What an honor to be here this morning. What a view to look out at. You are the bright and hopeful future of our church, our families and the world with seas of opportunities ahead of you, threshold and crossroads to select. This morning I want to share my insights, my feelings on “I too, Must Give.”
The greatest gift endowed upon us is the ultimate atoning sacrifice that the Savior gave which allows us to cleanse and release so we balance ourselves and become whole. The epistle of Mark talked about the giving of the poor widow’s mites.
Though it wasn’t much value by the world standard of wealth. She gave all she had and therefore is numbered amongst those that claim “I too, Must Give” and it was the kind of giving that matters most.
In Helaman 15:13 it says:
“they shall be brought to the true knowledge which is the knowledge of their Redeemer and their great and true shepherd and be numbered among his sheep.”1
Last week, I had the honor of serving her Highness Princess Salote Pilolevu and her entourage. Her Majesty Queen Salote, Princess, Grandmother and Namesake gave her respect to the Queen of England by not putting up her carriage roof during the rain and thereby her island kingdom hit the media. She must have said to herself, I am not here for my royal dignity, I am here to honor Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in her coronation parade. So she contributed by following “I too, Must Give.”
Her Son
King George Tupou IV came and invested the Mafifakapotu title upon the President of the Polynesian Cultural Center, then President Lester Moore, and the title has remained with us since then.
King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasi came to the grand opening of the Tongan Village last year and his son Prince Ata is an endowed member today.
Some years back it was the unthinkable but today his highness the prince is amongst the sheep led by the true shepherd as Helaman prophesied so his influence is felt throughout the Kingdom and especially in the Palace. My point is, along the way many on our campus, the community, the church and the Polynesian Cultural Center said to themselves “I too, Must Give” as we hosted, catered and served them and it has profiteth all of us.
How about you and I?
President Thomas Monson commented “we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort and our kindness.”2
I have a list of simple but valuable things for us to consider:
- Give of the self. This is self-explanatory. Where we can all contribute to "I too, Must Give".
- Thoughtfulness to others who maybe homesick, heartbroken for having received a Dear John, failed an exam, health, and other struggles.
- Consideration of roommates, other cultures and the way they see things. Loud music when one is not feeling well or sleeping early for a test next morning is not a good deposit to "I too, Must Give."
- Courage to do what is right
- Happy with what you have. You must be happy today, not tomorrow. Be happy with your beautiful classrooms, your opportunity to work and pay for your schooling, happy in the gospel, happy that the beach is within walking distance.
- Tolerance with understanding, esteem our neighbors with respect, your unit-mates, your teachers, co-workers.
- Gratitude for all your blessings. Don’t wait, let your parents know how much you appreciate them. Let a friend know what they mean to you. Let your Bishop know that his wisdom and counsel means a lot to you. Do it now.
- Be genuinely happy for others. Robert Louise Stevenson said, “a friend is a present you give yourself."3
May I share a prophecy that we are so familiar with. “From this campus will men and women whose influence will be felt for good towards the establishment of peace internationally. Missionaries who will influence not thousands not tens of thousands but millions to know what we’re about and Laie’s significance.”4
Much serving made. Many, many people gave and gave and committed. "I too, Must Give." To you who may feel discouraged and see your upbringing as perhaps not the best circumstances I say, “shake it off” and put your shoulders to the wheel and commit yourself to Give. My mother passed away when I was only one.
All of my siblings took on the parental role and saw to it that I was nurtured, cared for and loved especially my grandma Fifita. They must have said to themselves:
“I too, Must Give”.
My college parents are here with us today, my brother Saia and his lovely wife Frances I pay tribute to.
They said to themselves, “I too Must Give” so they supported me, then I told them I was going on a mission and I don’t know how they did it but every month, no fail I received a check from them. My success journey in life is due to the many strong shoulders I stand upon. My sweet and supportive eternal companion, my best friend Livingston Unga. My children and their families are my jewels and to whom I always say “I too, Must Give”.
My testimony is I know God lives. He gave and continues to give. Our Savior gave his life. Of us it’s expected that “We too, Must Give” and I share this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
[1] Helaman 15:13
[2] President Thomas S. Monson, "What Have I Done for Someone Today?", October 2009 General Conference
[3] Robert Louise Stevenson
[4] President David O. McKay