From years past: Ty Detmer helped new BYU hire Garrett Tujague join the LDS Church

"I love taking my oldest daughter to seminary in the morning," he said, trying to be positive and influential about the Church along the way. He recalled one morning when Savanah said, "Dad, you're going full-Mormon on me!"

But, he said, as he looked at some of the men he most respected who had joined the Church, like Ty Detmer, he didn't feel that he measured up to their worthiness and that was one of the reasons he thought he shouldn't be baptized. He listened to the missionary discussions and set several baptismal dates, but something always derailed the process.

Things changed through a series of spiritual experiences during the past year, he said. One was when he found out the ward was going to get a new bishop. He said he went to his truck and prayed that if his friend Scott Muir was the next bishop he would know he could be worthy of holding the priesthood and honoring it.

In retrospect, he said he knows it's not right "to make deals with Heavenly Father." Nevertheless, when Brother Muir was called as the new bishop, Brother Tujague was determined to prepare and be baptized.

It turned out that he was able to schedule his baptism for the weekend that Dan Potter, a high councilor in the neighboring Santa Clarita California Stake, had arranged for Brother Detmer to speak at a youth fireside in his stake. Connections were made and Brother Detmer was able to attend the Castaic Ward sacrament meeting and stand in the confirmation circle.

Hearkening back to their college days, Brother Tujague said, "Ty makes people around him better. He uplifts people," not just on the football field but in life.

So he felt inspired that his former teammate should be there for the confirmation. "It was an honor to have him there," Brother Tujague said.

Richard L. Wirthlin, first counselor in the Santa Clarita California Stake presidency, said there was a strong spirit throughout the weekend as Brother Tujague was baptized and confirmed and as Brother Detmer spoke at the youth fireside as well as an additional fireside primarily for him to share his values with athletes and coaches of all faiths in the community.

Brother Tujague concluded by mentioning a countdown clock he has in his coaching office that marks the preparation leading up to each opponent. He said there is now a countdown clock on the refrigerator at home marking the time of preparation before he and his wife and their children — Savanah, Summer and Carson — will go to the temple to be sealed.

Email: ghill@desnews.com