Conference Weekend Special Guests

Meet your favorite authors and artists

When & Where:

Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026

(Please see schedule for specific times)

SLC Downtown Store | 45 W South Temple

Dan Burr

Dan Burr is an award-winning illustrator. He started his career working in oils on canvas or panels but has since achieved the same texture, realism, and attention to detail using digital painting processes. He earned a master’s degree in illustration from Syracuse University. When he is not working on a project or fishing, he can usually be found puttering around his home in Idaho with his wife or in his boat shed working on one of his wooden drift boats.

Rebekah Call

Rebekah Call is a teaching fellow at Utah State University teaching religious studies and history. She has a PhD in religious studies with an emphasis in critical comparative scripture from Claremont Graduate University, as well as an MA in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her research interests focus especially on women in the Old Testament and exploring nuances that are lost in translation.

Kate Lee

Kate is a watercolor artist whose art is known for her minimalistic style paintings of the Savior. Kate is married to her best friend, Mike, and together they have two boys, Jackson and Cooper. They have lived in Layton, Utah, for the past twelve years and love being close to the mountains. Kate is not only a watercolor artist but an avid mountain biker, hiker, and adventurer. She and her little family try to soak up as much nature as they can. Being outside helps Kate to feel grounded and more connected with her Heavenly Parents and Savior. Some of her greatest inspirations have come because of the time spent in nature. Kate loves people and loves to hug those people. She feels she was blessed with a six-foot wingspan to hug those around her and help others feel the love the God has for them. She loves her Savior. She loves this gospel. And she hopes to spread light as she goes throughout her life.

Live Painting presented by Havenlight

Lovetta Reyes Cairo

Lovetta Reyes-Cairo is a Utah-based figurative artist whose work explores motherhood, spirituality, healing, and enduring love. Raised in an artistic family, she developed a deep appreciation for beauty and creative expression early in life, but it was through personal loss and motherhood that her art took on deeper meaning. After the death of her first two sons in infancy, painting became a sacred space for processing grief and seeking hope. Working from her home studio in Orem, Utah, she creates art that feels both deeply personal and universally understood.

Sabrina Squires

Sabrina Squires showed interest in and received support in art from a young age, filling sketchbooks starting at age 3 and publicly displaying her work by age 8. She moved to Utah to earn a BFA in Studio Arts, with an emphasis in Painting, from Brigham Young University. She enjoys painting daily in her studio and actively participates in the local art scene, as well as national and international art competitions. The symbols of nature and the formal elements of art become vehicles through which she can explore spiritual concepts, whether simple or complex. Her work has been widely published in several magazines, and she regularly seeks opportunities to share it both online and in person.

Dan Wilson

Dan Wilson is an award-winning fine artist from Lehi, Utah. As a young boy, Dan dove deep into art, always known as “that kid that doodles on everything." After serving an LDS mission, those artistic passions grew as he painted full-time for his Major at UVU. After graduation, he was taken under the wing of his mentor William Whitaker, who pushed him hard to improve his skills. Dan Wilson paints and teaches out of his home art studio, where he is supported by his beautiful wife and six children.

Sian Ann Bessey

Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, and grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend university in the United States, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications, with a minor in English. She is a USA Today best-selling author. Sian and her husband, Kent, are the parents of five children and the grandparents of four girls and two boys. They live in Idaho, and although Sian doesn’t have the opportunity to speak Welsh very often anymore, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll­llantysiliogogogoch still rolls off her tongue.

Julianne Donaldson

Julianne Donaldson grew up all over the world as the daughter of a US Air Force fighter pilot. As a result, she has a severe case of wanderlust and frequently dreams of living abroad again. Until her dream is realized, she lives in Utah, where she spends most of her time raising her five children. Her novels Edenbrooke and Blackmoore have been translated into fifteen different languages and have won numerous awards. You can find her online at juliannedonaldson.com

John Hilton III

John Hilton III is a professor of Religious Education at BYU. He and his wife, Lani, have six children. They have lived in Boise, Boston, Miami, Mexico, Jerusalem, and China. Currently, they live in Utah. John has authored several books, including Voices in the Book of Mormon: Discovering Distinctive Witnesses of Jesus Christ and Considering the Cross.

Michelle Wright

Baking at her grandmother’s side in a small Idaho kitchen, Michelle Wright discovered early in life that there’s no better way to combine creativity, love, and service than by mixing up some flour, sugar, butter, and chocolate—and then sharing those freshly baked cookies with neighbors and friends. Over the years, besides perfecting the chocolate chip cookie, she has expanded her repertoire to include more challenging recipes and feature more unique ingredients, such as infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. But at her core, she still uses baking as a creative expression and an act of love. When she’s not baking, she loves to travel the world, though that may secretly be another way to extend her love of good food because her destinations and itineraries are always planned around trying the best local cuisine and finding a new regional cookbook to add to her collection. Her most cherished cookbook of all is the one she still uses from her grandmother’s kitchen.

Greg Olsen

Greg Olsen was raised in a farming community in rural Idaho. His paintings are deeply influenced by his life experiences and spiritual journeys and strive to convey stories that speak to the soul. Olsen’s art has found a place in notable institutions, including the Pentagon, the NCAA Hall of Fame, the US Forest Service, and numerous religious and educational settings. In 1988, a transformative visit to Jerusalem deeply enriched his spiritual and artistic perspectives. This journey would lay the groundwork for his future works, especially in the realm of Christian art. In 1993, he signed a deal with Mill Pond Press, propelling his Christian-themed works into the national spotlight.

Davis Smith

Davis Smith and his wife, Asialene, served as mission leaders of the Brazil Recife North Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2023 to 2026. Davis is a Senior Fellow at Yale University, where he teaches leadership and social entrepreneurship at the Jackson School of Global Affairs. He is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO Emeritus of Cotopaxi, a brand that has assisted millions living in poverty. He holds a BA in international studies from BYU, an MBA from the Wharton School, and an MA in international studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Davis is a Presidential Leadership Scholar under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and served on the United Nations Foundation's Global Leadership Council and Global Entrepreneurs Council. As a young man, Davis served a mission in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He is an adventurer who has kayaked from Cuba to Florida, explored North Korea, and floated the Amazon on a self-made raft. He and Asialene have four children and live in New Haven, Connecticut.

LIVE MUSIC: Brandon Pak

Singer-songwriter Brandon Pak found his love for music and its healing, unifying power while singing karaoke in the basement with his mama. He hopes that by sharing his personal journey of finding God through music, he will inspire others to do the same.

Giveaway Winners Announced at 7:30 PM*

Enter all week to win one of five product bundles
Ask an associate for details.

*Must be 18 years or older. Must be present to win. One entry per person.

Conference Weekend Special Guests


Meet your favorite authors and artists

When & Where:

Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026

(Please see schedule for specific times)

SLC Downtown Store | 45 W South Temple

Dan Burr

Dan Burr is an award-winning illustrator. He started his career working in oils on canvas or panels but has since achieved the same texture, realism, and attention to detail using digital painting processes. He earned a master’s degree in illustration from Syracuse University. When he is not working on a project or fishing, he can usually be found puttering around his home in Idaho with his wife or in his boat shed working on one of his wooden drift boats.

Rebekah Call

Rebekah Call is a teaching fellow at Utah State University teaching religious studies and history. She has a PhD in religious studies with an emphasis in critical comparative scripture from Claremont Graduate University, as well as an MA in the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her research interests focus especially on women in the Old Testament and exploring nuances that are lost in translation.

Kate Lee


Kate is a watercolor artist whose art is known for her minimalistic style paintings of the Savior. Kate is married to her best friend, Mike, and together they have two boys, Jackson and Cooper. They have lived in Layton, Utah, for the past twelve years and love being close to the mountains. Kate is not only a watercolor artist but an avid mountain biker, hiker, and adventurer. She and her little family try to soak up as much nature as they can. Being outside helps Kate to feel grounded and more connected with her Heavenly Parents and Savior. Some of her greatest inspirations have come because of the time spent in nature. Kate loves people and loves to hug those people. She feels she was blessed with a six-foot wingspan to hug those around her and help others feel the love the God has for them. She loves her Savior. She loves this gospel. And she hopes to spread light as she goes throughout her life.

Live Painting presented by Havenlight

Lovetta Reyes Cairo

Lovetta Reyes-Cairo is a Utah-based figurative artist whose work explores motherhood, spirituality, healing, and enduring love. Raised in an artistic family, she developed a deep appreciation for beauty and creative expression early in life, but it was through personal loss and motherhood that her art took on deeper meaning. After the death of her first two sons in infancy, painting became a sacred space for processing grief and seeking hope. Working from her home studio in Orem, Utah, she creates art that feels both deeply personal and universally understood.

Sabrina Squires

Sabrina Squires showed interest in and received support in art from a young age, filling sketchbooks starting at age 3 and publicly displaying her work by age 8. She moved to Utah to earn a BFA in Studio Arts, with an emphasis in Painting, from Brigham Young University. She enjoys painting daily in her studio and actively participates in the local art scene, as well as national and international art competitions. The symbols of nature and the formal elements of art become vehicles through which she can explore spiritual concepts, whether simple or complex. Her work has been widely published in several magazines, and she regularly seeks opportunities to share it both online and in person.

Dan Wilson

Dan Wilson is an award-winning fine artist from Lehi, Utah. As a young boy, Dan dove deep into art, always known as “that kid that doodles on everything." After serving an LDS mission, those artistic passions grew as he painted full-time for his Major at UVU. After graduation, he was taken under the wing of his mentor William Whitaker, who pushed him hard to improve his skills. Dan Wilson paints and teaches out of his home art studio, where he is supported by his beautiful wife and six children.

Sian Ann Bessey

Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, and grew up on the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales. She left her homeland to attend university in the United States, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications, with a minor in English. She is a USA Today best-selling author. Sian and her husband, Kent, are the parents of five children and the grandparents of four girls and two boys. They live in Idaho, and although Sian doesn’t have the opportunity to speak Welsh very often anymore, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll­llantysiliogogogoch still rolls off her tongue.

Julianne Donaldson

Julianne Donaldson grew up all over the world as the daughter of a US Air Force fighter pilot. As a result, she has a severe case of wanderlust and frequently dreams of living abroad again. Until her dream is realized, she lives in Utah, where she spends most of her time raising her five children. Her novels Edenbrooke and Blackmoore have been translated into fifteen different languages and have won numerous awards. You can find her online at juliannedonaldson.com

John Hilton III

John Hilton III is a professor of Religious Education at BYU. He and his wife, Lani, have six children. They have lived in Boise, Boston, Miami, Mexico, Jerusalem, and China. Currently, they live in Utah. John has authored several books, including Voices in the Book of Mormon: Discovering Distinctive Witnesses of Jesus Christ and Considering the Cross.

Michelle Wright

Baking at her grandmother’s side in a small Idaho kitchen, Michelle Wright discovered early in life that there’s no better way to combine creativity, love, and service than by mixing up some flour, sugar, butter, and chocolate—and then sharing those freshly baked cookies with neighbors and friends. Over the years, besides perfecting the chocolate chip cookie, she has expanded her repertoire to include more challenging recipes and feature more unique ingredients, such as infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. But at her core, she still uses baking as a creative expression and an act of love. When she’s not baking, she loves to travel the world, though that may secretly be another way to extend her love of good food because her destinations and itineraries are always planned around trying the best local cuisine and finding a new regional cookbook to add to her collection. Her most cherished cookbook of all is the one she still uses from her grandmother’s kitchen.

Greg Olsen

Greg Olsen was raised in a farming community in rural Idaho. His paintings are deeply influenced by his life experiences and spiritual journeys and strive to convey stories that speak to the soul. Olsen’s art has found a place in notable institutions, including the Pentagon, the NCAA Hall of Fame, the US Forest Service, and numerous religious and educational settings. In 1988, a transformative visit to Jerusalem deeply enriched his spiritual and artistic perspectives. This journey would lay the groundwork for his future works, especially in the realm of Christian art. In 1993, he signed a deal with Mill Pond Press, propelling his Christian-themed works into the national spotlight.

Davis Smith

Davis Smith and his wife, Asialene, served as mission leaders of the Brazil Recife North Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2023 to 2026. Davis is a Senior Fellow at Yale University, where he teaches leadership and social entrepreneurship at the Jackson School of Global Affairs. He is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO Emeritus of Cotopaxi, a brand that has assisted millions living in poverty. He holds a BA in international studies from BYU, an MBA from the Wharton School, and an MA in international studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Davis is a Presidential Leadership Scholar under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and served on the United Nations Foundation's Global Leadership Council and Global Entrepreneurs Council. As a young man, Davis served a mission in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He is an adventurer who has kayaked from Cuba to Florida, explored North Korea, and floated the Amazon on a self-made raft. He and Asialene have four children and live in New Haven, Connecticut.

LIVE MUSIC: Brandon Pak

Singer-songwriter Brandon Pak found his love for music and its healing, unifying power while singing karaoke in the basement with his mama. He hopes that by sharing his personal journey of finding God through music, he will inspire others to do the same.

Giveaway Winners Announced at 7:30 PM*

Enter all week to win one of five product bundles
Ask an associate for details.

*Must be 18 years or older. Must be present to win. One entry per person.