Sisters and brothers, aloha! I want to start by just acknowledging how amazing you are. Yesterday, Sister Amos and I had the opportunity to visit your Polynesian Cultural Center. There are two words that I can use to describe our experience yesterday; exceptional and unforgettable. Wow! In addition to recognizing all of those amazing individual performances yesterday, I would like to personally give a shout out to our tour guide. I love you guys. I love the way you cheerfully do what you do, I love the way you professionally do it, and I love the way you love each other. It was so obvious. I love the way you love the patrons. All the way till last night, in the parking lot, the parking lot attendants standing in the dark in the rain, cheerfully helping people find their cars to get home safely. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the disciples of Jesus Christ that you are. Thank you! Mahalo! Mahalo!
Now, after receiving the invite to speak at your BYU–Hawaii weekly devotional, I decided to go and read the BYU–Hawaii mission statement. As you are aware, the mission statement simply states:
"The mission of BYU–Hawaii is to prepare students of Oceania and the Asian Rim to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in their families, communities, chosen fields, and in building the kingdom of God." [1]
I’m a visual learner, so I decided to ask AI to create a map of Oceania and the Asian Rim. This is an enhanced version of the image it generated.
My first reaction when I saw that was, WOW. So, I decided to ask AI a few more questions
- Give me a map of the entire world
- What percent of the world's land mass is Oceania and the Asian Rim?
- What percent of the world population is Oceania and the Asian Rim?
Well, you see the map. It turns out about 28% of the world's land mass is Oceania and the Asian Rim, and almost 58% is the world’s population.
I remember reading a comment from your university president about the university’s vision where he stated: “BYU–Hawaii brings together countries and cultures in ways that no other university can.” [2]
Well, after looking at that map and considering that BYU–Hawaii is focusing on close to 60% of the world’s population… I can see why BYU–Hawaii has a mission like no other university.
Going back to the school’s mission, it’s primarily about making lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.
In my hometown located in southern Louisiana, we have a culture of simplicity. We like short and relevant descriptions of things.
So, I think the Lord was thinking about my people in Opelousas, Louisiana when he inspired the Guide to the Scriptures study help in the Gospel Library.
If we go to the Guide to the Scriptures and look up disciple, the very first sentence gives what I call “the simple Opelousas, Louisiana description”.
It states: Disciple is “A follower of Jesus Christ who lives according to Christ’s teachings.” [3]
I heard two parts in that description: a disciple is
- A follower of Jesus Christ
- Who lives according to Christ’s teachings
Back in my small hometown in Louisiana, we have a saying for those folks that are only followers of Jesus Christ, but don’t quite live according to His teachings… we call them “a half of a disciple”.
In Doctrine and Covenants 41:5, the Lord says the following:
"He that receiveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple; and he that saith he receiveth it and doeth it not, the same is not my disciple, and shall be cast out from among you;" [4]
So, I think it’s pretty clear that being a disciple requires us to be both a follower of Jesus Christ that knows His law and a doer who lives according to His law.
It’s not a surprise that BYU–Hawaii’s mission is focused on preparing students to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ…being a disciple is important to God’s work.
In Moses 1:39, we are reminded of God’s work:
“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” [5]
So, it’s clear that our Father in Heaven wants all of His children to have eternal life.
Elder Dale G. Renlund stated: “For us to receive eternal life, we must become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.” [6]
President Dallin H. Oaks shared the following about eternal life: “Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is based on the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. We qualify for eternal life through a process of conversion.” [7]
Let’s go back to the Guide to the Scriptures study help in the gospel library and look up conversion, it reads:
“Conversion includes a conscious decision to give up one’s former ways and change to become a disciple of Christ.” [8]
Eternal life is the goal. It requires us to become disciples of Jesus Christ. To become disciples of Jesus Christ, we must go through the conversion process. That process is an ongoing process, which is why it’s important to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.
Elder David A. Bednar taught: “Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion. We should know the gospel is true and be true to the gospel.” [9]
Here is an interesting teaching from Elder Bednar. It’s called “Testimony, Conversion, and the Parable of the Ten Virgins”. [10]
He starts… “I now want to use one of many possible interpretations of the parable of the ten virgins to highlight the relationship between testimony and conversion. Ten virgins, five who were wise and five who were foolish, took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Please think of the lamps used by the virgins as the lamps of testimony. The foolish virgins took their lamps of testimony but took no oil with them. Consider the oil to be the oil of conversion."
But the wise took oil [of conversion] in their vessels with their lamps [of testimony].
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps [of testimony].
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil [even the oil of conversion]; for our lamps [of testimony are weak and] are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves”.
The five wise virgins were not trying to be selfish. They were not trying to be unwilling to share. They were correct, we must “buy for ourselves.” We must all, individually, go through the process of conversion. We acquire this precious oil of conversion one drop at a time, line upon line, precept upon precept.
Let’s remember, the ultimate goal is eternal life. Eternal life (or exaltation), is the highest state of happiness and glory in the celestial kingdom. It means “living with God forever in eternal families. It is to know God and Jesus Christ, to become like Them, and to experience the life They enjoy.” [11] To receive eternal life, we need to go through the process of conversion which includes a conscious decision to give up one’s former ways and change to become a disciple of Christ.
As Elder Bednar noted, conversion is acquired line upon line and precept upon precept, patiently and persistently.
I’ve come to learn that we all have a natural aptitude to make simple gospel principles seem rather complicated. Here is my response to that idea….
This is a picture when I first went into the Navy.
I was a Sailor... and like all good sailors, I have a commanding officer, and there she is.
That was over 35 years ago.
In the Navy, I was a Navy Nuke, which means I was in the Navy Nuclear Power Program. There was a Navy Nuke stereotype which generally implied Navy Nukes "over-think" the simple things of life, making some things harder than they need to be.
And so other sailors had a slogan they used all the time “Don't Nuke It”… it’s “a way to say stop over thinking things in the way a Navy Nuke might. Don't dissect everything down to its nuts and bolts. Just stop thinking.” [12]
So, Sisters and Brothers, let me offer some humble advice when it comes to living the gospel of Jesus Christ…. “Don’t Nuke it”. Keep it simple.
As it says in Alma 37:6: "…by small and simple things are great things brought to pass;..." [13]
To continue the conversion process and become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ, do those small and simple things like daily repentance, prayer, fasting, scripture study, partaking of the sacrament weekly, and regular worship in the house of the Lord. [14]
I would like to add, with emphasis, let’s simply keep His commandments and the covenants we made with Him.
President Jeffrey R. Holland stated: "As near as I can tell, Christ never once withheld His love from anyone, but He also never once said to anyone, ‘Because I love you, you are exempt from keeping my commandments.’” [15]
I will conclude with this final quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Remember, it is Jesus Christ who already did the superhuman part when He conquered death and sin… We know that our efforts alone cannot make us celestial. But they can make us loyal and committed to Jesus the Christ, and He can make us celestial… we must do our part today and every day. We are thankful for the steps we took yesterday, but we don’t stop there. We know we still have a long way to go, but we don’t let that discourage us.” [16]
I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and He has “accomplished everything we need to be able to return to [our] Heavenly Father.” [17]
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes:
[1] BYU–Hawaii Mission and Vision
[2] John S. K. Kauwe III, BYU–Hawaii Mission and Vision
[3] Guide to the Scriptures, “Disciple”, Gospel Library
[4] Doctrine & Covenants 41:5
[5] Moses 1:39
[6] Dale G. Renlund, “Ways We Follow Jesus Christ,” For the Strength of Youth, June 2025
[7] Dallin H. Oaks, “Kingdoms of Glory,” Liahona, October 2023
[8] Guide to the Scriptures, “Conversion”, Gospel Library
[9] Elder David A. Bednar, “Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, October 2012, 109
[10] Elder David A. Bednar, “Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, October 2012, 109
[11] Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ [2023], Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation [2023], 58
[12] Terrina Weatherspoon, “Nuking It,” All Hands (U.S. Navy), 22 October 2014
[13] Alma 37:6
[14] Michael Cziesla, “Simplicity in Christ,” Liahona, October 2025
[15] Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Second Half of the Second Century of Brigham Young University,” [Brigham Young University devotional, August 23, 2021], speeches.byu.edu
[16] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Do Your Part with All Your Heart,” Liahona, October 2025
[17] Ryan Jensen, “‘The Savior Accomplished Everything We Need,’ Elder Cook Tells Saints in Birmingham, England,” Church News, May 27, 2025