Morris Murdock Escorted Tours

Alexander L. Baugh is a professor and former chair of the Department of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University, where he has been a full-time faculty member since 1995. He received his BS from Utah State University and his MA and PhD degrees from Brigham Young University.

He specializes in researching and writing about the Missouri period of early Church history (1831–39). He is the author, editor, or co-editor of twelve books, including three volumes of the Document series of The Joseph Smith Papers (Documents, volumes 4, 5, and 6).

Allan completed a bachelor’s degree in cultural geography and international relations at the University of Utah, and a master’s degree and a doctorate degree in college and university administration at Brigham Young University.

Anthony Sweat is an Assistant Professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He is the author of several books such as: Mormons, An Open Book and Why? Powerful Answers and Practical Reasons for Living LDS Standards. He received his PhD in education from Utah State University and is a regular speaker at various LDS conferences, including BYU Education Week and Especially For Youth. He and his lovely wife, Cindy, are the parents of seven children.

Bill was born in San Diego, California, but grew up in Vernal, Utah and Seward, Alaska. He served as a missionary in the Northeast British Mission. He received a BA (English/History) and MEd (International Education) from BYU and taught seminary for 8 years. For 8 years he wrote and published Old Testament and Church History curriculum for the Church Educational System. Prior to his retirement in 2008, Bill was employed for 22 years as a manager and director for the Churchs Audiovisual Department the last 4 of which he was the Director of the LDS Motion Picture Studio in Provo and of the Conference Center studio and broadcast center in Salt Lake. His duties included supervising the technical productions for church pageants.

Blair G. Van Dyke is a full-time instructor at the Orem Institute of Religion adjacent to Utah Valley University. He earned his BA in English literature from BYU in 1989. At that time he was hired to teach in the Church Educational System (CES) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Van Dyke took a Masters of Education degree in 1992, and a Doctor of Educational Philosophy in 1997, both from BYU. His dissertation, "Education in an Autonomous Palestine: Palestinian Perspectives," explores the emergence of an independent Palestinian educational system after centuries of colonialism.

Brad Wilcox is a professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Brigham Young University where he also enjoys working with such programs as Especially for Youth, Women's Conference, Campus Education Week and Time Out for Woman. He is the author of the books, The Continuous Atonement and The Continuous Conversion, and the BYU devotional, "His Grace is Sufficient."

I grew up in a family that had the opportunity to travel quite often. My father worked in the airline industry so we were able to take family trips every year to Hawaii, Mexico, or other great destinations. When I was 16 my father and I had the opportunity to travel to Kenya, Africa on a wildlife safari. I was so amazed to see all of the different animals in their natural setting and surroundings. I think at this point in my life I was hooked on travel! I started working at Beehive Travel in 1988 delivering airline tickets while attending college. After graduating from BYU with a B.S. in marketing, I decided to stay in the travel Industry with Morris Murdock. I have been blessed to be able to travel to so many different areas of the world and to experience different cultures, different life styles, and remarkable scenery.

Brian Hollien has enjoyed a career encompassing over thirty years in the travel industry. His first job after graduating from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Legal Research and Business was with a small travel agency in Salt Lake City. Through various acquisitions and mergers Mr. Hollien helped build Beehive Travel into a regional agency with offices in Utah, Idaho, Montana and California with annual sales of $65 million. In 1996, while serving as president of Beehive Travel, Mr. Hollien helped orchestrate the merger of Beehive and Morris Travel and a few years later the combination of Morris and Murdock Travel which became one of the twenty-five largest travel agencies in the United States.

Chad S. Hawkins began his series of temple artwork in 1989, at the age of seventeen to support his two-year mission in Frankfurt, Germany, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon his return in 1993, he continued with his artwork while pursuing his education of becoming a dentist. Just prior to his application to dental school, Chad realized that he would be sacrificing his art career to the discipline required in dental school. It was at that time that he made the adjustment from being a zoology and chemistry major to an art major, graduating from Weber State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Dr. Craig K. Manscill is an Associate Professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He has served as a religious educator for forty-years—twenty-two years with Seminaries and Institutes (S&I) and eighteen years with BYU. In 2009-10 he served on the faculty of the BYU Jerusalem Near Eastern Studies Program where he directed students in their studies and travels throughout Israel, Egypt, and Jordon.   While living in Israel he served in the Israel District Presidency interacting with members and leaders of other churches.

Craig James Ostler has been a religious educator for nearly twenty years with seminaries and institutes and the last twenty-plus years as a professor at Brigham Young University. He, his wife, Sandy, and family have lived in Jerusalem, while he served on the faculty of the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies in 1998 and again in 2008. As well as a scholar of the scriptures, he is also an author of many articles and books. He has taught BYU Continuing Education classes for adults and BYU Education Week. He has served as a bishop and a High Counselor. He and his wife have 7 children and eight grandchildren and counting.

Dann W Hone has nearly 50 years of travel to the Near East and is one of the founding members of the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. He held virtually every position at the Jerusalem Center, including Academic Coordinator where he was responsible for training and teaching all Jerusalem Center faculty in history, archaeology, geography, and scriptures. His studies include 13 modern and ancient languages and scripts. Dann lived in Israel for many years and received his graduate degree in Biblical History/Historical Geography from the Jerusalem University College.

Dean Garner's educational experiences reflect a great love of learning and of ancient history. He earned a bachelor’s degree in art, with an emphasis in education and photography, from Weber State University in 1987. He received a master’s degree from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, focusing on curriculum development in education. His graduate work was performed at the University of Arizona in Near Eastern studies, with an emphasis in archaeology. His experience with the Holy Land has been a lifetime pursuit in and out of formal settings, developing into a great interest in Holy Land peoples and other ancient cultures.

Dr. L. Dean Marriott has taught the Life of Jesus from Holy Scripture to thousands of students at BYU, Univ. of Utah and other colleges for over 30 years. His love of the scriptures and knowledge of biblical locations enables him to present a powerful and unique holy land experience for the many travelers on the tours he directs.

His well-planned itinerary is not a typical drive-by tour of the holy lands. It attempts to provide interactive scriptural experiences by (1) placing participants at the actual scriptural settings of events in the sequence they were experienced by Jesus, (2) staying at on-site guesthouses (in Galilee at water's edge, and inside old Jerusalem adjacent to the wailing wall, etc.), (3) walking in the very pathways of Jesus (down the Mt. of Olives into the Old City, then following his footsteps from the pavement stones where he was scourged to the crucifixion site at Golgatha then to the Garden Tomb, etc.), (4) experiencing special settings (including a twilight devotional at Bethlehem's shepherd's field, a Passover style meal in an upper room inside the old city, followed by evening reflection in the Garden of Gethsemane). Other Bible events shared at appropriate times.

Del and Cherrie Clark love to study in the Holy Land. "There is nothing like being at a sacred site and reading from scripture, history, and words of scholars and prophets. By following this process these once sacred sites where holy events occurred, are now sacred to us. It is as if they are being revealed unto us in the first instance.”

For the past decade they have studied and traveled extensively in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Rome, England, as well as most all Church History sites in the Northeast, Midwest, and Intermountain regions. As a result, they have been regular presenters at the local and regional level, taught institute together and have submitted dozens of professional papers.

Del and Cherrie Clark met while serving missions in Florida, and taught at the MTC while attending BYU. The Clarks have been religious educators for more than three decades, and have spent the past decade traveling and studying biblical events in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Rome. They have produced professional papers on their holy land experiences, and have been regular presenters at the local and regional level.

Dennis Leavitt married Nykele Gagon in 1985. They are the parents of 4 children and 4 grandchildren. Dennis was employed by the LDS Church Educational System from 1985 – 2011. His assignments included the MTC, various seminaries and institutes of religion, EFY, and adult religion. He was also part of the S&I Curriculum and Training Team from 1995-2000.

The Leavitt’s have been directing tours for the past 25 years to the sacred sites of the Restoration and the Holy Land. His knowledge, focus, and comfortable teaching style help make each trip a meaningful adventure for every participant.

Jerry is an award-winning and best-selling author of historical fiction, co-authored biography, nonfiction, and science fiction. He focuses primarily on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and Vietnam.

Jerry and his wife Marcella have traveled to many of the places featured in his books, including England, Europe, and the Mediterranean. The history in Jerry's books, both novels and biographies, is as accurate as his research, including his travels, can make it.

Jerry and Marcella live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and have four children – Scott, Jeff (and Eden), Steven, and Kelissa (and Russell).

Jerry recently won gold in Foreward Reviews’ Indies Book of the Year awards for his book, "The Compassionate Solider: Remarkable True Stories of Mercy, Heroism and Honor from the Battlefield"

Don and Annette Beesley are so excited to have the opportunity to travel with you. They have been directing tours together for thirty years. Whether overseas or in the states, they love taking people to new and exciting places and watch them experience it for the first time. Their travels have taken them to many wonderful and exciting places all over the world.

Don is a retired educator with a doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California. He also has degrees from the University of Utah as well as Brigham Young University.

With a professional background distinguished by public service and community involvement, Doug Wright has long been recognized as a rational, dependable voice on a myriad of local and national topics. Most of his over 40 years in the broadcast industry have been spent at KSL Radio in Salt Lake City where listeners depend on his knowledge of worldwide political and current events to keep them informed. Each Friday morning Doug hosts the ever-popular KSL Movie Show, featuring movie reviews and entertainment topics.

Dr. Brady Allred is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Salt Lake Choral Artists, an organization of seven choral ensembles. Honored as “one of Utah’s Top 25 Cultural Power Brokers,” he has guest conducted, adjudicated, and given master classes throughout Europe, Asia, South America and the Middle East. He is a winner of the European Grand Prix, two First Prizes and the Conductors Prize at the Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition, and holds MM and DMA degrees in conducting from the Eastman School of Music. Prior to his full-time appointment as Artistic Director of SLCA, Dr. Allred was a Professor at the University of Utah and Duquesne University, Conductor of the Butler Symphony Orchestra, the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, and a singer with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers and Oregon Bach Festival Chorus.

Renowned folk artist Eric Dowdle captivates people of all ages with the wit, charm, and detail which is portrayed in his artwork. His quirky and infectious personality is represented in his collection of hundreds of scenes from the United States, and around the world. These paintings are highly valued by collectors and are distributed as high-quality prints, puzzles, and gifts.

Eric began painting in his early twenties and after just one year of college decided to part ways to “make something happen!” Making things happen is exactly what Eric has done and continues to do. Painting, exploring, and working day and night to expand his collection of distinctive folk art paintings is his passion.

Gerrit J. Dirkmaat is an assistant professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He received his PhD in American History from the University of Colorado in 2010 where he studied nineteenth-century American expansionism and foreign relations. His dissertation was titled “Enemies Foreign and Domestic: US Relations with Mormons in the US Empire in North America, 1844–1854.”

He worked as a historian and writer for the Church History Department from 2010 to 2014 with the Joseph Smith Papers Project and served as a volume editor/historian for Documents Volume 1, the lead historian/volume editor on Documents Volume 3, and as a historian/editor on Administrative Volume 1, Council of Fifty, Minutes. He continues to work on the Joseph Smith Papers on the forthcoming Documents Volume 8.

Dr. Henry "Hank" Smith grew up the son of a golf professional in sunny St. George, Utah. After earning a Bachelor's Degree from Dixie State University, he earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Utah State University. Most recently, Hank completed his PhD at Brigham Young University where he now works as an instructor.

In addition to his work corporate training and education consulting, Hank enjoys speaking at assemblies for elementary, junior high, and high schools around the country.

Hany Tawfik has been escorting groups in Egypt since 1987. He holds a Master’s degree in Egyptology and is an international lecturer in his field. He was awarded the title of Egyptian Ambassador of Tourism in 2007 and was the President of the Tourist Guides Union of Alexandria from 2007 until 2014. He is THE top guide in Egypt and has led a large variety of distinguished visitors including President Barak Obama, Prince Henereck (Prince of Denmark), and many other presidents, royalties, ministers, and prime ministers. Hany is a cherished friend as well as being fun, charming, and incredibly intelligent with his descriptions of the sites visited makes all his tours unforgettable.

Howard and Shari Lyon are a dynamic and artistic duo!

They met while attending high school in Mesa, Arizona. After graduation Howard served a mission and then they married and went on to BYU. Howard began his career studying illustration working with artists such as Robert Barrett, Don Seegmiller, James Christensen and Greg Olsen. For the first 15 years of his career he worked in the video game industry as an Art Director, concept artist and freelance illustrator. For much of his career he has painted dragons and trolls or scenes from science fiction. As he has continued to study art in Italy, France and the Grand Central Academy in New York, he combined these experiences with his desire to expand his subject matter to create inspirational pieces that have now been published in many Ensign Magazines, LDS Church teaching Manuals, calendars, book covers and has recently finished his 1st book. He has painted two 15 foot murals for the Gilbert Temple baptistery and has many other images in temple locations around the world.

Jack Marshall worked for the LDS Church Educational System for forty years. He was a Faculty member and Associate Director at the University Of Utah Institute Of Religion for the last 20 years.

Brother Marshall is an author and has had talk CD's produced. He has also taught at religious conferences such as Especially for Youth, Know Your Religion, Education Week, Especially for Parents, BYU Family Conference and for BYU-TV programming.

Bro. Marshall has taught at educational conferences and on educational tours in Russia, China, Africa, Europe, Central and So. America, Canada, the Middle East and throughout the United States.

He and his wife Liz have five children.

Jay Osmond is a member of the famous performing Osmond family. He has been performing with them since the age 2 1/2. Jay is the drummer of the group and was voted one of the top drummers of the country in the 70’s. The brothers were discovered by Walt Disney which led to nine years as regulars on the Andy Williams show. They were guest stars on many shows, such as Jerry Lewis, Glen Campbell, Sonny & Cher, and the list goes on and on. He was also the executive producer of the Donny & Marie Show. With over 50 gold and platinum records to their credit, Jay sang lead on hits Crazy Horses andOne Way Ticket to Anywhere. Some of Jay’s favorite memories are performing for several United States presidents and twice before the Queen of England. When celebrating the Osmonds' 50 years of show business, Jay, along with his brothers and sister, was honored to be able to sing along with the Mormon Tabernacle choir.

America's Violinist, Jenny Oaks Baker, is a Grammy Nominated, Billboard No. 1 recording artist, and performer. Whether her music is experienced live or through one of her many recordings, it is impossible to escape the magic of her artistry.

Jenny began playing the violin at age four, and made her solo orchestral debut in 1983 when she was only eight years old. She received her Master of Music degree from the renowned Juilliard School in New York City and her Bachelor’s degree in violin performance from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Joel Judd was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and grew up in West Point, Utah before graduating from Davis High School. He served an LDS mission to New England under President Truman G. Madsen.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, Sociology and Psychology at Weber State College in 1970, and received a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology from BYU in 1975. Since that time he has been a student of Biblical Hebrew, ancient Near East History, and Geography of the Holy Land.

Jonathan Brinley is a professional religious educator with over 25 years of teaching experience and has been a regular speaker for Especially for Youth. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Near-Eastern Studies including a semester in Israel and later received a master’s degree in education. He and his wife, Denise, are the parents of seven children.

Kay Godfrey is a period historian of the life of the prophet Joseph Smith.  

He is a graduate of Brigham Young University.  He holds degrees in Historic Archaeology and Anthropology as well as Law Enforcement and Justice Administration.

He has studied and researched the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith for over 45 years.  He has done extensive “on-site” research in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri.  He has spoken to the issue of the “Trials of the Prophet Joseph” at numerous symposiums in Nauvoo, Il. and Independence, Mo. He has edited books and videos for various authors on the historical accuracy of materials pertaining to Joseph Smith.  Kay serves on numerous boards and foundations such as Ancient American Archaeology, Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation, the Foundation for Indigenous Research and Mormonism and the Nauvoo, Illinois, and Topsfield, Massachusetts Historical Societies.

Ken served as a Mission President of the Cleveland Ohio Mission and has been a seminary and Institute teacher for 40 years. He will tell you that one of his passions is Church History and it is one of his favorite subjects to teach. He earned his Computer Science degree at the University of Utah and his MBA at the University of Phoenix.

They both enjoy the privilege of teaching the gospel at the location where sacred experiences occurred. They have conducted Church History and American History tours through the east and mid-west as well as directing pioneer trail workshops. They have enjoyed traveling throughout Europe and the Holy Lands.

They both love teaching and gardening. They currently love in the San Diego area and have seven children and 13 grandchildren.

Perhaps best known for his innovative interpretation of seasonal carols found in his popular 5 CD boxed set “The Complete Kurt Bestor Christmas,” and his haunting musical prayer for peace “Prayer of the Children,” the Utah based composer and performer launched his career writing music for television and movies. His credits include more than 40 film scores and more than 40 themes for national TV programs and commercials. It is Bestor’s music that has introduced NFL Monday Night Football, and National Geographic Explorer; he scored TBS’s Wild! Life Adventures and the IMAX film “The Great American West.” He also was given the Outstanding Film Score Award at the New York Film and Television Festival for his music for PBS’s “A More Perfect Union.” Bestor was awarded an Emmy® for his collaboration with Sam Cardon on the original music for ABC’s coverage of the 1988 Winter Olympics. In 2012, his arranging and producing of Jenny Oaks Baker’s CD “Wish Upon a Star” earned the two of them a Grammy nomination.

I am probably best known as the “Getaway Guru®” and host of the “Travel Show” radio broadcast on several radio stations. The weekly two-hour radio show highlights the best travel deals, lowest airline and cruise fares, and takes call-in questions from listeners. I also provide a travel segment that is broadcast on several TV stations. All across the country and overseas, I address groups on the dynamics of the travel industry as a motivational speaker.

My professional travel career includes CEO of an airline, member of car rental, airline, and cruise line national advisory boards, co-owner and Executive Vice President of Morris Travel, and published travel writer of books and travel-related articles.

Matthew B. Christensen or Matt, as he is known to his friends, is passionate about the scriptures, the doctrines of the Restoration, history, and learning and teaching. “I am thrilled to be able to travel with like-minded individuals and share ways our lives intersect and are influenced by the sacred events and scriptures of the Holy Land,” he said.

Professionally he has spent the last decade working for LDS Philanthropies, working with great men and women helping to build the Kingdom. Before that, he taught Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants courses at BYU in the College of Religious Education. His avocation is learning all he can and then finding ways to share that knowledge with others.

He assisted Joseph Fielding McConkie for many years on a dozen books and other research and writing topics. Matt’s first book, The First Vision: A Harmonization of 10 Accounts from the Sacred Grove, was published in 2014 to positive reviews, and was endorsed by Richard L. Bushman, Robert L. Millet, and Richard O. Cowan. His current writing projects include a documentary history of non-canonized revelations of early LDS leaders, a book on priesthood and Church government, a book on the Messiah Ben Joseph, and a new biography of the late LDS apostle, Elder Bruce R. McConkie.

A veteran traveler and tour guide, Michael has designed and led tours the world-over and is always excited to have his groups learn and experience something new and exciting. The world is a beautiful place and each time we travel we are exposed to the wonders that await around every corner.

Michael is Senior Principal Consultant with the RBL Group. He works globally and has taught, trained, and lectured throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Known for his dynamic teaching, lecturing, and group facilitation, Michael has designed and taught courses for every level of learner, from grade-schoolers through graduate students, working professionals and retirees. Prior to his consulting career, Michael was a professor at Brigham Young University. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Michael is the author or editor of more than 35 books, articles and reviews and has served on the boards of several associations and foundations. He is married to Rebecca Wright Phillips and they have three children.

PATRICK DEGN has been an instructor in the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for more than 25 years. He has traveled and taught in the Holy Land and loves the people and their culture. He holds degrees in classical history, Latin, and Military History specializing in ancient Greek and Roman warfare which makes him a great tour director for both the Holy Lands and Italy & Greece.

He teaches adult religion classes for BYU Continuing Education and regularly presents at BYU Campus Education Week where his passion for the scriptures and humor keep audiences engaged and enlightened. He has also taught at EFY and other youth and adult programs.

Rich Robins recently returned from serving with his wife, Robyn, in the New York/Pennsylvania Historical Sites Mission. This was preceded by a 30-year teaching career in the public schools and in the Seminary and Institute programs of the Church.

He was born and raised in Orem, Utah on a small family farm. After high school he served in the Ontario/Quebec Canada Mission. He received a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University and began teaching in the public-school system for 10 years. During the summer months, he also worked as a professional river guide on the Colorado River and as a backpacking guide in the Grand Canyon.

While visiting the lands of the Book of Mormon and of the Bible, it is a very special experience to open the scriptures and envision and relive the sights and events from the Scriptures. Each time we visit an archaeological site or view an ancient artifact that might have existed during the time period of the Book of Mormon or Bible, our desire to study the Word of God increases.

Roger Manning currently works as a Representative for the Mexico and South America South Areas of the Church in the Missionary Department. He received a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, a master’s degree from Idaho State University, and a doctoral degree (PhD) from Utah State University.

Roger worked many years in the Church Educational System as a seminary and institute instructor in Idaho, Utah, and Florida.  He's supervised seminaries and institutes in Utah, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. He served as the pre-service teacher training director for the Salt Lake City area and as the Area Director for Northern Utah, Southeast Idaho, and Western Wyoming.   He loves spending time with his family and serving in the Church. His hobbies include all sports, camping, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, farming, gardening and raising animals.

Ron Bartholomew is a former instructor at the Orem LDS Institute of Religion adjacent to Utah Valley University, where he taught for 20 years. His special interests include a class that he wrote the curriculum for entitled “The Gospel and Christian History,” which chronicles the great apostasy from the ministry of Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith. He also loves LDS Church History and has taught that, along with other assorted topics. He has enjoyed the opportunity to serve in the church as a bishop, stake young men’s president, and in six different bishoprics. He is the President of Latter-day Mission Studies and has published in national and international books and journals. He is responsible for changing the LDS church’s international classification from “marginal Christian” to “independent Christian.” He received a doctorate in the sociology of education from the University of Buckingham in London, England. His research interests include nineteenth-century missionary work in Victorian England as well as assorted topics in ancient scripture and Church history.

He and his wife, Kristen, have seven children and fifteen grandchildren. He loves to ride his bicycle and has ridden in many century rides over the past two decades, as well as the “Salt to Saint” relay (426 miles) the past 10 years in a row.

Scot and Maurine Proctor are the founders of Meridian Magazine and they have written several books together, including Witness of the Light, Source of the Light, Light from the Dust and The Gathering. They were formerly the editors of This People magazine.

After receiving her education from University of Utah and Harvard, Maurine Jensen Proctor, began her writing career with McGraw Hill Magazines and the Chicago Sun-Times. She has created award-winning television documentaries, has written a radio show for more than six years that played on 300 radio stations, and was a long-time writer of The Spoken Word for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Steve is an award-winning songwriter, playwright, and broadcaster who has written for National Geographic, Deseret Book, and many other companies.  After many years on the KSL Sunday radio show "Soft Sunday Sounds", Steven currently can be heard on BYU Classical 89.

His love of church history developed over the years while researching and writing stage musicals and albums on subjects ranging from the Utah Pioneers to the Book of Mormon and the New Testament.  Steve has been guiding LDS Church History tours and Holy Land tours for Morris Murdock for years, and those who tour with Steve and his wife Johanne (a noted singer and actress) always remark on their personal care and attention to each group member, their use of inspiring music, and the moments they take to open the scriptures and share the historical details and insights that make each stop more meaningful.

Steve and his wife Johanne love the gospel of Jesus Christ, church history, each other, and whichever of their four children has a current scholarship.

Although Stewart Glazier has directed Travel Study programs for over 20 years, he insists that his "next visit is always his first visit." It is this enthusiasm, coupled with a tremendous knowledge of the scriptures and a genuine concern for others that prompts those traveling with Brother Glazier to say things such as, "I am in awe of his store of knowledge and his patience, energy, and compassion."

Brother Glazier has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish education and general science from Arizona State University. He received his master’s degree in recreational education from BYU. He has also completed many hours in graduate scripture study with the Church Educational System. Brother Glazier has taught seminary and institute classes plus many Continuing Education classes.

Tim Taggart has been a pioneer in LDS travel pretty much from the beginning of the industry, traveling to the lands of the scriptures in the Middle East and Europe the first time in 1981 and conducting tours since 1983.

He was born and grew up in Cache Valley, Utah and served his first mission in Australia. He received a bachelor's degree in history and political science from Utah State University with a career goal to become a master teacher'. He began his teaching career in the LDS Church seminary program, completing a master's degree in instructional technology from USU at the same time. His teaching career changed course in 1982 when he and the family came to Salt Lake City to work for the Church producing media. The new focus was to teach through the technology of visual and audio media to a worldwide audience.

In the last 3 decades, Tom and Gayle Holdman have created internationally renowned art glass in all 50 states and 40 countries. Ten years of effort went into the hundreds of art glass windows in the Paris and Rome temples for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over all, they have been involved in 100 temples for the Church and other religious denominations worldwide.

Tom started his glass studio out of his parents’ garage and never looked back. Gayle is an artist, designer, Education Week instructor and best selling co-author of, “Come Unto Me,” the companion book for the monumental stained glass window illustrating the Savior’s life and ministry created for the Rome Visitor’s Center. Their Roots of Knowledge windows at UVU chronicle the impact of inspiration and human action throughout the ages. This compendium of history has been hailed in Europe as one of the most spectacular stained glass windows made in the past 100 years.

Dr. Trevan G. Hatch is the Ancient Scripture specialist in the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University, and he is also an adjunct instructor in the department of Ancient Scripture. Dr. Hatch holds a B.A. in History at Brigham Young University, an M.A. in Jewish Studies at Baltimore Hebrew University / Towson University, a PhD in Sociology of Religion at Louisiana State University, and is currently finishing a second doctoral degree in Jewish Studies with an emphasis in Bible and Early Judaism at the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago. He also studied at two universities in Israel: Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of the Holy Land.

Dr. Hatch’s current research interests are on the Jewish background of Jesus, the Mount of Olives, and religious & spiritual tourism. His work on religion has appeared in several national journals. Dr. Hatch is the author and editor of several books for both national presses and Mormon presses including, The Stranger in Jerusalem: Seeing Jesus in His Jewish Context (2018); When the Lights Came On: Joseph Smith and the Return of Heavenly Manifestations (2016); Divine Jealousy: What Mormons Can Learn From Jews (2019, coedited with prominent Jewish scholar Dr. Leonard Greenspoon at Creighton University), and Remembering the Chosen: Judaism in the Mormon Experience, 1820–2020 (edited with Dr. Chris Blythe and Dr. Andy Reed, both at BYU).

Tyler J. Griffin was born and raised in Providence, Utah in the beautiful Cache Valley. After serving a mission in Brazil Curitiba, he returned home and married an Angel named Kiplin Crook. They have 10 children (5 boys and 5 girls). He began his career by teaching seminary for 6 years in Brigham City, Utah. He spent the next seven years teaching at the Logan LDS Institute adjacent to Utah State University. One of his assignments there was working in the Seminary Preservice program (teaching and training potential seminary teachers). He also piloted and managed the launch of the online seminary program. In August, 2010, he transferred to the BYU Department of Ancient Scripture. He is a co-founder of BYU Virtual Scriptures Group which helped develop the Virtual New Testament App and other digital learning resources to enhance scriptural immersion and understanding of the Bible and Book of Mormon. 

From Ugo:

I was born in Milan, Italy and moved to the States when I was 21, first to serve as a full-time missionary in the California Sacramento Mission, and then to study at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

At BYU, I received first a BS (2000) and then a MS (2001) degree in Health Sciences together with a minor in Business Management and a graduate minor in Ancient Scriptures. In 2010, I received a PhD (2010) in Genetics and Biomolecular Sciences from the University of Pavia (Pavia, Italy) under the mentorship of Professor Antonio Torroni.

I worked as a senior researcher for the non-profit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation from 1999 to 2012 and done some part-time teaching at the college level (both at Brigham Young University in Provo and at the Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City).

Dr. Victor L. Ludlow is a scholar of Isaiah and Judaism. He graduated with high honors from BYU and was a Danforth Fellow at Harvard and Brandeis Universities, where he received a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. Professor Ludlow's scholarship explores the areas of Bible studies, the Middle East, Jewish history and theology, and comparative Latter-day Saint theology. He has authored numerous articles and the books: Unlocking the Old Testament; Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet; Principles and Practices of the Restored Gospel; and Unlocking Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. His most recent audio lecture is “Latter-day Insights: The Middle East.”

Wendy Fracchia is the Director of Group Sales and Operations Manager of the escorted travel division of Morris Columbus Travel.  Right out of school, she started in the travel industry which has led to over 30 years in travel.   She feels very blessed to help people travel the world.  Whether it's to fulfill their "bucket list" dreams, build and grow in their faith or just have fun.

Travel is her addiction and part of who she is.  Her experience includes leading groups in the USA, Africa, Thailand, Australia, and several European River & Mediterranean cruises.  She loves to share her tips and experiences with anyone who will listen and prays to live long enough to not only see it ALL but be able to tell the stories of the amazing people and places to her friends and family!

Wendy and her husband, Art have been married for over 30 years and he's been a great travel partner and group assistant to her over the years.  They have 2 grown boys who have blessed them with beautiful daughter-in-laws and now 2 grandchildren they can’t get enough of.