July 2, 2013
Ke Alaka i Volume 103: Issue 7
THE LEADER
Holomua 2013 6 & 7 High school students experience BYU-Hawaii
Education Week 8 Special guests discuss various topics
Lost Hikers Found 16 Two hikers rescued from Malaekahana trail
Ke Alaka i
Photo of the Week
July 2, 2013 • Volume 103: Issue 7 Editor-in-chief
Advisor
M a . V i s Ta g u ba
L e e an n L amb e r t
Head Photographer
Art Director
M ei Yi n
Make n z ie H e ad
COPY EDITORs
ART & GRAPHICS
Jef f McLe o d M a ke n z i e H e a d Dyl a n - S a ge W i l cox Tuc ke r G r i m s h aw A ust i n M e l d r u m
Kyo ko H as e gawa Mo rgan Bo uwh uis
PHOTOGRAPHERs M a t t M cD o n a l d E m i ly Wa d d e l l Kyoko H a s e gawa MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS Dylan-Sage Wilcox, Robinia Tan, Matt Bledsoe, Tucker Grimshaw, Austin Meldrum, Homer Wolman, Rebecca Sabalones
INTERNS M ei Y i n M a . V i s Ta g u ba
AD MANAGER Matth ew Ble ds o e
Holomua students and mentors pose for a picture in front of the Laie Hawaii Temple. Photo by Emily Waddell
Table of Contents [page 6 & 7]
CONTACT
Holomua 2013 welcomes students to BYUH
E-mail: ke a l a k a i @ byuh .e du Ad Information: ke a l ak aiads @ gmail.c o m Phone: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 6 9 4 Fax: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 4 9 1 Office: C a mp u s , A l o ha C e n te r 134
NEWS CENTER Box 1920 BYUH Laie, HI 96762
Publisher P r in t Se r vic e s
E d i t o r i a l , p h o to s u bmis s io n s & dis tr ibut i on i n qu i r i e s : ke a l ak ai@ byuh .e du. To subs cr i be t o th e R S S FEED o r to view a d d i t i o n a l a r ti cl e s , go to ke alak ai.byuh . ed u .
ON THE COVER
Elder and sister missionaries sing together in a choir for a special missionary broadcast on June 23. Photo courtesy of LDS.org
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[page 17] 2013 SDC Summer institute: BYUH depar tments share f inished, ongoing initiatives
[page 18 & 19] PCC Physical Facilities Director says goodbye after over 40 years of ser vice
[page 20] BYU-Hawaii revamps electr ical system
Share with us your photo of the week and we may feature it in our next issue. e-mail us at kealakai@byuh.edu
CALENDAR
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JULY
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JULY
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Besides the Security office, all campus offices will be closed for the Fourth of July since it is a national holiday. No classes will be held either. Enjoy the day off!
NOTE WORTHY news headlines
Free movies on campus are scheduled to be shown at 7 and 9:30 p.m. in the Little Theater. On Friday, July 5 “Miss Congeniality” is slated to be shown and on Saturday, July 6 “Dear John.” It’s “Invite Your Friends to Church” day on Sunday, July 7. It’s sponsored by the Honolulu Hawaii Mission. Invite your friends and neighbors to attend church and meet the missionaries. The next “Invite Your Friends to Church” day is scheduled in November.
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JULY
the week in
QUOTES
“To all the full-time missionaries sharing in this broadcast around the world, we say never again in your entire life are you going to be part of a zone conference this large!” -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve, as he conducted the special missionary broadcast on June 23
“Too often, we split the Lord’s work into parts we think are unrelated,” he said. “Whether it is preaching the gospel to nonmembers, serving with new converts, reactivating less-active members, teaching and strengthening active members, or performing family history and temple activity, the work is indivisible. These are not separate. They are all part of the work of salvation.”
-Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve, also at the June 23 broadcast
BYU-Hawaii students use the summer break to study and take the SAP test to make themselves more marketable in the business world. Photo courtesy of Elder and Sister Henderson.
35 students use break to pass SAP test Thirty-five BYU-Hawaii students from all over the world completed the SAP TERP 10 class Friday, June 21. For two weeks of the summer break, the students went through an intensive training for a certificate in SAP, a computer software system that is used by 95 percent of the world’s 500 biggest companies. “Systems like this become more and more important all around the world because [the CEO’s] want to know information more quickly and accurately, “ said Elder Henderson, a senior missionary who helped implement the system as a VP for Nu Skin and first sponsored the program for the school five years ago. “Students can go in and help install SAP and design screens for different departments. For any job that they might get, it is likely to be involved in SAP,” he said. SAP, or System Analysis and Program Development, is a brand of ERP, or Enterprise Resource Planning, got its start in Germany by five former IBM employees and has spread across the globe to help organize businesses to perform more efficiently and get accurate information more quickly in all of their departments. BYUH is one of only 15 schools in the U.S. and Canada that are a part of the SAP University Alliances Program. Dr. James Lee, the professor certified by SAP to teach it here, said, “This program is giving opportunities to make the students stand
out from others that have the same degree. It’s advantageous to the students and to businesses because they don’t have to train them. They can just put them to work. If someone is interested in working for big businesses or is running any other aspect of business, Information Systems is an exciting area and is growing.” To qualify for the program, a student must complete three of five Information Systems and ACCT classes and all of their prerequisites. Newel Ray, a senior studying Information Systems from the Philippines, completed the requirements and just finished the class on Friday. Ray learned about SAP as he took the courses for his major. “I have learned that the school is offering training during the summer for a price way cheaper than other training centers are offering. I took the opportunity and signed-up immediately.” Ray added, “Having a good understanding about this software, plus a certification, will definitely set me apart from all other applicants.” Ray said she also learned to work with a team. “I have learned how to think critically and analyze things deeper....It will also train them study habits that they can certainly use with their other classes. It may require sacrifices, such as not having enough time with families and friends, but it’s worth it.” - Rebe cca Sabalone s july 2, 2013
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The Work of Salvation
LDS Church members filled the Marriott Center at BYU in Provo to attend the worldwide missionary broadcast on June 23. Photo from lds.org
Worldwide broadcast focuses on how to better gospel sharing and service
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Like members of the LDS Church around the world, BYU-Hawaii students and local residents watched a various places around campus a special missionary broadcast filmed at the BYU in Provo Marriott Center on June 23. Entitled “The Work of Salvation” it featured talks by President Thomas S. Monson and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles both live in the Marriott Center and on tape about how members can better work with the missionaries and church councils to share the gospel and reactive less active members. BYUH students watched the broadcast in the Cannon Activities Center and the BYUH Stake Center and local wards watched it in chapels all along the North Shore. Elder Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said the conference was an important historic event “because we have in attendance 173 new mission presidents and their companions.” He said the number of mission presidents together with “the record of 17,000-plus missionaries are significant signs the Lord is hastening his work.” Ke Alaka‘i
Elder L. Tom Perry talked about how the nature of missionary work is changing due to the digital age with electronic devices and websites like Facebook can be used as tools to share the gospel with friends and neighbors. He said nowadays people’s “main point of contact with others, even their close friends, is often via the Internet.” However, Elder Neil L. Anderson, another member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stressed the importance of church leadership and councils coordinating and planning to help inspire less-active members to return to church. “We work together in faith and unity. Faith that the Lord will guide our steps and unity with each other and the missionaries,” said Anderson. An example on the influence of missionary work spoken by President Thomas S. Monson was a branch in St. Thomas. St. Thomas did not possess a proper church and meet in the basement of an old building. As a result, the branch president of the St. Thomas branch with the help of six new missionaries went on to convert people that worked as an architect, plumbers, electricians,
and other jobs who helped in building a church in St. Thomas in two and half years. “I testify that once we act in faith, the Lord will show us how to strengthen his church and the wards and branches in which we live. He will be with us when we become an active partner in our missionary labor,” said President Monson Lira Polo, a senior majoring in business management with an emphasis in human resources and organization behavior from the Philippines, said, her favorite speaker was President Monson and the stories he told. She added, “It helps me because … I think I would be doing the same missionary work in a different way, like inviting people not only the church members or the inactive members” but also people she knows who aren’t members. Katie Tuitavaka, a senior in business management - human resources from Tonga, said, her favorite speaker was Elder Nelson and his interview with Neill F. Marriott, the second counselor in the Young Women’s general presidency, about her experience of being converted to the church. -ROBINIA TAN
“We Are More Alike than Different” BYU-Hawaii student seeks to change perceptions about people with down syndrome
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BYU-Hawaii social work major made a video now posted on YouTube focusing on the similarities rather than the differences between a local Laie girl who has Down’s syndrome and people without disabilities. The video has made the young girl a local celebrity. Matthew Duffus, 24, is the second son of Scott and Jeneffer Duffus from Sydney, Australia. He has an older brother, Nathan, who is 27 years old, and a 19-year-old younger brother named Brendan. After he served his mission in Tonga from 2008 to 2010, he came to BYUH and is majoring in social work. The creation of the video “We are More Alike than Different” was started as an assignment from one of his social work classes. He and the other students were asked to create something about human behavior “that would help better the community.” He chose to focus on Down’s syndrome because “I live with a lot of people who have Down’s syndrome. I saw the way that they are and the way they get treated. A lot of time people treat them differently as if they’re unable to do a lot of things. But really they are just as capable as any other person.” Duffus came to know the girl in the video, Katy Christensen, when he became the Australian Chapter president. He was tasked to ask Annette J. Christensen, the mother of Katy, to be the advisor of the club. According to Mrs. Christensen, after Matt’s and Katy’s first meeting, Katy had come to love Matthew and “they had an instant bond and loved to tease each other just like real siblings would.” Duffus said when he asked Katy “if she wanted to be part of anything,” she replied to him that she wanted to be famous. He said he knew if he just wrote and spoke about her in paper, “it would not be published anywhere and no one would have met who Katy was.” He published the video on YouTube not only to make Katy famous, he said, but also to show that there is no different between people with Down’s syndrome and other people. “I want not just my family to see it and not just her family, but I wanted people to see it throughout the world,” said Duffus. Mrs. Christensen said when Duffus came with the proposal of producing a video about Katy, she was “thrilled and happy” with
the opportunity he had given her to raise awareness about Down’s syndrome. However, it was the hard work and love that Duffus put into producing the video that made an impact on Mrs. Christensen, she said. “When I saw the completed video, I cried. I was so impressed with the simple and beautiful message that he was able to share. I was amazed at the way he was able to take all of the footage he had compiled and capture the essence of Katy in 2 and a half minutes.” Mrs. Christensen expressed her deep gratitude for Duffus’s love in creating such an inspiring video of her daughter. She said, “It really meant a lot to me that Matt cared about Katy so much that he wanted others to hear his message and how he felt … The fact that he publicly announced amongst his peers that he too wanted to teach people about awareness and inclusion gave me a lot of respect for him as a person.” The video shows a regular day in Katy’s life from eating breakfast and brushing her teeth to going to school and playing at the beach with her friends. In the video, Katy takes about loving school and her friends and how when she get home from school, she relaxes and plays with her mom’s ipad. However, Mrs. Christensen was not the only one affected by the video “We are More Alike than Different.” He said, “When I think my life is going hard, I watch the video and it makes me realize that there is nothing bad about my life.” The video changed his life and created a new perspective where he tries to view the world with a positive attitude like Katy.
-Robinia Tan
BYUH social work student Matthew Duufus created a youtube video about a local girl, Katy Christensen (below), to show that people with down syndrome are not different from normal people. Photo courtesy of Annette Christensen.
JUNE 27, 2013
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High School students ‘sail forward’ in Holomua 2013 Outreach program introduces prospective BYU-Hawaii students for the third year in a row n
early 60 students from around the island as well as the mainland came for a six-day and five-night stay at BYU-Hawaii for Holomua 2013. Holomua, which was first piloted in 2011, is designed to help high school juniors entering their senior year to view BYUH as being a prospective university for post-secondary schooling. “Holomua is more than a brochure. It’s something we use to press us forward in our lives,” said Holomua Coordinator Arapata Meha. Meha is also BYU-Hawaii’s director of enrollment. He registered students and potential applicants to Holomua so they could experience what BYU-Hawaii has to offer. “Coming to Holomua was something I really looked forward to. I wish Holomua was every day; there were no temptations. I felt the spirit is so strong,” said Joycelynn Taufa, a senior at Kahuku High School. Roughly half of the 60 students who attended Holomua were from Oahu and neighbor islands. The others came from states such as Utah, Arizona, California, Louisiana and Michigan. “I had a wonderful time at Holomua,” said Kaipo Wilmeth, a senior at Leilehua High School. “I think that I was meant to come
here. I don’t want to go to Provo, I want to come here [to BYUHawaii],” he added. Students had the opportunity to attend a welcome session sponsored by the admissions department as well as welcome addresses from different individuals from different departments around campus. Then the students toured the campus and attended a devotional at the Visitors’ Center. “It’s amazing here. I can’t imagine anyone would want to leave. [Laie] is a nice place to be with people who share your same standards,” said Samantha Swanson, a senior from Ravenna High School in Michigan. The week, which includes trips to the Polynesian Cultural Center and a movie at Laie Palms Theater, gave students the chance to prepare for the ACT residual test. There were two days in the week dedicated to ACT prep for tips and strategies. The program’s name sake was first coined by Hawaiian studies professor, Kamoa’e Walk and BYUH admissions officer, Asai Gilman, after the Iosepa voyaging canoe. Comparing education and college preparation to the likes of sailing on a canoe, the Hawaiian
Left to right: Kamoa’e Walk and Mealani Walk teach students the meaning of Holomua at the Halau Wa’a which houses the Iosepa Canoe. High school students from across the country pose for a photo in front of the McKay Foyer for Holomua 2013. Photos courtesy of Dylan-Sage Wilcox
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word “Holomua” means to sail forward, sail forward into education. Walk had the Holomua students take a mini-training of the Iosepa. Students were also entreated to a talent show and a semiformal dance to celebrate a busy schedule. There was positive feedback given from both students and parents. Diana Ruiz Garcia, a BYUH ‘12 alumane from Mexico, was a peer mentor for Holomua for three years in a row. “This time [Holomua] was really challenging,” said Ruiz. “It’s good that it was challenging because that’s what helps us to progress,” she added. “Even though it’s been a short week, you’re gonna leave here with a bunch of new friends and a new experience,” said Natalie Wilson, a sophomore majoring in social work from California. Wilson along with a few other mentors attended Holomua in 2011. She as well as the other mentors wanted to help students experience what Holomua as well as BYU-Hawaii has to offer. Angel Mataia, a senior majoring in political science from Colorado, said, “All of the mentors, all of at BYU-Hawaii, and your Heavenly Father, want the best for you.” Mataia, along with Wilson and Ruiz were mentors for Holomua 2013. There was a devotional held at the end of the program in which each student bore their testimonies and gave thoughts and experiences about the week. “This experience was great. It feels like home; I don’t want to leave,” said Helen Iona, a senior from Honoka’a High School on the Big Island. Chance Salva, a senior also from Honoka’a High school, said, “I know that BYU-Hawaii is a good place to be. Remember who you are and what you stand for.” Meha ended the devotion will this last thought saying, “You are all invited to be a part of that legacy of BYU-Hawaii.” - D y l a n -S age W ilc o x
Left to right: students pose for a photo behind the Halau Wa’a after finishing a service project on Friday, June 21. Holomua mentors pose for a photo after a devotional held on Saturday, June 22. Photos courtesy of Dylan-Sage Wilcox JUNE 27, 2013
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“ With our feet firmly planted on the Rock,
we can weather any storm ”
Keynote speakers open up Education Week
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.A. and Sherry Christensen came to BYU-Hawaii as the keynote speakers of the 2013 Hawaii Education Week. They demonstrate how building a foundation on Christ can help us through the storms of life. W. A. Christensen, who teaches advertising at BYU’s Salt Lake Center and is currently the producer, writer and host of “Enduring it Well,” on The Mormon Channel. He said, “Rains fall on both the righteous and the wicked.” W.A. Christensen and his wife, Sherry Christensen, who is a 8
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first soprano with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, have had their own rainfall of experiences to deal with as they have raised four children that have had the rare Congenital Muscular Dystrophy-Rigid Spine Syndrome. The Christensens share that even though hard times will come, we can still be “built upon the foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” With the many expenses and much worry about their children’s welfare, the Christensens experienced several miracles in their life to aid them in their tri-
als and allowed them to see Christ’s ministry in their everyday lives. Sister Christensen said, “Through others, we felt the love of our Heavenly Father.” “As we study [Christ’s] life and teachings, we find the blueprints of the plan God has for us, “ said Brother Christensen. After giving examples of the miracles Christ performed, the Christensens gave examples of efforts made from ward members and the relief society, blood donations from
missionaries, and a financial donation from Karl Malone’s Foundation for Children that provided relief from their own storms of life. “It’s a privilege to have this body, “ said their son, Chris. Shanna, their daughter and the youngest child, said, “We’re the luckiest family, “ and “I love my life.” The Christensen’s children became a good example of building upon the Rock and enduring to the end. Even though they went through multiple surgeries and checkups every year, they still had a good attitude and a positive outlook on life. “Each has endured their trials with grace and trust in the Lord,” said Brother Christensen. - Re b e c c a S a b a l on e s Education Week Conference Keynote Speakers W.A. and Sherry Christensen open the program by giving advice on finding blueprints of God’s plan through Christ’s teachings. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa
Jack Marshall
Himmers counsels on how to overcome addiction durin
Lecturer says ‘Addiction is a
Jack Marshall advises audience to have a goal to return to Heavenly Father by wearing the armor of God and by learning the plan of salvation during the Education Week Conference on June 14. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa
Presenter teaches to ‘Wear the armor of God’
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n a twist on the scripture, “Put on the whole armor of God,” Jack Marshall addressed his remarks, “Wear the armor of God, not the sweats of your religion. Stand strong and be powerful.” In reference to the rising generation of the church Marshall said, “We lose you, we lose a whole generation.” Marshall drew a comparison between the Strength of Youth booklet from 1965 and today’s Strength of Youth. In it he highlighted the vast changes that have occurred from then until now. He said the standards of the church and the standards of today have become drastically different. “It was really funny to see the differences between the old Strength of Youth and the one we have now. It’s weird to think that the standards have changed so much,” said Jessica Rodham, a visitor from California. Marshall said that now, more than ever, it is important to hold sacred what we have. He added our knowledge of the plan of salvation is vital in living the gospel and in
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attaining our goal of returning back to live with our Heavenly Father. As a convert to the church, Marshall told of how the plan of salvation was key in helping him receive a testimony of the church. “When the missionaries told me that God had a body like me, knew me, loved me, and wanted me to return back to him, that resonated with me. It felt familiar and I knew that I wanted to learn more,” he said. Marshall cautioned that Satan would try to tempt you by focusing on the things you can’t do. Marshall’s advice was to focus on what you can do and not “play spiritual adventures”. Ricky Oxford, a senior studying finance from San Antonio, Texas, said, “That is one of the greatest blessings of being here at BYU-Hawaii. Great waves and a great place to strengthen myself both intellectually and spiritually.” - h o m er W OLMAN
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ichard Himmer and his wife Sherry, speakers in the Education Week conference, addressed an audience of 20 people about addiction and how to best overcome it in the Little Theater on June 15. The theme of his topic was entitled “Learning Happiness using the Atonement.” “When you hear the term addiction, typically, you see an external addiction,” said Himmer. “However while we do this, we will learn this is the least of our problems.” Himmer is a business and coach professional. He is an intelligence and emotional consultant who has served in various Church programs and callings. Himmer said, “We cannot be happy under an addictive cloud.” The Himmers presented their findings on addiction from studies on people who are addicted to pornography to alcohol. They say that addiction is a way to meet needs in a misapplied way. To illustrate this, the Himmers did a dialogue of two women - one woman, “Laura,” who was too busy to listen to the other woman, “Debbi,” who was assertive with her problems. After the dialogue, the audience noticed that Debbi didn’t listen to the other woman. The Himmers said to rem-
Richard Himmer
ng the Education Week Conference on June 15. Photo by Mei Yin
with the hedonic set point. Himmer explained that we are in a pursuit to find pleasure or to avoid pain – edy this situation, boundaries have to be set. individuals who are addicted to any type of “You’re not happy because you’ve given habit or substance associates rewarding highs, permission for everything outside of your which assists in escaping from pain or give life, your addiction, to shape you,” he said. pleasure, begins to normalize into a downCiting that most of us do have addictions ward trend. that we, ourselves, don’t even notice – from “Have you ever come home from work a mother’s constant nagging toward her chil- and felt a little testy? That’s because you’re dren to a man’s need to use alcohol to relieve chemicals are out of line,” said Himmer. stress from external and internal problems He said that our brain chemistry beings to – the former and latter examples being a be altered depending on the habits that we part of what the Himmers call “the Addiction undertake. “You have to do something that Cycle.” will bring you to or above the hedonic set “[The addiction cycle] starts at a point. Whatever it takes for someone to get very early age. The construct of pornography, back to that hedonic set point is what they’re which is very prevalent, as far as the Church gonna do.” is concerned, is more vicious the younger you In the case of a first sip of alcohol, the are,” he said. person now has introduced a new set of The addiction cycle first begins with an chemicals that have altered the chemical individual “not feeling good” and as a result, balance. “You now have additional chemicals indulges in their chosen addiction. Alcohol, over and above the prescribed amount,” Himfor example, is used to remedy a stressful mer counseled. “So the body says, ‘Inventoday at work. Step two is just the repetition of ries too high; need to cut back.’ So what the step one. “I’ll have another drink” is usually body does is it cuts back on those dopamine the phrase attached to it. And the final step chemicals that makes us feel good, so after is to repeat, until it becomes a cycle, hence a short amount of time it drops,” he added. the addiction cycle. This then progresses into a cycle, almost Conversely, the pleasure cycle, until we become dependent on the habit or which is similar to the addiction cycle, deals substance.
disease, a disease of choice’
“The addict tends to neglect interests, stimuli and behaviors that were once of personal relevance,” said Mrs. Himmer. “An addicted brain is an impaired brain,” she added. The Himmers relayed the importance of self-respecting oneself and replacing bad behaviors with other uplifting habits such as attending church, or visiting with friends more often. “I hope you understand the power in respecting yourself, because when you don’t, that leads to negative behavioral addictions,” Himmer said. “What kind of self-respect does a mother have when she wants to completely control her children? What kind of respect does a man have when he begins to wean himself away from pornography? Addiction is a disease, but it is a disease of choice,” he added. Sister Lee, a volunteer missionary from Hong Kong, attended the session. She said, “I am aware of each one of us. We all have weakness. I know some people, through curiosity, might try and get caught up in the addiction. It’s important to know how the brain functions. I feel that if I know this information. In the future, I’ll be able to help people.” “[Addiction] is a disease of choice because you can choose to change,” Himmer said. - D ylan -Sage Wilcox
JUNE 27, 2013
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Sister Blaser
Speaker advises to judge not and love others
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ot judging others was Blaser’s topic at Education Week. Sister Earlene Blaser’s speech topic was “Hang up your robe, set down your gavel, you are not the judge” from Matthew 7:2 at the BYU-Hawaii Education Week sponsored by Educational Outreach on June 14 and 15. She spoke on why it is important to not judge others and how people are inaccurate judges. She emphasized its importance saying, “If you judge others, you have no time to love them, and you can’t do both.” Nowah Afangbedji, a junior majoring in biology from Togo, said, “I actually loved the topic, which is judge not, that she spoke about, and I felt at that time, that we all judge whether wrongly or in the right way. But it helps us see people in a different way.” Blaser is from Utah and is currently serving a mission at BYUH with her husband. She is a mother and grandmother to eight children and 27 grandchildren and received the title of Utah's Young Mother of the Year in 1987. She had a son named Brady who was born with a rare form of
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muscular dystrophy, and later he become a pioneer as the first pediatric patient in Utah to live at home on a ventilator, which required a 24-hour care from his mother. Sharing a few examples from her life experiences about judging others, Blaser’s
One of the Education Week speakers, Earlene Blaser, seeks to teach audience the importance of not judging others. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa
abuse. Blaser said she complained about her situation to her husband, Stephen Blaser, saying the lady was judging her when she was busy caring for her handicapped son. However, her husband just sat down and listened. Then he wisely said to her, “You are judging her. You do not know what she’s been through. She could maybe not able to have children. She could have had a child die in an accident. She could have maybe hit a child in a car. You just don’t know where she is coming from. So in your heart, you should forgive her.” Kaleb Valdez, 25, from Hawaii who working as an entrepreneur, said, “I will say this to all the speakers and presenters here at this Education Week that they spoke from the heart, and they spoke from experience. So it’s good to hear from people who have those life experiences. I don’t know what it’s like speech lasted an hour in McKay 180 on June to have a son with muscular dystrophy. But hearing her and how she finds strength in it 14. One of the examples was a lady who scolded Blaser for letting her 6 and 4 year-old helps me apply it to my life in my own way.” children walk back home from school alone. -Robinia Tan She even got a phone call from the police station about the lady reporting her for child
“ If you judge
others, you have no time to love them, and you can’t do both. ”
Owen Matsunaga we can miss out a really wonderful blessing…Good looks are not gonna get us to celestial kingdom.. We are not physical beings having spiritual experiences but we are spiritual beings having physical experiences on earth. We need to focus on the spiritual part of us. God looks at the heart not the outer appearance of a being,” he said. Like how people use physical mirrors to see their appearances and improve their looks, Matsunaga noted that there are some spiritual mirrors that people could use to improve spiritually. Some spiritual mirrors he mentioned were the scriptures, prophet’s words and patriarchal blessings. “We need to remember what is important to the Lord to return to our Heavenly Father. Looks are significant as a parameter of our spirituality not in the way of our physical appearance but of how God works on us.” Owen Matsunaga encourages attendees to not focus on worldly beauty but seek for inner beauty through finding spiritual mirrors. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa
Lecturer counsels on finding true beauty through spiritual mirrors
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wen Matsunaga, one of the speakers at the Education Week conference on June 14, stressed the importance of staying in shape spiritually by reflecting ourselves to spiritual mirrors that can help us return to Heavenly Father. Emphasizing the theme of his topic, “Letting the Face of God shine through (Knowing and Believing Jesus Christ),” Matsunaga said, “We know that our ultimate goal is to go back to our Heavenly Father but we know we can’t enter without the glory of God shining upon us.” Matsunaga, a coordinator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion in Hawaii, opened his session by asking attendees to think of things they hope to change in their lives? Some replied about changing their physical appearances and improving their characters. Matsunaga explained that the world we live in focuses on what individuals look like on the outside and because of the pressures people get from the society, they find themselves drawn to wealth, perfect outfit, surgical facelifts, weight loss programs, cosmetics and other worldly things. While there’s nothing wrong with beautifying ourselves, exercising and staying fit, Matsunaga emphasized that no matter how people look like, God looks at their hearts not their outward appearances. “We know that beauty can sometimes be destructive… If we spend our time and attention to worry about how we look,
“We are not physical beings having spiritual experiences but we are spiritual beings having physical experiences on earth. We need to focus on the spiritual part of us. God looks at the heart not the outer appearance of a being.
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Matsunaga also used mirror as a symbolism to see other people’s reflection. Instead of comparing ourselves with other people, he advised, “As you use mirrors, don’t use it to look at others and compare yourself.. Don’t look backwards. Head forward to Christ. There will always be people ahead of you and behind you. Avoid complaining and criticizing. People will know their savior through you.” Some attendees shared what they learned from Matsunaga’s lecture. Beverly Louw from Hawaii said, “I think you can feel its sincerity. The world sees physical and the Lord sees spiritual. I felt all the way through that [Matsunaga] encouraged you to be better every day. I thought that was specific.” Kaleb Valdez, a BYU-Hawaii alumnus from Hawaii, commented about the conference, “I came to hear them and their personal experiences and what they have done through. It’s the people that I look up to. I just realized that everyone has different experiences in life.” From Matsunaga’s talk, he learned, “We need to find beauty from others.” -Ma. Vis Tagu ba JUNE 27, 2013
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Closing keynote speakers Overcoming the Storms of Life Through Following Christ’s Teachings
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losing keynote speakers, W.A. Christensen along with his wife, Sherry, spoke on weathering the storms of life in their presentation which was a compilation of people and their personal struggles they deal with day to day. “Have you ever felt the raging sea around you? Living here in the middle of the Pacific, I’m sure you could teach us a thing or two about the raging sea,” said W.A. Christensen, a creative writer and producer as well as LDS broadcaster in a segment called “Enduring it Well” with the Mormon Channel’s radio station. The Christensen’s closing remarks were entitled “Weathering the Storms Ke Alaka‘i
of Life” and their message aptly stuck to that title. Sherry Christensen accompanied her husband on stage in the auditorium in front of Education Week attendees. She asked, “On a personal level, is your tempest or storm so tossed at times that it is churning violently? That you may feel the impending doom or worse yet: destruction?” Using navigation of a ship as an anecdote, the Christensens explained attendees their own personal struggles and hardships they have faced which prompted them to begin seeking others who face similar trials in their own lives.
“It’s been said that ships are safest in the harbor,” W.A. Christensen noted. “Ships weren’t built for the harbor. Ships were built for the open sea. The same can be said of us. Brothers and sisters, life is hard,” he added. The Christensens talk about their children and the health challenges they have experienced. They share how their family was able to go through each hardship through the teachings of Jesus Christ. “As a result of the challenges that we have faced over our 31 years, I was asked by the Church to write, produce, and host a weekly radio show through the of-
ficial media outlet of the Church called the Mormon Channel,” he said of his start with the Church in broadcast media. According to Christensen, the segment in which he hosts called “Enduring it Well” has roughly 12.5 million listeners. “I interview people who have faced difficult challenges and through principles of the gospel, have emerged triumphant,” he said. Each of the Christensen’s four children has been diagnosed with a rare type of muscular dystrophy, a debilitating disease, which caused them to lean closer to the plan of happiness and the Church’s teachings.
“The Plan of Happiness took on a much deeper meaning of hope and trust to raise [our] children,” Christensen said. “What made the difference? Total faith and trust in the great plan of happiness.” Their presentation included individuals who have faced significant losses in their lives. One such woman who was featured on “Enduring it Well” fell off a cliff, breaking her back, causing her to be bound to a wheel chair. She relayed how her life was changed dramatically, but still continues to live life to the fullest. Tammy Lau attended the Christensen’s presentation and said, “The Chris-
tensen’s talk was inspiring. Most of the talks, especially this talk is something I can learn from in my life.” Lau is bound to a wheelchair, but keeps her spirits up. She and her brother, Isaac, are both debilitated, but keep their spirits up despite their circumstances. “We are not doomed, we are destined for greater adventures ahead,” Sherry Christiansen said. - D ylan-Sage Wilcox
Top-left, Bottom-right: Closing speakers W.A. and Sherry Christensen leaves people with wonderful insights on overcoming family hardships through seeking the teachings of Jesus Christ. Bottom-left: Community keikis give cultural presentations. Photo by Mei Yin
JUNE 27, 2013
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Lost in Laie Falls Two hikers get stranded when attempting to hike at night
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wo hikers, Chris Gurr and Steven Litton, were rescued by helicopter late Monday night after being lost in Laie on the Malaekahana trail. According to family members Litton had been waiting to go hiking with Gurr all day. When Gurr arrived from home around 6 p.m. the two prepared to hike the Laie Falls trail. Gurr and Litton left their uncle’s home in Laie at 6:30 p.m. and told family members that they were only planning on hiking to a clearing not too far from the trail head. “Steven had been wanting to go hiking ever since he got here. I knew it was late, but I figured we’d just hike for an hour or so,” explained Gurr. Around 10:30 p.m. family members had still not heard back from Gurr and Litton. Attempts to call Gurr’s and Litton’s cell phone were unsuccessful as they were unable to establish phone reception. Gurr’s wife, Charmain, soon began to make plans to go and find her husband and Litton. “If my husband didn’t tell me when he was coming home and wasn’t home from hiking and it was the middle of the night, I would be worried too,” said Sarah Witherspoon, a sophomore studying supply chain management from Arizona. A few friends riding ATVs got a jumpstart on the search parties as they rode up the Laie falls and Malaekahana trails. After unsuccessfully calling out and searching several trails, the ATV searchers were unable to find Gurr and Litton. Jordan Berardy, a BYUH alumnus from Hawaii, said hiking in Hawaii is easier than in the mainland. “If you get lost in Hawaii it’s pretty easy to get back because you can almost always see the ocean. Worst case scenario you get hurt, but you never get really lost,” he said. The Honolulu Fire Department and other rescue officials decided to call in a helicopter to try and locate the missing hikers. Much to their relief, Gurr and Litton were found a half hour later unharmed along the Malaekahana trail. “They (the rescue crew) was lucky to find us where they did. The spot was only of the only places big enough on the trail to land the chopper. I’m just glad we made it back safely,” said Gurr. While Hawaii is known for its pristine beaches, great surf, and relaxed laid-back feel, it is also home to incredible forest and unique fauna. With over 40 official trails on Oahu, hike enthusiasts will find plenty of trails to experience the natural beauty of the island. “The hikes in Hawaii are just breathtaking,” said Joshua
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Riboldi, a junior studying finance from Provo, Utah. “The island has so many great views where you can see just beautiful tropical island jungle and ocean. I love it.” According to a Center for Disease Control study (CDC) study, more than 200,000 people are treated annually for accidents relating to hiking. This makes hiking the third most dangerous outdoor activity right after snowboarding and sledding. Fortunately in this case the stranded hikers were able to make home off the mountain. “Riding in the helicopter was definitely the coolest part,” said Litton. “I’ve always wanted to ride in one. But I’m also sorry that I scared everyone.”
- Home r Wolman
Owen Matsunaga encourages attendees to not focus on worldly beauty but seek for inner beauty through finding spiritual mirriors. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa
Photos from Ke Alaka’i file.
2013 SDC Summer Institute
BYU-Hawaii employees, student leaders and personnel gathered together to present creative projects and initiatives. Photo by Monique Seanz
BYUH departments present finished and ongoing projects to students, staff Eighty people composed of BYU-Hawaii employees, student leaders, visitors and other personnel filled the Aloha Center 155/165 on June 13 to present and listen to different projects and initiatives created and developed by each department. The SDC Summer Institute is held for BYUH staff to have knowledge of the different projects that each department has been working on. Having a theme, “Learn, Lead, Build through Sustainability,” Debbie Hippolite Wright, VP for Student Development and Services, commented on the objective of the event. “We focus on the mission of the school. We take some aspect and today it was sustainability. Student leaders and line staff gave presentations of the initiatives of their projects,” she said. Wright was the facilitator of the event. The meeting was done to “have the student leaders and employees take responsibility in project making. It give them an experience to present to people,” she added. The highlights of the event include presentations on improving family, personal and work relationships, building a sustainable workforce, budgeting, increasing the amount of people served with less financial and
environmental impact, recycling and campus walking tour. Attendees had the chance to tour the campus’ botanical garden and Give & Take, where they also shopped for used materials. After shopping, participants shared how they would be benefited from the things they took. Some presenters shared what they discussed with the audience. Eugene Ng, Give & Take coordinator, said, “We gave a presentation on Give & Take rules and its history. We talked of how it is operated today. We gave a report about giving out $200,000 worth of items for this past few months. We saved about $160, 000.” Coney Pulla, a BYU-Hawaii alumnus from India, said about the event, “It’s totally improved a lot. As alumni, we gave or presentation on how to increase our audience and influence people with less financial or environmental impact.” The Residential Life Department ended the meeting with a fun and entertaining activity. They made a script on how they developed and started a recycling project around campus and Temple View Apartments and then asked the crowd to join them
in dancing a Korean pop dance, “Gangnam style.” Sister Sessions, a volunteer missionary in the iLEAD program from Idaho, shared what she learned from the different presentations. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I really enjoyed Elder Pehrson’s presentation. It helped me understand better my pattern of communication as well as some of my families’. I really enjoyed learning how to better my communication with my husband.” Lynn Pehrson, director of Counseling Services, talked about “?Sustainability of Positive Relationships: Personal, Family and at Work.” “I enjoyed the things that are going on on campus to cut costs and to help all the students to be aware of how we can take care of our surroundings and the planet. I also enjoyed the tour,” she added. Penny Fuimaono, a BYUH alumna from Texas and a hale coordinator of the Residential Life Department, also commented, “I just learned that sustainability is very important.” She added learning sustainability would help her and her teammates find ways on how to improve their department. -MA VIS TAGUBA JUNE 27, 2013
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Les Steward
PCC ohana pays tribute to Steward’s over 40 years of leadership and service
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he Polynesian Cultural Center ohana bid aloha o’e and expressed gratitude to Physical Facilities and Maintenance Director Les Steward at his farewell party at the Gateway balcony on June 19. Steward retired after working at PCC for more than 40 years. The graduation party was attended by all PCC employees to give appreciation to Steward who devoted years of work and service at the center. Each department at PCC handed gifts to Steward such as traditional mats, baskets, island foods and fruits, traditional Hawaiian dagger, curved tiki, shell trumpet, quilt, a painting by Kap Tahiti, Christ figurine, personalized group photos and other things. The interactive party also included a buffet of island foods, desserts and drinks. Ke Alaka‘i
Steward came to Church College of Hawaii, now called BYU-Hawaii, and studied accounting and business management in 1969. His first job at PCC was to work in the theater as a Sound, Lights and Stage person then eventually transferred in the Business Office and became Vice President of Finance. He later became Vice President of Operations. In 2006, Steward was assigned to work in the Physical Facilities. He also served in various callings at school such as BYUH Alumni President, Bishop, Stake President, Mission President in Arcadia, California and Stake Patriarch. While bright smiles and loud laughter went through in most parts of the bon voyage party, Steward’s close friends couldn’t hide their tears and sadness when they
shared what they would miss about Steward. Logoitino Apelu, PCC Vice President, said, “I’ve always known Les as a spiritual giant. He helped me to change my life. We go to Subway not only to eat but also to just laugh. I love him and I respect him. He’s such a great eternal friend.” Another friend, John Muaina, Vice President of Human Resources at PCC, also commented, “Personally, Les has been wonderful and spiritual… He is always willing to share.. All the time our relationship has been strong. He has been a means to help us have wonderful transitions of everything.” “Les has always been someone who makes you feel important. He makes me feel important. He is a people person, influential and very neat,” Apelu added. Both Muaina
and Apelu came to school together and became best friends since then. Some of the PCC employees also shared their experiences of working with Steward. Delsa Moe, director of Cultural Presentations at PCC, said, “He is very genuine and hardworking leader. He is very spiritual even in the work field. He influenced others for good. He was easy to work with, to talk to, yet he was firm in his job responsibility as a leader. I know he is ready to go home and move to the next chapter. Best of luck to him and we will miss him.” Steward shared one of his biggest experiences at PCC and BYUH was to see special guests who came to the center. “In terms of impact that PCC has for world lead-
ers – that amazes me the most,” he said. He recalled one of them was the Chinese leader who visited the campus and PCC in 1984. According to Steward, the Chinese leader came when his daughter was doing an internship and working at PCC. On the PCC blog site, “50th Anniversary Talk Story Blog,” Steward expressed his heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to the center and writes, “After 50 years, the PCC has really come into its own in terms of being a true influence for good in the world, because it touches so many people: Not just the students, but everyone, whether it’s the VIPs or the paying guests. To participate in and be a part of something as significant as this has been a wonderful experience.
After working here for more than 40 years, I can go anywhere in the world — and I’ve traveled to a good part of the world because of the PCC — and find a friend from here. The true reflection of aloha is there because of the PCC.” After retiring, Steward went to Kennewick, Wash. He said he and his wife, Nanette, “plan to look after [our] grandchildren and probably go on couple’s mission.” -Ma . Vis Ta gub a
Top-left: Les Steward, PCC director of Physical Facilities and Maintenance, gives his concluding speech during his farewell party at PCC Gateway balcony. Bottom-top: Steward and some PCC employees join the Samoan dancers in dancing a traditional dance “Taualuga.” Bottom: Steward shows his bright smiles while posing for a photo. Photos by Mei Yin
JUNE 27, 2013
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Campus, PCC Black Out BYU-Hawaii revamps electrical system
Announcements and notices was spread through the whole BYUHawaii campus, the Polynesian Cultural Center, TVA and faculty townhouses about the planned blackout starting on June 22 to 23 in the evening. Billy Casey Jr., a LEED green associate working at the Facilities Management Department, said the blackout was arranged because “we needed to shut down the electrical power to the entire campus and PCC to perform a cleaning of the campus’s high voltage distribution system.” He added, “The last time that we had shut down the entire system to clean it was back in 1982.” To maintain and clean the high voltage system, a electrical contractor shutoff the electrical system on June 23. However, the Stake Center, Security, the Cannon Activities Center, chiller building and a few other buildings were powered by generators. TVA only experienced an hour of complete blackout from 8 to 9 p.m. on Saturday before generators were installed allowing residents to use electric devices like lights and refrigerators. However, they were advised not to use the stoves and other appliances that would cause the temporary generators to lose power. Ian Martin Idang, a senior in biochemistry from Malaysia, who live in the TVA with his family, said, “When we received a notice regarding the blackout from Housing, we prepared our batterypowered lamp. We took our mattress to the living room and slept together with the kids. The kids were excited because they wanted to feel the dark. It was [kind of a] disappointment to the kids because the blackout in the night wasn’t long enough for them to enjoy.” The next day on Sunday, when they were still not allows to uses the stove, he said, “We barbecued chicken for our lunch and dinner.” However, the campus hales were not as lucky because their appliances and devices that required electric power were all shut
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down, which rendered the entire campus in darkness through the night. “I made sure that I have a flashlight with batteries and stuff, and then I put extra ice in the freezer,” said Janae Wilkey, a senior majoring in music from Idaho. “Adventure begins when you turn the power off,” said Spencer Dowd, a sophomore major in social work from Oregon. “I was very excited on Sunday. I just kind of took a nap. Then we (with his fiancée Wilkey) went to the [Temple] Visitor’s Center and watched some of the videos there.” TVA residents thought their electricity would be restored by 5 p.m. on Sunday and started using their stoves and microwaves at that time. However, their electricity wasn’t on at 5 p.m. and so when they started cooking, it overloaded their generators and they lost power. Residents said their electricity came on after 9 p.m. on Sunday. - Robinia Tan