Deferred Gifts, Instant Blessings

January 2025

“In the beginning, BYU-Pathway was not on our radar as a place to donate,” says Paula Beatse.

For over a decade, Paula and her husband, Reed, have made regular donations to BYU, which has played a role in both of their family histories. One day, the Beatses saw an ad in BYU Magazine (now Y Magazine) about supporting BYU with deferred gifts, such as wills, trusts, and other financial vehicles. The idea resonated with them, and they updated their estate plan to include BYU and BYU-Idaho, where Paula attended school when it was Ricks College.

Through their engagement with BYU-Idaho, the Beatses learned about BYU-Pathway and quickly became inspired by its mission. In January 2024, they added BYU-Pathway to their estate plan and became members of the BYU-Pathway Worldwide Legacy Society.

The Beatses especially like how BYU-Pathway helps students wherever they live. Paula’s ancestors hailed from England and Scandinavia, and some of them, after joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, moved to the United States to gather with the Saints and to seek out a better life.

Today, Paula says, Latter-day Saints no longer need to leave their home countries to find opportunity or strengthen their faith. “With BYU-Pathway, people can receive an excellent, faith-based education in their home countries and stay and build the Church,” she says. “‘The glory of God is intelligence’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36), and I feel that helping people make better lives for themselves through education is a good way to support people.”

The Beatses have also been impressed by the stories they read about BYU-Pathway students. “Every now and then, we see stories on Facebook about returned missionaries working two jobs to support their families,” says Paula. “Then they go through BYU-Pathway, and now they’re graduating with bachelor’s degrees. There’s so much good that can come from education. Heaven knows we’ve been helped through the years by those who came before us. I think this is a good way to pay it forward.” Reed adds, “The blessings grow exponentially for their families and their posterity. Not everything you can do has that type of benefit.”

For the Beatses, a deferred gift is the perfect way to support BYU-Pathway students. “It gives us the ability to plan for the future and serve other people while not worrying about our monthly budget,” says Reed.

We may not have that much now, but when we go, we’ll have assets that we’re not passing on as an inheritance,” Reed continues, adding that he and Paula don’t have children. “We wanted to put that money in our will and trust and know that it will go to good use for things that we support, things that can live after us and help others.”

The Beatses are also happy that the process was simple and that there is no minimum amount required to name BYU-Pathway as a beneficiary. “And yet there is no limit on the amount of blessings that you can receive and give to others,” says Reed.

Paula says, “It makes us feel good that we can make a difference in the lives of people. Sometimes you see such need all around you and don’t know how best to help. This is one way you can help, and I trust that our money will be well spent and do good.”

To learn about how you can make a deferred gift and become a member of the BYU-Pathway Worldwide Legacy Society, email giftplanning@ChurchofJesusChrist.org, visit our web page about planned giving, or call 877-650-5377.