Share in the Light

What a privilege it is to be with you today. I pray that something I share might invite the Spirit and touch your hearts in a meaningful way.

I’ll admit that when Vice President Keith Vorkink first reached out to me, I tried to politely avoid this opportunity. As you can see, that didn’t work very well. There are a few people here who know just how uncomfortable I feel standing up here this morning. Truthfully, I’d be much more comfortable sitting with you watching a basketball game.

But I’ve come to learn that when you’re given certain assignments on this campus, you’re never left to do them alone. There is help from both sides of the veil.

Our Heavenly Father loves and cares deeply about this great university. The things you are learning here will bless your lives in ways that you may not yet fully recognize. Cherish this opportunity to grow, to learn, and to prepare. I can say that my own life has been richly blessed because of the experiences that began right here. I’d like to share some of those with you today.

President C. Shane Reese and Vice President Vorkink, thank you for your leadership and enthusiasm and your love and service for the people on this campus. It’s clear that you truly love Brigham Young University. I’ve watched you in action, encouraging and inspiring professors, faculty, staff, administrators, and students alike. You share in that light, and your enthusiasm for your assignment is contagious.

You seem to be everywhere. I’ve seen you at golf events (that surely doesn’t happen very often), sporting events, advancement summits, department meetings, and graduations. I have even seen you sending teams off to NCAA competitions and welcoming them home. Whether early in the morning or late at night, I seem to find you there.

And what makes your service even more meaningful is the support of your wonderful wives.

Thank you for your love for our Savior Jesus Christ and the young people on this campus. You inspire us every day!

“Hold Up Your Light”

President Reese shared a message with the students earlier this year in his January devotional:

What is really unique and remarkable this year is the service, light, and learning you bring to this campus—all of which reflect the light of Jesus Christ.

As I walked around this campus on the first day of classes, I was struck by the light in your eyes. Wendy and I love you—more deeply than you can possibly imagine. And we can’t wait to make this semester something memorable and impactful right alongside you.¹

I believe those words apply just as much to you here in the summer semester. So let’s follow our good president’s example and his invitation to share in that light. The light of Jesus Christ is already here among you, and each of you has the opportunity to contribute to it, to lift others, and to reflect it in your own way.

Let me begin with the Savior’s words in 3 Nephi:

Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.²

What a powerful invitation: to come unto Christ, to follow His example, and then to hold up that light for others to see.

Young people, it’s exciting to see you here on this campus. You’ve worked hard to get here, and you’ve already accomplished so much. Will everything be without challenges while you’re here? No. But so much of it can be as you continue to trust in the simple, Christlike fundamentals of living the gospel.

And living those simple, Christlike fundamentals matters now more than ever.

President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “In [the] coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”³

In the April 2026 general conference, Elder Eduardo F. Ortega taught, “Becoming a lifelong disciple of Christ is a process, the sum of multiple small, daily, personal and spiritual events.”⁴

In Moroni we read:

And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.⁵

We all recognize that through those steady, constant efforts, our light grows and allows us to bless the lives of others.

Blessings Come Through the People the Lord Places in Your Path

I’ve had the blessing of being a part of BYU for more than 40 years—including the time I’ve spent as a student, as an athlete, as a graduate assistant, and as a coach. I can honestly say that I love this place and the people whom I’ve had the privilege to associate with. So many individuals here have influenced my life and shaped who I’ve become. I’ve had the privilege of visiting many universities in our travels to various competitions—some are very impressive. But there is something unique about Brigham Young University.

We all know that there are many special things here. There is a spirit here, and chances are that the greatest influence has come from people who have simply chosen to live the gospel and have let their light be seen. That’s what makes this place special. I’ve been the recipient of that light so many times. It’s the light that each one of you brings and the way you lift one another.

In the early 1970s, my parents introduced our family to the game of golf. Around the same time, members of the BYU golf team would come to our home. They shared meals with us, spent time with our family, and talked about life, faith, and the gospel. As a young boy, I had the opportunity to caddy in the Cougar Classic for a great friend of the family, the late Mike Brannan. While some of my memories come from special experiences with those players, many come from simply being around them at the golf course. Looking back, those seemingly small interactions had a profound influence on our family. Many of those players became lifelong friends.

I didn’t fully realize it at the time, but I was being influenced by their light and by their goodness. Just by being around them and watching them—how they lived, how they treated others, and how they carried themselves—left an impression that has stayed with me ever since.

That early influence led to a dream of my one day attending BYU and playing collegiate golf. I practiced and competed, and eventually that dream became a reality when I was offered a spot on the team. But when I arrived on campus, I discovered something even more important than the opportunity to play golf. I found great people: professors, coaches, and teammates who believed in me, encouraged me, and helped me improve my performance.

After my freshman year, I was called to serve a mission in South Carolina. Once again I found the same thing: good, faithful people who helped me grow and come closer to the Savior. The people we taught were absolutely amazing. These many experiences confirmed something I had already begun to learn: Some of the greatest blessings in life come through the people the Lord places in your path.

On my first day in the mission office, I was overwhelmed—even though I told the mission president I was “fine.” One of the assistants, Mike Acton, could see that I was uncomfortable. He immediately stepped in—talking with me, joking, and helping me relax until I truly felt okay. That moment marked the beginning of his influence in my life. He continued to check in on me several times a week, showing genuine care and concern.

Mike’s love for missionary work and for people has always defined him. For many years he has carried that same spirit of service forward. He became a tremendous support to our men’s golf team and played a key role—alongside his business partner, Jim Pritchard—in building a facility for both the men’s and women’s golf programs.

Mike’s impact goes far beyond what he built. It’s seen in the relationships he has nurtured and the lives he has touched.

Each April the PGA Tour hosts a tournament in Hilton Head, South Carolina—where I served as a missionary. During my time there, we invited Mike Reid, a past BYU player and a PGA Tour player, to speak at a fireside for several individuals we were teaching. He shared his conversion story, spoke about his experiences on the PGA Tour, and answered questions about professional golf. At the conclusion of the evening, one of the gentlemen whom we had been teaching, and who had been investigating the Church for quite some time, turned to me and said, “If these are the kind of people who are members of the Church, then I want to be a part of it.” His sincere response was a powerful reminder of the influence the Spirit can have on others.

After I returned from my mission, my focus shifted to getting my golf game back into competitive shape. I needed to make significant improvements to contribute to a talented team and to earn a place in the starting five. I spent the next several months practicing, competing, and working hard to prepare for the upcoming season. Thanks to the support of parents (oh, so much support from parents!), coaches, and friends, I began to see improvements where needed.

Those efforts paid off as our team enjoyed some great success over the next three years, competing against some of the best programs in the country.

School was always challenging, especially at BYU. We traveled to 12 to 14 tournaments during the fall and winter semesters. (Thanks, Mom and Lisa, for your help.) Balancing academics with the demands of collegiate golf required studying every day to keep up with coursework, attending classes, reviewing notes, completing assignments, and preparing for exams. Kind of sound familiar, students?

It quickly became clear that I needed greater discipline and focus to succeed both in the classroom and on the course. Over time I developed a deep appreciation for the opportunity to learn and compete in such an incredible environment. The more time I devoted to studying and asking questions, the stronger my academic performance became. I especially remember sitting in religion classes in which the Spirit was strong. My testimony of prophets, of our Savior, and of the Book of Mormon continued to grow. Those experiences played a significant role in strengthening my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Lisa and I met in the latter part of 1985. The first day I saw her, I thought, “Wow, she is really cute!” After a few dates, I was so impressed that I wanted to see her every day. By April 1986, I knew I was in love. The big challenge was that marriage was not in my plans. I wanted to play golf.

But I quickly found out that when it’s right, it’s right!

We were married four months later. Over the next 39 years and 10 months, I came to realize just how strong, independent, hardworking, determined, and caring Lisa truly is. So often she had the responsibility of caring for our family on her own. She is a champ! She is a loving, kind, and devoted mother. Now, as a grandmother, she brings that same love, devotion, and kindness to her grandchildren. Their eyes light up whenever they see her face or hear her voice.

After my playing career ended at BYU, I was hired as a graduate assistant. This role provided an opportunity for me to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees while continuing to work with the golf team. Watching Coach Karl L. Tucker up close was an incredible experience. He was an outstanding recruiter, but what impressed me most was the way he managed the team and connected with his players. He understood each individual and knew how to motivate and inspire them.

Working alongside him allowed me to see a completely different side of his leadership and coaching style. The way he treated people and remembered their names left a lasting impression. In fact, many years after Coach Tucker had retired, people would still ask me about him and his family and how they were doing—a testament to the impact he had had on those around him.

I also remember several occasions when he asked whether I had any interest in coaching after he retired. Each time my answer was the same: “Coach, my experience at BYU as a student-athlete was absolutely fantastic. I’d love to be involved in coaching!”

Being in the right place and working closely with student-athletes gave me an opportunity to develop as a coach. Four years later, BYU athletic director Glen C. Tuckett hired Lisa and me to lead the BYU men’s golf team. Throughout the hiring process, expectations were high, and we understood the challenge of following one of the top collegiate coaches in the country. It was a responsibility that would test us every day, but it was also an opportunity that we embraced with great enthusiasm.

As a coach, I’ve been given a unique opportunity to recruit and mentor young men and invite them to be part of something larger than themselves. I help motivate them on their academics, encourage them to be disciplined, inspire them to work hard, and challenge them every day to improve, to compete, and to make good choices. Over the years I’ve been touched and influenced by the many student-athletes who have been on our team. Each one arrives with his own story, his own background, and his own strengths and challenges. Each one of them has blessed my life.

Daniel Summerhays is one of those. He was an exceptional student and an outstanding golfer—one of the finest student-athletes we’ve had at BYU. I say that carefully because there have been so many great ones. What set him apart was his determination and discipline. He was relentless—performing early workouts, attending all his classes, spending long hours on the course working on his golf game, and then studying late into the night. He lived that routine day after day for three years, setting a standard as a student-athlete in the business school that’s difficult to match. But just as impressive was his impact on others—he made everyone around him better.

Daniel’s consistency led to remarkable success. He was named to the Golf Coaches Association of America All-America First Team, becoming the first collegiate player to win a Nationwide Tour event and later securing a PGA Tour card. He was also the first returned missionary to retain his PGA Tour status.

When players arrive at BYU, they become part of something greater than themselves. They learn to value the university’s mission and to take pride in representing an institution built upon excellence, faith, and purpose. Though not every team member fully understands that vision at first, they recognize its importance and gradually come to appreciate the standards they are invited to live.

As they move through their lives, those teachings and opportunities help shape their faith, character, and capacity to serve. Looking back, many acknowledge that their time at BYU played a pivotal role in their becoming the men they are today and in preparing them to bless the lives of others.

Over the last month or so, I have talked to a couple of players who had played for Coach Tucker. One of them was former player Richard Zokol. Richard began at BYU as a walk-on player and then ended up leading the team to winning an NCAA championship under Coach Tucker. Richard went on to play on the PGA Tour and recently wrote a book entitled Zokology. (Interesting: Richard Zokol and Zokology!) The book describes the challenges of competing on a professional level and the discipline, focus, and mindset needed to achieve success. The first chapter of his book talks about the path that led him to BYU. His stories are a testament of how his experience at BYU shaped his journey.⁶

As we spoke, Richard shared that he would have never made it to the PGA Tour without his time at BYU. More importantly, he emphasized that his experience here didn’t just prepare him as a golfer but molded him into the man he is today.

That transformation speaks to the deeper purpose of this university. It’s not just about developing talent and achieving success in a chosen field. It’s about becoming better, stronger, and more grounded in who you are and in what you believe.

Last fall our team traveled to Northern California. While we were there, we had the opportunity to spend time with one of Richard’s teammates, Bobby Clampett, who was the Player of the Year (the best college golfer in the country) in 1979 and 1980. I know that that takes us back quite a ways. He shared a similar feeling: His studies at BYU and the people he associated with here played a significant role in shaping his life. Even after more than 45 years, he spoke with gratitude for the lasting impact of and the many wonderful memories he gained during his time here.

One of the great traditions of BYU golf began many years ago under the leadership of Coach Tucker. Every other year between 50 and 100 former players return to Provo to participate in Cougar Day, a biennial event designed to support and raise funds for the current and future BYU golf team. It is always a meaningful and enjoyable weekend for these alumni and their families. Past players look forward to the opportunity to return to campus, to reconnect with former teammates, boosters, administrators, and friends, and to relive the memories that made their time at BYU so special. Each visit serves as a reminder of the lasting relationships, shared experiences, and deep connections they feel with this university and its golf program.

What makes this day so memorable each time are the people who are so generous. I have been continually humbled by the remarkable generosity and unwavering support of friends of BYU golf and of BYU Athletics. I am grateful for the positive influence so many people have had on the lives of our student-athletes and for the difference they continue to make. I offer a big thank-you to our athletic director, Brian Santiago, and to Coach Todd Miller for making Cougar Day such a great success. And if any of you are looking for an impromptu auctioneer, Brian is your man.

We’ve had some great teams over the years, but the quality of the young men we have been blessed to coach will always be etched in my mind. We haven’t been perfect, but we have worked hard to stay on the path and become better.

We Can Be a Light to Those Around Us

I had the privilege of serving as a bishop of 180 freshman students at BYU a few years back. As with any ward, we faced challenges. Some individuals struggled with self-doubt, questioned their abilities, or felt inadequate in their callings. Church attendance and participation varied, and there were moments when faith and commitment were tested.

Yet through it all, these young adults were remarkable in many ways. They willingly accepted opportunities to serve—some with confidence, others with hesitation—and they served faithfully. Each member of the ward embraced ministering assignments and sought to care for one another. I was continually inspired by their faith, goodness, and sincere desire to lift and strengthen those around them. I strongly encourage each of you to be actively involved in your wards and to make new friends along the way.

The people you serve alongside and come to love often become some of life’s greatest blessings. Many are individuals you might never have met under different circumstances, yet a shared calling brings you together in meaningful and lasting ways. In my own experience, those with whom we have served strengthened our bishopric and our ward council and inspired us to become better. Their examples of humility, dedication, and discipleship were such a blessing. Looking back, I am so grateful for the friendships I developed, the experiences we shared, and the lessons I learned from such extraordinary people.

President Thomas S. Monson said:

The sweetest experience I know in life is to feel a prompting and [then] act upon it and later find out that it was the fulfillment of someone’s prayer or someone’s need. And I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for Him.⁷

President Lorenzo Snow said, “This is the grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint. We know that it is our right to have the manifestations of the spirit every day of our lives.”⁸

In an April 2026 general conference talk titled “About His Business,” Elder Patrick Kearon stated:

We are not merely filling an assignment when we respond to an inspired call but joining the Saviour of the world in His infinite, redeeming work. He needs you, and He needs me. Life is better—everything is better—when we are about His business.⁹

Heavenly Father has provided us access to His Son to bless our lives so that we may walk with Him and serve, lift, and learn to love others. Our Savior is the source of light and hope. He offers peace and comfort to all who will receive Him.

In his book Surround Yourself with Greatness, Chad Lewis teaches that much of our success is built upon those who help us along the way.¹⁰

That principle is clearly reflected here at BYU. Students, I would invite you to think about that for a minute. How many people here at BYU have influenced your life? When you really stop and consider it, there are so many. To name a few: parents, teachers, leaders, friends, teammates—each one helping shape who you are today.

So here is the invitation: Cherish this opportunity. Learn all you can to grow spiritually, but don’t stop there. Be someone who influences others for good. Be someone who lifts, encourages, and strengthens those around you, because whether you realize it or not, someone is watching your example—just as I once watched those who influenced me. That’s exactly what the Savior taught: Come unto Him and then go and do the same for others. “Hold up your light.”

Nephi taught:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.¹¹

Spiritual strength doesn’t happen all at once—it comes as we choose, day by day, to follow Jesus Christ.

I have talked about great people, supportive boosters, student-athletes, and many others at this university who are sharing in the light. Those same privileges and responsibilities belong to each one of us. We can be a light to those around us as we draw strength from the Savior of the world, who will bless us in every aspect of our lives.

He lives and cares about each one of us. As we come unto Him and share in His light, both personally and with others, we become instruments in His hands. “Life is better” when you share in the light. Stay strong and be a part of the great gathering of Israel.

I testify that Jesus Christ lives and that He loves each one of us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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