BYU–Hawaii Devotionals & Speeches

Latest Episodes:

The Ultimate Road Map | Sister Connie Haws | May 5, 2026 May 05, 2026

Show notes

Sister Connie Haws
Acting First Lady
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Devotional
Connie Haws teaches that Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation is the “ultimate road map,” providing clear direction, purpose, and assurance through life’s uncertainties, with Jesus Christ as the perfect guide who leads safely through storms and back to God. R. Kelly Haws builds on this foundation by emphasizing that even small, consistent efforts to draw closer to Jesus Christ—like reaching to touch His garment—bring healing, strength, and renewed hope, making a life centered on “more Jesus” the key to both daily peace and eternal progress.
“Jesus Christ is the perfect way back to Heavenly Father. He is the perfect guide. And He has made the way possible because of His personal, infinite atonement.” - Sister Connie Haws
Connie Haws brings a background of faith, resilience, and hard work. She earned a cosmetology degree and successfully owned and operated her own business for eight years. Raised in a family of all girls, she developed a love for the outdoors through fishing and hunting adventures with her father. She and R. Kelly Haws were married in the Salt Lake Temple and are the parents of three children, with their youngest currently studying at Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
BYU–Hawaii devotionals are now available wherever you listen to podcasts.
#BYUHawaiiDevotional #Atonement #LightTheWayHome #ThroughTheStorm #GuidedByFaith
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More Jesus | President R. Kelly Haws | May 5, 2026 May 05, 2026

Show notes

President R. Kelly Haws
Acting University President
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Devotional
R. Kelly Haws teaches that drawing closer to Jesus Christ brings healing, peace, and strength in every season of life. Through the example of the woman who touched the Savior’s garment, he shows that even one small act of faith can make us whole. R. Kelly Haws invites listeners to seek more Jesus by remembering His name, reaching for Him daily, and making Him the first and last thought in their lives.
“... As we walk with Him, we will have renewed strength, refreshed hope, and reinvigorated confidence.” - President R. Kelly Haws
R. Kelly Haws brings a lifetime of leadership, global experience, and dedication to religious education. Raised in Utah, he and Sister Haws have spent significant time in Laie and Washington, D.C., with experiences shaped by Church service, education, and travel to more than 50 countries. For over three decades, President Haws has served in Seminaries and Institutes of Religion and the Church Educational System, helping guide religious education worldwide.
#BYUHDevotional #JesusChrist #ComeUntoChrist #FaithInChrist #SeekMoreJesus #HeLives
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The Perfect ‘A’: Tuning Our Lives to Christ | Jeff Christensen | April 7, 2026 Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Jeff Christensen
Associate Professor, Faculty of Business & Government; Director, Center for Hospitality & Tourism
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Devotional (April 7, 2026)
Jeff Christensen teaches that Jesus Christ is the “perfect A,” illustrating that lives come into harmony only when aligned with Him through His Atonement. He shows that the Savior restores what is out of tune, aligns desires with God’s will, and magnifies even small, willing efforts. Jeff Christensen invites listeners to realign their lives with Christ through repentance, forgiveness, and intentional daily action.
“When we place what little we have into the Savior’s hands, our efforts, our talents, our willingness to serve Him are amplified.” — Jeff Christensen
Jeff Christensen is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Hospitality & Tourism Management Studies at BYU–Hawaii. He spent 24 years in global hospitality leadership and has traveled to 108 countries, using his experiences to teach how travel can foster understanding, service, and positive change. He and his wife Debbie are parents of three and strive to live Christlike values in their work and daily life.
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What Will You Be? | Senator Mitt Romney | March 31, 2026 Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

Jeff Christensen
Associate Professor & Director of the Center for Hospitality & Tourism Management Studies
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Devotional (April 7, 2026)
Jeff Christensen teaches that Jesus Christ is the “perfect A,” illustrating that lives come into harmony only when aligned with Him through His Atonement. He shows that the Savior restores what is out of tune, aligns desires with God’s will, and magnifies even small, willing efforts. Jeff Christensen invites listeners to realign their lives with Christ through repentance, forgiveness, and intentional daily action.
“When we place what little we have into the Savior’s hands, our efforts, our talents, our willingness to serve Him are amplified.” — Jeff Christensen
Jeff Christensen is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Hospitality & Tourism Management Studies at BYU–Hawaii. He spent 24 years in global hospitality leadership and has traveled to 108 countries, using his experiences to teach how travel can foster understanding, service, and positive change. He and his wife Debbie are parents of three and strive to live Christlike values in their work and daily life.
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The Atonement of Jesus Christ Changes Everything | Daniel Sharp | March 24, 2026 Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Daniel Sharp
Professor of Faculty of Culture, Language & Perfoming Arts
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Devotional (March 24, 2026)
Daniel Sharp teaches that the Atonement of Jesus Christ serves as the central turning point of eternity by overcoming the effects of the Fall, ensuring resurrection, and offering all mankind a return to God’s presence. He explains that through the Atonement, Jesus Christ gains perfect empathy and authority to justly judge and succor humanity, having experienced all pain, temptation, and sin. He concludes that understanding the Atonement brings hope, inspires repentance, and enables lasting change through faith in Jesus Christ.
“We study the Atonement not merely as an intellectual exercise, but because understanding the Atonement, the progress and hope that an empathetic Savior provides, can give us hope to change. It can comfort us. It will heal us. Of that, I testify.” — Daniel Sharp
Daniel Sharp grew up in Canada, Thailand, and California. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at eighteen and served a mission in Campinas, Brazil. He is married to Carrie Rentz, and they have five sons and five grandchildren. Daniel earned a PhD in Religious Studies from Claremont Graduate University and has taught at BYU–Hawaii since 2011.
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You are to be the Light to the World | President Billy Casey | March 17, 2026 Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

President Billy Casey
President of the Laie Hawaii Temple
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Devotional (March 17, 2026)
President Billy Casey teaches that the rising generation is reserved to help prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that individuals are called to be a light to the world by choosing to be peacemakers, sharing the Aloha Spirit, and growing through adversity. Students are invited to spend more time worshiping and serving in the temple to receive greater spiritual light, strength, and guidance.
“The temple is a place of peace and power, and spending time there will literally change a person’s life.” — President Billy Casey
President Billy George Casey Jr. was born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in Hawaii. He graduated from Brigham Young University–Hawaii and served a mission in Veracruz, Mexico. He later worked for many years as a roofing and waterproofing contractor and served as Assistant Director and Construction & Design Manager for BYU–Hawaii Facilities Management. He and his wife, Kanani Casey, were married in the Los Angeles California Temple and are the parents of eight children and many grandchildren. They currently serve as President and Matron of the Laie Hawaii Temple.
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A Testimony: Your Most Powerful Weapon Against Evil | Elder Ronald M Barcellos | Feb 24, 2026 Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

Elder Ronald M. Barcellos
General Authority Seventy
Brigham Young University–Hawaii Devotional
Elder Ronald M. Barcellos teaches that a testimony of Jesus Christ is the most powerful weapon against evil. Referring to the war in heaven, he explains that we overcame Satan through the Savior’s Atonement and “the word of [our] testimony,” and that we must gain and strengthen that testimony again in this life. He invites listeners to ask, seek, and knock through prayer, scripture study, and faithful obedience, promising that a growing testimony will protect them from doubt, deception, and the adversary’s attacks.
“Brothers and Sisters, you were chosen by God to come to earth in these latter days because you were valiant in your testimony in the pre-mortal life.” — Elder Ronald M. Barcellos
Elder Ronald M. Barcellos was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 2025. He has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in Brazil, bishop, stake presidency counselor, and mission president in Portugal. He studied business administration at São Marcos University in São Paulo, Brazil, and previously co-founded and led GreenMile, LLC. Elder Barcellos was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1975, is married to Karin Spat Albino Barcellos, and is the father of three children.
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Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise | Dr. Matthew Bowen | March 10, 2026 Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

Dr. Matthew Bowen
Professor and Director of Religious Education at BYU–Hawaii
Brigham Young University–Hawaii David O. Mckay Lecture (March 10, 2026)
Dr. Matthew L. Bowen teaches that through His suffering and feeling of abandonment on the cross, Jesus Christ experiences the depths of human pain so that no one is truly forsaken. He emphasizes that through covenants, the sacrament, and temple worship, disciples remain connected to the Savior’s presence and are called to build Zion by seeking justice, serving others, and turning suffering into compassion.
“Your Yes to God demands your No to all injustice, to all evil, to all lies to all oppression and violation of the weak and the poor.” — Dr. Matthew Bowen
Dr. Matthew L. Bowen is a professor and Director of Religious Education at Brigham Young University–Hawaii. He earned his PhD in Biblical Studies from The Catholic University of America and is the author of several books and scholarly articles on ancient scripture. He and his wife, Suzanne, have three children and live in Lāʻie.
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The Power of And | Joseph Plicka Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

Joseph Plicka explores how embracing complexity and duality—the power of and over or—can lead to deeper understanding, better communication, and more meaningful lives. Discover how shifting your mindset can unlock new possibilities in work, relationships, and personal growth.
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Faith to Move Mountains | Arlene Sewell Feb 26, 2026

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Arlene Sewell encourages listeners to trust in God’s power to overcome life’s biggest challenges. Discover how strong faith can transform obstacles into opportunities and inspire miracles in your own journey.
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