look like embracing humility, striving for consistency, and looking for opportunities to have spiritual experiences.
I know that as you ask in faith, you will receive your own specific direction from the Lord.
Our dear living prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks once said, “Now is the time for each of us to work toward our personal conversion, toward becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” [20]
Now is our time. And just as Jesus turned water into wine, I know He can transform fishermen into fishers of men, farm boys into prophets, and students like you and me and us all into disciple leaders. He is the perfect Creator—and He is not finished with His work in you.
Like a temple in construction, you may be a work in progress, but you are a divine work. Heaven can see all that you can become and everyone there is cheering for you!
I testify that as you embrace the Atonement and gospel of Jesus Christ throughout your life, your desires, weaknesses, relationships, circumstances, and perspective of yourself will be transformed through Him. Everything about your life will be transformed. Embracing Jesus Christ doesn’t mean He will dismiss your trials, but He will bring you peace, confidence, and even joy through them. I know that with the help of the Savior, you can overcome every challenge and grow from those experiences into who your Heavenly Father would have you be. God did not put you on earth to fail, but to succeed gloriously. God will help you succeed gloriously because you are His work and His glory.
Notes
[1] Joseph B. Wirthlin. “The Great Commandment,” General Conference, October 2007, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[2] 2 Corinthians 5:17.
[3] Mosiah 5:2.
[4] Alma 41:10.
[5] Augusta F. Kantra, quoted in Andrew McGivern, "Augusta F. Kantra—"Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most," The Great News Podcast (blog), March 10, 2026; accessed 4/28/2026.
[6] Edward L. Kimball and Andrew E. Kimball, Jr., Spencer W. Kimball: Twelfth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1977), p. 192–95.
[7] “Spencer W. Kimball: Prophets of the Restoration,” Church History, history.churchofjesuschrist.org.
[8] Ether 12:23, 25.
[9] Ether 12:27.
[10] Ether 12:29.
[11] Moroni 10:4.
[12] Matthew 22:37-39.
[13] 2 Nephi 33:3.
[14] 2 Nephi 33:2, 7.
[15] 1 Nephi 17:50-51.
[16] Moses 1:6.
[17] Spencer W. Kimball, “Jesus, the Perfect Leader,” Ensign, Aug. 1979.
[18] Richard G. Scott, “Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer,” Ensign, Oct. 1989, 30.
[19] John 14:2.
[20] Dallin H. Oaks. “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Oct. 2000, 33.
About Kassandra M. Mackley
Kassandra M. Mackley grew up in Utah, Virginia, and Blackfoot, Idaho. She served in the Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Vancouver, Washington Missions. Kassandra graduated from BYU-Idaho in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and is pursuing a master’s degree in Professional Communication at Southern Utah University. She has worked at BYU-Idaho for nearly five years and currently serves as the Tours and Events Coordinator.
Kassandra also serves as her ward’s service activities coordinator and as a JustServe social media specialist for the United States Central Area. For the past four years she has volunteered with the Rexburg Family Crisis Center.
Kassandra enjoys reading, road trips, and attending concerts. She especially loves spending time with her family, close friends, her YSA ward family, and her work family at BYU-Idaho.
A transcript of Sister Mackley's devotional address will be made available soon.