President C. Shane Reese and Sister Wendy Reese welcomed students and employees back to campus with the first devotional of the fall 2025 semester on Tuesday at the BYU Marriott Center.
President Reese began the devotional by touching on the tragic event at Utah Valley University last week. He recognized the trauma and darkness that comes from difficult moments.
“Yes, darkness had its day,” he said. “But I’m here to testify that better angels will prevail. I’m here to testify that Christ’s light will prevail — His light provides the comfort we need in any time of trial, hurt or sorrow. It always has and it always will.”
He also urged the audience to “practice what we preach on this campus. Let’s love one another. Indeed, let’s love even our enemies. Let’s selflessly serve to build something better than animosity and division.”
Sister Reese
Sister Reese asked students to think about the difference between being a student “at” BYU versus becoming students “of” BYU.
Becoming a student “of” BYU means showing up as our best self and putting more focus and energy on things that really matter,” she said. “Becoming a student “of” BYU means service, study and discipleship.”
Sister Reese acknowledged that can be a large task. She highlighted examples of women who have helped shape BYU since its founding in 1875, such as Martha Jane Knowlton Coray and Alice Louise Reynolds and more recent examples including Patricia Holland, the wife of former BYU President Jeffrey R. Holland.
Sister Reese shared stories of how Patricia Holland has had “a profound influence on me.”
“With an exciting year ahead, we have a choice: we can be students “at” BYU, or we can draw on the heritage of the faithful women and men before us and become students “of” BYU. We can become disciples of Christ and divine children of heavenly parents who stand apart from the world. We can become students who take seriously our coursework and our covenants. Students who take notes and take charge. Students who know external persuasions cannot compete with eternal peace.”
President Reese
After Sister Reese’s address, President Reese focused his main remarks on giving gifts of light.
“The answer to evil is Christ,” President Reese said. “He is the ultimate gift of light. And the goal for you and me this year — our 150th year as a university — is to grow, to celebrate, to share His light.”
President Reese referenced an address by President Henry B. Eyring from 1980, given at BYU when President Eyring was the commissioner of the Church Educational System. In that talk, President Eyring shared three principles of becoming expert givers of gifts.
“When you’re on the receiving end (of a gift),” President Eyring taught, “you will discover three things in great gift givers: (1) they felt what you felt ... (2) they gave freely, and (3) they counted sacrifice a bargain.”
President Reese shared two stories, one of a green chalkboard and another of red cherries, from President Eyring’s life that illustrated lessons of how givers blessed his life in profound ways.
“I can’t remember the gifts my dad wrapped and helped put under a tree. But I remember the chalkboard and his quiet voice,” President Eyring recalled.
“I can’t remember the taste of the cherries, but I remember that someone knew my heart and cared.”
President Reese shared stories from the Old and New Testaments of individuals giving significant gifts to family members or to Jesus Christ, as well as how one gift from a Young Men advisor in his own life played a role in helping him attend BYU later.
Coming to BYU “didn’t just launch my education or career, it launched my eternal marriage with my eternal companion and my relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the gift and light of the world.”
President Reese concluded, “as you experience the greatest gift of light, I witness you will become beacons of light to this world that so desperately needs it.”
