College or Mission? Colin Knew He Couldn’t Afford Both
Colin had been saving for college for some time. However, when Colin’s bishop asked him to serve a mission, he knew he could afford one or the other – not both.
Change people's lives at home and around the world
November 2020
Rachel Bunkley was a young Southern Baptist living in Southeast Idaho when she had a conversation about the nature of God that just didn’t sit right.
“My stepfather said Jesus and God were the same person,” she says. “The next day at school, I was talking to some friends of mine who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they said, ‘We believe Jesus and God are separate beings.’ I was like, ‘That makes more sense to me.’”
Not long after, Rachel began talking in depth about the Church with Richard “Buddy” Tullis, a recently returned missionary—and they were married just a month after she was baptized. The Tullises both started classes at Idaho State University but then transferred to BYU-Idaho.
“The education I’ve received here [at BYU-Idaho] has been fantastic,” she says. “It’s really strengthened my faith, and I’ve learned a lot more about the Church. Also, I always thought that science and the gospel could go hand-in-hand, and being able to discuss how they work together in my classes was immensely beneficial.”
Now, Rachel and her husband have a son, and they’re both nearing the end of their undergraduate studies. Nonetheless, their lives aren’t without challenges.
“Both my husband and I will be first-generation college graduates, and we come from poor backgrounds,” she says. “We haven’t had any kind of financial help from our families.”
Fortunately, the Tullises received need-based aid through the university, and that helped them bridge the gap between their expenses and their available finances.
“Need-based aid has been a lifesaver!” she says. “I had an academic scholarship at ISU, but at BYU-Idaho, the standards for an academic scholarship are a lot higher. Need-based grants took a lot of the pressure off. I don’t have to juggle school and working full time.”
While graduation is on the horizon, Rachel’s looking at earning a medical degree and becoming a physician assistant—so there will be much more school to come. Without the help of donated funds, she and her husband would be in a more difficult financial situation.
“Thanks to donations, I’ve been able to go to college and provide a better life for me, my husband, and our baby,” she says. “And in the future, I’ll give back too.”
Colin had been saving for college for some time. However, when Colin’s bishop asked him to serve a mission, he knew he could afford one or the other – not both.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, David Decker felt to embark on a new educational adventure.
First in a three-part series: On a Thursday night last April, the meeting house gym in Monterrey, Mexico was lined with tables and chairs for 67 very important guests: students hoping to register for their first Pathway semester.