LAIE, Hawaii — Sister Julie B. Beck (pictured top), General Relief Society President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, encouraged 209 Brigham Young University–Hawaii graduates from 31 countries to learn from their experiences, noting that her university experience is what prepared her for her current responsibilities. "The Lord was preparing me," she stated. "It didn't really matter what I chose to study. It was the process that taught [me] so much."
Sister Beck previously served as the First Counselor in the General Young Women Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Along with her current service as General Relief Society President, she also serves as an executive committee member on the Board of Trustees for the Church Educational System.
In her address at the Friday, December 18 event, Beck said, "You have now achieved this great goal and have come to the end of a tremendous amount of work. When you came here you had to make a new beginning."
"Knowing these four important things: the Lord has a plan for you, you have responsibilities which you have already been taught, the atonement of Christ will help you overcome, and the Spirit will guide you is the most important knowledge to take away with you from BYU–Hawaii.... As president Hinckley often said, 'It will all work out' " she added.
Roger G. Christensen, Assistant to the Commissioner of the Church Educational System and Secretary to the Board of Trustees for all CES universities, spoke about the "fundamentally spiritual purpose for giving of one's self.”The Savior, he stated, taught, 'Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it' (Mark 8:34-35). Christensen noted that to become like Christ, we must live like Him and lose ourselves in serving and giving to others.
"Remember that in the world, your abilities will be challenged, your values will be challenged, even your self-worth will be challenged," he said. "However, the more you give, the more you will get. Elder Marvin J. Ashton observed relief from a drought or fuel crisis comes through conservation; in a spiritual crisis, the opposite is true. The world is in a spiritual crisis. Relief comes through giving and the greatest gift you have to give is yourself. Wherever you go, your influence will be widely felt."
BYU–Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright spoke about the principles of honesty and integrity, stating, "During your time here on this beautiful campus, we hope that each of you has developed a deep and abiding commitment to the principles of honesty and integrity. Your lives – and the degree to which they are consistent examples of honesty and integrity – will not only determine your happiness and success in all of your endeavors, but will be a great blessing to all of those with whom you come in contact."
He continued, "Honesty and integrity are indeed a central part of the 'education for eternity' so often referred to by President Kimball on this campus and at other Church Universities. Today you become part of a worldwide brotherhood and sisterhood of alumni of this great university. I testify that as you continue to put the Savior and His teachings at the center of your life and all you do, He will bestow great blessings – blessings beyond measure – on you and your posterity."
Student representative Sarah Marie Puananimaikalani Maneha (she prefers Puanani) from Hauula, Hawaii, who majored in Hawaiian Studies, began her speech with the Hawaiian chant Hiki mai, inviting those that knew the chant—graduates and attendees alike—to rise and chant with her; Hiki mai calls forward the children of Christ. (pictured left: December 2009 graduates with Maneha in the center)
Maneha defined aloha's deeper meaning through the leadership characteristics of the Savior Jesus Christ: Compassion, Humility, Respect, Interest, Service, and Trustworthiness. She then stated, "May each of us, graduates, future and current students, faculty, and administration, remember what it really means to be a leader with aloha, so that we may be like Christ, that we may be an instrument in His hands in the establishment of peace, and the building of His kingdom here on earth, is my pule, my prayer."
After-commencement activities included the traditional exchange of leis and gifts outside the Cannon Activities Center.
—Photos by Monique Saenz