On the eleventh of January 1886, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened its first school in the South Pacific in Nuhaka, New Zealand. The first teacher was Elder Sondra Sanders from the United States of America. The school was equipped with a homemade blackboard and several writing slates. By February of 1886 the school had also acquired a few books. This marked the humble beginning of Church sponsored schools in the South Pacific.
By the 1950’s Church high schools were dotted across the Pacific and soon enough, this very school was raised up out of the sand at the prophetic direction of President David O. McKay. None of us should be surprised by the interest and commitment of the Church to education. Our scriptures are not silent on the subject. In them, we are reminded that the glory of God is intelligence, and no man can be saved in ignorance. Our very first parents, we read in Moses 5:12, “made all things known unto their sons and... daughters.” [1] Our earliest leaders had those who walked west, even though space was limited, carry with them books which became part of a library of learning for the early pioneer Saints.
The Church now has 15 schools scattered throughout the islands of Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, and Tonga. Missionary teachers have been replaced with qualified, local teachers. Blackboards have been replaced with white boards. Writing slates have been replaced with exercise books and computers. Although today’s beautiful campuses are a stark contrast from the humble rooms of the first Church sponsored school in New Zealand, the objective of Church schools has remained consistent since their establishment in the Pacific.
Some of you are the product of Church schools. We hope you carry with you a heart full of gratitude for all that has been provided for you in the past, and you are showing that gratitude by the way you apply yourself at this wonderful university. I am quick to note that whether our education was at a Church high school or not, you are blessed beyond measure to be at this school. The Lord loves a grateful heart and therefore, perhaps this very night, your prayer could be an expression of appreciation for your blessed opportunity to be here.
Education is a means to an end. All those classes you attend, the papers you write, the lectures you listen to, the readings you do, the examinations you sit, are all a means to an end. Certainly, a motivating outcome of education is a bigger paycheck, but if that is the only reason this and other Church schools exist, we would sadly be missing the mark.
President Russell M. Nelson said, “In the Church, obtaining an education and getting knowledge are a religious responsibility. We educate our minds so that one day we can render service of worth to somebody else.” [2] As you study here at this beautiful institution, I hope you remember President Russell M. Nelson’s prophetic counsel to educate your mind so that one day you can render service.
The mission of the Church Educational System, which includes the mission of this school, is to develop lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ who will become leaders and participants in the Church, and their communities. [3] The most important outcome of your education here is to leave having a sure knowledge, not just a belief, that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world and that there has been a restoration of His Church, and you are a member of it.
I am a grateful lifelong learner and educator and spend much of my time teaching the learnings of man that I have acquired from many years of experience and sitting in classrooms, just like you. With that said, I encourage you not to neglect your spiritual learning. There is little value in having a doctorate in the philosophies of man and a grade school education about the things that matter most. And what matters most, you ask? The things that matter most are the things of God. That beautiful temple just down the road is your place of spiritual higher learning and should be frequented often.
I am a Church schools graduate like the students sitting here on this stand. I am grateful for the education I received during my high school years as a student at the Church College of New Zealand. During these formative years the teachers made a significant impact on me and ignited the fire of learning inside of me. And, just for the record, I married the principal’s daughter…another good reason to attend a Church School.
A large proportion of the Pacific Church Schools faculty are graduates from BYU–Hawaii. We are sincerely grateful for their service. I have observed that graduates we hire from BYU–Hawaii come to us with strong testimonies of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. They also have excellent English proficiency and are well prepared to teach their specialised subjects. On behalf of the Pacific Church Schools, I sincerely thank the faculty and staff of BYU–Hawaii for supporting our schools with amazing graduates. I want to acknowledge the wonderful team in the Faculty of Education that support the International Teacher Education Program that enables teachers to continually improve their teaching practices. We recently celebrated 25 years of the International Teacher Education Program and its involvement with supporting the Pacific Church Schools.
We are going to be on your campus over the next few days. Please feel free to come and talk to our team. We would love to discuss with you the possibility of internships or employment opportunities in Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. Don't be shy, come and have a chat. I hope that we can be of assistance to you. I hope that as you interact with our team, you see what I see in these wonderful people. I hope you see their goodness, gratitude and godliness.
On behalf of the Pacific Church Schools, I would like to thank President Kauwe for his continued support and for hosting this year’s principals conference. We love you and appreciate all that you do.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes:
[1] Moses 5:12
[2] Russell M. Nelson, "Focus on Values," New Era, Feb. 2013, 2-5
[3] Church Educational System Honor Code