Ensign College Devotionals

Elder K. Brett Nattress was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 2016. At the time of his call, he had been serving as president of the Arizona Gilbert Mission. Elder Nattress has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the California Sacramento Mission, ward Young Men president, bishop, stake Young Men president, stake president, Area Seventy, and mission president. Elder Nattress attended Brigham Young University and received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Utah in 1990. He was employed in health-care administration as co-founder and president of Advanced Health Care Corporation. Kevin Brett Nattress was born in Pocatello, Idaho. He and his wife, Shawna, are the parents of seven children.March 24, 2026 11:15 AM

Sister Laurie Jones grew up in Midland, Michigan. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Clothing and Textiles. She worked for many years as an Administrative Assistant. She has served in the Relief Society, Primary, and Young Women organizations as well as Seminary Teacher, Self Reliance specialist and Ward Missionary. Sister Jones is serving with her husband, Kurt, at the Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission, and assigned to Ensign College. They are the parents of two daughters and three grandchildren.March 17, 2026 11:15 AM

Shima Baradaran Baughman grew up in Goshen, New York after leaving Iran as a child refugee with her family. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She received a law degree at BYU Law School and clerked on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for Judge Jay S. Bybee. She served as a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Malawi then taught law at BYU and the University of Utah for thirteen years, serving as Associate Dean for her final years at the University of Utah. Sister Baughman returned to BYU in 2023 and is currently a Professor at BYU Law and a Distinguished Fellow at the Wheatley Institute. She can't wait to serve a mission. Sister Baughman and her husband, Ryan, have five children and live in Salt Lake City.March 10, 2026 11:15 AM

Jodi Chowen earned a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Brigham Young University in which she studied college student thriving. She oversaw Career Services, Academic Internships, and Experiential Learning at BYU for more than a decade. She has taught student development and religion classes for several years, and is a certified Gallup Strengths coach. Sister Chowen worked at BYU-Hawaii for eight years helping students identify and achieve their academic and career goals, including facilitating connections for international students in their home countries. She currently serves as the Vice President of Student Success at Ensign College. Sister Chowen is married to Dr. Brent Chowen, and together they have 5 children and 2 grandchildren.March 03, 2026 11:15 AM

Arnulfo Valenzuela Realivasquez was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. He has had many opportunities to serve in the Church including a full-time mission in Veracruz, Mexico, as bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, counselor in a mission presidency, and as an Area Seventy. Elder Valenzuela received a bachelor’s degree and master's degree in business administration and worked for Honeywell de Mexico, Sweda de Mexico and Durman de Mexico. He was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2013. Elder Valenzuela now serves in the Presidency of the Seventy and assists members of the Twelve Apostles in supervising the North America Central, Brazil, Caribbean, and Pacific Areas.February 17, 2026 11:15 AM

Elder Richard J. Maynes was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 1997 and given Emeritus status in October 2020. Elder Maynes previously served as the Executive Director of the Family History Department and as an assistant executive director in both the Priesthood and Family Department and the Missionary Department. He has also served as President of the Philippines and South America West Areas. During his numerous years of Church service, he also served as a full-time missionary in the Uruguay and Paraguay Mission and as president of the Mexico Monterrey Mission (1989–1992). Elder Maynes formerly owned and was CEO of a company specializing in factory automation. He received a bachelor of science degree from Brigham Young University in business management and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management. Elder Maynes and his wife, Nancy, are parents of four children. February 03, 2026 11:15 AM

Sarah Jane Weaver is the editor of the Deseret News and the executive editor of the Church News.  Since 1995, she has traveled the globe writing about leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sarah graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in journalism and history and received a professional certificate in executive leadership from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.She and her husband, Clinton Weaver, have three daughters.January 27, 2026 11:15 AM

Elder Edward B. Rowe was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the April 2025 general conference. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Area. Elder Rowe has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Florida Ft. Lauderdale Mission, elder quorum president, high councilor, bishop, and mission president. Elder Rowe received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in public policy and a juris doctor degree from the University of Chicago. He practiced international law in Washington DC and overseas. He has served as chief executive officer for the Stirling Foundation since 2019. Elder Rowe and his wife, Brooke, are the parents of five children.January 20, 2026 11:15 AM

Sharon Eubank was born in Redding, California. She served as a full-time missionary for the Church in the Finland Helsinki Mission and received a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University. After graduation, she taught English as a second language in Japan, worked as a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate and owned a retail education store in Provo, Utah. Sister Eubank served as first counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society, as well as in numerous ward and stake leadership positions. Since 1998 Sister Eubank has been employed by the Church’s Welfare Department, helping to establish and direct the work in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. She currently serves as the director of Humanitarian Services of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.January 13, 2026 11:15 AM

President Bruce C. Kusch became the 13th president of Ensign College on April 17, 2017. He previously served as the Chief Academic Officer from March 2016 until assuming his current role. President Kusch began his Church Educational System service in August 2002, joining the Business Management Faculty at Brigham Young University-Idaho. While there, he also served as the Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum and Associate Dean for Online Programs. Before joining the BYU-Idaho faculty, President Kusch worked in the high technology industry in Silicon Valley, CA. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix, an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and a PhD in instructional design from Idaho State University. President Kusch served as a full-time missionary in the Guatemala-El Salvador Mission, and from June 2012 to June 2015, President and Sister Kusch served as mission leaders of the Mexico Cuernavaca Mission. He currently serves as a Sunday School teacher in his ward.Sister Alynda Kusch is a graduate of BYU-Idaho. Following her graduation, she taught for the BYU-I Culinary Arts department until she and President Kusch left for their missionary service in Mexico. She currently serves as a Sunday School teacher in her ward. Both President and Sister Kusch were born and raised in Southern California. They were married in the Los Angeles Temple and are the parents of four children and 15 grandchildren.January 06, 2026 11:15 AM