Thank you to my sister, Leilani, for her fun and kind introduction. A mahalo to those who share their musical talents, prayers, and for the beautiful spirit each of you bring into this center. I thank all of you for being here today.
Story of My Nickname
When my twin sister, Leilani, and I were very young we received the nicknames, “Lani” and “Loha.” These nicknames are short and cute and rhyme really well. I used my nickname, “Loha,” throughout college, even while a student here at BYU–Hawaii. When I entered the professional workforce as a social worker, I had a colleague pull me aside one day and ask about my nickname. He inquired why I introduced myself in such a way.
I shared with him the story that I just shared with you. He listened, and afterward gave me some gentle advice. You see, he grew up with the Hawaiian language as his first language. As with all languages, the words we speak and hear shape our experience when we talk with others, and in this case, when I introduced myself with my nickname, he received it with an experience of his own.
He took the time to share that although the story of my nickname was well-intentioned, when he hears it, he envisions that I am low in spirit and living with a heaviness that is always with me. He was concerned for my wellbeing. Of course, I asked why this concern. He shared that “loha” can be described as a branch of a tree that has fallen over and hasn’t the strength to pick itself up again. I later learned that “loha” in the Hawaiian perspective of emotional and mental wellbeing, is used to describe a person living daily with depression. Upon learning all this I paused and thought, “It’s no wonder I was such a grumpy teenager! My adolescent years all make sense now!” I offer a sincere apology to my parents, aunties, uncles, grandparents, and sisters – blame the nickname!
Since I learned this, in professional spaces, I introduce myself as my full first name, Leialoha, and if people need a nickname, they can call me, “Lei.” Lei describes a child, beloved and embraced. This is a meaning in which I am very comfortable.
Aloha
Some of you might wonder why I don't suggest that people call me, Aloha. Truth be told, to live by the true meaning of aloha is something I am striving to do each day. There is so much mana, or spiritual power, in such a name and word, and I am not ready to carry that responsibility.
A well-loved professor from my time here at BYU–Hawaii named William K. Wallace III, affectionately known on campus as “Uncle Bill,” would teach incoming students a beautiful and simple way to understand the meaning of aloha. He told us that living with aloha is a willingness to share every good thing you have with someone. So, when we greet someone with, “Aloha!” We are saying, “every good thing I have, I am willing to share with you.” If the person or persons we greeted respond back with, “Aloha” they are saying, “I accept your gift of every good thing, and I in return will share every good thing I have, with you.” I have kept this translation with me for over twenty years now. And today, and every day, I share with you, my, “Aloha.”
Living with the aloha spirit is a practice that can be learned and strengthened each day. It takes a focused intention on wanting what is good for others. It requires a positive mindset. It means a willingness to forgive and to let things go. Aloha is the embodiment of the spiritual connection between people. It is a balance between giving and receiving. It is about living with gratitude each day. Aloha looks like people striving to become the best version of themselves.
To Strive
To strive comes as naturally to us as breathing. Wanting to think better thoughts, to do better, and to be better is our natural tendency because we are children of God. It is in our nature to seek the light in our lives and to dispel darkness. Jesus, while sharing the Sermon on the Mount taught us, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [1]
I love the illustration of a lit candlestick in a dark space that “giveth light unto all that are in the house” because it reminds me that as we strive to live close to the Savior, His light radiates through us, and in turn, we become a light, or resource, to those around us. It is through striving that our light grows, “and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” [2] To strive is our opportunity and our blessing.
Now, there are some obvious examples of striving, such as watching people persist in learning sports, or creative endeavors such as music, art, or dance. There are also some less obvious examples of striving which might look like an introvert trying to make friends, preparing to give a speech, trying to lose extra weight, or working up the nerve to ask someone out on a date. Whether seen or unseen, each of us is working to stretch ourselves to become bolder, stronger, and more faithful.
And yet, in this life we are constantly faced with society's troubling challenges that we are striving to combat daily. This includes the influence of worldly trends, temptations to try something ‘just once’ for curiosity's sake, or adopting unhealthy coping strategies to counter the stressors we feel each day. When talking about rising above the challenges we face in the world, President Nelson talks about focusing on the Savior. He says, “Because the Savior, through His infinite Atonement, redeemed each of us from weakness, mistakes, and sin, and because He experienced every pain, worry, and burden you have ever had, then as you truly repent and seek His help, you can rise above this present precarious world.
“You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the world… Despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, you can find true rest—meaning relief and peace—even amid your most vexing problems.” [3]
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has said, “My brothers and sisters, except for Jesus, there have been no flawless performances on this earthly journey we are pursuing, so while in mortality let’s strive for steady improvement.” [4] The spirit of this invitation leads us to think about those things that we are striving to do and who we are striving to become.
Striving to Become
Just as we strive to overcome those things that would lead us away from God, we also strive to become better in the things that lead us toward God. “Kūlia I ka nu‘u” [5] is a Hawaiian proverb that talks about striving. It means to strive for excellence, or to strive for the highest. I have seen visual representations of this proverb; it often includes a really tall mountain with a beautiful peak and a steep incline that leads there. This seems daunting to me. It might be my bad knees or my asthma, but the thought of such a large mountain overwhelms me. And yet, I believe in kūlia I ka nu‘u and I yearn to climb that mountain. So, I have created a different visual. The beautiful mountain with a steep incline is surrounded by countless smaller mountains with peaks of their own which all lead to the summit. As I strive, I focus on the nearest peak, the one I can steadily climb today, the one that leads me one peak closer to my version of excellence.
These smaller peaks represent the small wins in our day. They are our daily, weekly, or monthly goals that we endeavor to accomplish. These smaller wins strengthen us for the next climb and enable us to reach our highest goal, even living eternally with our Father in Heaven and our family members. What do these small wins look like? They look like us striving to pray each day with pure intent. It looks like us making time to read the scriptures to learn of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. It looks like us forgiving ourselves for our mistakes and forgiving others for trespasses felt against us. It looks like us making a goal to attend church every Sabbath day. It is also a goal to attend all our academic classes, even if we don’t get the homework done. My friends, we won’t be perfect in our striving, and yet striving is the practice that leads to victory. Let striving be the pattern we adopt in our lives, because as we strive, we will feel strengthened in our efforts to be edified both spiritually and academically.
In our kūlia I ka nu‘u effort, I believe there are at least four things for which we are striving:
We are striving for knowledge.
We are striving to create meaningful relationships.
We are striving to serve others.
We are striving to make and keep sacred covenants.
Striving for Knowledge
Let’s talk about striving for knowledge. I have learned that there are at least two things that will remain with us in heaven if we are diligent, our family and the knowledge we have obtained while on earth. Today, we will focus on the academic and spiritual knowledge we can obtain while at BYU–Hawaii. How grateful I am to have had the opportunity to study here. I was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was 20 years old. I was in my second year of community college and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I learned the fruits of the gospel by watching the example of others who didn’t even know I was paying attention. I learned the godly attributes of kindness, patience, perseverance, forgiveness, integrity, and so much more, by being in spaces with people who were striving to be like the Savior. After serving a full-time mission, I applied and was accepted to BYU–Hawaii. My twin sister, Leilani, and younger sister, Tiffany, also joined the Church and graduated from this university.
In preparing for this talk, I reached out to several alumni of BYU–Hawaii and asked them to share how their time here prepared them for their career and or church leadership.
These are some responses from alumni:
“BYUH is a special place and being around that gave me a mold to follow and try to replicate in Church callings and in my work. My time there also taught me a lot about taking responsibility for my actions and to not put myself in bad situations. It was easy to feel the difference between right and wrong there because anytime I did something wrong it was magnified compared to all the good going on.”
“Being a convert to the Church, BYUH was very formative in helping to build the foundation of my testimony. My testimony and the knowledge of who I am has prepared me to be my own type of leader... quiet, honest, and open. Without the structure, the Spirit, the religious classes, the guidelines – all the things that help me to know more about living the gospel of Jesus Christ – I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”
“I personally benefited from BYUH’s intimate campus size. I was able to rub shoulders with so many talented people. Students and teachers alike were accessible to me to learn from, work on projects together, talk story with and watch their examples. Because it was so diverse, it stopped me from making snap judgments about people and caused me to lead with an open mind. That has translated into my everyday life, and I’ve greatly benefited from that mindset.”
“The most significant and valuable growth experience I received at BYUH would be the unique opportunities of networking and collaborating within a world community for the purpose of accomplishing a common goal. Networking and collaborating with others outside the comforts of our own culture is desperately needed. Learning to connect is at the heart of every BYUH student and professor.”
What strikes me most about these reflections are the intertwining of academic learning and gospel learning. This university is unique because it has principles and expectations that support both the achievement of academic leadership and a spiritual readiness to serve others. Let us continue to strive to increase our academic and spiritual knowledge that we may serve more valiantly in God’s kingdom.
Striving to Create Meaningful Relationships
Now let’s talk about striving to create meaningful relationships. We all want to be happy. I have learned that the foundation for happiness on earth relies in the quality of the relationships we nurture and grow. The first place to start is the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. We learn of Them by reading the scriptures and by praying and asking for personal guidance. This is one way They show that They know us and hear us. Additionally, important relationships include our family and friends. They are some of the greatest influences for us because of the time we spend with them.
What does a quality relationship look like? President Kevin J. Worthen, former President of BYU, shared his thoughts on the topic by saying, “I wish to speak about a broader truth, one recognized in both secular studies and gospel teaching. It is that no one can flourish in isolation and that the quality of our relationships with others will ultimately determine our level of fulfillment and happiness in both this mortal existence and the life to come. It is in this sense that it is not good for man—or woman—to be alone.”
He then goes on to say, “Heaven will be heaven because of the other people who will be there… To a large extent, the depth of our eternal happiness will be determined by the quality of our relationships with others... Thus one of the purposes of this mortal existence—and therefore one of the purposes of your education at this university—is to develop both the skills and the attributes necessary to establish long-lasting, joyful relationships.”[6]
Let us continue to strive to create meaningful relationships with friends, network with professors and people in your field of study, ask someone to go on a date, say yes to going on a date and getting to know someone, and keep in touch with family. Connection via healthy relationships is a vital element to living a happy life and striving toward fulfilling your personal goals.
Striving to Serve Others
We are striving to serve others more earnestly. Serving in Church callings and ministering to others is a great place to start. I hope that each one of you get to serve in Church callings where you will be stretched to learn new things, meet new people, and grow spiritually. To serve others is truly a way to draw closer to the summit of your mountain.
In a TED Talk by Elder Clayton Christensen, he talks about how he believes God will measure the success of our lives. In this dialogue, he shares what he thinks God might ask, “Can we talk about the individual people whose lives you helped to become better people, because you worked with them, or they were members of your family, or you just met them, and they needed your help?... Let’s talk about the individual people whose lives you blessed because you used the talents I gave you to help them?” [7]
Contributing our talents and skills in helping others to reach their goals is a character trait that leads us to become more like the Savior than any other that I can think of. It's through the practice of serving others that we steadily become our best selves.
Let us continue to steadily move forward, realizing our full potential and becoming more godlike through serving others.
Striving to Make and Keep Sacred Covenants
Lastly, we are striving to make and keep sacred covenants. These are saving ordinances that prepare us for the gift of eternal life with family and our Heavenly Father. I like to think of covenants as precious gifts that prepare us for eternity, if we hold true to them. The first covenants we make are at baptism. The words of the sacrament prayers remind us that when we chose to be baptized, we also chose to take upon us the name of Jesus, remember Him always, and keep His commandments. [8]
The House of the Lord is the next place we make covenants. Elder Dale G. Renlund, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shares about the temple endowment by quoting the General Handbook, “In the endowment, we covenant, first, to strive to keep the commandments of God; second, to repent with a broken heart and a contrite spirit; third, to live the gospel of Jesus Christ… We covenant, fourth, to keep the law of chastity and, fifth, to dedicate ourselves and everything the Lord blesses us with to build up His Church.” [9] Again, we hear the word ‘strive’ when learning of the covenants we choose to make in the temple.
President Nelson shares how this affects our relationship with God. He says, “Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart.” [10]
President Nelson has also shared, “The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power–power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.” [11]
When we keep our covenants, we are blessed with heavenly power. As President Nelson said, “power... to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better.”
Let us continue to strive to be a covenant-keeping people. To rely on our relationship with God as a vital part of our earthly happiness. There is a hymn that comes to mind when I think of this relationship. It is written by Orson Pratt Huish and is entitled, “Come unto Jesus.”
The third and fourth verses read,
Come unto Jesus; He’ll surely hear you,
If you in meekness plead for his love.
Oh, know you not that angels are near you
From brightest mansions above?
Come unto Jesus from ev’ry nation,
From ev’ry land and isle of the sea.
Unto the high and lowly in station,
Ever he calls, “Come to me.” [12]
Brothers and Sisters, I want to pause here to share my incredible love with you. I've yet to meet all of you and yet I love you. When I was a student here at BYU–Hawaii, I was amazed by the talent and heart that was in every one of my friends, my classmates, and my professors. I didn't know what to expect when I had joined the Church, went on a mission and came home to Hawaii. I lived in Hawaii prior to joining the Church without knowing God and when I learned of him, it was life-changing to know that I'm a child of God, that I was loved no matter what. This changed the entire trajectory of my life.
Serving a mission gave me the opportunity to be loved by strangers, people I just met in England and Wales, and people along the way. I got to stand tall in these new beliefs. These new beliefs that had touched my heart and had made me a different person. When I came here to this incredible place, I was surrounded by so many good people, and they didn't even know how much they impacted my life for good. When I stand here today and I see you, I see a mirror of that time. Good people doing good things, striving to be their best. I want to thank you for giving your heart and soul to God, to this institution, and to the future that looks so bright.
It is my testimony that as we strive to live close to the light of our Savior, we will feel His love. As we endeavor to practice striving for small wins each day, we will become the person we want to be and the person God wants us to be. We will feel confident in our role as ambassadors of this sacred institution and know we are preparing ourselves to be leaders in our families, communities, and chosen fields throughout the world. I testify that BYU–Hawaii is the Lord's university for spiritual and academic learning.
In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes:
[1] Matthew 5:14-16
[2] D&C 50: 24
[3] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, November 2022.
[4] Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect – Eventually,” Liahona, November 2017.
[5] Mary Kawena Pukui, Olelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings, #1913. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, 1983.
[6] Kevin J. Worthen, “It Is Not Good That . . . Man Should Be Alone,” BYU Speeches, January 2016.
[7] Clayton Christensen, “How Will You Measure Your Life?,” TEDxBoston (YouTube video).
[8] D&C 20: 77, 79
[9] Dale G. Renlund, “Accessing God’s Power through Covenants,” Liahona, May 2023.
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, November 2022.
[11] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, November 2022.
[12] "Come Unto Jesus," Hymns, no. 117