M AY 2 0 1 9 ¡ Vo l u m e 1 2 3 : I s s u e 1
THE LEADER
Women’s Issue
Page 12 Hawaii pushes to ban single-use plastics
Page 16 Mother of thirteen writes book about parenting
Page 42 Women of Laie share their stories
MAY 2019 • VOLUME 123 • ISSUE 1
ADVISOR
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LeeAnn Lambert
Brooklyn Redd
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS
COPY EDITORS
Mackenzie Beaver Tomson Cheang Elijah Hadley Esther Insigne Will Krueger Haeley van der Werf Emi Wainwright J. Eston Dunn Alyssa Odom Anel Canto Taffie Kwok
Dani Castro Bruno Maynez Noah Shoaf
PHOTOGRAPHERS
VIDEOGRAPHERS
Blake Ellertson Diandra Mongan Shannon Crowley ART & GRAPHICS
Anuhea Chen Brad Carbine ART DIRECTOR
Lynne Hardy
Chad Hsieh Ho Yin Li Victor Olesen
MANAGING EDITOR
NEWS CENTER
CONTACT
BOX 1920 BYUH LAIE, HI 96762 PRINTER
Pr int Ser vices Editorial, photo submissions & distribution inquiries: k e a l a k a i @ by u h . e d u . To s u b s c r i b e t o t h e R S S F E E D or to view additional ar ticles,go to k e a l a k a i . by u h . e d u
Emily Hancock
Email: kealakai@byuh.edu Phone: (808) 675-3694 Fax: (808) 675-3491 Office: BYU–Hawaii Aloha Center 134 ON THE COVER:
Keala Tamoama, a freshman music major from Florida, is proficient in four instruments despite having chronic carpal tunnel issues. Photo by Shannon Crowley.
ABO UT US
The Ke Alaka‘i began publishing the same year the university, then called Church College of Hawaii, opened. It has continued printing for more than 60 years. The name means “the leader” in Hawaiian. It began as a monthly newsletter, evolved into a weekly newspaper, then a weekly magazine, and is now a monthly news magazine with a website and a social media presence. Today a staff of about 25 students works to provide information for BYU–Hawaii’s campus ohana and Laie’s community. © 2019 Ke Alaka‘i BYU–Hawaii All Rights Reserved 2
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Razelle Togiai said of this photo, “Our daughter Anela has made us realize how blessed we are no matter the circumstance. Whether I had a long day at school or my husband had a tough day at work, the smile on our daughter’s face melts all of our struggles away.” Photo courtesy of Razelle Togiai
Share your photo with us and we may feature it in our next issue. E-mail us your high-resolution photo with a caption at kealakai@byuh.edu
F O L LO W U S AR O U ND THE WE B
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Contents May 08
Ask the Professional with Dean Yifen Beus
10
Student discounts and benefits at BYU–Hawaii
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The dangers of plastic waste on the environment
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Students with service animals
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Pursuing a lifelong passion Freshman Keala Tamoama overcame physical trials to fulfill her dream of majoring in piano
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Parenting advice
Service animals
Marleen Ellingson wrote a book about parenting and loving children more
Two students share their experiences having service animals
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14
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40
Mother of 13 children shares insights into parenting
On the cover
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Highlights
Miss Central Oahu BYUH student Nikki Holbrook will compete for Miss Hawaii in June
Jade Castro EIL tutor and TESOL major Jade Castro wants to take her skills back to her Hong Kong home
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Eradicating Strawberry Guava from Hawaii
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Meet the new Title IX deputy coordinator
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Keala Tamoama’s passion for the piano
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Nikki Holbrook competes for Miss Hawaii
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Rebekah Strain: women’s history advocate
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Jensen Dye searches for mom’s birth family
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Captain Marvel vs. Wonder Woman
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Tialei Scanlan on motherhood and teaching
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New course on women in Oceania
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Students raised by single mothers
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Jade Castro hopes to teach English in Hong Kong
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Women of Laie tell their stories
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Eve, the first mother
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Amirah Abdullah comes from Bahrain
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Tania Delinila has unwavering faith
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History of the Laie Hawaii Temple
Campus Comment:
What makes a powerful woman? By Elijah Hadley
Fidelish Metta, a senior student
from Papua New Guinea majoring in Pacific Island Studies - “Being Godly (virtuous), being knowledgeable, and being confident with who you are as a daughter of God. As a woman, these things are very important to keep in mind and I strive to become this way. Also, my inspiration of measuring what a powerful woman or an individual is from D&C 121:45. Fulfilling righteousness responsibilities makes you become a powerful woman or man.”
Corbin Marciel, a biochemistry
major and sophomore from Oregon - “I think a powerful woman is one who does her best to fulfill her responsibilities be they at work, at church, or in the home. One specific thing that I have grown to appreciate about my own mother that causes me to view her as a strong woman is her ability to give helpful counsel whenever I need it.”
Norri Kaneko, a senior human
resources major from Japan, and Katie’s [featured below] husband - “A woman with real power knows how to make the best out of a bad situation and understands the reality of her situation, but she is still willing to make sacrifices.”
Katie Kaneko, an alumna from
California, graduated in graphic design “A powerful woman is full of confidence and is decisive in her decision making. She doesn’t let other people define her and always uses her social skills to the fullest extent.”
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Letter from the advisor I grew up in a family of strong women. I have six sisters, and my mother, Delores Hogan Lambert, was our example of how to live a life of faith, service, gratitude and courage. My father, Richard, was the lone male in our family, but he loved us all unconditionally. My mother’s favorite scripture is Proverbs 31:10. It says: “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” She taught us what a woman looks like who strives every day to live virtuously. She had her problems and trials as anyone does, but my mother would get up the next day and try again to be the woman she hoped her daughters would become. The value of virtuous women was something she learned from her own mother, my Grandmother Edna Hogan, who learned it from her mother and so on. President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue.” Elder Richard G. Scott said this about virtuous women: “I know what it is to love a daughter of God who with grace and devotion served with the full feminine splendor of her righteous womanhood. Tell your mother how you love her. It will give her great joy.” And from Sister Elaine Dalton: “Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind. It is nurtured in the home. It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions….Virtuous women and men possess a quiet dignity and inner strength. They are confident because they are worthy to receive and be guided by the Holy Ghost.” In this May 2019 issue, we included stories about women and the differences great and small they make in the world. A mother of 13, (page 16), shares insights about parenting with the spirit in a book she wrote. Student Keala Tamoama, (page 24), plays instruments despite having carpel tunnel issues. Instructors Rebecca Strain, (page 28), and Line-Noue Memea Kruse, (page 36), inspire students with their classes that teach about women’s roles in history, culture and more, and children of single mothers, (page 38), share the sacrifices and courage of their moms. I had heard it said while we may regret being unkind now, in the eternities, we will never regret being too kind. My mother told me she read that President Hinckley prayed every day he would be able to live a life without regret. To do that, she suggested, was simply to choose to live a virtuous life every day and that no other reward, even a price far above rubies, would be better than that.
LeeAnn Lambert - Advisor
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Campus and Community
Yifen Beus said she has always been fascinated with film because of its impact on how people view the world, cultures and themselves. Photo by Chad Hsieh
ASK THE PROFESSIONAL 8
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Yifen Beus BY BRUNO MAYNEZ
Yifen Beus, the dean of Arts and Letters and a professor of Film Studies, explains how she has seen the role of women evolve throughout time in the film industry. How did you get into film? “In Taiwan, I loved watching films. I would always watch films with my family. A good friend was in charge of a theatre and ran classic films. Back then, I loved watching war films. Not so now. I used to as a kid, but to me now many of the war genre films glorify unnecessary violence for visual stimulation, which doesn’t interest me. “In fact some of the best war films, such as Jean Renoir’s ‘Grand Illusion,’ do not have a single battle scene, which I prefer, as they investigate the fundamental and philosophical questions about warfare and depict how humans have more in common than the perceived differences that are supposedly the cause of conflict. I prefer the humanistic approach to the action-packed war narratives we often see today.” What influenced you in your career choice? “Film is a mass medium. Most people are not aware of the impact of film. Many of the gender and race stereotypes are perpetuated in popular media, and certainly cinema, that many audiences brush them off as nothing but entertainment tropes. But it is these depictions that became fixated and allowed the audience to make assumptions without nuanced portrayals. “I studied theoretical aspects and influences of film. It gave me a chance to study other cultures.” How have women influenced the film industry? “The influence was not felt in film studies until the 1970s. There was, of course,
the women’s movement during that time. I remember an article came out and it said the industry was objectifying women. For the industry, images mattered. “One influential woman was Agnes Varda, who recently passed away. She is known as the mother of French New Wave. She changed cinema allowing more women to be directors. She influenced Hollywood stars like Kathryn Bigelow and Barbra Streisand. “They have won recognition and many awards. The two were actresses turned directors. Kathryn Bigelow directed ‘The Hurt Locker.’ Barbra Streisand starred in films like ‘Yentl’ and ‘The Prince of Tides.’ These two and other women are well known for appearing in front of and behind the camera. They know how to not subjugate women.” Has the portrayal of women’s influence in film become more empowering recently? How? “The film ‘Captain Marvel’ did what ‘Black Panther’ did for other cultures. Both characters motivated the progression of the narratives. They were key to the plot. However, ‘Avengers: Endgame’ was a disservice to Black Widow and Captain Marvel. The directors were male and the film was male centric. It was like the directors didn’t know what to do with the female characters. They just stuck them into the film and had little to do. Black Widow does sacrifice herself to motivate Hawkeye. She is what we call a ‘causal agent,’ or the reason for events occurring. “The women in ‘Hidden Figures’ are great examples of female empowerment. They are black women mathematicians. They helped NASA in the space race. Captain Marvel is another example. She has no love interest. Some had the wrong impression and thought the characters were lesbian. People read it wrong. There was no need for love interests.
‘Princess Bride’ is a good example. It’s an earlier film that broke from the whole rescuing the damsel in distress. It also poked fun at the stereotype.”
Which women empowerment films do you recommend? "Before I became dean, I taught Women’s Cinema. Here are the films in the class: “Clueless” (Amy Heckerling, USA, 1995). “I used this film as a counter example for women.” “Cleo 5 to 7” (Agnes Varda, France, 1962) “Sugar Can Alley” (Euzhan Palcy, France/ Martinique, 1983) “Salam Bombay” (Mira Nair, India, UK, France, 1988) “Halving the Bones” (Ruth Ozeki Lounsbury, USA, 1995) “Silences of the Palace” (Moufida Tlatli, Tunisia/France, 2004) “La Nuit de la verite” (Fanta Nacro, Burkina Faso/France, 2004) “Sepet” (Yasmin Ahmad, Malaysia, 2005) “Persepolis” (Marjane Satrapi, France, 2007) “Bride & Prejudice” (Gurinder Chadha, UK/India/USA, 2004)
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BYU–Hawaii resources for students Learn more about special deals available to students BY ALYSSA ODOM
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
1. The Media Production Center recording studio 10
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If you have a song or podcast you would love to record, you can follow these steps and the Media Production Center will help you. Step 1: Submit a project request form on BYU–Hawaii’s University Communications & Relations website at https://ucwebform.byuh. edu/form/media-production-center-project-. Step 2: The media production center will review and approve your project. According to MPC sound technician, Riley Weston, a junior from Oregon studying computer science, huge or long-term projects
cannot be taken on by the MPC. “We want people to have the opportunity to record their content. We will do our best to work with people who have prepared content and a real desire to get it recorded.”
2. Microsoft Office 365 is free for all students All you need to use Microsoft Office is your CES Net ID and password. BYUH’s website says, “Office 365 is available to students and university employees at no cost. The license enables users to install a full desktop version of Office applications on five personal computers as well as five Windows
tablets and/or Ipads and multiple smartphones.” Office 365 includes both online and offline access to documents and editing. The download will come directly from Microsoft. The software will only continue to work while you are a current student or employee of the university. When your role as student or employee is terminated, the software becomes read-only.” Download Office 365 using the link https://oit.byuh.edu/O365Desktop.html.
3. Discounted Adobe membership for graphic design majors If you are a graphic design major, you can get Adobe software at a discounted price. All other students can get a student discount on Adobe software by going to adobe.com. The discount for graphic design majors can be found on the BYUH “Student Center.” Adobe
Software Purchase for Graphic Design Majors only. Once payment is made, please email darryl. kimak@byuh.edu with a copy of your receipt. You may also contact Darryl at 808-675-3206 if you have any questions. Amount: $48.
4. Free movie streaming to all students Watch a variety of movies and TV shows from BYUH’s free movie streaming service, using the link Movies.byuh.edu provided by Seasider Activities. To watch them, you have to have access to BYUH wireless services.
5. Travel deals when booking with the BYUH Travel Office Staff members at BYUH Travel Services are ready and willing to help students book travel at the best cost and quality. Come to the travel office to find discounts on flights, rental cars, and hotels. When booking through BYUH, students will receive discounts on airlines such as Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, and United. All BYUH students can also receive two free checked bags on Hawaiian Airlines when booking through Travel Services.
6. BYUH C-Store BYUH C-store BOGO (buy one, get one free) deals. Check out the C-store inventory at the end of the night, from 9 p.m. onward, to see what leftovers there are for the day. When over in inventory, the C-store offers bentos and drinks at a discount of buy one get one free. The BYUH C-store deals and discounts change weekly, check out the announcement board in the store as well as the Facebook page.
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
MAY 2019
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Seas of debris
Banning plastics from restaurants would have a positive impact on the environment in Hawaii, according to BYUH students and professor. BY ELIJAH HADLEY In 2018 and again in 2019, Hawaii Senator Mike Gabbard introduced a bill to the state legislature to ban Styrofoam and plastic from restaurants, says to the Associated Press. BYU–Hawaii students interviewed said they share his concern. On March 21, the bill was again rejected by two Hawaiian legislative committees. Both committees vetoed a section that would have banned the sale and use of plastic bottles, utensils, stirring sticks and straws in restaurants. According to Restaurant Dive, Gabbard told fellow state legislators 95 percent of plastic packaging is thrown out after use. Additionally, 170-to-390 million plastic straws are used every day in the United States, according the New York Times. Kamilo Beach on the Big Island has even earned the nickname “Plastic Beach,” due to 90 percent of its trash being plastic, says ostyer.com. Members of the BYUH ohana said the use of plastics is a vicious cycle and a convenience that comes with negative consequences now and in the future. Explaining the dangers of not banning disposable plastics, Kendra Nelson, a junior from Arizona majoring in marine biology, said, “A lot of disposable and recyclable plastic actually isn’t recycled but ends up in landfills. Out of 480 billion plastic bottles sold in 2016, less than 50 percent were collected for recycling and only 7 percent of those plastics were turned into new plastics. “Less than 9 percent of all plastic ever produced has been recycled and plastic takes 450 years to break down...Not only that but 80 percent of plastic found in the ocean has come from land-based sources and landfills.” According to the National Geographic website, just 12 percent of plastics ever created have been incinerated.
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In the past, the United States shipped mixed plastics to China to be recycled. However China stopped accepting almost all these shipments in January 2018, reported National Pubic Radio. Nelson said, “Now the United States is left with tons of plastic and waste management doesn’t know what to do with it. “So they dump them in landfills. But we continue to use plastics in enormous quantities, so the cycle will just continue and the plastic problem will continue to grow with no end in sight. It is a vicious cycle of convenience and we need to be the ones to break it.” Nelson said restaurants in Hawaii should stop using plastic products at the current rate. “They just continue to add to the waste and problems. It is also unnecessary when there are other options for takeout and alternatives to plastic utensils or straws. There are plenty of options.” Spencer Ingley, BYU–Hawaii professor of marine biology, warned about the dangers disposable plastics could have on Hawaii and its ecosystem. He said, “The effects of plastics on ecosystems in Hawaii and around the globe are numerous. I recall seeing images of animals becoming entangled in plastics since the time I was a child, so this issue is by no means new.” Some examples of the plastics Ingley talked about included soda can six-pack rings and fishing line. “What has become apparent over recent years is the magnitude and variety of plastic items that are finding their way into virtually every ecosystem on earth. In Hawaii, we are not only subject to local pollution but also to the pollution that arrives on our shores from across the Pacific. “When someone tosses a plastic water bottle on the ground in some country in Asia,
"Education here is key and can really help align our actions with our desires to be wise stewards of the earth we’ve been given.” - Professor Spencer Ingley
that bottle can very quickly be swept into storm sewers by rainfall, which then takes this bottle to the nearest river and, eventually, out to the ocean. “Then with some time, this bottle can find its way to Hawaii or other locations with the help of strong winds and ocean currents. Much of the plastic found along our shores comes from the open ocean, originating from other locations throughout the Pacific.” When asked if the bill to ban disposable plastics was realistic, Ingley replied, “Measures such as this have already been passed in many municipalities and even entire countries are taking steps to ban disposable plastics across the board. I believe this particular measure is focused on use by the government and also by restaurants.” Ingley continued, “Countless animals become entangled in free-floating ropes, fishing lines, and nets every year. This results in almost certain death for the individuals entangled, often a very slow and painful death. More animals
are being discovered with intestines filled with plastics. I think this will become more common in the near future.” If the bill were passed, Ingley said businesses would need to adapt to become more environmentally friendly. He also said change for environmental protection would need to start at an individual level. “Even if the bill was never passed, the people still have a responsibility to the environment. “For example, at social gatherings with our families or community members, we can avoid purchasing single-serve, single-use plastic drink containers and instead opt for re-usable or paper cups and a cooler full of your favorite drink. An approach like this saves money and resources. It is a great way to generate awareness for an issue and promote community activity in solving the problem. “I’ve even been to wedding receptions where guests are asked to bring their own reusable cup. When using plastics is unavoidable, we should get creative in re-using those items as
much as possible to extend their life. We should also educate ourselves about how to recycle — what can and cannot be placed in the blue bin. “Putting something in the trash that could be recycled is a missed opportunity, but at the same time, ‘wishcycling’ increases recycling costs and drives down efficiency. Education here is key and can really help align our actions with our desires to be wise stewards of the Earth we’ve been given.” “Wishcycling” is putting something in the recycle bin that doesn’t belong there. Emily Russon, a sophomore from Idaho studying social work, said the plastic ban in restaurants would be a big change for businesses. “Businesses like fast-food restaurants depend on plastic forks and straws. They make everything convenient due to how cheap they are. But with cheapness comes a great price. People just can’t be trusted not to throw their trash on the ground. There needs to be more personal responsibility even if this bill is not passed.”
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
According to Restaurant Dive, Senator Gabbard told fellow state legislators 95 percent of plastic packaging is thrown out after use. Additionally, 170-to-360 million plastic straws are trashed every day in the United States, says the New York Times.
“Less than 9 percent of all plastic ever produced has been recycled and plastic takes 450 years to break down." - Kendra Nelson
“Countless animals become entangled in free-floating ropes, fishing lines, and nets every year. This results in almost certain death for the individuals entangled, often a very slow and painful death. More animals are being discovered with intestines filled with plastics." - Emily Russon MAY 2019
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Training compassionate companions Students explain the purpose, role, and training of service dogs BY WILL KRUEGER
Service dogs play an important part in the lives of students Hannah Fullerton and Logan Sprouse. Fullerton, a senior majoring in Pacific Island studies from Arizona, said having Bear, her service dog, has changed and helped her life. “Before I got Bear, I wasn’t living too good. I was kind of miserable and not having great relationships with other people. I couldn’t manage my life. “Having Bear trained to do his two [plus] jobs has enabled me to go out and live my life again. Not only does he do his job but also he is emotionally supportive and he is like a family member to me." According to Fullerton, Bear is a fullright service animal with public access meaning he is not a pet but a working dog with rights. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Bear qualifies as a certified service dog, she said, which she can’t be refused service, medical care, or housing on the basis of having him. Fullerton shared how Bear was a pound rescue dog and was found on the streets. “He’s about 2 years old. I’ve had him [for] 10 months.” Although having a service dog has helped her, she said she has also faced some stigma. “There’s something about having a labeled disability. Not everyone walks around with a sign on their forehead saying they have a disability. But I have one and that’s why I have a service dog. You get targeted sometimes.” Sprouse, a senior majoring in Pacific Island studies from California, also has a service dog. He said, “I think a lot of people view having a service dog or emotional support animal is a cry for attention and that it’s not necessary. I wish people would look past their own views and put themselves in that person’s shoes.” The role of a service dog Sprouse said service dogs and emotional support animals are not pets and are constantly working. “Service dogs are used for alerting the owner that they might be having a seizure or have 14
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Graphic by Lynne Hardy
“Having Bear trained to do his two
[plus] jobs has enabled me to go out and live my life again.”
low-blood sugar. These dogs typically cannot be petted in public because they’re constantly working to keep their owner safe. My dog is different, and he’s allowed to be petted because my issue is not life threatening.” He added, “Some service dogs or emotional-support animals can be pet, it’s just important to ask first. And don’t be offended if somebody ever says not to pet their dog. I promise they want to share him or her, but he or she just might be working.” With Sprouse’s thoughts in mind, Fullerton added, “Service dogs can be trained in multiple capacities. There are some that are seizure alert, diabetic alert, psychiatric service and for physical disabilities. Service dogs do two specific tasks related to the owner’s disability.”
She continued, “I think people need to be more respectful of service animals. When you see a service animal, you’re supposed to ignore them. If you distract the dog, it may miss an alert. The best thing to do is ignore the dog and leave it be so it can do its job. Leilani Auna, a clinical counselor and Disability Services director for BYU–Hawaii, said, “Service animals have specific tasks and have legal rights. Service animals are always working. People are legally able to ask what tasks the animal does. If people want to have a service animal, they come to Disability Services to see if they are eligible and to get verified.” Auna said more information about service Gunstock Ranch specializeds in small nature rides. dogs is available on the Disability Services website, https://disability.byuh.edu/.
Business venture Fullerton said she saw a need to create better products for service dogs and emotional support animals as a result of her experience in owning a service dog. “This business idea came because I noticed Bear’s service animal gear kept falling apart. I would shop around and felt like most of the gear was minimum effort.” According to Fullerton, her personal experience as an owner of a service dog helped jump start her idea. “I made Bear a dog collar before and thought that I could do this and turn it into a business.” Fullerton said, “Service dogs can go through their vests and equipment very easily because of their daily tasks and how they are being used. They need equipment that isn’t gonna fail them and equipment that isn’t going to be damaged or rust easily while still being economical.” Although the business is still in its infancy, Fullerton said she is taking an entrepreneurship class this semester and said she has experience with running a small business before. She said she is this business starting with collars; nice leather collars that are handmade. Training service dogs daily Fullerton said having a service dog keeps her day very busy. “... It requires a lot of work to have him. Hours of my day are dedicated to feeding, training him and taking care of him.” She continued, “I’m not really okay with people around campus that want to pet Bear. He’s always working. I can’t run the risk of him missing an alert and him getting distracted from what he’s supposed to be doing. Sometimes as part of training, I will allow people to pet him. He’s a really friendly dog.” Sprouse said he is also training his service dog every day. “We are doing most of the training for our service dog, however we did enroll him in obedience training when he was a young puppy. But we work with him every day to train him for specific cues. Training him is a lot of fun. As a person who is hard of hearing, we are training my dog, Indie, to tell me when someone’s knocking at the door, when the phone is ringing or when someone says my name. Sprouse added every owner of a service dog has different needs and are trained in various ways according to the owners needs, ranging
Hannah Fullerton said she has to train her service dog, Bear, everyday. Photo by Chad Hsieh
from physical conditions such as hearing or vision impairment to treating mental illness. Sprouse concluded, “I would say don’t treat anyone [with a service dog] differently. If anything, they should be your friend more so they can come hang out with a dog.”
“He’s a service dog and it requires a lot of work to have him. Hours of my day are dedicated to feeding, training him and taking care of him.” - Hannah Fullerton
Tourists and conservation groups are planting trees at Gunstock to help with the reforestation process.
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Marlene Ellingson is pictured with her 13 children. Photo courtesy of Marleen Ellingson
Parenting with the Spirit Marlene Ellingson, mother of 13 children, shares how motherhood inspired her new book BY ALYSSA ODOM Marlene Ellingson, mother of 13 children and author of “Parenting with the Spirit,” shared learning to follow the spirit and nurturing children individually has helped her through the years of motherhood. Originally from Arizona, Ellingson resides in Hauula serving as a church service missionary with her husband, Mark. Parenting with the Spirit When her youngest son went to kindergarten, she said she did not know what she was going to do with herself. She said, “I decided that I wanted to help families. With a degree in family living and the trial and error experiences of raising 13 children, I knew I could use what I had learned and share it.” 16
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What started as a blog, theanswerismorelove.com, led to the creation and publishing of Ellingson’s new parenting book. It is available at the BYU–Hawaii Bookstore and is a collection of stories and experiences from Ellingson’s family. She uses the stories to share advice for parents raising their children. Her daughter-in-law, Katie Ellingson, created the cover artwork. Drawings from many of her grandchildren are found throughout the book. Ellingson said she finds joy in having her family be involved and connected in one another’s passions and projects. “I started collecting stories from our family and from the different things my husband and I did in raising our children. I figured by doing this
people could examine the different stories and learn new ways to handle a dilemma in parenthood. They can try different approaches and techniques according to what the spirit urges them to do.” Her husband shared, “My wife has been an incredible mother to all of our children. I have learned so much from her. She has truly taught me to love and to engage specifically in the lives of each of our children.” Ellingson has more than 30 years of experience as a mother. She said having so many children helped her and her husband gain a better understanding of how to successfully raise children. She said there is not just one right way to parent.
Left: Ellingson with her husband, Mark, and their two youngest children. Right: The cover of Ellingson's book. Photos by Chad Hsieh
“With 13 kids, we knew 13 different ways to potty train. This just goes to show how different each child is and how important it is to give specific attention and love to each of our children. “You think you have it down, and then another child comes.You start over again. We’ve just learned that we need to follow the spirit for each one. Each child feels love differently and is on a different timeline.” Following the spirit is what Ellingson said is the most important part of parenthood. She said, “I urge young parents to remember that there is nothing too small to bring to the Lord. Through prayer and following the spirit, you will see that He is anxious to guide and to help you in raising your families.” Ellingson shared her excitement for couples young and old who have made the decision to start a family. “I would applaud each couple that has the courage to start a family. It will be the greatest experience of your life.” She encouraged parents to read her book with an open mind to act on the things they learn. “My hope is that those who read my book will invest the time and energy to really clue in and love a child enough to be open to letting the spirit guide them in their parenting. “Sometimes success is found in the small things. I have found that it makes all the difference when you have individualized direction.” After reading the book, Barbara Hong, a professor of education, said, “We should never feel like we know everything about raising kids just because we had a few. Just look at how Marlene shared her experiences in fumbling
through her first to her last child, and now with her grandkids. “I appreciate the author’s transparency in sharing her daily ups and downs because now I feel more ‘normal.’ This book opened up my eyes and helped me to understand that I don’t need to do this alone, that I’m alright, and that I'm a decent parent. “We don’t need to be perfect moms and dads, we just need to remember that we are but a child ourselves, making mistakes and learning to grow, while helping a few young ones along the way.” Excerpts from her life Ellingson shared a story from when one of her sons, at the age of 8, was having a rough day and not getting along with his brother. “Normally, I would have just said the usual, ‘Talk nice to each other,’ or dished out a consequence. “Instead, I decided to really figure it out. After a little bit of prayer, I got this idea to just take him on my lap. Touch was his love language, and he responded well as I held him there and helped him to see his brother’s point of view.” “I was so thankful for that small moment of inspiration. As we moved on from that specific situation, we used that technique many times. We called it ‘rock and talk.’” Her 18- year-old son, Tyler, is the twelfth child. He said his love and appreciation for his mother has grown throughout his life. “There have been so many late nights and early mornings where I am just stressed and maybe not the easiest to be around. No matter the circumstance
my mom is just always there. Always helping me, guiding me and loving me. Even in the small things to remind me to get homework done or to go to bed on time. I always feel that she has my best interest at heart.” Ellingson said she learned this technique from her father. “My dad coined the phrase, ‘The answer is more love.’ It fits in so many cases. I’ve learned from my own parents and from my personal experience that this has many different meanings.” She shared one of her favorite teachings from President Joseph F. Smith. “If you can only convince your children that you love them, that your soul goes out to them for their good, that you are their truest friend, they, in turn, will place confidence in you and will love you and seek to do your bidding and to carry out your wishes with your love.” In connecting the gospel with parenting, Ellingson expressed her gratitude for the new “Come Follow Me” program. She urged families to implement good things, such as family prayer, scripture study, and Family Home Evenings and to make those things positive experiences for the families. “Whenever there is something good, we want to only connect good feelings with it. We don’t want anyone to ever feel ashamed or out of place during an activity that is meant to draw us closer to one another and closer to God.” “Parenting with the Spirit” can be purchased at the BYUH Bookstore, Deseret Book, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.
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A delicious way to save the environment The easiest way to get rid of invasive strawberry guava, according to experts, is to pick it and eat it BY J. ESTON DUNN Photo by Hayden Geddes
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Local researchers agreed the largest threat to native Hawaiian forests is the invasive strawberry guava tree. Of the various tactics they suggest in fighting it, the most common one is to eat it. “The worst invasive species in the state as far as plants go is strawberry guava,” said Dr. David Bybee, the Associate Academic vice president for Instruction at BYU–Hawaii. “It comes in and chokes out the native forest.” Kapua Kawelo, Natural Resource manager for the U.S. Army Garrison in Hawaii, said, “Strawberry guava is well established in our islands, unfortunately. It takes over areas and forms monotypic stands. It can give off chemicals and change the environment so nothing else can grow.” As a result, Kawelo continued, native forests are slowly being overrun by strawberry guava. She added, “Feral pigs and guava go hand in hand. Volunteer and private hunters are vital in keeping guava from spreading.” Bybee, who is a marine biologist and also an environmental consultant, explained how the pigs help spread strawberry guava. “Pigs will eat the guava and then run up into the hills and spread the seeds up into higher elevations, so the guava will climb up the mountains.” All major conservation groups on the island, including the Oahu Army Natural Resource Program (OANRP), are constantly working in a massive effort to contain the spreading of strawberry guava. Invested students can volunteer, they said, or at the most basic level of activism, eat local pork and harvest the strawberry guava to prevent further spreading. Strawberry guava is recognizable by its reddish bark, short rounded stiff dark green waxy leaves, and distinct small red fruit growing in clumps on the end of branches. Invasive species: The biggest threat to native Hawaiian ecosystems “We are the endangered species capital of the country and the highest in the world possibly,” said Bybee. “We’re so isolated that this place is a treasure trove of endemic species, species that are only found here, that didn’t develop defenses.” According to Kawelo, “Hawaii has a unique natural history and organisms didn’t get established here but every 10,000 years via birds, wind, and water. Humans started bringing species and the native species weren’t used to that rate of introduction and got out-competed.”
Bybee continued, “The landscape has become so changed by invasive species that ancient Hawaiians wouldn’t recognize the jungle today. You walk up the Laie Falls Trail, and you won’t see a native plant.You’d have to go about a mile past the falls to see that. “Strawberry guava is originally from Brazil, and over there it has its niche, but out here there’s nothing to contain it.” When asked why fighting invasive species is important, Kawelo replied, “The plants and animals of Hawaii are what makes Hawaii unique and defining for native Hawaiians. They were here when Hawaiians arrived and we’ve used them for native purposes. They’re what makes Hawaiian unique. That’s reason enough. “If we lose the plants and animals, we lose their stories and won’t be able to relate the value of them to their kids. People come here to see the species that are found nowhere else in the world. We’ve been part of the change in bringing these species here, and now we need to be part of the solution in preserving native species.” Bybee explained invasive species often affect all aspects of a native environment. “Invasive species don’t allow natural ecosystems to function very well. For example, [in Hawaii] native plants act as a sponge and keep the water in the ecosystem longer instead of rushing into the ocean so it has time to percolate down. In this way, native species prevents runoffs that keep soil from choking out coral reefs, which in turn help fisherman get better fish.” Jane Contrell, a freshman majoring in psychology from Utah, said, “We need to preserve native species. Most of the people who live here [Hawaii], it isn’t there home, [and] they don’t appreciate the place they live in. I feel they’re taking advantage of it because ‘it’s paradise’ or ‘it’s not my responsibility’ so why does it matter? “But I want to respect Hawaii, and even though I haven’t done a lot [to fight invasive species], I want to become more involved,” through volunteering with local conservation groups Contrell explained. Efforts in controlling strawberry guava “There are other weeds that aren’t established and the goal there is elimination,” Kawelo explained. However, with strawberry guava, “we pick and choose areas where to control it since it’s everywhere. “We’re trying to restore the habitat within the Waianae and Koa’loa areas. We’ll go in and cut them down or treat them with herbicide. We can pretty much kill all the guava in the Koa’loa, but in the
Graphic by Lynne Hardy
Waianae, we have to do the removal and it’s much harder. “We use the Ecosystem Restoration Team, and its goal is to connect patches of native vegetation by removing guava within a specific area. They’ll clear cut guava patches and chip them up occasionally to keep down other weeds and help with seeding. They’ll then sow native species including mamaki, which is one of the first successional plants.” Mamaki is a small medicinal tree often used to make teas with distinct slender green leaves growing to almost a foot long with red veins. Kawelo continued, “We’ll then add patches of koa [tree] seedlings. Those are the first tier trying to re-establish canopy. Once that’s in the ground, we will plant understory species that are appropriate to the site we’re working, i.e ferns, uki-uki, shrubs whatever we can collect successfully from the area. “It’s been really successful. We’re actually seeing germination of endangered species that allow for the habitat of native species. We’ve transformed it from 100 percent strawberry guava to native habitats where endangered species can grow,” in both the Waianae and Koa’loa areas.
Anyone interested in more information on fighting strawberry guava can contact the OANRP at: http://manoa.hawaii. edu/hpicesu/dpw.htm
MAY 2019
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Experts say the fruit trees overrun native plants
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Women MAY 2019
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New Title IX director, Patricia "Patti" Abbott came to work at BYUH in November. Photo by Monique Saenz.
TITLE IX IS HERE FOR STUDENTS Title IX officials welcome new deputy coordinator and share new changes BY HAELEY VAN DER WERF AND NOAH SHOAF The Title IX Office hired a new deputy coordinator and is hoping to educate students about what happens when they report sexual misconduct through new videos, rebranding, and an emphasis on training BYU–Hawaii staff. A senior missionary and two Title IX employees shared what they wish students knew about their office, including the difference between Title IX and Honor Code, as well as how much the people at Title IX care about the students who come to them. The new deputy coordinator Patricia Abbott said she came to work at BYUH in November after she and her husband decided to move to Hawaii. “I have a background working in domestic violence, and I am an attorney. I graduated from law school in 2003 from BYU Law. I spent the first nine years of 22
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my career working for non-profits [regarding] domestic violence and family life. “My husband and I decided to come to Hawaii. I was very fortunate to find this job opening because this is really where I like to work. I love helping survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.” Title IX Coordinator and Vice President for Student Development and Services Debbie Hippolite Wright said of Abbott, “The Lord provided her. No [doubts] about it. We needed her....We prayed during our selection. We went through our processes, as we should, but we also let the Spirit guide who should be here. We believe that. I’m so thankful for Patti. She’s really someone special. “We had so many excellent candidates.” Hippolite Wright said Abbott stood out above all the other candidates for the position. “Patti
is smart, compassionate, organized. She takes initiative. She’s got fabulous experience, knowledge of the law, and knows how to conduct investigations. She’s open to training. “If you don’t know Patti, go meet her. Go sit down and have a chat. She’s positive. She’s mature ... She has immersed herself in the work of Title IX, the outreach, and investigations.” Cheryl Cozzens, a hale coordinator and licensed therapist who has worked with the Title IX Office, said working with Abbott has been great. “She’s been proactive, and she has a real passion for helping students who have been victims. She does a great job. “I’ve only been here six months and the girls I have sent to [Patti] to work with have had nothing but positive praise for her and have felt very comfortable in talking to her. That has
F EAT URE
2019 TITLE IX REBRANDED WITH NEW • BANNERS • BOOKMARKS • POSTERS • BROCHURES
been really comforting to me. We’ve launched a couple of programs working on prevention and working on getting the students to come forward sooner and get help.” Initiatives for 2019 According to Hippolite Wright, “We are doing so many things. We have our entire year planned out. A video on bystander training will come out. It will also be part of an online training piece for all faculty and staff, and probably students as well.” According to her, Title IX has also been rebranded with new posters, banners, bookmarks, and brochures. “We always have our contact information. One hundred percent of our students getting their IDs will have some kind of training. We want it to be good and it’s very informative.” Abbott said, “We have another bystander awareness campaign that we are kicking off. We’re here to reach out students, even if they are busy. “Sister Cozzens is a trained psychologist. In her work, she noticed a lot of students come to her saying they have been hurt by relationships, whenever it is sexual misconduct from another party. So, she did two different training sessions on avoiding relationship pitfalls, sexual grooming, and manipulation in relationships. The goal there is to start a conversation about relationship violence.” Cozzens said, “We are hoping for a senior couple to be called to head the committee. All of us are so busy. We can’t run the committee to keep things rolling. That’s where we’ve had difficulty. We’re all buried in doing the things we normally do. We need a committee, a club, or a couple to spearhead it, keep it rolling, and get people involved.”
Hippolite Wright further shared, “We have new videos. We had the Consent video, the End the Cycle video, and the Bystander video is coming out soon. We’ve done far more outreach to say every person who is walking around this community should be on the Rave Guardian App. “We’re trying to do prevention. We want to demystify sexual assault and Title IX. We want to be talking about things like healthy relationships, when somebody’s being manipulative in a relationship, looking for the tell-tale signs of someone being controlled emotionally, psychologically, and physically.” Another emphasis of the Title IX Department, she said, is focusing on additional training for BYUH employees. “What we’re doing this upcoming year is we’re moving to a campus safety training program. We’re purchasing a training program. What we like about it for Title IX is it has content in there already, but we can also add our own content.” What students should know about Title IX Concerned about Title IX’s reputation Abbott said, “It is easy to have a false impression of Title IX as an adversary, or looming presence, that might be out to get you. That is completely untrue. Our purpose is to help students. When a student comes to me, it is important that reporting parties have amnesty surrounding events that are close in time to what they are reporting. We are never looking for reasons to victimize them. We are just looking to help. “So, if they come in and they have been a victim of sexual misconduct or harassment, we just try to help. First, I try to evaluate the case to make sure they are safe, then we see what kinds of accommodations we can put in place to fix what is not working. If they need to go to court, we can help them go to court; temporary restraining orders. We do a lot of things I don’t think the students know about. “We can make sure students get access to Counseling Services, to medical services, accommodations with classes, employment or housing. The more people know about us the more we can help … I think sexual violence is underreported. No one ever needs be ashamed to come forward to us. Cozzens made a distinction between Title IX and Honor Code. “I would want them to know
[Title IX] is not Honor Code. They are not going to get ratted out and sent home. “The purpose of Title IX is to be supportive and help them through the process, heal, and with a variety of strategies. Whether it is getting through the court process, setting up a temporary restraining order to keep the person off campus, or sending the person home.” Hippolite Wright said she wants students to know, “We’re methodical and impassioned about what we are doing. We want to be sensitive to the needs of those men or women who come through here. Whether the assault is same gender or opposite gender, that is not an issue for us. It is fair and impartial. “The other piece is amnesty. Let’s say somebody was at a party where drinking and drugs were going on, and that person was sexually assaulted. They can come to Title IX and know they have amnesty at or near the time of the assault. They don’t have to worry about getting kicked out of school if they come and report. Regardless of whether somebody was using marijuana or drinking, no one deserves to be violated.” Hippolite Wright said she wants students to know Title IX is going to be there for them through the entire investigation process. Students can begin the healing process by reporting sexual misconduct and the members of the Title IX staff will help the students get the help they need and do whatever it takes to make the student feel comfortable on campus. The process that occurs when a student comes to Title IX is another thing Hippolite Wright emphasized. She said her fear is students don’t know what happens when they report something, so they don’t report because they are scared and unsure. “I want them to know we’re committed. As far as preventing, stopping, and then remediating or helping with coming out of all of this. That’s who we are.”
The BYUH Title IX Office is on the second floor of the Lorenzo Snow Administrative Building. Its phone number is (808) 675-4819.
Keala Tamoama works through pain to play A BYU–Hawaii freshman from Florida shares her determination to overcome adversity by using her passion for music BY EMI WAINWRIGHT
Considered a spitfire by one of her closest friends at BYU–Hawaii, Keala Tamoama, a freshman music major from Florida, is proficient in four instruments and has chronic carpal tunnel. She has a love for Chopin and conducting. She loves her cousin, her first music teacher, who she said inspired her to pursue her passion. Tamoama said music is essential for a person’s development and a world without it would be boring and “b-flat.” “She’s incredible. I love listening to her talk about different composers. I love being able to listen to her play,” said Cambree Oliver, Tamoama’s best friend and a sophomore from Arizona majoring in graphic design. “Occasionally she’ll send me videos of her practicing and usually I forward those to my mom. I find Keala talented and she’s overcome a lot of struggles to get to where she is.”
Dealing with carpal tunnel
When she was young, Tamoama said she was diagnosed with chronic carpal tunnel. “It started in my pinkie finger. It felt sore and like it was burning. I felt tingling. I got my carpal tunnel from playing lots of piano growing up, and I didn’t take very good care of my hands.” She said carpal tunnel can make it hard to practice her pieces. “If it’s bad, I can feel numbness up to my elbow, but now it’s to where I’ll feel it in my fingers. That means I need to stop, stretch, and then I can go back to playing." Jennifer Duerden, a professor of music at BYUH and Tamoama’s piano teacher, said, “It’s a struggle she dealt with a bit more before coming here, but with anybody that has a performance injury, we have to be careful how we treat it because we don’t want it to get worse. “We [want to teach] students things that will help 24
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them have a lifelong career in music, not just a temporary career, so… we go carefully and make sure we’re not aggravating something… and there are things we can do to improve it too. It’s almost like cross-training. We develop all the other muscles so that they’re not relying just on the ones they use for piano.” Tamoama said she plays piano, organ, flute, and clarinet despite dealing with carpal tunnel issues. “I’m really comfortable with woodwind instruments. I’ve been playing them since elementary and middle school.” She said she also has a basic understanding of string instruments. Duerden described her as versatile. “She’s passionate about what she does. She wants to do lots of musical things. She has an interest in piano, but she also plays an instrument in the wind orchestra. She has an interest in steel drums, which she hasn’t started, but at some point, she’ll probably do that as well. “To me, it shows she has an interest in a variety of music. She’s a good student in class. She’s diligent about coming every day and she understands what’s going on. I think she has a lot of potential as a music major here.”
A love for music
Tamoama said, “My mom told me when I was 3 years old I couldn’t stand pitches at all. She said anytime I would hear an organ at church, I would start screaming for it to stop. “By the time I was 5, my parents started to notice I had an interest in the piano. At age 7, I started taking lessons from my cousin.” Describing her relationship with her cousin, Sam Fleming, Tamoama said they’re close and he’s an inspiration to her. She said they ask each other for advice, but she will often
remind him she is just an undergrad. She said her cousin, Sam, does almost everything in the music industry and credits him for helping guide her throughout her journey. Tamoama said another thing that got her started were her music classes in elementary and middle school when there was still funding for them. “I had some great teachers in elementary school who encouraged me to take up an instrument. Piano became my thing and I’ve been playing it ever since.” When asked about her thoughts on school budget cuts for music classes, Tamoama said, “This is something I really advocate for. I strongly agree music is essential to development. Even in English classes I’ve used songs to help me memorize things. “Another thing is mental health. I’ll come [into the music rooms] and take my issues and feelings to the piano. It has kept me mellow. I can pound my emotions out without breaking anything. I can find a piece somebody else has written and it’s exactly how I feel. I can play it and feel better by the end of it. It’s like this for anybody. Music is an emotion. “It’s also taught me social skills.You wouldn’t think, locked up in a music room all day, I’d have many social interactions, but it actually pushes me to collaborate with people. "I would never be able to play in a college wind band if I didn’t collaborate with others.You learn social skills with music. I feel cutting the budget for music programs [prevents students from] developing the way they should.”
Her favorite conductor
Tamoama said Leonard Bernstein, who wrote the music for “West Side Story,” is a pianist
Although she has carpel tunnel issues, Keala Tamoama still practices but does exercises to help manage her condition. Photo by Shannon Crowley
and conductor she admires. “He was one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. I saw a video where he could conduct with only his eyebrows and facial expressions. “I’m watching and thinking, ‘This is an orchestra of about 500. How does he do this?’ But it was his own piece so he knew what he wanted and the musicians knew what he expected. It just showed his control over a massive concert orchestra when he conducted it with just his eyebrows.” She laughed and shared another example of a conductor who directed his musicians using nothing but a toothpick. “Every conductor’s different.You learn your conductor.You learn their style. It’s muscle memory at that point. In practice, you’ve drilled over and over. Once it’s time for the performance, you don’t have to worry about it. And a good conductor never actually has to conduct their orchestra. There’s already a sense of trust there.” Tamoama said she conducted concert band in high school and it was fun. “I would love to do it professionally. But you need connections, money, and the patience to get there.”
One of her idols
Tamoama said her favorite composer is Frédéric Chopin. “He had a depressing life and died young. He was driven out of Poland because of war and moved to Paris to study music.You
can tell his music is reminiscent of Poland. It's just sad and mellow. It’s interesting to see he needed to vent out his emotions. “The notes are simple but the meaning behind it is what we’re trying to bring out, and it’s so artistic, even though the notes are very bland. He just had this way of writing music where you really got to know him, and that’s what I love. I never get sick of his music. I feel like every single time I listen to his pieces I learn something new.” Tamoama said she’s learned what music can do and what it’s meant for thanks to Chopin. “He could never return home [to Poland] and it was hard. I learned that music that is moved by the heart is what attracts listeners. When you play or listen to Chopin’s works, you are playing or hearing raw emotions. “I personally think that playing his works here and being far away from home [myself] has given me a glimpse into how he must have felt.”
Feeling the keys
Tamoama said, “Sister Duerden’s awesome. She’s worked with me because she understands having hand injuries. When we’re doing technique together, we do certain exercises to strengthen my fingers and wrist like scale exercises. Her technique is difficult, but it’s fun. It’s literally meant to strengthen your fingers.” Tamoama said they call these strength exercises “feeling the keys.” While her classmates
are playing scales at full speed, Tamoama said she slows things down to get all the way into the keys so she can take them one at a time. When Tamoama is stressed out and nervous on stage during a performance, she said she likes to look at her reflection in what she calls the black shiny finish of the piano. “It’s like feeling the keys in a different way.” She continued, “There’s a really isolating feeling when you walk onto the stage and it’s just you and the piano. But there’s something so comforting about seeing the reflection of the keys and your fingers while you’re playing.”
One of her favorite friends
Oliver said Tamoama is an incredible friend. “I met her at student orientation [Fall] Semester, and we became really good friends about a month later. I was waiting for a friend [one morning] and she was headed to class and we just ended up stopping and talking. “She’s a little spitfire, but that makes it’s fun when we hang out. We refer to each other as our partner in crime. If one of us gets into trouble, the other is there. I’m glad she’s my friend.”
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Competing for scholarships and a cause Sophomore and pianist Nikki Holbrook clears up misconceptions about Miss America program
BY MACKENZIE BEAVER Nikki Holbrook, a sophomore studying business management, was born and raised in California. After living in Hawaii for two years, Holbrook is now running for Miss Hawaii since being crowned Miss Central Oahu in December 2018. Holbrook said her least favorite thing about the Miss America Organization is the misconceptions people have about the organization. “Many people think that this is a beauty pageant and is only based on looks. There are some organizations that emphasize those aspects, but the Miss America Organization is very far from that.” Holbrook continued, “Not only do I prepare for the actual phases of competition, but I also prepare by building my resume.” She added she spends a lot of time practicing her talent, which is piano. Also, she said she balances keeping up with current events, practicing interview skills, living a healthy lifestyle, doing well in school, and participating in different events as a titleholder. Jordan Holbrook, Nikki Holbrook’s older sister, a senior studying English from California, said through the Miss America Program, Nikki has had opportunities to use her talents to help Heavenly Father’s children. “Nikki has a heart of service. It has brought me so much joy watching her promote the importance of kindness and helping others. I love my little sister so much, and I am so proud of her. Her hard work and dedication never cease to inspire and impress me.”
Giving a Tedx Talk In May 2018, Holbrook gave a Tedx Talk in Irvine, California. According to TED.com, a TEDx Talk is a showcase for speakers presenting great, well-formed ideas in under 18 minutes. 26
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In order to be involved and to give a TedxTalk, Holbrook had to apply for the event. Holbrook said, “My director had given a Ted Talk previously and she helped me throughout the application process.” Holbrook said her Tedx Talk was definitely something that pushed her, but it was rewarding. She added this experience allowed her to get out of her comfort zone and practice her public speaking skills. “My talk was titled, ‘How to Chase a Shark.’ My main message was that we can’t let our fears hinder us from achieving great things. I listed different steps in achieving this and how to succeed at ‘chasing that shark.’” Holbrook said she was inspired to have her TedxTalk on ‘How to Chase a Shark’ after her and some friends went swimming with sharks at OneOcean Diving. Holbrook outlined how individuals should not let their fears get in the way of them doing something great, just like she did not let the fear of swimming with sharks get in the way of her having this wonderful experience. Holbrook said, “The steps were 1. Commit to the chase 2. Get in the water 3. Live to tell the story.” Holbrook continued, “I came up with idea because I have pushed myself to do things out of my comfort zone. I’ve seen how it has not only helped me grow but given me amazing opportunities. I wanted to share that message to encourage people to not let their fears get in the
Nikki Holbrook was crowned Miss Central Oahu in Dec. 2018. Photo courtesy of Nikki Holbrook
away of achieving great things.”
Her platform Holbrook explained each contestant has their own platform, which could be a cause, an organization or something each contestant wants to raise awareness about throughout the year. Holbrook has created the platform S.N.A.P., which stands for Service Nurtures All People. She said S.N.A.P is about educating youth of the importance of service in their communities. “I have created an interactive assembly that I present to elementary schools and after-school programs. I have had the opportunity to take it throughout California, Hawaii, South Korea and... New Zealand.” Holbrook said her favorite thing about the Miss America Organization’s is that its national partner is the Children’s Miracle Network. According to Holbrook, CMN raises money to save the lives of sick and injured children. Through CMN, Holbrook said she visits different children’s hospitals, raises money for their organization and meets amazing children.
Miss California “It has been such a humbling experience to hear the stories of these patients and how much CMN does for them.” Keli’i Mawae, a senior from Maui studying finance, said she is close friends with Holbrook and has watched her in her journey and preparation for this competition. Mawae said, “There is so much more than just competing at the event. It is everything that happens behind the scenes where Nikki shines. The hours of practicing piano each day, the fundraisers for the Children’s Miracle Network and everything else that goes along with it. She is always anxiously engaged in a good cause.” Holbrook said some individuals have expressed they do not feel she should be able to run for Miss Hawaii because she was not born in Hawaii. However, her father’s side is Hawaiian. She said, “I am Hawaiian. My family is here and this is where I would like to be. I feel even more connected to my culture and would be honored to represent this beautiful state that I now call home.” To qualify to compete in a state for the Miss America Organization. you must be either a current resident or a student. Holbrook has been
at BYU–Hawaii for more than one semester, so she said she is allowed to compete.
Why Holbrook competes Holbrook said she competes in the Miss America Organization because she likes seeing the impact she can make and this organization has led her to have opportunities to grow. “I have had amazing opportunities to serve others, work with different non-profits and teach youth about service. I feel that is has given me a voice and the opportunity to be a role model for youth. “In addition, I have grown so much. By taking challenges and pushing myself to work harder, I have learned a lot about myself.” Holbrook added, “Many people don’t know that the Miss America Organization is the largest provider for scholarships for women in the United States. It has helped me pay my way through college on my own.” Holbrook said she has received around $13,000 total in scholarships to go towards her education.
An injury ended Holbrook’s “I liked the fact that the Miss America soccer career, which lead to playing Organization focused on service, talent and the piano, then to Miss America scholarship. I decided to compete and have been involved ever since.” Holbrook said she dreamed of being a student-athlete in college after years of competitive soccer. In 2013, Holbrook’s dream came to an end after she was faced with a careerending soccer injury and had to have surgery. She was only 14 years old. Although this experience ended one path of life for Holbrook, she said it opened her up to opportunities she had never dreamed of, and it started her career in the Miss America Organization. While healing, Holbrook was taking piano lessons. Holbrook said, “My piano teacher told me about the Miss America Organization. She was a former Miss Oklahoma and told me about her experiences. I quickly learned that this was not a beauty pageant but actually a scholarship organization.
In the summer of 2018, Holbrook placed second runner-up in the 2018 Miss California competition. Holbrook was the youngest of all 52 contestants. She also said she won the Highest Scoring Talent Preliminary Award for her piano piece and “would not be anywhere without her piano teacher.” Holbrook said during the Miss California competition, “My last on-stage question was about my thoughts on the United States building relationships with North Korea. I was a little scared when I heard the question because this is a heavy topic, but I felt really good about my answer.”
Miss Central Oahu In December 2018, Holbrook won the Miss Central Oahu competition. She said balancing school, work and preparing for the competition was challenging, but she was grateful for receiving support from family and friends. Holbrook said she is very proud to represent BYUH at the competition. “During the private interview with the judges, I was asked a question about BYUH and was able to incorporate our motto of ‘Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.’”
Preparing for Miss Hawaii The Miss Hawaii competition is June 15, 2019. Holbrook said she has been preparing for this competition as she does for every competition by practicing her talent, doing mock interviews and working with her platform S.N.A.P.. Holbrook said preparing for a competition and being busy with school has been challenging, but she said she is balancing everything out. “There will be 18 contestants competing at the competition. All I can do is work my hardest and be the best person I can be.” She said if it is meant to be, then she will “place,” but no matter what the outcome is, she is grateful to have the opportunity to compete.
Graphic by Brooklyn Redd MAY 2019 27 Graphics by Lynne Hardy
A champion of women's h Students say Strain changed how they see women roles across time and feminism BY J. ESTON DUNN
Bringing to light women’s history is Special Instructor Rebekah Strain’s goal. She said she intertwines women’s history with her classes, teaching them together, rather as a separate subject. “Women’s history [gives] power for our female students to have someone they can empathize and relate with,” Strain said. “It helps women see they have a place. If my students see strong women in the Church and have had something to become, they’re not just sideline cheerleaders to help men go on missions, get married, and then sit on the stand,” she said. A need for recognition Strain described her journey in recognizing the need for a multi-perspective analysis. She said, “It started in law school where I had 28
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a professor who pushed the importance of women’s voices and stories. This was law, and women’s perspectives had been lacking in the past. “Entering the professional realm, I realized there were sexism and a discounting of women’s voices. Even in wards, there’s a tendency to discount the Relief Society, and that’s when I realized it was time to make some progress in bringing women out of the shadows. Strain said her passion has grown since she has been teaching Church history and the stories of women of the Restoration. She said, “These stories are powerful, and the Church archives wouldn’t take their records for a while, so their journals stuffed away in attics waiting to be forgotten. Their stories and witnesses are not ones we want to lose.”
The importance of women’s history “We all benefit from having a balance of men’s and women’s voices,” Strain said. “History is mostly military, governments and power structures... are all male dominant, but it’s important to recognize the female contribution. Consider what women have done to change the world?” She continued, “It’s like only using half your brain – you’re not reaching your full potential. The addition of the female perspective adds depth and new meaning. “ Welcoming Strain’s stance on women’s history, Stephanie Eldenberg, a sophomore from Sweden studying art, said, “I appreciate Sister Strain as a champion for women’s history and her capability to challenge preconceived notions of women’s history.
“Women had a lot of responsibility in helping America be a functioning culture and society.”
Rebekah Strain teaches world history and Church history. Photo by Shannon Crowley
history “If you have an issue about discussing women’s history, rethink it. Women’s history is often seen as a minority even though [women are] a huge demographic.” Derek Clarke, a freshman from California studying biology, said Strain was one of his favorite professors because of the effort she puts into her lessons and generating class discussions instead of lecturing. He also said Strain was able to make feminism and its activists less extreme and relatable. “When you think of women’s history you think of bra burning and women who dress like men, but Sister Strain made it seem a lot more real.” Aspen Boyer, a freshman from Texas studying social work, said, “[Strain] incorporates women’s history in other parts of history including the Great Depression and Civil Rights
instead of treating it as a separate topic, which has been my experience so far. “I’ve always known about the importance of women’s rights in the mainland, but this class just opened my eyes to how important it has been in the past.” As an example, Boyer shared her revelations on the demographic discrepancies between voters during the women’s suffrage movement unit. “When you don’t have 50 percent of the population voting, do you really have a good representation of the population choosing leaders?” Eldenberg added, “It has empowered me as a woman to see how much women have done and not just as a part of society that has been in the home and taking care of domestics. Women had a lot of responsibility in helping America be a functioning culture and society.” Eldenberg then gave the example of the shift in labor demographics during World War II when women stepped up to fill the positions vacated by men overseas. In turn, women getting accustomed to working outside the home impacted feminism in the future and left behind the traditional part of the society of being confined to domestic housework. Before Strain’s class, Clarke said he had never considered women’s history since it did not seem to play a role in his life. He considered Strain’s class eye-opening and taught him women’s history was much more complex than he initially thought. He said he used to think American women’s history began with suffrage but Strain’s focus on how women were affected during every time period helped him understand women bound to domestic duties had significant impacts on society and history. “I think we should discuss women’s history more,” Clarke concluded. “After all, it’s half the population.” Boyer also encouraged anyone with questions on women’s history to consult Strain.
“She’s very knowledgeable on [women’s history], and you can tell she’s passionate about it just in her teaching and class. She would be a good person to talk about it with.” Reception in the classroom However, perceptions towards the acceptance of female perspective differ amongst Strain and her students. Eldenberg said her Swedish background prepared her for discussions of women’s history because of the Swedish feminist power structure. Clarke found students were open to talking about women’s history in class. He said, “Whenever we talked about women’s history, we got a lot more female involvement.” Boyer added, “Overall, the class accepted Sister Strain’s approach pretty well. There was some backlash Sister Strain was prepared for, but it was more a fact that the word feminism had negative connotations. There was nobody in class [who] spoke out against women’s rights, and that’s why we were able to discuss these topics in a constructive way.” Strain reflected, “Overall students are very receptive, especially when I explain the why to women’s history. “When I would try and teach this a number of years ago, there was a push back by men, but there’s been a strong shift and now a stronger interest and value placed on women’s experiences. I attribute a lot of that to the Church’s own shift, which highlights a number of female Church scholars. I think [this] generation is a little more open to a new approach.” She smiled, “Or my students are indulging me.” “There is a one problem I’ve run into,” Strain said, “texts are very male-dominated, and I’ve had to go outside the texts to find diverse voices.” Students interested in learning more can visit Strain’s office in the Stake Center or register for her upcoming Church history and world history classes. MAY 2019
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Jensen Dye, far right, is pictured with his siblings and mother. Photo courtesy of Dye Family
Linking family and culture Student Jensen Dye is learning Korean to help his mother find her birth parents BY EMI WAINWRIGHT Jensen Dye, a junior from Utah majoring in Hawaiian studies, is trying to help his mother, who was adopted from Korea, reconnect with her birth parents and her cultural heritage. Dye said he has felt spiritual promptings to get more involved in his mother’s native culture. “I feel like Heavenly Father’s been telling me I need to learn the language and connect with my roots because I’ll need to use it in life later on.” The first person Dye said he met at BYU– Hawaii was a student from Suwon, the town his mother was found as a newborn. “I felt that was the first prompting Heavenly Father gave to start connecting with my mom’s family and culture… He wants us to know our ancestors. Reuniting with our families and being eternally connected 30
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to each other is important in the gospel.” He said, “What I’m trying to do is connect more with my mom through learning and claiming our Korean heritage. I know it’s a long stretch, but with DNA testing and being able to learn [Korean], I feel like it will make it easier for me to connect. “What I realize too is sometimes things don’t go your way, but you have to make the best of your circumstances. Even if we don’t find her birth family, we have hope we’re going to connect with other Koreans.” Dye said his mother is really interested in the culture, specifically the food and the clothing. “I’m sure she wants to know who her family is, but it’s not her whole goal. She still has
us and she loves us. We’re grateful for her.” Dye said if he had to describe his mom in a couple of words he would say she’s a miracle worker. “She’ll turn any bad situation into a very good one… She’s a tender mercy in our lives. She’s a fantastic mom and she’s humble. She’s a wonderful woman. If you’re having a bad day, she’ll turn it around and make it better.” If he could say one thing to his mom’s birth family, Dye said it would be they don’t hold her birth family guilty. “We don’t hate you, we don’t hold any resentment towards you. We just would like to get to know you, we appreciate you, and we pray for you every day.” Dye acknowledged he doesn’t know the full story, which he said is part of the reason he’s so
motivated to learn Korean and eventually visit his mother’s birth land. “We’re not just thinking about ourselves. It’s more than just us.” HIS MOTHER’S STORY Dye said his mother was found as a weekold baby abandoned at a bus station in Suwon, South Korea on March 2, 1973. “From what I can read from the documents, a passerby out of the kindness of his or her own heart picked her up and took her to the city hall.” Dye said city hall arranged for her to be sent to the orphanage, Ankara B.H. and then the adoption agency, Holt’s Children Services. After spending a few months in the care of a foster family, Dye said his mother was adopted on June 26, 1973, four months after she was given care at the orphanage. “We don’t know anything. All we know is she was abandoned. Like I said, we don’t hold any hate or resentment. We’re just grateful that we’re here. We’re thankful for the foster family, the passerby, everyone who contributed to get us to where we are today. My mom is grateful for her adopted family. They’re a wonderful family. The Lord has definitely blessed my mom.” DYE’S MOTHER’S THOUGHTS His mother Cindi Horton, whose Korean name is 지영희 or Jee Yung Hee, said she feels Dye was meant to come to BYUH for many reasons, one of them being so he could learn more about his Korean heritage and meet people who share it. She said, “Being adopted from Korea and growing up as a little girl in America with an American family, people would always ask me if I ever wanted to find my birth parents. Of course I did, but I was abandoned at a bus station so I always believed it would never happen and it would be an impossible task. Now with all the DNA testing going on, it gives people like me some hope… It has been so fun to see Jensen get excited about helping me do DNA testing to maybe someday find a close relative.” Dye said his mother has done DNA tests with AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and FamilyTree DNA. Through doing the tests, Dye said they’ve matched with someone who could possibly be a first or second cousin, who was also adopted from Korea. Hyewon Pak, a junior from California majoring in hospitality and tourism Cindi Horton, Dye's mother, as a baby. Photo courtesy of Dye Family
management, said she thinks it’s sad how many children who have been adopted by families from other countries can struggle to reconnect with their roots in Korea. She explained when Dye’s mother was found as a newborn, they didn’t have things like DNA tests and data to identify children and find their families. “Korea’s a tiny country but to look for one child, it’s not easy… Once you lost your child, to get them back again could have been very difficult compared to today.” She said these children end up with the police and in foster care and eventually, like in Horton’s case, could be adopted. “There are so many adopted Korean people in America looking for their biological parents and trying to get their identity back.You don’t hardly see that in America. American kids get
adopted... by Americans. But a lot of Asian kids will be adopted to foreign countries.” According to Dye, there’s not a lot of awareness of DNA testing in Korea. “I don’t think too many birth families know it’s an option. If they do, they might not know how to go about it. What I’ve heard is in Korea you can go to police stations and have your DNA extracted. They’ll keep it for 10 years and they’ll try to match it up with whoever you’re looking for.” Dye said he and his mom are hoping to go to Korea one day soon to try it and see if it works. Dye said knowing the language will make it easier to ask questions and communicate when they get there. Horton said, “I have been blessed to have been adopted to such a wonderful and loving
“What I realize too is sometimes things don’t go your way, but you have to make the best of your circumstances. Even if we don’t find her birth family, we have hope we’re going to connect with other Koreans.”
family. I think it is a natural feeling to [want to] find out more about your birth family and story. I am excited to visit my birth land for the second time and think it will be such a meaningful trip. I want to be able to share it with my son Jensen… “I pray that trying to find my birth family and learning more about the Korean culture will be a blessing and something I will cherish forever.” DISCOVERING HIMSELF AT BYUH Dye said being a member of the BYUH Korean Club has really helped him connect with the culture. He said when he first joined he was nervous because he’s only half-Korean and wasn’t sure how people would react when they found out. He shared an experience that deeply touched him with his friend, Junsim Bae, who assured him he was family as they ate Korean barbecue together. Bae, who is a BYU-Pathway student from Korea, said she moved here because her husband is attending BYUH. Bae said she and Dye met at a club activity. “While talking with him, I learned that his mom is from Korea and she was born in Suwon. This particularly caught my interest since I served part of mission in Suwon. “He seemed to want to know more about Korea, so I thought he would like it if I gave him a Korean name. I tried to make a Korean name that sounded like Jensen. So I created the name 'Jinsoo,' and then looked for meanings for 'Jin' and 'soo'. I chose my favorite meanings: 진 or 'Jin' for truth (眞) and 수 or 'soo' for excellent (秀).” 지, 池, or Jee is his mother's surname, which Dye said he claims as part of his Korean name. Bae said, “I chose this name because I thought he could become excellent in understanding truth. I love how he actually uses the name.” Horton added she thinks it's a blessing Dye has joined the BYUH Korean Club to learn more about their family’s culture. “He has been a positive example to me wanting to learn and embrace more of my culture from where I was born… “It is fun he is trying Korean food and he is loving most of what he tries… I hope one day I can take Jensen to Korea to maybe visit some of 32
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Jensen Dye writes his Korean name. Photo by Teva Todd
[the friends he’s made] and learn more about my family and where I came from.” Dye said, “I enjoy how nice and generous Koreans are as people… They love their culture and they’re not afraid to be who they are.” Dye said he’s always seen himself as Asian-American but now wants to more fully connect with his Korean brothers and sisters and the heritage they all share. “I love spicy food now, homemade kimchi and K-pop… but what makes me most proud to be Korean is not only the heritage but also what they’re trying to do now. They want peace, peace for the world, cohabitation, co-existence. “And what is BYU–Hawaii trying to do? They’re taking all these same concepts and trying to achieve the same thing. We have all of these
people from different cultures coexisting and trying to live peacefully with each other the way the Savior wants. We maintain our uniqueness, but we’re united in the gospel, in our love for culture, and as children of God. “When I was younger, I never really had a personal connection with Heavenly Father, but as I’ve gotten older… I realize He knows our circumstances and situations in life. Going through this journey of wanting to learn Korean and embrace the culture… I think it’s Heavenly Father’s way of saying, ‘I love you,’ and helping me discover and enjoy who I am. I’m not just Korean. I’m Jensen Dye. I’m Jee Jinsoo. I’m a child of Heavenly Parents.”
Wonder-ful versus Marvel-ous
Students explain their connections to female superheroes BY ELIJAH HADLEY
In March, “Captain Marvel,” the latest blockbuster from Marvel Studios, has proven to be another box office success for the company, according to IGN. Several BYU–Hawaii students have compared it to DC Films’ “Wonder Woman,” released in 2017. Both movies have female protagonists and have received financial success and critical acclaim. While BYUH students interviewed said they believed “Wonder Woman” was better, both in terms of character and how women were represented, a student from BYU in Provo disagreed. Ethan Hopkin, a freshman student from Ohio majoring in TESOL, said he preferred Wonder Woman and her alter ego, Diana Prince, to Captain Marvel. “The movie seemed to put forth great effort into developing Diana as a character, a wide range of emotion was demonstrated. Furthermore, the growth in her powers at the end was well alluded to. She just had more character. “‘Captain Marvel’ included a lead whose character was quite dry ... Her character could basically be summed up as a sassy independent woman and there wasn’t much beyond that. Moreover, the two huge power jumps at the
end were almost random with little development or cause for belief. “The movie just felt like it was trying to be a filler for the upcoming Avengers movie with some basic female leads to appeal to a few people,” Hopkin continued. “‘Wonder Woman’ was a good movie that just happened to be female driven. “‘Captain Marvel’ was a hastily made movie trying to be a female-driven movie, which ultimately cheapened its value. Plus, ‘Wonder Woman’ had much stronger supporting characters, while ‘Captain Marvel’ depended on Nick Fury to keep the story humorous.” Conversely, Lydia Ence, a BYU in Provo sophomore from Missouri majoring in communication disorders, said she preferred Captain Marvel. “I think she is someone who is more relatable to women. She is funny and sarcastic and more humanized than Wonder Woman. “Captain Marvel shows the hardships women have and do go through. It showed inequality because she was a woman. Wonder Woman never had those struggles because she grew up with all women on a secluded island. So overall, I think Captain Marvel is more relatable and shows a very powerful woman who had to overcome discrimination because of gender.” Mariana Goulding, a senior from California majoring in communications, said, “‘Captain Marvel’ has stronger and cooler super powers, but there is something about Wonder Woman as a character that made me love her so much. I think it was the fact she was a strong woman but was relatable. The way director Patty Jenkins showed her as a woman was natural and normal. It’s not like she was doing radical things to show she was super strong. “Not only was Diana strong, but she expressed a range of emotion that made her relatable, more so than Captain Marvel. Diana had more of a character arc where she started out as naive before learning a lesson and changing as any good character should. Captain Marvel didn’t change too much as a character and never really lost a fight. “Don’t get me wrong, ‘Captain Marvel’ was awesome, but I liked ‘Wonder Woman’ better. It took
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
Marvel 21 movies to give us a female lead, but it took DC only four.” Riley Hand, a freshman from Florida majoring in computer science, said he preferred “Wonder Woman.” “I feel a major reason for its success as a film was not attacking its fans. As far as characters go, ‘Wonder Woman’ had much more depth. There was a real struggle in ‘Captain Marvel’ because she was very much a Mary Sue character.” Hand took a moment to explain what he meant by a Mary Sue character. “Mary Sue’s are characters who are fully idealized. They typically are liked by everyone and have no real weaknesses or don’t impact the character negatively. An example of this is Captain Marvel not remembering her past. It didn’t stop her from doing good once she was told. Being able to punch through a spaceship and destroy it didn’t exactly make her relatable.” “None of her problems were truly problems,” Hand continued. “She always chose the right thing with a little more than someone saying it was the right thing. Wonder Woman conversely was more human by being blindsided by who she thought was a good guy.” Hand also added, “For ‘Captain Marvel,’ the movie was very self-congratulatory. It constantly belittled men and made a point to focus on the female nature of the protagonist. I still can’t get over the fact Marvel decided now was a good time for a new character. Looking into ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ it seems the reason the heroes win will be because of just Captain Marvel, not because of teamwork or strength or anything else.”
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Tialei Scanlan with some of her accounting students. Photos by Teva Todd
Accounting and motherhood: An unexpected journey Professor Tialei Scanlan found her passion for teaching accounting and students and fellow faculty praise her personality and teaching abilities BY MACKENZIE BEAVER During the first semester of her college education, Tialei Scanlan said she found her forte in accounting, numbers and solving problems analytically. Scanlan is a professor at BYU–Hawaii teaching accounting courses in the Business Department. “My brain is very left-brain. I have always been good at math and figuring things out,” Scanlan said. Scanlan has been teaching full-time at BYUH for the past 18 months, just after her third child was born. Since receiving her MBA, Scanlan began teaching a few online classes through BYUH.
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After a few years of being an online instructor, Scanlan applied for a full-time position. Scanlan said, “I have always been good at math and science. I knew I loved numbers and I was better at accounting than most, so I just stuck with it. It wasn’t until teaching here at BYUH that I really found my passion.” Scanlan said she has two passions; her family and accounting. She explained how she balances being a mother and a wife, as well as being a professor at BYUH. Scanlan said, “As a mother, you need to find something else besides just being a mom, whether it be a hobby or a
job-- just something else. That way you can be the best mom possible because you have that hobby or job to go to.” Discovering accounting “I remember my first semester of college,” Scanlan said, “My friend and I took an accounting course together with the intent of both of us majoring in accounting. This topic just clicked for me and I got it down, while my friend did not. I remember trying to explain things to her and watching it just go over her head. While for me, it just clicked.”
Scanlan was raised in Utah and Laie. She was originally accepted into BYU in Provo. Her parents persuaded her to stay at home and go to BYUH. She said, “At BYUH, my professors knew my name and it was more of a community.” She was happy with her decision and was able to meet her husband at the university. She had the intent of majoring in accounting so she could be a stay-at-home mom while doing taxes and accounting on the side. After her graduation, Scanlan began a job at a Deloitte Honolulu office, one of the largest accounting firms in the nation. She also became a CPA from this experience. “When I was younger, I really wanted to be a big corporate business woman,” Scanlan said. “After being in a corporate position, I saw how everyone’s physical and mental health was affected. I knew I didn’t want to do this anymore and I wanted to find a healthy work-life balance.” According to her, being in a corporate position was fun. She travelled, enjoyed the people she worked with and was treated well at the firm. However, after a few years in this position, she said she realized family was more important. Scanlan expressed her gratitude for having the opportunity to be in the corporate business world. She said, “I’m glad I did it so I wouldn’t always wonder and feel like I wasn’t missing out on anything.” While Scanlan was working fulltime, her husband was working on his master’s degree. Scanlan worked until she had her first son, then decided to stay at home and also work on her MBA degree after her husband finished his master’s and got a fulltime job at BYUH. Teaching at BYUH A mentor of Scanlan, Jennifer Chen, an accounting professor at BYUH, recognized Scanlan’s talents. Chen said, “Professor Scanlan is the leading instructor of the auditing class here at BYUH. Her professional experience has provided her with a solid background in audit practices. She continually refines her instruction methods and focuses on how auditing can be best understood by students who have had no previous involvement with audit work. “For instance, in order to account for different learning styles, Professor Scanlan uses various learning and teaching methods in her
class. Moreover, she devotes her research in the area of identifying factors that enable students to be successful in their schooling and pursuit of a specialized degree. Professor Scanlan is a virtuous lady and a genuine gold of BYUH.” Along with teaching fulltime, Scanlan is also the advisor for the Professional Accounting Society (PAS). Steve Revillo, a senior from the Philippines studying accounting, is the student president of the PAS and said he works closely with Scanlan. Revillo said, “Sister Scanlan is one of those professors who is easy to get along with. In my opinion, it may be because of the small age gap but also her personality makes her approachable. She is supportive in what we do. I see her as someone who truly came to BYUH to learn and went to serve. She is a wonderful teacher and many of us are amazed with how she is always on top of things.” “She is also unique in her teaching. At times she would reward us with treats if we participate in an activity. She would also come up with interesting songs or acronyms to help memorize accounting terms. On top of that, she would always share gospel insights. She would connect accounting principles to principles of the gospel and occasionally share an inspiring testimony. She is simply a wonderful professor.” With the help of family, friends and her husband, both she and her husband have been able to take turns achieving their educational goals. Scanlan’s husband recently received his doctorate and is a professor in the BYUH Psychology Department. Scanlan said, “I guess my ultimate goal was to end up where I am now. I just didn’t know it. My husband and I got here a lot sooner than we expected.” Scanlan said she wishes to stay at BYUH, and she said she hopes to eventually get her doctorate as well. Scanlan and her husband have three children and enjoy traveling, working out, spear-fishing and mostly just spending time with their children.
"I see her as someone who truly came to BYUH to learn and went to serve. She is a wonderful teacher and many of us are amazed with how she is always on top of things.” -Student Steve Revillo
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Special Instructor Dr. Line-Noue Memea Kruse wants to help students gain a greater perspective and understanding. Photo by Shannon Crowley
The Invisible Fisherfolk: Women of Oceania Instructor develops new Pacific Islands Studies course devoted to exploring the nuances of womanhood in Oceania BY EMI WAINWRIGHT
Four BYU–Hawaii students commend Dr. LineNoue Memea Kruse, a special instructor, for her passionate teaching and the groundbreaking new course she introduced this Spring Semester 2019. They say she encouraged them to be openminded, has taught them the value of having a diverse perspective of the world and given them a greater understanding of what it means to be a woman in Oceania. Reni Broughton, a freshman from New Zealand majoring in interdisciplinary studies, said, “[Dr. Kruse] challenges us all to think critically and develop our own opinions. Her passion for Pacific Islands Studies ensures she does her best to help each student be prepared both for further academia and our eventual return home to serve.” A born and raised Laie girl, Kruse is a wife, mother to four children, has a bachelor’s degree, 36
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two master’s and a doctorate. She said this new class she’s developing, Women of Oceania, is for the students. “I didn’t create a different class just to create a different class. I created this class because I truly believe the outcome, the learning and the interaction will benefit students when they graduate.” Seeing the world from Samoan eyes Lily Tuivai, a freshman majoring in communications from Australia, said Kruse is a wonderful teacher because she is passionate about what she teaches. “She talks about her experiences and shows emotion. You can see the love that she has for what she teaches.” When explaining how a person’s upbringing and culture influences their perception, Kruse said, “My experiences...and my understanding of
the world is different [than yours simply] because I see the world from Samoan eyes.” Kruse said she once asked a student how they would feel if all of their professors were men. “Wouldn’t the teaching be from a certain perspective? The reason we should have both men and women teaching at universities with different perspectives and different experiences is it enriches the diversity of understanding in the students.” According to Tuivai, Kruse teaches not only from her own perspective as a Pacific Islander, but also includes the perspectives of other people. “And she lets us decide what we want our opinion to be... She lets us think for ourselves and encourages us to be more openminded. Kruse explained, “It’s not so you can have men and women of different colors for just a
picture. It’s so the students benefit from a diverse classroom setting. “If you were told something was a certain way, you might think that way the rest of your life. Whereas, if you’re open-minded, you can see things different ways and come to have a better understanding of them.” Kayli Whiting, a freshman from Utah with an undeclared major, took a class from Kruse last semester and she said Kruse offers a viewpoint that is more inclusive of all groups. “I think we can become blind to things around us just because of how we grew up.... But it’s important we look past what’s normal and come to understand what’s really going on around the world.” She added Kruse’s class helped her learn what was happening in the Pacific. “It completely changed my perspective and helped me view things, situations, conflicts and political standings, from the viewpoints of minorities and people who are usually overlooked.” The Invisible Fisherfolk Because the majority of books have been written by non-Pacific Islanders, Kruse said she doesn’t want her students to define their knowledge based on what they’ve read in books. “There are traditional spaces that are reserved for men in Oceania,” she explained. “Say for example fishing. Men normally fish. But what’s not written about are what I call the invisible fisherfolk, which are women. We take the fish. We set the price. We barter for material commodities. We do the action of providing for the family. “The outside world sees the men as fishing and the women in the house. We’re more than in the house. We’re selling the fish, getting the money, buying the goods… .We do a lot more than just [operate in] the domestic sphere.” Kruse added her hope is her students gain a better understanding of “our role in society and that we are not dominated as literature suggests. In academia we are invisible, but that’s not how it is when you go back home and serve in your country. We have an equal role.” Broughton shared similar sentiments. “The study of women and gender in the Pacific is often easily overlooked [because] for many people it’s irrelevant, overly feminist, and the people who study women… are jokingly tied to awful stereotypes.”
Gaining a greater understanding of the roles of women in Oceania is one of the benefits Broughton said drew her to the class. She said it will help her collaborate with women in the future and together design solutions to some of their biggest challenges in the Pacific. “I’m passionate about creating ways to empower and heal Pacific communities,” she stated. “I know this starts in the family and in the home, which traditionally falls under the responsibility of women.” Tamarina Barlow, a senior communications major from California who is also currently enrolled in Kruse’s Women of Oceania course, said, “I'm hoping to learn more about how to establish my own identity as a Pacific Islander woman and how to uplift others around me to embrace their experiences as one as well.” Barlow said a large factor in her decision to attend BYUH was to get more in touch with her culture. “Being born and raised in the States, I grew up with many aspects of the Samoan culture in my home, but my parents always told me to take it upon myself to learn more deeply if that’s what I wanted.” She said after only a week and a half in the class, Dr. Kruse has already taught them how to take back and redefine their identity as Pacific Islanders. Though she is not in the class, Tuivai said she wants to take it in the future. “When we think of Oceania, we just think about the men’s side of things and not really the women’s. We have a big part to play in history. “Women have sacrificed a lot in our history but a lot of people don’t know any of that.” Tuivai said this is because Polynesian history is often only passed on orally. “Hopefully more men will take the class,” she added. “I’m aware there’s a lot of girls in it, but it would be great to see more guys in there because it’s not just for women.” Women AND men of Oceania Like Tuivai, Kruse herself expressed numerous times during her interview that the class was not just for women. “This isn’t an anti-men class. I’m wanting to highlight, not segregate, women’s experiences. “This class is about understanding how both genders, how the nuances of their roles and evolving cultures, can have positive influences on building up a higher quality of life in the
Pacific Islands.” She continued, “This university was created by a prophet who had prophetic vision. His vision was to build up a university so men and women could come to these blessed Hawaiian Islands and receive a higher education, men and women from Asia and the Pacific. According to Kruse, “This class meets different points that fit the bigger picture of why we’re here in this second estate and what we can leave behind to make this world better.” Barlow added it is better late than never for a class like this to be offered at BYUH. “It’s crazy this is the first time a course on women in Oceania is being taught, despite the initial goal of the school to educate the people of the Pacific region. “I can easily see how Dr. Kruse is definitely more than qualified to help us learn and embrace this subject.” According to Kruse’s syllabus for the class, the course explores the values and embodied experiences of women in Oceania. Universalism and relativism, nature and culture, personhood and identity and the differences between women, men and transgendered persons in a Pacific context are some of the many topics they will be examining this semester. In the syllabus, Kruse writes, “we will… consider how an attention to women’s lives challenges a number of epistemological assumptions... approaches and ideas about ‘traditional’ gender relations… the ways in which power, race, class, culture, sex and gender produce different kinds of subjectivities, [and how] the movement to empower women under the banner of ‘feminism’ has been problematic in the Pacific.”
“I didn’t create a different class just to create a different class. I created this class because I truly believe the outcome, the learning and the interaction will benefit students when they graduate.” MAY 2019
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Single mothers
Graphic by Lynne Hardy
BYU–Hawaii students say their mothers who were single made tremendous sacrifices and inspired them to be good parents BY ELIJAH HADLEY Not all families resemble the traditional nuclear family of a father, mother and children. According to the United States Census Bureau, 23 percent of children live with a single mother. Mary Pols, a journalist for Time Magazine and a single mother herself, said in an National Public Radio [NPR] interview how she was treated differently for being a single mother and was often asked if she could be a parent without a man in her life. Students of single mothers shared their stories about raised by a single mother and said their moms made great sacrifices to raise them. Growing up with a single mom Rebecca Lee, an alumna from Indiana, said she was raised by her mother from a young age. “My parents divorced when I was 4 and my 38
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younger sister was 2. My mom had decided to keep us with her and kicked my dad out. It was a difficult decision for her but something she and her stake president had felt was right. “For a couple years, my mom decided to stay in government housing and not work until we got a little older. After that, we started school and she started working.” Lee said half of her friends had single parents and she did not think it was strange growing up. Her mother was not able to get her degree in accounting, but she did work in the accounting office. “We would stay with our grandma after school until she got home. [We would] go with Grandma to work during the summers until Mom got off work. I enjoyed it until I got older and wanted to stay at home”
Not noticing anything strange while growing up with a single mother, Selu Ita, a senior from Nevada majoring in English, said she was raised by her mother from the age of 10, after her parents got divorced. “I don’t think I noticed anything was different until I started going to other friends’ houses. As a kid, you experience life in your own world, and you grow up and realize how different your family is from others. I would only see my father once a month for my whole life anyway, so my mother basically raised me from birth on her own.” Will Krueger, journalist for the Ke Alaka‘i said he was also raised only by his mother. Krueger, a senior from New Zealand majoring in social work, said, “It was different growing up with a single mom.You’d go to school and you’d
see most kids with their dad. There would be bring-your-dad-to-school day. Sometimes I felt left out. Sometimes it was a struggle. My mom was the mom and the dad, raising us on her own. “I didn’t really appreciate or understand her hard work until I got into my 20s. Now, I catch myself thinking and reflecting on my childhood. I still wonder how she was able to support me and my siblings on her own. “We didn’t have much growing up, but we had enough, and she always made sure we did. She worked extremely hard and sacrificed a lot just so we could have extra things. It’s really inspiring because she would put us first no matter what.” Judgment and stigma Lee said her mother mentioned people criticizing her parenting at church. “I remember our church attendance wasn’t the best at that time. We were good kids and my mom did her best, so I don’t think they had anything to criticize, particularly from people who were never in the same situation she was in.” According to Ita, her mother had to work and take care of her five children. “After my parents got divorced, my mom decided to go back to college. So she worked, went to college classes and then took care of us. “It was really nuts. Before they were old enough, we would have to go to daycare. Daycare was a really big strain because of how expensive it was.” She said her family would often go hungry because of the stressful financial situation from having only one caretaker. “It’s weird looking back on my childhood because the key period of getting to know my father passed by, and I didn’t get the experience most other kids get to have.” Ita said her mother was good about staying positive, despite the difficult financial situation and the stigma of being a single mother. “At the same time though, a lot of people gave her a lot of flack. They would tell her she wasn’t being a good enough mom, or that her kids were crazy and just give her a hard time in general.” However, Ita said receiving those comments are normal for single parents. “At church, people were pretty supportive, but a lot of the lessons and talks given were more for traditional families, and our family was very untraditional. Hearing talks and lessons, which
were about traditional families, I think was hard on my mom. Nobody really felt what she was going through. “There were a lot of talks given about marriage in church, and how marriage is hard and you have to stick through it no matter what. That was really difficult for my mom to go through. It was really painful for her to feel she wasn’t doing enough because she wasn’t married and her family was not ‘picture perfect,’ and she didn’t have a priesthood holder in her house, which I felt we were looked down upon for.” “Those talks and lessons have a place,” Ita said, “but they could hurt someone emotionally who may not have a ‘picture-perfect’ family.” To stop the stigma against single mothers and single-parent families in general, Ita explained, “I feel like a lot of the time, people say things and don’t realize what they’re saying, even if they mean well. People very rarely have bad intentions, but to be supportive of single mothers, they can be more socially aware of who’s in the room, and what these mothers are going through. “There was a lot of times when she would have to leave the house and go for a walk, because of how overwhelmed she was with everything and everyone. People need to be more patient with single-mother families.” Ita added she, along with her siblings, struggle with self-esteem and abandonment issues, so having extra patience towards singleparent families can go along way.
According to the United States Census Bureau, 23 percent of children live with a single mother.
“I remember my mom would say, ‘Being a single mom is the hardest job in the world.’”
Lessons learned Krueger said his mom’s example encouraged him to be a better person in the future. “I remember my mom would say, ‘Being a single mom is the hardest job in the world.’ Looking back, I see how hard it was to take care of the house and us, along with working, and being there for us emotionally and financially. “I definitely look to her as an example of hard work and sacrifice. I’ll take those attributes and hopefully use them as I become a parent.”
“People need to be more patient with single mother families.” Graphic by Lynne Hardy MAY 2019
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Graphics by Lynne Hardy
Jade Castro said she hopes to teach students English in Hong Kong. Photo by Ho Yin Li
Going forth to serve in Hong Kong Hong Kong student finds her direction in TESOL education and dreams to create a new teaching environment for her students back home BY TOMSON CHEANG As an EIL tutor and a TESOL education major, Jade Suet Mui Cheng-Castro, a senior from Hong Kong, said she meets with freshmen daily to help them with their English. She said she was shy when she was young but managed to overcome her weakness and later developed an interest in becoming a teacher. Changing her major Castro said she had never thought about being a teacher. She loved her biology classes. However, after talking to her friends who were majoring in education, she said set a new goal to be an educator. In Hong Kong, using her knowledge of education she could learn in the United States, she changed her major to elementary education. From 2014 to 2015, Castro served as a fulltime missionary in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. When she returned to BYUH, she said 40
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she wished to change her major to education but was troubled about obtaining a teaching license in Hong Kong. “An average Hong Kong person’s English is not bad, but there are too many tests and exams. People only study for exams,” Castro shared her own experience, “When I first came here to BYUH, I got high scores, but I was still afraid to talk to native speakers. “I want to help Hong Kong students really use English, have an authentic learning experience, and not just study for exams, but see it as a media of communication. I hoped this would happen. “[Friends] told me how different the education subject is in Hong Kong. If I study that here, I can bring back [teaching principles] to Hong Kong and make a difference. I can make an active, more engaging, student-centered learning environment.”
Graphic by Bruno Maynez
In her secondary school, she said there were good teachers who helped her enjoy learning. She thought she could also be one of them and influence students to enjoy their education. Explaining the differences in diplomas, she said, elementary education in America is different to the eduction in Hong Kong. “In America, one teacher teaches all the subjects, but in Hong Kong, one teacher only teaches one subject. That’s one of the reasons why [a diploma for elementary education from an American school] is not recognized in Hong Kong.” Castro said if a person does not have a teaching license in Hong Kong, they will not be hired by the public schools in Hong Kong. Despite the limited job choice for the future, Castro investigated the TESOL major. “A lot of people from Hong Kong study TESOL education here,” shared Castro. “Most importantly, as a TESOL education major, if you do student
Jade Castro tutors freshmen English at the EIL Center Photo by Ho Yin Li
“Castro is a deep thinker who processes information carefully and critically. She is then able to articulate her thoughts verbally and engage in meaningful discussions.” - Dr. Neil J. Anderson teaching in Hong Kong, you can get a teaching license.” Having a desire to be an English teacher and to help students in Hong Kong, Castro pointed out the current problem in the educational system in Hong Kong and how it is negatively affecting Hong Kong students’ experience in learning English. A timid child Before deciding to become a teacher, Castro described herself as an shy person when she was in primary school. She recalled, “In the class, if the teacher asked me to answer a question, I would start to tremble. My hands would feel cold. I just couldn’t talk in front of many people.” When Castro entered secondary school, she said she decided to overcome her fear. She joined the school’s drama club and she said it was a step forward to fight her fear. She shared, “I needed to perform in front of 1,200 people.
The teacher also did training on our speaking volume. The school’s cultural hall is very big. While we practiced on the stage, the teacher would stand at the end of the hall and wanted to be able to hear us.” Overcoming fear in BYUH Castro said her experience in the drama club helped her overcome half of her fear, but the other half was overcome when she attended BYUH in 2012. Her older sister told Castro the importance of speaking up and interacting with others in an American classroom, she said. “My sister told me in Hong Kong, I don’t need to say anything in the class, but in America, I have to be engaged in the class. I have to join the discussion and share my opinions.” After taking her older sister’s advice, Castro said, she decided to set a goal to speak at least once in every lesson. As time went by, she
became comfortable with speaking English in front of others. Her impression on others Dr. Neil J. Anderson is a TESOL professor and he described Castro as a diligent learner who engages in learning not for grade but for truly increasing her knowledge. He said, “Castro is a deep thinker who processes information carefully and critically. She is then able to articulate her thoughts verbally and engage in meaningful discussions.” Pui Sin Cheng, Castro’s older brother, a senior majoring in communications, said as a student, she is disciplined and serious about her grades being excellent. “She’s a 4.0 student. She got the highest scores among our family in the opening exam for all secondary school students in Hong Kong.” As a family member, Castro has been an example to her older brother. Cheng said she is intelligent and always tried to do the right thing. Although she is his younger sister, Cheng said he looks up to her. The meaning behind her name Jade is her English name and her Chinese name is Suet Mui. Castro's husband, Hyrum Seth Castro, said while Jade is considered as a precious material in Chinese culture, he also considers his wife as the most valuable person in his life. “She is a woman of great worth and purity. She finds happiness in learning and creates harmony in the home. Truly, she is precious inside and out,” said Hyrum Castro, a sophomore business management major from the Philippines. In Chinese, “Suet” means “snow” and “Mui” means “plum blossom.”Jade Castro said all the girls in her family are named after plants. “My cousins and I all together are plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo.’” Jade Castro explained plum blossom is the national flower of China. It is a symbol of strength and perseverance and it contains her parents’ expectation for her. “While all the other flowers come into bloom in Spring or Summer, plums grow in Winter with the snow. The colder it is, the more beautifully the plum blossoms bloom. Naming me ‘Suet Mui (snow plum),’ my parents’ hope for me is that even when I face difficulties, I’d remain strong and persistent and wouldn’t give up.” MAY 2019
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As a project for the David O. McKay Center, senior Alex Athans interviewed women in Laie and took photos of them. This is one of the women she photographed. Photo courtesy of Alex Athans
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Graphics by Lynne Hardy
Better understanding women of Laie Raised in Laie, Senior Alex Athans starts a social media page showing the ‘beautiful women of Laie’ to emphasize unity Graphics by Lynne Hardy
Starting a social media NGO, or nongovernmental organization, project for the David O. McKay Center, titled “Women of Laie,” Alex Athans, a senior from Laie studying peacebuilding and political science, said it was her sixth idea pitch for her NGO project. She said she kept changing her ideas, and finally, “Women of Laie” just stuck with her. The mission of her “Women of Laie,” according to Athans, is to interview female students and faculty, but also women in the community, to show how they are connected. “The differences separate us, but the similarities bring us together,” shared Athans. “I really want to interview people who would not normally be interviewed, and I want to talk to girls who don’t really feel like they fit in. That way I can prove that we are all more similar than we think.” Athans said she feels a lot of people view the women of Laie as unapproachable or intimidating. She said she wants to disprove that misconception. “I want the women in the community to stop being seen as scary or intimidating, but as strong women.” She added, “I think there is so much power in a woman's voice because women are the life force of everything around us. They create the gentle and forgiving atmosphere. I love how these women I interview share their vulnerable stories. It really brings power to others.” Needed in a small community Malayah Thompson, a senior from California studying history, was also involved with “Women of Laie.” Thompson said she feels there is some global and wholesome female empowerment going on in the world today, but seems to be less in small communities like Laie. Thompson said, “Alex created a medium for this grassroots work, which really hasn’t been done before. For me, and I’m sure other
BY MACKENZIE BEAVER women would agree, social media can be extremely toxic and detrimental to one’s selfesteem because of the innate idea that we have to compare ourselves constantly and point out the differences. “With the ‘Women of Laie,’ Alex has created a space where women can compare and highlight their shared experiences and find strength in their differences rather than be torn down by them. Personally, there have been amazing women who truly define empowerment that I have met in Laie.” Thompson said she was instantly interested in Athan’s organization when she heard about it. “This organization emphasizes the importance of working in the community. It has also enabled me to delve into and explore my own experiences as a woman, a woman of color and as a daughter of God.” Adriannah Metta, a senior studying anthropology from Papua New Guinea, like Thompson, was interviewed for Athans’ project. Metta shared, “I really appreciated being able to have an open dialogue with the community. I think that is essential in bridging the gap between the students here and the Laie community.”
More of the local women photographed by Athans. Photos by Ho Yin Li
Natural Beauty Along with having an interview, Athans said she also holds a photo shoot with the women. She shared she edits all the photos in black and white, so there is less room for comparison between the women. “When I am taking photos, I ask the women if they can be as natural as possible. I want to show natural beauty and that nobody is truly flawless. I want to show women that not everyone is perfect and so they do not need to be afraid of who they are.” Athans added she thinks women tend to compare themselves to each other. “Even though we don’t voice it all the time, we are all prone MAY 2019
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community into other communities. Athans added she loves to travel and wants to connect women from all over the world. Athans said she does not graduate for a year, and when she is doing her final project, she wants to create a black and white museum and display 10 of the photos and stories in this museum. Athans shared how she plans to start the museum during the Winter Semester of 2020. “Women of Laie” is an ongoing project and will continue for at least the next year until Athans graduates, she said. Updates and stories can be found on the Instagram page, @ womenoflaie and also on Facebook.
Photo by Ho Yin Li
to comparison and we are all insecure about our looks. I want this project to show women and students and whoever that we are all more alike than we are different.” Téalani Wallwork, a freshman from Washington studying elementary education, participated in the “Women of Laie” project. She said she can tell Athans wants to change not only the community but also someday the world. ‘‘‘Women of Laie’ is an amazing program for women in this community to feel loved and safe in a world where most women don’t.” Wallwork said she has even found a way to incorporate her future career with the NGO project. She said, “As an elementary major, I want to be able to change kids and to make them feel important and teach them that this world will bring them down. We just have to find the people who help pick us up.” She added the project helps find people who help encourage and pick women up. “I’m so happy I’m able to help along the way with Alex and her journey, and also to help women all around feel strong and important.”
She added how she was grateful to move back to Laie. “I wish I would’ve been more immersed in my culture earlier. As soon as I returned I immersed myself into my culture. “My advice to those struggling with feeling like they don’t fit in would be, own that you’re different. Make a place for yourself. You don’t have to completely fit in to find your place somewhere. Learn more about who you are culturally. We all have a place here to grow.”
Hina Autele’s Story One of the women Athans interviewed in the Laie community was Hina Autele. Autele and her family are from Laie. When she was younger, her mom got a job in the Caribbean and then they moved back to Laie. In the Caribbean, Autele said she felt out of place. “We were the only Polynesians in the Caribbean for the longest time. Also, [we were] the only Mormons in our school. I felt a detachment from my cultural identity. I felt like I didn’t really know who I was. I didn’t look like anybody in my school.”
Growing the project When most students start their NGO projects, they are not always up and running after the students graduate or leave the island, said Athans. Because of this, she said this is why she decided to do a social media page. After Athans is done with her project, she shared it won’t have a huge effect when it stops because it is more of an online platform showing women’s stories rather than a service project. Eventually, Athans said she wants to turn “Women of Laie” into a much bigger project and maybe have it reach outside of the local
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Changing Perceptions “Sometimes I feel like there is a huge gap between peacebuilding majors and the rest of the majors on campus,” shared Athans. “One of my main goals is to get professors and individuals from other majors to show that this major is so much more than what people think. I also want to give these amazing women the credit they deserve.” Athans added how women can even bring power to men. She said men are raised by strong women and women sharing similarities gives them each their own voice.
Photo by Ho Yin Li
Religion MAY 2019
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Graphic by Lynne Hardy
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Eve: The Mother of All Living Two students, a senior missionary and general authorities describe Eve as a courageous, steadfast example of righteous motherhood BY EMI WAINWRIGHT Knowing it was not good for man to be alone, God’s final grand act of the Creation was forming a helpmeet for Adam, the first man on earth. Though Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, leading to their banishment from the Garden of Eden, BYU-Hawaii students and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared they believe her choice was courageous, inspired and necessary for setting God’s plan for His children into motion. Sister Florence Farnsworth, a senior missionary from Utah working in Alumni & Career Services, said Eve made a conscious decision when she partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. “She was thinking about the future. The choice she made was for others. That certainly puts a lot more depth into her decision for me.” Stephanie Eldenberg, a sophomore majoring in art from Sweden, said, “I think Eve was incredibly brave, wise and loving. She’s the epitome of motherhood because she was willing to sacrifice her own comfort so she could have posterity and allow us to come to this earth.” Chesser Cowan, a sophomore peacebuilding major from New Zealand, agreed Eve was not thinking about herself. “If she was [thinking about herself,] she wouldn’t have eaten the fruit. I reckon she wanted more than just the perfect life. She wanted to know the joys and the ups and downs of life. She knew she couldn’t experience that without having children.” Eve’s courageous choice Farnsworth said she gained a great appreciation for the difficulty of Eve’s decision. “As a consequence, she experienced tremendous heartache when one son, Cain, killed another. I appreciate her steadfastness and her example as an amazingly faithful and great woman.” In a 2001 General Relief Society Meeting for the Church, Sheri L. Dew, the former second counselor in the Relief Society presidency,
said motherhood is about more than bearing children. “Of all the words they could’ve chosen to define her role and her essence, both God the Father and Adam called Eve ‘the mother of all living. ’ They did so before she ever bore a child.” Dew said motherhood “is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature and the unique traits our Father gave us.” Dew continued, “In addition to bearing children, Eve mothered all of mankind when she made the most courageous decision any woman has ever made and with Adam, opened the way for us to progress. “She set an example of womanhood for men to respect and women to follow, modeling the characteristics with which we as women have
in her decision… it was a choice that she made willingly, without knowing if Adam would make the same choice or not… “Eve really is an amazing leader. She shows us motherhood and leadership are about making unselfish decisions for a greater purpose that will serve and benefit us for the eternities.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie shared his own thoughts on Eve at the dedication of the Nauvoo Monument to Women on June 29, 1978. He said, “I rate Eve as one of the greatest women among all of those who have or will come to earth. She, as the mother of all living, set the pattern for all future mothers with reference to bringing up their children in light and truth. She received all the blessings of the gospel, enjoyed the gifts of the Spirit and sought
“In addition to bearing children, Eve mothered all of mankind when she made the most courageous decision any woman has ever made and with Adam, opened the way for us to progress. “ - Sister Sheri Dew been endowed: heroic faith, a keen sensitivity to the Spirit, an abhorrence of evil and complete selflessness. Like the Savior, ‘who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,’ Eve, for the joy of helping initiate the human family, endured the Fall. She loved us enough to help lead us.” Eldenberg said Eve did not have complete knowledge of how everything would work out. “But she still took a step of faith. She understood what she needed to do… and how we need opposition in all things in order to fulfill our purpose and become who we’re meant to be.” Setting a pattern for mothers and fathers Eldenberg continued, “I think it’s very cool that, in one way, Eve was so independent
to prepare her posterity for like blessings.” Cowan described Eve as the alpha mom. “Women have to go through a lot. God’s given them a pretty cool role, to be mothers and raise children. Eve knew what she had to do. She knew what she wanted and Adam followed. But an equal partnership has to happen.You can’t just have one person calling the shots.” According to McConkie, as the first two people on earth, Adam and Eve, established the perfect pattern for the family. “The man and the woman are together in worship. They are together in teaching their children. They are together in establishing the family unit that hopefully will endure in the eternities ahead, thus giving eternal life to all those who earn it,” he said.
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After President Tanner heard there was no Bahrain flag in the flag circle from Abdullah, a week later, Abdullah shared her country's flag was flying in the flag circle. Photo by Chad Hsieh
From the Middle East to the Pacific Ocean Amirah Abdullah shares her journey from being baptized in the Middle Eastern country of Bahrain to adjusting to life in Laie BY WILL KRUEGER Originating from the Arabic country of Bahrain, Amirah Abdullah, a freshman and business management major, said she chose BYU-Hawaii because the Honor Code followed similar patterns to life back home. Choosing BYUH: The Honor Code Abdullah spoke of why she decided to come to BYUH. “What attracted me to school here is the Honor Code. The fact there are certain rules here people need to follow compared to other universities makes me feel safer. “I feel like I could have more trust because of the Honor Code. I think that is why my dad allowed me to come because. He trusts this kind of environment.” Although she was accepted to BYUH two years ago, Abdullah said she 48
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deferred. “I had so much going on in my head like marriage [or a] mission. I wasn’t sure if it was the right place for me at the time. I prayed a lot and eventually found my way here. The more I worked, prayed and exercised my faith, the smoother it became for me to get here.” Abdullah said most people do not know what Bahrain is. She recalled, “During orientation week, we had a meeting with President Tanner. President Tanner called out the names of countries and had people stand up as their country was called. I [did not] stand up because my country, Bahrain, was never called. I felt kind of embarrassed, because I was the only one seated. “At the end of the meeting, I felt impressed to go and shake President Tanner’s hand, and
tell him he missed my country. He asked me, surprisingly, which country it was. I told him I’m from the Middle East, a country called Bahrain. He then told me he had a Bahrain flag, and about a week later, I saw it up in the flag circle.” Before Bahrain Abdullah said as far as she knows, she and her family are the only Arab members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the entire country. Before living in Bahrain, she was born in the Philippines to a Filipino mother and a Bahraini father. The family moved to the Middle East when she was 5 and spent most of her life there. Abdullah said after her family moved, her mom lost contact with the Church.
“My dad is a strong Muslim. When I was baptized, people were surprised he gave me permission to do so. They had to write a letter to Church headquarters to make sure I was able to get baptized.” According to Abdullah, 10 years later, her mom saw a story in the newspaper about the Church and learned of a small branch operating in Bahrain. It was comprised mostly of foreigners. Shortly after regaining contact with the Church, Abdullah, her mother and siblings attended Church services. Abdullah said she and her siblings were among the first Bahrainis to be baptized. The Church in Bahrain According to ldschurchgrowth.blogspot. com, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been legally recognized in Bahrain since 2001 and there are approximately 200 members, comprised mostly of foreigners out of a total country population of 1.5 million. Abdullah said her branch meets in a small area and is populated by foreigners. “We go to church in a villa. It’s a small place and not many people know about it. Most members are from the United States because there is a lot of military there. “There are also a few Filipinos who attend. You will never hear about Arabs going to church. The only Arabs in the church in Bahrain [are] me and my siblings. Everyone else is a foreigner.” According to Roche Donato, a senior majoring in exercise sports science from Qatar, “The standards that the people have in the Middle East are similar to us in our Church.
“The law of chastity and modesty is very important in those countries, so it’s easy to blend in. However, missionary work is different there. There are no missionaries and people can’t knock door-to-door.” Abdullah said in regards to the Church membership in Bahrain, “There are no missionaries there.You can’t speak about or preach the gospel there. We go to church on a Friday because that is the holy day in Bahrain. For stake conference, we meet with other countries such as Saudi Arabia [and] Kuwait.” Abdullah shared she wants people to understand Arabs are not how they portrayed in the media, “I want people to know that Arab’s are nice people. They are down to earth, welcoming and friendly people despite what you hear in the news. We are not bad people like how the media may portray us.” Life in Hawaii Speaking of how different living in Hawaii is to Bahrain, Abdullah added, “It’s a big adjustment here to not hear the Muslim prayers five times a day. In Bahrain, the women also cover themselves in public wearing abaya compared to here where people can wear whatever they want, which is really different for me. Arab women wear abaya or hijab out of respect. I also would wear this clothing in public too.” According to Abdullah, an abaya is a traditional robe dress worn by Muslim women. Abdullah said she had to adapt when she came to Laie. “I had to make a lot of adjustments here. Living with girls from different countries that I
had never heard of, taking care of myself and not having my family around. “I knew nothing about Polynesia before I came here. I didn’t even know what Polynesia was. I have grown to love Polynesia and its culture since coming here. I love the diversity of the school.” Tevita Livai, a friend of Abdullah’s from work at the Polynesian Cultural Center and who is from Kahuku, said he admires Abdullah’s focus. “I don’t know much about Muslims. I know that it can be hard for Muslims or people in [Muslim-majority] countries to be members of the Church. “I admire her for what she has done and is doing. She seems focused on her education and to succeed.” When Livai said she first met Abdullah, she shared, “She didn’t really want to talk to me much at first. I asked her in passing if she could help me out with something for my family and she willingly agreed. “That’s how we became friends and she spent a lot of time around me, my wife and family. I never had a friend from the Middle East before. I felt like she was hard to get close to at first, but now she’s really open and there for us.” His spouse, Courtney Livai, a junior from Washington majoring in exercise sports science, also works with Abdullah. She added, “She is very helpful and kind. She enjoys being independent, but she is also very grateful when someone helps her. She has a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I think she’s adjusting well to life here, and she’s focused on doing well in school.” Graphic by Brad Carbine
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Photo by Chad Hsieh
Delinila says to trust in the Lord through trials and blessings Featured on lds.org seven years ago, Filipino student gains an opportunity to study at BYUH BY ESTHER INSIGNE
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It was a Saturday night in Cebu, Philippines when Tania Delinila a freshman from majoring in graphic design, faced a challenge that tested her faith and testimony in Christ. Her father was away for work, and she was tasked to buy a list of things they needed. Finding out her family only had less than a dollar left, Delinila worried if they could attend church the next day and have the groceries they needed to get by. Delinila’s mother urged her to buy the things they needed and said they would find a way to go to church the next day. Delinila started to pray as she headed to the small store in their neighborhood and proceeded to buy charcoal. She noticed how the prices had changed and became anxious because she still needed to buy food for her family. In the middle of it all, she heard a small voice telling her to continue buying the things they needed. Delinila was about to pay for the diapers, water and sardines when she felt a lump in her pocket. She noticed she had five extra 20 peso bills. It was enough to pay for the fare for church in the morning. How they found her story In Delinila’s Young Women’s class, in 2012, they were asked to share a valuable experience that happened during the past week. She decided to talk about what happened to her the night before. “Coincidentally there were people from Utah who came to our stake because they wanted to write a story in the Liahona about the youth from the Philippines,” recalled Delinila. “At that time, our stake had five wards, and each ward had a representative. The experience was still fresh and my young women leaders recommended me, so we had an interview,” Delinila said. The writers went back to the United States, and Delinila later discovered she got featured in the Liahona. She shared how the writers came
back shortly because they decided to make a video about her experience. A few months after the video, “Pure and Simple Faith,” was published online, a fellow Filipina living in the United States reached out to her family. She recalled not knowing the person but because the woman knew a member in her ward she was able to reach out. Delinila shared, “She wanted to help so she bought us groceries. That was a big blessing.” It did not occur to Delinila how the video would reach people from different parts of the world. “I guess I wasn’t really tech savvy. Back then, I didn’t really use Facebook, and I didn’t understand how YouTube worked. I guess it dawned on me more when I served my mission and people would recognize me from the video. It didn’t hit right away,” she said. Recalling when she watched the video, Sierie Caduada, a freshman from the Philippines studying psychology, said she found out Delinila was the girl in the video and in the same mission as her. “We were talking about it in the class, and she was very quiet about it. She did not want to tell anyone. Eventually my trainer told me, and then we watched her video,” Caduada said. Caduada said, “I was surprised and amazed at the same time because I remember the story when it was first shown a couple of years back. That story of hers helped me [because] it was faith promoting and faith building.” The desire to attend college A few months before Delinila came back from her service in the Philippines Cauayan Mission, she and her family started discussing her desire to go to college. She shared, “I wasn’t sure if I could go to college, but my parents didn’t want me to worry. They told me everything’s okay." However, when Delinila finished her mission, she soon realized she could not go to
"I hope Tania
always remembers how endless her
potential is, how
amazing she is, and how loved she is by so many.”
Graphic by Lynne Hardy
college due to financial constraints. Delinila said initially she “was really disappointed. I thought I gave my best during my mission. [I thought], ‘Okay, this is my reward. I can’t go to college. That’s the only thing I want to happen next in my life.’” On May 1, 2017, just a few days after coming back from her mission, Delinila found herself crying after looking at different scholarships and colleges. “I knew I couldn’t go to a university so I was looking for a state college where I could go. Then suddenly an email popped up. It was an email from the family of my companion. “They said, ‘We saw your video, and we felt impressed to reach out to you. If you want, we can help you if you want to go to school there or if you want to go to BYU–Hawaii.’” “While reading the email, I was just bawling inside the internet café. I said, ‘Okay, this is my chance to go to college,’” said Delinila. After finding out she had the opportunity to pursue college, she did her research on IWORK and she prepared to come to Hawaii. Delinila’s companion, Anna Allen from Utah, recalled how Delinila mentioned she
Graphic by Brad Carbine MAY 2019
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Graphic by Brad Carbine
wanted to go to college after serving a mission. “I knew education was really important to her. She has done so much for me as my companion and as my friend. So my family and I were happy to help her get her foot in the door at BYUH and help her start her journey there.”
how endless her potential is, how amazing she is, and how loved she is by so many.” The biggest lesson Delinila said she learned was to trust in Heavenly Father’s timing. “There were so many blessings in my life I wanted right now, right away, but he kept on delaying the blessings. Looking back at those moments
where I was waiting, inside I was murmuring and impatient, but a few years later, I saw those were the most defining moments of my life and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Enjoying college When Delinila found out about the IWORK program, her application was a month late and was rejected. She reapplied again for Spring 2018 and was admitted however without the IWORK scholarship. It was during her third try when she found out she was accepted and received a scholarship as well. She said, “It’s all in His perfect timing. If I came here earlier, I wouldn’t have met my batchmates. They are really my close friends.” “After receiving the email from my companion’s family and after praying, I felt that confirmation that this was the place where I would continue to grow, and I’m not disappointed. It’s a great place to learn and to grow academically,” said Delinila. During her free days, Delinila said she finds herself painting. “I’m not really good at drawing, but my favorite medium is watercolor. My roommate and my friends would always just find me inside my room [painting]. It helps when I go out, look at the beach and just notice the colors,” she shared. Bea Suyod, a freshman from the Philippines studying accounting, said she and Delinila became close friends after the Christmas break. Suyod enjoyed talking to her and shared how trustworthy Delinila is. Suyod also said Delinila’s personality stood out to her. “She’s brave, courageous, and she does what she wants to do. She’s not afraid of trying things she likes.” Allen shared how happy she and her family feel for Delinila. “I feel so honored my family could help Tania. I hope Tania always remembers Photo by Chad Hsieh 52
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Hundreds of saints pose for a group photo outside the Laie Temple. Photos by laietemple100.org website
Professor: Temple built based on the faith of Hawaiian Saints Religion Professor Eric Marlowe tells story of the Laie Temple and its 100-year legacy BY ELIJAH HADLEY When the Laie Hawaii Temple was dedicated, at least 90 to 95 percent of all Church members in Hawaii were native Hawaiians, said Religion Professor Eric Marlowe, and because of their faith, the temple was built. “The process of building the temple, by itself, is not very significant,” said Marlowe speaking at a luncheon on campus, “but it’s what the people can do with it which is significant. Early on, this temple was incredibly remote. It’s hard to imagine a temple being out here. There are plenty of accounts of people rounding the bend in Hauula and just being shocked there is such an edifice out here. The remoteness of it is striking.” Giving an address at the April 4 BYU–Hawaii Women’s Organization luncheon in the Aloha Center Ballroom, Marlowe spoke about the history of the temple and also his personal appreciation for temples. HISTORY OF HAWAIIAN SAINTS Using a slideshow, Marlowe showed early Hawaiian members of the Church wearing white on the day the temple was dedicated in 1919. Marlowe said, “These were the people upon
whose faith the temple was built. Temples are built based on the faith of the saints.” Marlowe proceeded to give a history of the Church in the Pacific, referring to two main events in the Church’s main history. One was the first time missionaries were sent by the Church to preach in the Pacific in 1843, under the Prophet Joseph Smith. The second was 1850, with the first missionaries arriving in Hawaii, called the Sandwich Islands at the time. President Brigham Young sent Addison Pratt, a former whaler, to preach in the islands. Pratt became the first missionary of the Church to preach in a language other than English. Along with three other missionaries, Pratt and his companions ended up in French Polynesia and converted several thousand of its people. Marlowe showed these events parallel with the events occurring on the mainland, as thousands of members were immigrating to Utah. The sailing ship Brooklyn, under the command of Samuel Brannan, the highestranking Church leader in the east, set off for the west and stopped in Hawaii. Brannan was asked
to give a sermon in the church, which many called the first sermon given in the Pacific. Missionaries in Hawaii were called from California, where the Gold Rush was occurring, according to Marlowe. Marlowe then skipped to a slide showing the painting made famous by its presence in the McKay Foyer. The painting depicts the brethren dedicating the Hawaiian Islands for the preaching of the gospel, set against the lush painted background of the islands. Joseph F. Smith, who had been a missionary to the islands, was given the task of finding a gathering place for the Hawaiian Saints. “In 1868, Laie looked very different. It was barren and windswept,” said Marlowe. “A sugar plantation was established as were a mission home and chapel. Hawaiian saints could not emigrate to Utah, so it was important for them to have a temple where they could have work done.” When the 50th anniversary of the Hawaiian mission came around in 1900, George Q. Cannon came back to the islands for a celebration since he was a missionary here. Cannon began to talk more about temples in MAY 2019
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Eric Marlowe. Photo by Monique Saenz
Hawaii. “If anybody has a picture of the longevity of the righteousness of the Hawaiian saints, it’s him,” Marlowe said. “Some of the people he originally taught are still there 50 years later. He sees the generations after and decides the Church needs to be giving temple blessings to
these people. “Fast-forward 15 years. He, [Cannon], talks about temple ordinances but he doesn’t talk about temples, except in private, where he believes there will be a temple in Hawaii. Samuel Woolley takes it to heart.” In 1915, Joseph F. Smith, now the prophet, returned to Hawaii, invited by Reed Smoot, an apostle and U.S. senator. “I would love to have been there,” Marlowe expressed. “I’m sure he, (Smith), is speaking fluent Hawaiian. He’s lived among them all before.’ Two years prior to this, the Alberta Canada Temple had been announced, and ideas are flowing in Samuel Woolley’s head. This is also in the middle of World War I, and temples aren’t usually built during wars, but Hawaii is a good distance away. “At the end of the trip, on the birthday of Brigham Young,” Marlowe continued, “Joseph F. Smith went [with] the bishop and Reed Smoot to the chapel and determined that they would dedicate the land then and there. Without approval of the First Presidency, they determine they will do this, and it will be approved regardless.” Over three months, Joseph F. Smith and Samuel Woolley wrote to one another in cryptic letters, using the words “special house” instead of “temple.” At the opening session of General Conference later in the year, Smith finished his lengthy talk and announced the temple at the conference. According to Marlowe, the Church and the saints in Hawaii wasted no time building the
temple. With a design very similar to the Alberta Canada Temple, both temples were modeled after an ancient design most famously found in Solomon’s Temple. At the time, only the Salt Lake City Temple had an Angel Moroni on the top; none of the others did. “What was genius about the design is they maximized everything. At this point, the Church is still worried about money. This design uses every available space [and] the efficiency of what the saints were doing. It maximized, being the first of the small temples.” Unlike the Salt Lake City and Alberta temples, which had been built using stone, the Laie Temple was built using cement and crushed rocks for the structure. Marlowe said he loved the idea of the Hawaiian saints using rocks from their island -lava stones- in the building of the temple. In ancient times, he said, Hawaiians used lava stones for constructing their temples. “Looking very carefully,” Marlowe pointed out, “the shape of the temple becomes a Grecian cross from a view up above. Now don’t think crucifix. The Grecian cross had a reference to the four corners of the Earth, of taking the gospel to the four corners of the Earth. The purpose of the gathering is to come to temples, to bring people from the four corners of the Earth.” THE COMPLETION OF THE TEMPLE The temple was completed by 1918, although it could not be dedicated at the time due to World War I ending and the influenza outbreak. Joseph F. Smith eventually died of pneumonia and did not live to see the dedication.
1900
1864
Joseph F. Smith given task of finding new gathering place for the Hawaiian Saints
1850
First missionaries started arriving in Hawaii 54
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1865
Laie is purchased in January
50th anniversary of Hawaiian mission. George Q. Cannon (one of original 10 missionaries) attends the celebration and talks temple ordinances and about a temple in private and Samuel Woolley (Hawaii Mission President) takes it to heart and works toward that goal.
1915
In October General Conference the Laie Hawaii Temple announced publicly.
1916
Work on the temple began in January. First task was removing the Laie Chapel from the temple site by lifting it with jacks then setting it on pipes and rolling it down the hill to where the Laie North Stake Center is today.
The temple was ultimately dedicated on Nov. 27, 1919, by President Heber J. Grant. As was traditional with temple dedications, Marlowe said, the leadership were the first to enter into the completed temple. Marlowe showed a photograph taken the day of the dedication. It depicted hundreds of people dressed in their finest clothes lining up to enter into the temple. He said 300 or more people attended a session. On Sunday, President Grant held a Primary session, where all the Primary children were allowed to enter the temple. Outside, he led the children in song. Marlowe has written a book on the history of the temple. It is called “The Laie Hawaii Temple: A Century of Aloha.” He said the book was written with support from the Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and help from a committee lead by Elder Aley K. Auna Jr., the former Hawaii Area Seventy Authority. Marlowe said the book is being edited and is scheduled to be released in September. It is published through the Religious Studies Center–BYU/ Deseret Book. He is also scheduled to give a devotional address during the Fall 2019 Semester.
An early photo the of Laie Hawaii Temple. Photo from laietemple100.org website.
1918
Temple completed but not dedicated due to President Joseph F. Smith’s poor health, later passing, and onset of the Spanish Flu outbreak.
1919
Temple dedicated by President Heber J. Grant
2019
Celebrating 100 years of the Laie Hawaii Temple
1978
Temple rededicated (President Kimball)
2010
Temple rededicated (President Monson) Source: Eric Marlowe & LDS.org Graphics by Anuhea Chen MAY 2019
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Photomajoring by Cameron Gardner Hannah Fullerton, a senior in Pacific Island studies from Arizona, said having Bear, her service dog, has changed and helped her life in a story on p. 14. Photo by Chad Hsieh