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For Sione Feinga, a native of Ha’alaufuli, Tonga, the half-decade he served as a labor missionary hardly seemed to be a sacrifice, even though he served a three-year mission in Tonga and was then called to serve another two-year mission to Hawaii. He remembers, “When the missionaries got called to Hawaii, we just jumped with joy…. We thought we were going to Heaven, coming to Hawaii.” (At top: Sione and Alice Feinga in McKay foyer) In 1960, 24-year-old Feinga and 30 of his peers were called to leave their native island of Tonga and come to Hawaii to build the present-day BYU–Hawaii. Before leaving Tonga, Feinga saw building plans and was prepared to work on the construction of Hales 3, 4, 5, and 6. What he couldn’t have anticipated, however, was the legacy that he would build in the years that followed.

BYU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright said he now better “understands the challenges and issues” faced by the people of Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji after visiting the three island nations during the month of June. President Wheelwright made the trip with Elder James J. Hamula, a member of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and first counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency. This was part of a joint effort between BYU–Hawaii and the Area Presidency to prepare more students to receive higher education.

A team of BYU–Hawaii students are currently in Saipan to collect, analyze, document, and photograph marine specimens native to this part of the world. Dr. Roger Goodwill, Biology Department Chair, and his student team arrived in Saipan on Sunday, July 4, 2010 and have recorded 131 species as of July 10, just within their first week in Saipan. They found an array of crabs, sea worms, sea urchins, shrimps and other unique specimens, some of which are the most deadly creatures in the ocean.

The group “Musical Truth” performed a beautiful medley of “Teach Me to Walk in the Light” at the devotional held on Tuesday, July 6, as the congregation prepared to hear from Bishop Jim Nilson, the Associate Vice President for Technology at BYUH. Nilson served in and retired from the United States Air Force, including service rendered as a computer science teacher at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado. This being one of his specialties, he was a perfect fit for the technology department at our University.

“God really knows how to make molehills out of mountains.”

Retired BYU–Hawaii faculty members Dr. Dale Robertson and his spouse Linda Robertson have recently joined the University Archive department as service missionaries.

"Just like no two people are identical, each of us will have a unique battle plan to resist those things that tempt us, but all battle plans contain similar key components. I would like to share with you some of the features and lessons of my battle plan in hope that we all may be a little stronger, a little more dedicated, and a little more capable to resist the evils of the world," said Brian Blum at a devotional held in the McKay Auditorium on June 22, 2010.

The Brigham Young University–Hawaii Concert Choir visited two countries, held five major performances, and participated in dozens of culture exchanges during a two-week tour in May 2010. (pictured top: The choir delights the audience with a Hawaiian musical number in Taichung, Taiwan)

The Brigham Young University–Hawaii Concert Choir visited two countries, held five major performances, and participated in dozens of cultural exchanges during a two-week tour in May 2010.

After nearly two years of renovation wraps in October, the Laie Hawaii Temple will be opened again. Before the formal temple opening will be the open house dates, which begin Friday, October 22, 2010, and will run through Saturday, November 13, 2010. Read the full article here in the LDS.org Newsroom.

BYU–Hawaii is pleased to announce a few changes in the academic leadership on campus.

Students in the Hawaiian Studies program spent two weeks on the Big Island of Hawai'i working to repair the voyaging canoe Makali'i, and taking daily excursions around the island. Plans to sail aboard the Makali'i changed after the double-hulled canoe sustained termite damage on one of the I'ako (wooden rod that connect the hulls of the canoe).

As the June 8 devotional opened with a hymn bearing these words, “Go forth with hope and courage strong to spread God’s word abroad…” all present were primed for the topic of the meeting: “Go Forward with Faith.” Speaking was Gregory P. Gonsalves, a graduate of BYU-Provo, father of four children, and current president of the Kauai, Hawaii Stake.

Members of the Laie community and the BYU–Hawaii ohana joined with communities across Hawaii to beautify the island on Saturday, May 8, as part of the Mormon Helping Hands Program.

The honorable Prince Tungi of the Kingdom of Tonga (pictured right, seated) visited the Polynesian Cultural Center on Friday, May 14 and BYU–Hawaii students were able to take part in and attend the event. The Prince was on Oahu for a family member's graduation from the University of Hawaii.

"Life is the sum of all your choices. I urge you to choose wisely," said BYU–Hawaii alumnus and current president of Hawaii Reserves, Inc., Eric Beaver introducing his message at the May 25, devotional at the Cannon Activities Center.

Michael Murdock (pictured right; photo courtesy of byuh.edu), the new chair of the Political Science Department in the School of Business, Computing, & Government, feels very strongly about the value his department adds to BYU–Hawaii. "It's the best major on campus," Murdock said in a recent interview.

"Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem," said Elder Donald R. McArthur, quoting Isaiah 2:3 and introducing the theme of his talk, Hale La'a—Mountain of the House of the Lord, at a BYU–Hawaii devotional held at the Cannon Activities Center on May 18, 2010.