Come Follow Up's moderators, Daniel Becerra (left) and BYUH alumna Barbara Gardner (right). Photo provided by Tyler Hinton
Worldwide scripture study
BYUH alumna and producers discuss BYUtv’s newest project and encourage BYUH ohana to be involved
BY EMILY CASSLER BYUtv’s newest program, “Come Follow Up,” aims to enrich scripture study for Church members. Producers and moderators of the show explained the show pulls participation from all over the world and invited members of the BYUH ohana to get involved. “‘Come Follow Up’ is a weekly TV series meant to enhance the experiences members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are having with their personal and family scripture study,” explained Barbara Gardner, a BYU–Hawaii alumna who moderates the show along with Daniel Becerra. “It serves as a companion to the ‘Come, Follow Me’ curriculum produced by the Church. With a live audience, internationalmember participation through video, special guests and other important resources, viewers are able to not only observe but also participate in an exciting, robust and safe gospel conversation,” said Gardner, now an associate 40 40
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professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU in Provo. The first episode aired on Oct. 4. Future episodes will be airing on BYUtv every Sunday at 11 p.m., MST. Gardner explained, “The goal of the project is to assist individuals and families in their process of becoming spiritually self-reliant and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Gardner’s role as moderator is to lead the discussions of each episode, she said. “I carefully study the scripture blocks that correspond with ‘Come, Follow Me.’” Then, together “with Daniel, the other moderator, we come up with important questions, themes, principles, discussion points, etc., that we feel are valuable to members and families.” The moderators discuss scripture blocks, ask questions and determine how to apply the Gospel in their lives and assist others with a guest and audience members.
Yurii Hydrick, the supervising producer for “Come Follow Up,” invited the BYUH ohana to be involved with the project, no matter where they are. “Aside from watching the show and engaging in your personal and family scripture studies, there are two ways to be involved: join the studio audience if you happen to be in Provo, Utah, during our production cycle,” he explained, “or participate as a video participant, submitting a one-minute question … via video.” Cristian Torres, associate producer for “Come Follow Up,” explained the associate producer’s job is to “arrange all the logistics of the show before the shoot and ensure the show is going the direction intended. It’s a tremendous job, and one producer can’t do it all, so BYUtv gives opportunities for students to be associate producers, working under the mentorship of full-time producers.”
