By Diana Lee
Former Penn State institute director and Ricks professor Kent Brooks has joined the BYU faculty this summer.
After nine years of teaching at Ricks, Brooks is now an assistant professor of church history and doctrine. He hopes to teach the importance of strengthening marriage and family values by following the counsel of past prophets and leaders today.
Brooks said he wants to teach students to overcome the challenges of pride and selfishness. He wants to focus on the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the nature of its covenants.
'Everything we do in the church ... activities and so forth is designed to make it possible for families to be together forever,' Brooks said.
He believes that BYU''s forums and symposiums provide a good training ground for students to develop a strong understanding of the gospel.
'BYU provides a unique opportunity to bring people unto Christ,' Brooks said.
As a marriage and family therapist for almost 20 years, Brooks hopes to not only impact his students, but also those he comes in contact with.
'Whether anybody remembers my name or not doesn''t matter, but that they come to know Him is what''s important to me,' Brooks said.
Brooks looks forward to teaching LDS Marriage and Family this fall.