But he also realizes that catchy titles -- and humorous stories, for that matter -- only go so far.
"What's important to me is not so much the attention-getter, but the doctrine behind it," said Hilton, a Seattle native.
Hilton, a 31-year-old religious instructor at Brigham Young University, is a one-time business management major who's grateful that his life took a detour into teaching. Since becoming involved with the Church Educational System while a student at BYU, Hilton has gone on to teach seminary, earn a master's degree at Harvard and become a presence in programs such as Especially for Youth, Campus Education Week and Time Out for Women and Girls.
A teaching career that began as a student instructor at a seminary in Spanish Fork has taken Hilton from Nyssa, Ore., to Boston, Miami and back to Provo, where he met his wife, Lani, while they were students at BYU. The two were introduced when Hilton attended a volunteer student leadership class that Lani was teaching, and she also taught seminary part-time.
"It was something that we both really loved," he said.
A writer and speaker who has six published works to his credit, Hilton has covered topics ranging from youth dating to evidences of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Being a religious educator, he says, takes on "many different frames."
What doesn't change, however, is the importance of doctrine — a conviction that's at the core of his teaching philosophy.
"The principles of learning are true and apply in a variety of settings," said Hilton, who is currently pursuing a doctorate in instructional psychology. "Ultimately it's the doctrine that's going to bless and change lives."
Humor and narratives have their place, of course. As with most successful youth speakers, Hilton knows that attention can wane. That's why he'll take time to recount experiences like when he called his future wife and canceled their second date. Or about the time he almost got into a fight outside a dance but was instead spared by a "super tall guy" in a black leather jacket who threatened to smash in the heads of his adversaries and who he never saw again.
"Maybe he's one of the three Nephites," Hilton says on one of his CDs. "Just kidding."
Hilton says he's careful not to occupy too much time with stories, humor or visual aids. He tries to balance his approach, so that such "attention-getters" can become an avenue toward edification.
"I believe that most speakers are thinking about these things and trying to get the balance right," Hilton said.
When it comes to speaking to youths, Hilton says it's importance to appreciate the relevancy of their problems and he tries to find out what issues are important to young people. He'll often sit down with youths and ask them what they would like to hear him speak about.
"There's a lot to be learned just by listening and observing," he said.
Still, as important as "attention-getters" and communication are, Hilton feels that youths in the church are often underestimated regarding their interest in church topics. In his experience, they are "hungry for the gospel," he says.
"I believe and the church leaders have taught that they are more spiritually mature than they have been in the past and that they want the gospel straight and undiluted," he said. "I don't really believe that one has to entertain youth, but that youth want to hear the doctrine. They want to know what the church teaches and they want to know the doctrine behind the principles and practices."
