Brothers and Sisters, aloha!
I am truly grateful for Monica and her loving and powerful message. She loves you so much, and I hope you feel that. I love you too!
Welcome back!
We had a great summer break as a family, and I hope you all did, too. We spent time together hiking, surfing, fishing, and hanging out around campfires. It was awesome.
As many of you may know, I received a new calling in April as an Area Seventy. The call surprised Monica and me, especially since we felt we were already at our full capacity. Sometimes we aren’t sure if we should cry or laugh, but we do know that the Lord is teaching us that we can do more!
The calling of an Area Seventy has a simple charge: to be an especial witness of Jesus Christ and support the Quorum of the Twelve in administering the Church. Practically speaking, I will support the administration of the Church by helping the stake, mission, and temple presidencies in Hawaii and will testify of Christ at stake conferences across the North America West Area. This area includes Hawaii, Alaska, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, California, and parts of Idaho, which means I’ll be traveling much more than I have been.
That makes me even more grateful for every day I get to spend with you here at BYU–Hawaii!
Today, let’s use our time together to discuss three principles essential to our success as a university and individually––purpose, consecration, and excellence.
Purpose
First, let’s talk about purpose.
God has made His purpose clear: “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” [1] To this end He created a plan of happiness for us, a plan that appeases justice while giving us mercy through his Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. God wants us to be happy now and in eternity.
President Russell M. Nelson teaches, “An understanding of God’s fabulous plan takes the mystery out of life and the uncertainty out of our future. It allows each of us to choose how we will live here on earth and where we will live forever.” [2]
I participate in the BYU–Hawaii Board of Trustees meeting with President Nelson each month. It is a privilege to discuss the university with him and learn from him. I testify to you that he is God’s prophet, that he is dedicated to fulfilling God’s purposes, consecrated to that effort, and that he is an exceptional example for us all.
President Nelson teaches that education is central to the Lord’s purposes, saying, “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.” [3]
The Church Educational System, which I will refer to hereafter with the abbreviation “CES,” has a mission to develop disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities. CES represents the Lord’s efforts to provide covenant members of His Church with opportunities to learn and grow.
In 2023, CES institutions provided post-secondary education to 141,426 students from around the world. If you want to know how big of an honor it is to be on this campus, note that just 2% of all CES students attend BYU–Hawaii. Think about that!
The reach and impact of CES is staggering; it is truly a miracle of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Each part of the system has a specific role that complements the other parts, and together, they execute the Lord’s will regarding the education of His children.
Prophets, past and present, including President Nelson, have made it clear that our "mission at 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." [4]
In recent years, we have developed an absolute and unapologetic focus on our mission. The results have been miraculous. Today, we have hundreds more students from Oceania and the Asian Rim than four years ago. Every person on campus, no matter where they are from, has been taught our mission and their role in fulfilling it. In this exciting context, the prophet’s inspired direction has led to an extraordinary investment in the future of BYU–Hawaii. This rendering shows plans for the future of campus, renewing our physical facilities for generations to come. We are following prophetic direction into a future that is more exhilarating than any of us could have imagined.
So, we know God’s purpose. We know the purpose of education. We know the purpose of BYU–Hawaii. Let’s talk about your purpose as a BYU–Hawaii student. You are here, first, to become a dedicated, covenant-keeping disciple of Jesus Christ, and second, to develop the capacity to be a leader throughout your life.
Aligning with your divine identity as a disciple of Christ means dedicating yourself to making and honoring sacred covenants. It also requires treating others with love and kindness; being humble and seeking direction from righteous sources; and repenting daily.
The Lord needs purposeful leaders in Oceania and the Asian Rim. As you prepare to be a leader in your community, you should prioritize learning and improvement, practice using your time and talents to serve others, and learn to communicate effectively, even when the conversation will be difficult.
Now is the time to craft your future with prayerful vision, set purposeful goals, and hold yourself accountable to ensure that your daily actions align with your vision and divine potential. What you make your purpose right now will set the course for what you become. True growth is a journey of consistent effort over years; find your purpose now and make today the day that your vision for the future begins to become your reality.
Consecration
Second, let’s talk about consecration.
When you hear the word “consecration,” you may think of a law that was part of the past or will be part of the future. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that it is more than that, saying, “We tend to think of consecration only as yielding up, when divinely directed, our material possessions. But ultimate consecration is the yielding up of oneself to God.”[5]
President Nelson teaches that, “As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest.”
“… here is the grand truth: while the world insists that power, possessions, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh bring happiness, they do not! They cannot! What they do produce is nothing but a hollow substitute for ‘the blessed and happy state of those [who] keep the commandments of God.’”[6]
We must give up the things of the world if we are to make and keep covenants with God. That consecration of our time, talents, and blessings is what brings true happiness.
The Church Educational System and this university exist because of consecration that is happening right now. Each of you is benefiting from an education supported by the collective sacrifice of Latter-day Saints around the world. I am often humbled to consider the incredible blessings the Lord bestows upon us through our collective faith in Him.
There are so many beautiful examples of consecration all around us. Consider President Nelson, a renowned heart surgeon who left his practice and dedicated his life to serving and leading the Church.
Faculty, staff, and missionaries who choose to be part of the BYU–Hawaii community use their time and talents to serve here.
Young parents who carefully manage their finances, schooling, and career aspirations to start a family and raise children in the Lord’s time.
A soon-to-be-graduate who carefully plans to return to their community and make a difference through service and leadership.
Young adults sacrifice time that could be spent on education, career, or athletic endeavors for missionary service.
Friends who set a good example and love, support, and protect each other.
There is a good chance that at least one, if not several, of these statements apply to you. Let this be a reminder that consecration is not a principle of the past or future–it is something we practice now. Those who live consecrated lives know that when we “sacrifice” for the Lord, the return of blessings is remarkable, bringing joy and peace.
As a student, embracing consecration means recognizing BYU–Hawaii is a sacred path to spiritual growth intertwined with academic excellence. As such, spending time worshipping and serving in the house of the Lord, working toward additional covenants with God, including the sealing ordinance, participating in all of your church meetings, fulfilling callings, ministering, attending campus devotionals, and living by the honor code, including the dress and grooming standards, are every bit as important as your classes and grades. In fact, if you put your covenants and commitments first, you will find that, "entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier.” [7]
Excellence
Finally, the principle of excellence. In this season of new beginnings and considering the incredible investment the Lord is making in the future of this university, my thoughts turn to one of my favorite parables: the parable of the talents, as taught by Jesus Christ in Matthew 25, verses 14-30. In this parable, a man is preparing to travel and instructs his servants in managing his affairs while he is gone.
In verse 15, it reads: “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”
The servants who received the five and the two talents worked hard in the Lord’s absence, each successfully doubling the resources entrusted to them. [8]
To those servants, the Lord said, “...Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” [9]
The servant that received the one talent said to the Lord,“...I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” [10]
The Lord’s reply was sharp and direct, “Thou wicked and slothful servant.” [11]
Upon his return, the Lord held all of the servants accountable for their stewardship. The five talent and two talent servants provided different returns, but their effort was recognized and lauded, and both were given the same reward. In contrast, the one talent servant was chastised. The Master is wise and fair while also expecting excellence and communicating candidly when expectations are not met.
About a year ago I presented an early proposal to address some challenges with our new construction design to CES leadership. I suggested a modest increase in the overall budget. I shared the idea…and it was made very clear to me that I could be a better steward by creatively solving problems with the significant resources that had already been committed to the university. Although it was not easy to hear this feedback, I reflected and knew it was valid. This was an important and humbling experience for me.
On my way home from the meeting, I sent the following text to my leader “Thanks for the budget feedback today. I’m headed home with renewed urgency to help our team be careful and frugal. I spoke with Michael after our meeting and brainstormed about ways to be more creative and frugal in design. I have some ideas and will report back soon.” [12]
The reply I received was an expression of love and encouragement. The resulting solution was excellent, cost-effective, and inspired! I am grateful that my leaders love me enough to provide clear feedback and tell me when change is needed. Their willingness to have that tough conversation and give me correction is a blessing to my life and to my stewardship. Every member of the BYU–Hawaii community, employees and students, should expect candid feedback from those who supervise them and each of us should respond with meekness. Excellence is achieved when we refine ourselves with humble determination.
The five and two talent servants from the parable strove for excellence and gave an honest accounting of their efforts. They trusted the Master to accept that effort and each was rewarded bountifully. The one talent servant, overcome by fear, did not trust the Lord or his own abilities; this led to failure and the loss of his stewardship.
Let’s talk a little about that fear. Managing fear is a fundamental part of our mortal experience. Historically, fear of starvation, severe weather, disease, and even wild animals was a daily reality for most people.
On our campus, we rarely worry about a lack of food--the dining hall takes good care of us! Now, we have had some recent problems with wild animals, so please call security immediately if you see stray dogs on campus.
But "seriously"...
In a broader context, it’s important to recognize that while the specific fears of the past may be less frequent, fear still plays a significant role in our lives today. The adversary uses fear to paralyze us and stifle our divine potential. Fear can deter us from taking necessary steps of faith and can stop us from embracing the challenges that refine us.
President Nelson has taught us that living the gospel of Jesus Christ will bring us “freedom from fear.” He said, “... I bless you to have the desire and strength to keep your covenants. As you do, I promise that you will experience spiritual growth, freedom from fear, and a confidence that you can scarcely imagine now. You will have the strength to have a positive influence far beyond your natural capacity. And I promise that your future will be more exhilarating than anything you can presently believe.” [13]
Each of us has access to the power and confidence that comes from making and honoring our covenants with God. You can do hard things. You can be who you need to be and do what you need to do even on your bad days. You have what it takes to be a wonderful spouse and parent. You can be successful in your schooling and your career.
As a student at BYU–Hawaii, you have been entrusted with a great gift. You are a five-talent servant, equipped with your covenants and supported by BYU–Hawaii faculty, staff, and fellow students. You are prepared to conquer fear and strive for excellence in all that you do.
Conclusion
In closing, I urge you to focus on living purposefully, consecrating your lives to God, and striving for excellence. As you do, I am certain you will be prepared for the exhilarating future that President Nelson promised, and eternal life with God and your family.
I am humbled and grateful to serve as your president. I believe in you and your righteous desires. Students, your faculty and all the staff at the university believe in you. I can tell you that the Lord’s prophets believe in you. The whole Church believes in you. Your Savior, Jesus Christ, and your Heavenly Father believe in you. They know that you will encounter fear and challenges. I promise that you cannot exhaust the mercy of your Heavenly Father. He will bless you in all things. I testify to you that these things are true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes:
[1] Moses 1:39
[2] Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial,” Ensign or Liahona, October 2023, 117
[3] Russell M. Nelson, “Focus on Values,” New Era, February 2013, 4
[4] BYU–Hawaii Mission Statement
[5] Neal A. Maxwell, “Consecrate Thy Performance,” Ensign or Liahona, April 2002, 36
[6] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Ensign or Liahona, October 2022, 97
[7] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Ensign or Liahona, October 2022, 97
[8] Matthew 25:15
[9] Matthew 25:21,23
[10] Matthew 25:25
[11] Matthew 25:26
[12] Text Message from President Kauwe
[13] Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity” worldwide young adult devotional, May 15, 2022, Gospel Library