AUGUST 8, 2013
Ke Alaka i Volume 104: Issue 2
THE LEADER
Grant building opens 17 Elder Nelson to dedicate it on Sept. 8
Making good choices 9 Sean Kimball chooses seminary over surfing
Ke Alaka i
Photo of the Week
August 8, 2013 • Volume 104: Issue 2 Editor-in-chief
Advisor
M a . V i s Ta g u ba
L e e A n n L amb e r t
Head Photographer
Art Director
M ei Yi n
Me i Y in
COPY EDITORs
ART & GRAPHICS
Dyl a n - S a ge W i l cox Tuc ke r G r i m s h aw Aust i n M e l d r u m
Kyo ko H as e gawa Mo rgan Bo uwh uis Ye L ian g [Ste ph an ie ]
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 Robinia Tan, Tucker Grimshaw, Homer Wolman, Rebecca Sabalones, Alyssa Walhood, Keryna Monson
INTERNS M ei Yi n M a . V i s Ta g u ba
AD MANAGER Sh aro n Wo n g
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
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ON THE COVER
The new Heber J. Grant Building will be dedicated by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sept. 8. A ticket or an invitation is needed in order to attend the dedication. Photo by Mei Yin.
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Table of Contents [page 4 ]
CONTACT
NEWS CENTER
BYU-Hawaii students from the Chinese Chapter gather together at a fireside with BYUH President Steven Wheelwright and Elder Sidney Henderson on Aug. 4 with a theme “Learn, Lead and Build in China.” Photo by Mei Yin
Parking lot cleaning at BYUH unveils illegal business on campus
[page 15] BYUH alumnus develops iPad app
[page 8 & 9] Students and community members par ticipate in ‘Laie Day’ celebrations
[page 17] Elder Nelson to dedicate the new BYUH Heber J. Grant Building
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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BYUHSA Summer Olympics is themed “Called to be Great Warriors” and is a two-day event. The first night is in the CAC from 7 to 10 p.m. The second day (Aug. 10) is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the TVA front field. There will be prizes, snacks and games. The teams are based on where you live.
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Come and watch the performing groups Siaosi, Kiwini, Vaitai and Jasmine Lee from 8 to 11 p.m. in the CAC at the Seasider Jam Concert and Dance.
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Bring your date and have fun in the Ballroom and Aloha Center Mall at the BYUHSA Summer Ball from 8 to 11:59 p.m. The Honor Code will be enforced.
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NOTE WORTHY
the week in
QUOTES
“The greatest achievement in life is not the acquisition of money, position, or power. In my opinion, it is to come to the end of one’s day having been true and loyal to his ideals. I can think of no achievement greater than that.” --President N. Eldon Tanner, former first counselor in the First Presidency, cited by Donna Checketts, YSA 2nd Relief Society president in her BYUH devotional address
"The rich history of the Church in [Britain] is something most people are not familiar with, even for many of our own members. The British Pageant brings the early history of Mormonism in the British Isles.” -Elder Clifford Herbertson, a UK-based ecclesiastical leader for the LDS Church from an LDS Church News article “New British Pageant Takes Center Stage”
news headlines
Forbes magazine says BYU-Hawaii is one of the top 100 most financially fit colleges in the United States earning a 3.943 financial GPA. Photo by Mei Yin
BYUH ranks 82nd in top100 financially fit colleges BYU-Hawaii was named one of the most financially fit colleges in the United States. BYUH received a 3.943 financial GPA, which gives the school an A grade, and is numbered 82 out of the 100, says Matt Schifrin, editor of investing, markets and personal finance for Forbes magazine. “This comes as a pleasant surprise as some have felt that our school was ‘inadequate,’” said Raife Campbell, a BYUHSA vice president and a junior in business from Australia. “This shows the world that our little college is more than others have previously thought ‘e laiti ae maigi,’ which is Samoan for, ‘that which is small can cause great effect’.” “I feel like I’m part of something great here,” remarked Nathan Cunningham, a junior in business from Texas. Michael Christensen, BYUH budget and housing director, explained what sets BYUH apart from other college campuses. “Some factors that naturally help us include the support of the church.” Christensen said tithing funding helps keep tuition lower than other comparable schools, especially domestically. Another factor that sets the school apart is the Board of Trustees, which includes
the First Presidency of the church, three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a member of the presidency of the Seventy, the general Relief Society president and the general Young Women’s president, said Christensen. This board carefully discusses what is to be done with the Lord’s money at BYUH, BYU in Provo, BYU in Idaho, Institutes and Seminaries, said Christensen. Different organizations are encouraged by BYUH officials to see where money spending can shift when starting new developments, said Christensen. Then the budget is taken from existing funds and “we are not asking for more,” said Christensen. Forbes “created the FORBES College Financial Grades, which measured the fiscal soundness of more than 900 four-year, private, not-for-profit schools with more than 500 students (public schools are excluded),” says Schifrin. The article describes how the financial grades were given. “For the purposes of our [Forbes] analysis, we used the two most recent fiscal years available from the Department of Education–2011 and 2010. The grades measure financial fitness as determined by nine components broken into three categories,” says Schifrin. - T UCKE R GRIMSHAW
august 8, 2013
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Car Towing/Flipping
Cleaning of BYUH parking lots uncovers illegal business on campus
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bout 70 cars were found unregistered at the beginning of the Summer session, which resulted in cars being towed, said Michael Johanson, director of University Communications. Coincidentally, an illegal car flipping business was discovered. In the beginning of Summer session, Roy Yamamoto, director of campus Safety and Security, noticed “an awful lot of cars on campus.” Students were unable to find parking due to the large number of cars, said Yamamoto. “Some of the vehicles got ticketed multiple times and people never came into the Security office,” remarked Yamamoto, and this resulted in the towing of those vehicles. “The car towing needed to happen. People who can’t afford to have a car, shouldn’t have a car,” said Reid Crickmore, a senior in HTM from California. Yamamoto said it was a coincidence that BYUH Security started hearing of students flipping of cars to make money. Security personnel talked to the State Department of Commerce, and it was interested in doing it’s own investigation, said Yamamoto. 4
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According to Yamamoto, the State Department of Commerce ran a sting operation that caught a couple of students who were sent home. Johanson said, “If students are on an education Visa, like a J. Visa, they cannot operate a business.” The inventory of the car
If you are going to “run a business ille-
gally, you are going to pay the consequence, no matter who you are.
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-Reid Crickmore
flippers was found here on campus, which explains the mass amount of cars, said Johanson. “The Honor Code indicates that we will obey the law in addition to honoring university policy,” said Johanson. “If you are going to run a business illegally, your going to pay the consequence, no matter who you are,” said Crickmore.
“Since we started cleaning up the parking lots, we have had 37 students buy parking permits for vehicles, and the parking lots have cleaned up themselves,” said Yamamoto. To obtain a permit, one has to show proof of insurance, registration, safety check, and driver’s license. The cost of a BYUH permit, which is $5, is much cheaper compared to other campuses found on Oahu. For instance, at the University of Hawaii Manoa the cost for an annual parking permit is $579, according University of Hawaii Manoa commuter services website. The money for parking permits and tickets does not go directly to Security office. Yamamoto said, “It is not a money making venture for us and does not go into my budget.” The money goes into the university general fund, he said. With the building of the Heber J. Grant Building, many parking spots were lost, therefore “enforcement of parking will continue,” said Johanson. - T UCKE R GRIMSHAW
‘Flossie’ flops
Storms that fizzle out make some students fail to prepare, while others say preparation is necessary
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YU-Hawaii students shared their thoughts and feelings on preparing for and taking various tropical storm warnings seriously. Some said they have stopped preparing at all while others feel as though they are way under prepared. “I feel like the Lord really knew what he was doing when he put this university here” said Emily Smithson, a BYUH alumna from California. “I cant really imagine that he would set up his institution in an area that was subject to life-threatening storms every year.” Smithson said she went to school here for three years and has never seen a storm to the magnitude for which the news says to prepare. Taylor Moyes, a junior in education from Arizona, said, “I have gone to school here for about two and a half years now, and there has never been a true emergency. I prepared for the first three I think, but since nothing happened, I feel like it just an over precaution.” Addison Kirk, a junior in music from Idaho, also commented, “I’ve been through two tsunami warnings. The first one happened when I lived on the second floor of the hales so I just stayed in my room. Then the second one came when I was living off campus. When it was time to make the trek to the temple hill, I found myself unprepared and unsure of what to bring. Even though I was safe, it made me realize how important it is to prepare ahead of time.” Because Hawaii is fully surrounded by water out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it is subject to some heavy and life-threatening tropical storms each year. Hawaii’s National weather forecast center predicts that over half of the damages claimed each year could be avoided if people prepared ahead of time for storms. -K E R Y N A MON S ON
Extreme weather in North America, shown above in this weather map, created discussion about preparation among BYU-Hawaii students. Some students said they stopped preparing for the storm since no heavy rain came on the date that Flossie was forecasted to hit Laie. Photo by AP.
August 8, 2013
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Kupuna Luncheon Seniors meet for lunch, festivities at PCC as part of Laie Days
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ore than 100 kupunas or local senior citizens, dressed mostly in aloha shirts and colorful muumuus, showed up flashing their bright smiles and lively spirit at a luncheon hosted by the Polynesian Cultural Center on July 24 as part of the annual “Laie Days” celebration. The luncheon at the center’s Gateway balcony also served as a time for entertainment, sharing and meeting with past and current senior members of the community. In the month of July, both young and old local residents await the festivities held to celebrate the establishment of Laie and the arrival of the Latter-day Saint pioneers in Utah. In used to be in order to join the luncheon, a kupuna must be at least 60 years old and above, but now any grandparent can participate, explained Kella Miller, the vice president of the Laie Community Association. Miller said regarding the event, “It brings everybody together. We’ve been doing this for over 20 years. I don’t think they have anything like this in other places.” She added the kupuna luncheon invites all senior members from the surrounding communities to have fun and remember their importance as kupunas. Attendees said they appreciated and enjoyed special performances given by some fellow kupunas. Joe Ah Quin, a 78-year-old from Laie who has been attending the event for 12 years and who was one of the performers, said, “[The event] is wonderful. It gives us a chance to mingle and see each other. The entertainment is great. People are invited to be guest artists… We are here to relax and have fun. We are also happy to perform.” Ah Quin, with Kella Miller and other members, sang some melodic Hawaiian music. One of the highlights from the event was dancing a Latin dance number led by one of the youngest kupunas. Other members surprised fellow attendees when they stood up and shook their hips. Francine Palama, a 63-year-old architect of Maunakai & Associates from Punalu’u commented on the activity, “Being a young kupuna, I feel awesome. The entertainment is great. I think that kupunas can still sing and dance. Once they get onto the stage, they don’t wanna come out from the stage anymore,” she said. Aside from the entertainment, Michel Kalili, a resident of Kaaawa, enjoyed the dishes served at the luncheon. “[This is] wonderful. I wish I could’ve come before. The food was excellent. The music is my favorite part. I hope I can make it next year,” she said. Some of the ‘ono-licious’ foods served include teriyaki chicken, pork ribs with pineapple, corn on the cob, rice, taro rolls, chicken long rice and tossed green salads.
Food, entertainment and participation were all part of the annual Kupuna Luncheon held at PCC as part of the Laie Days celebration. Photos by Mei Yin
May Au, a resident of Kahana Valley who has been attending the event for five years, said it is also a time to remember the old friendships she had with her fellow kupunas who had died. “This is a time to see friends that we haven’t seen for many years. It’s kind of sad that we find out here those [friends] who passed away,” she said. “Kella Miller did a wonderful job of organizing this. Nothing is new except the youth who helped us today.” -MA. VIS TAGU BA
Bashin’ in Laie
Hawaii Reserves Inc. combined with local organizers for the annual Summer Bash at the Laie Shopping Center. Musicians performed, above, and there were rides for children, shown below. Photos by Matt MacDonald
Summer Bash brings families out for food, music and fun
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air rides were set up and operating, local music and entertainment were to be enjoyed, and food booths filled the parking lot at the Laie Shopping Center on July 26 where community members, as well as BYU-Hawaii students, gathered to celebrate the Summer Bash as part of the 17th annual Laie Days festivities. Students heard about the bash in various ways. Most said they saw an advertisement for the bash, were told about it by friends, or heard the music from the street. But Berit Müller, a sophomore in graphic design from Germany, said, “I heard it from church actually—ward council meeting. We came in for the last few songs. It was nice to just sit and listen to the live music. I liked that.” Emily Georgeson, a senior from San Diego, Calif., studying social work, witnessed the festivities last year while she worked. She said, “Last year I worked at Pizza Hut, and I was so bummed because I couldn’t go. So this year I was like, ‘I have to go and have fun!’ I went for the last hour and the rides were closed, but I got to hear the local music. Crossed it off my bucket list.”
Local musicians played at the Summer Bash, including Da Braddah’s, The Keawe Ohana, Island Magic, Hawaiian Soul, and musicians from the Polynesian Cultural Center. The music, along with rides and activities, made it a great place for the families of Laie to go and enjoy their evening, according to attendees. Ikaika Fowlke, a freshman from Wyoming studying biology education, said, “We went to see what was going on. There were music events and kid’s rides. It was really family based. There were a lot of families in the huge tent and in the playpens just chillin’. We were going to go on one of the rides, but we were like, ‘Man, that line is really, really long.’” Laie Days ended with a Sunset to Sunrise movie night at the park on the corner of Kamehameha Highway and Naniloa Loop. There were also sports nights and a fireside held during July to celebrate Laie Days. - Rebecca Sabalones
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Sunset to Sunrise 2013 Watching movies, enjoying friendship and good food
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YU-Hawaii students, local residents and visitors brought their mats and blankets to enjoy movies, foods and a devotional at the Sunset to Sunrise event on the corner of Naniloa Loop and Kamehameha Highway from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Aug. 2-3. Kingsley Ah You, an event organizer from Laie, explained the history of the activity. “The Sunset to Sunrise originated four years ago with Mayor Mufi Hanneman who put a wonderful activity together for us at Kakela Beach. We had a wonderful time and all our communities came out,” he said. “And, of course, with the change in leadership and with funds the state no longer has to assist us, it leaves it up to the wonderful Laie members and the love that they have for each other. This is the fourth year of the Sunset to Sunrise and the third year at Naniloa lodge park.” While sitting on chairs or lying on the grass, people started watching “Escape from the Planet Earth,” an animated family film on Aug. 2. Some community members set up food booths and sold cotton candy, popcorn and BBQ and garlic shrimp plates. A group from Laie-based Hula Halau O’kekela also joined the sellers to fundraise its trip to Vegas. “We’re selling stuff for our Hula Halau O’kekele fundraising. We’re going to Vegas in October for a competition,” said Bae Aumua, a member of the group. Some of the attendees of the event were the senior missionaries Elder Kreston and Sister Carol Ann Snow from Utah. “I think it’s great. It’s fun to involve the community and have fun,” Elder Snow said about the activity. Sister Snow also commented, “It’s a cheap date. This is something better to do than to stay home and do nothing. We’re having a good time here.” 8
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Junior Ah You serves breakfast to Laie community members at the fourth annual Sunset to Sunrise event. Photo by Stephanie Liang
Ryan Hitz from Hauula said he attended the event with his wife, Chandra, to bond with their kids. “We didn’t really have any [expectations],” Hitz said when asked about the event. However, he said they wanted to “watch a family friendly movie, hang out and eat good foods.” As the sunrise approached on Saturday morning, people lined up for free sausages, rice, bread, eggs and coco rice. Ishmael Stagner, a BYU-Hawaii alumnus, also spoke about the prophetic vision of David O. McKay and the history of Laie during the devotional that morning. Ah You added, “I’m very happy to be here. This is part of the grand finale of our Laie Day Pioneer celebration. We have many activities for our community to unite [the people], and this is a grand finale before school starts on Monday. I’m grateful to our Laie Community Association and for their support.” -Ma. Vis taguba
Left: Vendors served food through the night. Below: Children play the next morning on the grass. Photos by Mei Yin and Stephanie Liang
Choosing What Matters Most Mormon Messages surfer says Church comes first
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ean Kimball’s face may seem familiar to you. You may have seen him in class, in the halls, or maybe on the beach. But it’s more likely that you’ve his Mormon Message for the Youth, “No Regrets.” The video tells the story of Kimball’s dilemma of whether to attend surf practice or Seminary. During high school Kimball was one of the best surfers on his school’s surf team. However practices were held Tuesday and Thursday morning, the same time as Seminary. For a time Kimball went to surf practice, but he said he could tell something was missing. “I just didn’t do my best when I wasn’t going to Seminary. I was tired and I just couldn’t surf well. I decided afterwards that I needed to go to all of seminary,” said Kimball. Afterwards Kimball said he could see the benefits of Seminary. He says he felt happier, and did better during his surfing competitions. Kathryn Moore, a junior studying marketing from Colorado, shared a similar experience of sacrifice. “I had to give up early morning softball practice and that was super hard for me. But it really helped me know who I was and why I was doing it. It gave me my spiritual boost for the day.” Kimball later went on to win first place in the National Scholastic Surfing Championship, the top prize for high school surfers. On the Mormon Messages website, Kimball has more than 180,000 views making him an Internet celebrity, but Kimball said he doesn’t let the attention faze him. “It’s still kinda weird to me that it became so popular. Sometimes I’ll get Facebook messages from random people saying ‘Thanks’ or ‘You’re so cool.’ Stuff like that,” said Kimball. Since returning from his two-year mission in the Dominican Republic, Kimball has been going to school and hitting the waves. He hopes to one day become a pro surfer and travel the world. The surf companies, Proof and Cmmty, currently sponsor Kimball. “Surfing is one of my passions. When I don’t surf,” he said, his life doesn’t go so well. “Out there on the water, I feel relaxed and that’s where I have some of my deepest pondering moments,” said Kimball. Mike Hartmann a sophomore studying biology from Las Vegas, Nev., said he imagines life out on the waves can be pretty exciting. “I’ve heard stories of the barrel. The glass wall of water is a thing of beauty. You can stick your hand into the barrel and your whole world just melts away for that one moment in time. “ As Kimball has shown before, he said he always put his spirituality before surfing. “I never go surfing on Sundays. It doesn’t matter what the reason is I don’t surf on Sundays. I will never let my commitment to living the gospel interfere with my surfing.”
-homer wolman
BYU-Hawaii student Sean Kimball made a Mormon Message for youth talking about his decision to attend Seminary when he was in high school rather than early morning surf practice. 2013 PhotoAugust by Kyoko8,Hasegawa 9
A Lei for Peace State commemorates the sacrifice of Hawai‘i’s last queen
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awai’i honored their Heroine of Forgiveness, Queen Lili’uokalani, on Hawai’i’s 11th annual International Forgiveness Day. On Sunday, August 4th, the Hawai’i Forgiveness Project commemorated the Queen at the State capitol in Honolulu. Their program included music, hula, art, poetry, film, several speakers, and the main event, the lei ceremony. Michael North, the communications director for the Hawai’i Forgiveness Project, said the Queen was an ideal example of forgiveness, earning the name Heroine of Forgiveness. Even though her lands were taken, and the rights of her and her people were disrespected, she didn’t remain bitter. Offering the lei is a symbolic way to give respect to her for her actions. “There are still people in the Hawaiian community who feel that their role and their rights have not been appreciated or understood. We need to heal that,” North expressed. The ceremony involved guests learning to weave a ti leaf lei, which is a lei given to ali’i, or Hawaiian chiefs, and others that were highly respected according to the Hawaii Forgiveness Project website. The guests would then offer the lei to each other, and then to the Queen as a symbolic act of being open to change and forgiveness. “There’s a way to make a lei which is prayerful, which is sacred. You can put your energy—Hawaiians would say you put your mana into the lei—and you can state your feelings and resolve your feelings in a physical form. It’s kind of a ritual or a sacrament, even,” North said. When asked his opinion of the forgiveness process, Ezra Magallano, a sophomore from the Philippines studying international cultural studies, said, “It’s about letting go of all the grudges that you carry. Forgiveness should be under Hawaiian terms. Recognizing and respecting the Queen could be a good start.” Fotu Misa, a senior from American Samoa studying political science, said, “In Samoa, the culture and the language isn’t strong and it’s because of the American influence in Samoa. I wouldn’t 10
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regret growing up in that society. Life is moving forward, so move forward. Embrace the past and live for now and be who you are.” Meleanna Aluli Meyer, one of the project organizers, said, “You don’t just get to a place where everything’s good and well and, yeah, I forgive you. It’s an ongoing process, and we’re in that ongoing process, all of us.” - Rebecca Sabalones
Secretary of State shoots for another round of peace talking
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, middle, is working on talks in the Middle East. Photo by AP
Talking peace in the Middle East U.S. and Palestinian officials negotiate under skepticism
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nited States Secretary of State John started off in 2000-2001 and the second set Kerry was able to extend the time for happened in 2007-2008. Both sets of negotiathe Middle East peace talks by nine months. tions failed to reach a mutual peace agreeThe goal is to reach a negotiation for the ment. disputations between Israelis and Palestinians Although peace may seem far away and hopefully work toward ending their and almost out of reach, the lead negotiators, conflict. Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and senior According to the Associated Press, Palestinian official Saeb Erekat, along with “…the two sides made progress on drawing a Kerry, are hopeful and are looking forward to border between Israel and a state of Palessome resolution. tine, but negotiations broke off — each time “While I understand the skepticism, under disputed circumstances — before they I don’t share it. And I don’t think we have could close a deal.” time for it,” said Kerry. “We cannot allow The negotiations are to be overseen events that might divide us in a small way, by Martin Indyk, the U.S. ambassador to distracting from the common values and the Israel. The parties hope to settle the issues common interests that unite us in big ways.” surrounding security and borders, the return “It’s time for the Palestinians to of Palestinian refugees, and each party’s land live in peace, freedom and dignity within rights and recognition of ownership. Kerry their own independent, sovereign state,” said said the renewed peace talks are a “new Erekat. moment of possibility.” Some observers, how- “We all spent some time in the ever, have reason to be doubtful of successful negotiations room ... but we didn’t complete results. our mission. And this is something that we Two sessions of peace talks have need to do now, in these negotiations that already been launched and cut off. The first we will launch today. And the opportunity
has been created for us, for all of us, and we cannot afford to waste it,” Livni said. Should a negotiation be reached, it could be a means to an end for all of the violence and political struggle in the area. - Rebecca Sabalones
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New Honor Code Missionaries Elder and Sister Fuller talk about serving a senior mission Elder and Sister Fuller said they have always wanted to serve a mission together and are happy to be here working in the Office of Honor. Photo by Mei Yin
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fter a long time waiting, Elder Gary and Sister Deon Fuller finally came to serve in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission on June 1 with the assignment to be a tag team in the Office of Honor at BYU-Hawaii. The Fullers hail from California and have six children and 20 grandkids with one on the way. They said they knew that they always wanted to serve a mission together, but their professions as educators prevented them from serving sooner. After they retired, they said they gained some guidance from their friends. Elder Fuller said, “The Lees, the missionary couple who were serving here before we were, told us that this is a perfect place to come on a mission.” Sister Fuller cheerfully chimed in, “We thought that everyone would be thinking the same thing, but we applied and got a letter of acceptance from the Prophet Thomas S. Monson.” And so they arrived at the Missionary Training Center on May 27 ready to serve the BYUH students. Along with their professional experience, working as educators in grade school, high school, and at a California State University, they came with a burning testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “This campus is unique that worldwide you can talk about the Savior and the Atonement and the standards that have been estabKe Alaka‘i
lished by the prophets of God… standards that help us to be happy and that protect us,” said Sister Fuller. Meli Lesuma, a manager of the Office of Honor, said, “They both love the Lord and have a deep, abiding love for the gospel. You can’t serve here, especially counseling, without strong conviction and testimony.” The new missionaries said they are excited about their calling. They really believe in what they are doing and are already making changes, such as changing the dress standard campaign posters and creating the office as a safe haven for students. “Our job is really to support the administration and staff and particularly the students and student body officers,” explained Elder Fuller. “We are here for the people who just want to talk and need help,” said Sister Fuller. “Tons of students just stop by and eat candy and visit with us.” They both expressed that they can be approached easily. They said they care about students and want them to succeed and be happy. - Rebecca Sabalones
250 Great Movies for LDS Families BYU-Provo Alumnus makes choosing family friendly movies easier
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n alumnus from BYU-Hawaii’s sister campus, BYU in Provo, created a book that will make it easier for students and families to pick enjoyable movies. “Modern prophets and apostles have counseled us repeatedly to look for uplifting and inspiring entertainment,” remarked Jonathan Decker, whose book entitled, “250 Great Movies for Latter-Day Families,” which will be released on Sept. 10. Inha Kim, a freshmen studying graphic design from Korea, said, “This book will be really beneficial because it can educate people about the true value of our lives.” According to Decker’s website, mormonmovieguy.com, Decker earned a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology from Brigham Young University, and later received a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Decker stated, “I think the book is important for all Latter-day Saints, not just families. While I certainly hope families use it for family home evenings and movie nights, singles and couples will find it helpful for dates, get-togethers, and youth activities. The potential for using cinema as a springboard for gospel discussion and interpersonal connection is limitless.” Some students thought about the impact the book might have on the Latter-Day Saint population. “I don’t know if I would buy a book…maybe if I had kids,” said Katherine Imangazi a senior in EXS from Texas.
Jasper Mills, a junior in university studies from California, said, “There is a lot of filth in the world, and we need more virtuous material…I think it should be free.” Decker described why he only included 250 films in the book. “Doing more films would have made the book too long and taken too much time. If it’s successful, however, we’re planning on doing a second book. The working title is “250 MORE Great Movies for Latter-day Families.” I could easily find that many more wholesome and worthwhile films to fill a second book.” The book includes chapters on Latter-Day movie standards, quotes by general authorities, synopses of films, and discussion guides for movies, said Decker. According to Decker, “This book represents the melding of my three great loves: my family, my Savior and his teachings, and movies. I love introducing people to amazing films they might otherwise overlook, like Charlie Chaplin’s hilarious romantic comedy ‘City Lights’, Bing Crosby’s joyous religious musical ‘Going My Way’, and modern dramas like ‘Amazing Grace’. I also love looking at films like ‘The Avengers’, ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ ‘Harry Potter’, and ‘Star Wars’ through the lens of the restored gospel. Those films are so rich with eternal truth.” - tucker grimshaw
Jonathan Decker graduated from BYU in Provo and has written a book about movies for LDS families. Photo courtesy of Decker
EIL & TESOL Departments Students are creating fun English language learning opportunities
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he English Language Teaching and Learning Department created some program to help EIL and TESOL students to improve their skills in teaching and speaking English, said Ellen L. Bunker, an associate professor and department chair. They also created a certificate program that helps students to obtain employment after graduation. Within the department there are two other separate department called EIL (English as an International Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). To improve the English language of international students and provide teaching experiences to students who plan to major in TESOL, the professors of the department organized a program known as English Exchange. This program’s purpose is for EIL students to have fun learning English. However, it also creates an opportunity for the TESOL students to gain “some practical experiences doing some language activities and controlling a large group,” said Bunker. Professors who teach EIL students encourage the students to go to this activity as an “optional assignment.” However, before the TESOL students begin teaching, they attend some classes that teach them how to teach in a proper way. Amanda Wallace, an assistant professor for EIL, teaches one of the classes called “teaching speaking class.” In her class, students are required “to present their ideas, show what they’re going to do, and the class [will] talk about how to do them and how to make them better,” said Bunker. TESOL students can only begin organizing their activities if the professors approve their plans as productive and not a repeat of the same activities. This class is efficient because TESOL students who present their ideas can get feedback from the professors and fellow classmates, said Bunker. It also helps the students to become more creative in their planning and teaching skills, she said. “When we planned it in the department, it was more to get the EIL students someplace to practice English that was fun,” said Bunker. She continued, “They’re stressed, and they have a lot of homework, hard work, and trying to graduate in nine semesters. So we are trying to do something that was fun, but it turn out as a good opportunity for the TESOL majors to get practical experience and managing a group.” Basically, it’s a program where the TESOL students run the activities and the EIL students take part in the activities. This Ke Alaka‘i
The McKay Faculty building houses the EIL and TESOL offices on campus. The departments have created a new certificate program to make students more marketable once they graduate. They are also giving students experience teaching other students English and having fun at the same time. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa
program has already been tested for a semester and a half for an hour every Wednesday and Thursday evening and it has been successful, Bunker said. Kit Nadado, a junior majoring in English and TESOL from Philippines, had a chance to organize an activity in the English Exchange, and he said, “The main challenge is making [the activity] fun and making the EIL students come back.” He said when he organized his activity, there were only nine other students who came and they still has a lot of fun playing cards together with English. Another program that benefits the students is the TESOL certificate program. It’s a program made for students that do not major in TESOL but who still want a future job that focuses on teaching. Bunker said this program has been going for a year. It works well with other majors students have because it has a flexible schedule. To complete the certificate’s requirement, students have to take 17 credit hours of classes. “We think it is quite useful for people who might major in something else but might be looking for minor that would support their major,” said Bunker. The reason this program is a certificate instead of a minor is, “A minor isn’t necessarily understood well in some countries,” said Bunker. “When it says you minor in TESOL, that might not mean very much to an employer. But the term certificate is understood as a piece of training.” This certificate program, according to Bunker, is a program created to help students obtain employment. Jasper Mills, a junior majoring in university studies from California, said he is relieved to have the certificate program because “I am doing a peace building, TESOL, and a minor in music… So instead of doing the TESOL major, I am going to do a certificate and also add some science and math classes because I never plan on teaching English.” -ROBINIA TAN
‘Semblee’ simplifies New app that combines news content was created by BYUH alumnus
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BYU-Hawaii alumnus and his brotherin-law have created an iPad app called Semblee that combines news from different sites around United States and United Kingdom in one place. R. Kyle Mauldin, 34, was born in California and is the third child of Richard J. Mauldin, 64, and Linda Carol Mauldin. 66. He attended BYU-Hawaii in 1996 majoring in information systems, he said. However, in the following year, he took a break from schooling to serve his mission in the Argentina Nequa Mission until 1999. In 2000, Mauldin was sealed with his wife, Amanda Kay Mauldin, in the Salt Lake City Temple and together they have four children ranging in ages from 8 to 4 years old. Two years later in 2002, he graduated from BYUH with a bachelor’s degree in information, systems. After his graduation, Mauldin said, he planned to work in the information technology industry to gain the experience he felt he needed before he decided to branch out on his own. The company he works in now is an enterprise sales company named “Backbase,” and according to Mauldin, “It’s an international company based out of the Netherlands with an office in New York City.” He said it is a flexible job where he can work as a part-time employer from his own house in Utah while developing Semblee and other kinds of ventures.
His flexible schedule does not come without a price, Mauldin said. He has spent more than eight years “selling enterprise software” to be able to obtain a flexible job and schedule. His creation, Semblee, is an application where it “brings all the popular websites for consumption all in one slick and fluid interface,” said Mauldin. He added with this application, “it makes sharing the news actually fun with the ability to drag and drop articles to” other kinds of program. Mauldin said the Semblee program came about because both he and his brother-in-law, Robert Smith, 35, from Provo, are “big news hounds” and they were “tired of visiting multiple websites and several times per day to catch the latest news.” In order for them to have an easy way of capturing news without visiting several websites per day, Mauldin with the help of Smith, and their talents in technology, decided to create this application to take away the burden of visiting other websites for news. It took them a year and a half to finish developing Semblee, he said, and even then they wasted a lot of money and 11 months because they “outsourced the development” and their “interests were not aligned.” However, through this failure, he said they gained experience, and in April 2013, Semblee was publicized and made available in the Apple store for the iPad.
Currently, Semblee only features on “popular U.S. news sites and some from the U.K.,” said Mauldin, but it is still his very “first [and personal] information technology related accomplishment.” This first success fueled Mauldin’s desire to continue other kinds of creations and “to innovate and make a difference in the world,” he said. His motto is, “Don’t stop until the job gets done.” Graham Olsen, a sophomore major in psychology from California, said he was delighted about the new app for the iPad because “I love the iPad and I use the app all the time. It’s more accessible in the app and I think it’s better.” He also said he is happy about the usefulness of Semblee and said he always reads and watches news every day in the morning. Cameron Segura, a sophomore majoring in political science from California, said this about the program, “I think it really good that they were able to incorporate all these kind of topics in one application. It makes it easier for the user to find the information that they are looking for [and] faster without wasting a bunch of time going from website to website.” -ROBINIA TAN
Screen shots of the new Semblee app shows what it can do. Photos by Mei Yin
BYU-Hawaii Open Mic Night
The BYUH Game Center hopes to make it a monthly tradition
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YU-Hawaii faculty and students gathered together to share their talents at the Open Mic Night, hosted by the Game Center on July 25. This was the second Open Mic Night held this year. Kathryn Moore, a junior from Littleton, Colo., majoring in business management, said, “I’m really hoping that this helps turn the Game Center into the hangout spot, a place to chill and have fun with your friends.” Moore, who works at the Game Center, is the student who came up with the idea and is in charge of Open Mic Night. “I really have a great love of music. I just heard about this by word of mouth and thought I would come check it out and possibly perform. I play a few instruments and sing, so ill probably get up there and perform something,” said Kalima Watson, a sophomore majoring in business from Honolulu. Watson said he has been performing in public for a long time. He has even performed at the local burger joint Seven Brothers in Laie. David Tyau, a junior majoring in accounting from Honolulu, said, “I come to support my friends. I want them to share their talents with fellow students and faculty. I really have a love for music and this is a really great way to bring us all closer together with a shared love for the arts.” Tyau is a frequent Game Center customer and thinks that this will also help increase Game Center activity. Open Mic Night takes place every last Thursday of each month and is hoped to grow more each time, Moore said. “My dream for this is that it’s just a place for students to come and share their talents with everyone, and possibly face their fears of performing in front of a crowd. Since this is a fairly new event, the numbers of performers and attendees are a little small, which makes it a great place to come perform and get a little confidence boost. There is also food there, which should help draw in a few more students, I’m hoping.” -keryna monson
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BYU-Hawaii students share talents in the Game Center during an Open Mic Night on July 25. Photos by Kyoko Hasegawa
The Heber J. Grant Building Dedication Elder Nelson to visit BYU-Hawaii and dedicate the new Grant building
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lder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will be dedicating the Heber J. Grant Building on Sept. 8. The dedication will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the new building. An invitation or a ticket is required to attend the event, said Michael Johanson, the University Communications director. “Tickets to the live dedication in the Grant Building chapel will be distributed [to] different groups, such as faculty, staff from the accounting and business management departments, contractors who worked on the building, and members of the Laie Hawaii Young Single Adult Second Stake,” said Johanson. A ticket is not required to watch the live broadcast of the dedication at the Cannon Activities Center, he said. Before the live broadcast of the dedication, there will be a CES Devotional at 2 p.m. in the CAC. Those invited to the live dedication will also attend the CES devotional. Elder Nelson and party will move to the Heber J. Grant Building afterwards. Those attending the Devotional will stay there for the dedication broadcast. Faculty, students, and community members are encouraged to come and celebrate the dedication of the Heber J. Grant Building, Johanson said. Sunday dress is required. Elder Nelson was chosen as the speaker for the dedication “because Elder Nelson is a member of the Church Educational System Board. We are blessed to have an apostle come to our campus and participate in this special event,” commented Johanson. Elder Paul V. Johnson, the CES Commissioner will accompany Elder Nelson. Athena Galgiani, an elementary education major from California, said, “Elder Nelson is a famous surgeon.” He is an “internationally renowned surgeon and medical researcher,” according to the LDS Church Website. “I do remember once hearing a talk by him and really enjoying it,” Galgiani said. Ally Johnson, from Utah and an elementary education major, said, “My favorite story about Elder Nelson is a time when him and his family were rafting down the Colorado River. They started going down a really strong current. Elder Nelson put one arm around his wife and the other around his daughter who was 7 years old at the time and tried to hold them close. Elder Nelson then found
Above: The Heber J. Grant building is open and people are moving into its offices. It will be dedicated in September. Below: The building features a center atrium with plants in it. Photos by Mei Yin
himself spinning into the air and landing in the rapids. After nearly drowning, he finally found the side of the raft and rose to the surface. The lesson from Elder Nelson’s story is to cling to the Savior and the iron rod of the gospel just like we would hang tightly to the ropes of the raft on top of the water.” The dedication of the Heber J. Grant Building is an event where students and the community have the opportunity to hear from Elder Nelson. Johanson said about the upcoming dedication, “It is a wonderful blessing for all our students and campus community to have the CES Devotional go out to the world live from our campus, and to have a beautiful new building to help further the mission of the university ‘to integrate spiritual and secular learning.’ Anyone who attends these two events will likely remember them for the rest of their lives.” On the day of the dedication Elder Nelson’s wife, Wendy Watson Nelson, will hold a women’s fireside at 7 p.m. at the Stake Center. The Deseret Book website says, “Wendy Watson Nelson holds a Ph.D. in family therapy and gerontology. Prior to her marriage to Elder Russell M. Nelson, she was a professor of marriage and family therapy for twenty-five years. Sister Nelson has served as a stake Relief Society president, stake Primary president, and chaired the BYU Women’s Conference. Currently, she is an institute instructor and visiting teacher.” - ALYSSA WALHOOD
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Gospel Library App LDS Church improves gospel study tool; members rejoice
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n response to LDS Church members increased use of technology for gospel learning, the church updated its Gospel Library app last month for iOS devices and given the app significant improvements and new features. The new Gospel Library app, Gospel Library 3 available for iOS 6 devices i.e. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, introduces a simplified interface, improved content layout, and improved study tools. Tugsbayar Bat, a junior from Mongolia studying business management, said, “I really like it. It’s a lot easier to change languages. I also really like how you can download like everything.” Upon opening the app, users are brought to the library homepage where they can select icons from a drop down list featuring scriptures, manuals, general conferences, and many other gospel categories. Users are also able to study the gospel more effectively with improved study
tools that allow users to highlight information in different colors, write personal notes, access links, and even watch videos. Members can also post gospel content via social networking websites e.g. Facebook, blogs, Instagram, etc. Elder Christoffel Golden Jr., a member of the Seventy overseeing the project said, “This new version will help members improve their study by inclusion of additional materials, images, and videos to the content as well as improved personal study and sharing tools,” In an effort to provide design consistency with church material, the new app includes better typography, more images, embedded videos, and improved layout. For example, go to the library and open Preach My Gospel. The reformatted interface provides all the graphics and designs from the text Preach My Gospel. These digital books look and feel like their printed counterparts.
The app also includes new content, including Personal Progress and written and audio versions of Jesus the Christ. Brenton Cates, a junior from Galena, Kansas, studying pre-med, said, “I think it’s really handy, but there’s just something special about having a paper copy of the scriptures and the manuals.” Those who enjoy watching gospel videos will be pleased with the app’s new video feature. Video can be streamed to your iOS device or you can download it and watch it later. The video section includes content for personal and instructional use. The app also features higher download speeds for quicker download times. Tawny Gorbutt a senior studying anthropology from Virginia, described the new gospel app in two words, “Convenient and practical. I would much rather carry everything I need for church on my phone than carry eight manuals with me.” - H omer W olman & lds . org
Photos from lds.org
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Super Food Smoothie 5 minutes total to make it 2 servings 1 cup frozen mixed fruit 1 Apple or other fruit 3 leaves of Kale 1 Tbs Flax seed ½ cup vanilla coconut milk (or any other juice you would like to add) Put all ingredients into a blender and blend to the desired consistency. -K eryna M onson Photos by Mei Yin
august 8, 2013
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Campus Comment: What app do you use the most? “DeWalt. It’s a measurement converting app. Basically I use it for designing blueprints in my spare time.” Shane F. Dyer, a junior in EXS from Oregon
“Mail. I probably check it once every two hours. I schedule meetings, try to get my small business ideas going with some contacts, talk with professors, that kind of stuff.” Alex Leng, a senior in supply chain management from Portland, Ore.
“Facebook. It’s a good way to stay in contact with member and converts from my mission.” Cameron Segura, a sophomore in political science from Los Angeles, Calif.
“Mint. It’s a finance app that I use it to manage my financial accounts. It helps me to make sure I don’t spend too much money.” Joshua Riboldi, a junior in finance & accounting from Utah
“Hunger Shark. I just use it to waste time. I don’t use apps a lot.” Park Chen, a freshman in graphic design, Taiwan
“I follow Ryan Gosling on Instagram.” Rachel Romney, a senior in instructional design, from Arizona
- Homer Wolman
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Photos by Emily Waddell