Jeremy and Sarah Prete learned how to include the Lord in their studies and found support in the journey
As a husband, father, seminary teacher, business owner, coach, community volunteer, and active member at church, Jeremy Prete鈥檚 load of responsibilities continued to overflow.
Due to his busy schedule, Jeremy always found himself postponing his education. In just seven years, he tried to finish his bachelor鈥檚 degree four different times, but always had to put it on hold to allow room for his other responsibilities.
When
PathwayConnect offered a different kind of education
Jumping back into his studies wasn鈥檛 easy. Jeremy often felt overwhelmed trying to manage his time as he worked through his courses. But as he progressed through PathwayConnect鈥檚 year-long curriculum, the program continued to instill a belief within him that if he placed the Lord first, he had time for every responsibility.
鈥淲ithout the sustaining power of the Lord, I couldn鈥檛 complete all of my homework along with my responsibilities as a father, business owner, and seminary teacher. I know I did not have that kind of strength before. I tried it at these other universities where inviting the Spirit wasn鈥檛 built into the curriculum, and it just did not work for me,鈥� Jeremy recalled. 鈥淏ut, as I went through PathwayConnect, everything was all laid out for me 鈥� the support network of my gathering group and service missionaries, the concept of learning by study and by faith. Finishing my education became possible because the Lord was on my team. It doesn鈥檛 work any other way 鈥� I鈥檝e tried.鈥�
When Jeremy prioritized including God more in his studies, he could complete his homework without missing out on the rest of his life. Sarah also saw the importance of putting the Lord first as they did PathwayConnect together.
鈥淭here have certainly been moments in our lives when the Lord wasn鈥檛 our priority, and we never could make getting an education work,鈥� said Sarah. 鈥淏ut PathwayConnect has helped us make Him our first priority and everything else has found a place. We haven鈥檛 missed out on anything.鈥�
BYU-Pathway introduced the Pretes to a network of support
Along with the sustaining power of the Spirit, the Pretes found another unique aspect in PathwayConnect and BYU-Idaho 鈥� proactive support.
鈥淢y experiences in other universities was just so impersonal. We鈥檇 sit in a classroom with 600 or more peers and we wouldn鈥檛 even know our professor鈥檚 name,鈥� Jeremy said. 鈥淭he support we received in PathwayConnect was refreshing. Our missionaries became our best friends and it didn鈥檛 stop there. I feel like I can鈥檛 fail with that much support. It was pretty much surrounding me.鈥�
As their time in PathwayConnect concluded, the Pretes had already started getting phone calls from BYU-Idaho offering assistance in matriculation and online degree options.
鈥淏YU-Idaho was more proactive than we were,鈥� Sarah said. 鈥淚n our other experiences we had to go to the university and figure out everything ourselves. But with BYU-Idaho online, they were going out of their way to help us!鈥�
Completing PathwayConnect was only the beginning for Jeremy
By completing PathwayConnect, the doors were opened for Jeremy to continue on toward his bachelor鈥檚 degree through
鈥淎t first, doing online courses felt like such a sacrifice, but the four-year journey has been such a gigantic blessing in my life,鈥� Jeremy recalled. 鈥淚 learned the importance of including the Lord in my studies and how to be a student again. I will forever be grateful for the lessons learned in PathwayConnect and BYU-Idaho.鈥�
In April 2017, Jeremy Prete and his family attended graduation at BYU-Idaho where he received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in
The Spirit Jeremy felt and the support he experienced through his journey in PathwayConnect and BYU-Idaho couldn鈥檛 compare to his prior opportunities. As a result, Jeremy completed the goal he has worked on for nearly a decade, and with it, gained a deeper testimony of education and its role in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
鈥淲hat PathwayConnect taught us is priceless 鈥� an education we couldn鈥檛 have found anywhere else in the world鈥� and not just academically. My husband had given up all hope of being able to acquire a university degree, but then the Lord led us to PathwayConnect. I鈥檒l never forget seeing him graduate last weekend 鈥� it still doesn鈥檛 seem real! While we were in Idaho, we were given an opportunity to have a quick tour of the Pathway offices. It was very humbling to see how much has been done, with so little. 鈥楤y small and simple things鈥︹�� kept running through my mind.鈥�
Since graduating in April 2017, Jeremy and Sarah sold their business and opened a youth center in Cardston. Jeremy now mentors local teens on a daily basis. 鈥淚t is a dream come true,鈥� Jeremy said. 鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 be here without PathwayConnect.鈥�