Campus Community

During most of the year, the Iosepa canoe is housed inside the Polynesian Cultural Center, next to the Hawaiian village. But every spring term the Iosepa is towed over to Hukilau Beach Park and launched into Laie Bay, with a crew of BYU–Hawaii students aboard. This year the launching took place Tuesday, May 5.

Ryan Anderson | University Relations | 13 May 2009

For the second year in a row, the Exercise and Sports Science (EXS) Club on campus hosted and staffed the regional Jr. Olympics Skills Competition in Laie, allowing dozens of children to showcase their athletic talents for the chance to compete at the national level of the Jr. Olympics, this year to be held in Chula Vista, Calif.

Your being here required the Lord's hand, considerable effort, sacrifice, and a series of many steps on your part to prepare you for this experience, began Bill Neal, BYU–Hawaii Assistant to the President, in a devotional speech titled, "Take the Next Step," which was held at the Cannon Activities Center on May 5; he shared the podium with his wife Dianna Neal, BYU–Hawaii Adjunct Professor, and they took turns addressing two key points—examining where you are in your spiritual journey and taking the next step in that journey.

Excited, energetic, and hopeful, 58 Kahuku High Schoolstudents participated in a mock interview workshop the morning of Thursday, April 23, on the BYU"Hawaii campus. "This is just the beginning for these kids, and we need to do as much as we can to help prepare them for after high school," said Kahuku High School Career Awareness and Events Coordinator Barbara Jean (BJ) Smith.

Nearly 600 community residents from the Ko’olauloa community–including Laie, Hauula and Kahuku– participated in Envision Laie workshops this week, held in BYU-Hawaii’s Cannon Activities Center.

The Lord will grant to us the desires of our hearts, be they good or evil, taught Elder Stephen H. Peterson, BYU-Hawaii service missionary and project manager, during the weekly devotional April 28 in the Cannon Activities Center. Elder Peterson taught, "The Lord explained, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

The hardest part of trusting in the Lord, explained President Steven C. Wheelwright during BYU-Hawaii’s opening devotional of the Spring Term, is learning how to trust the Lord. President Wheelwright continued his tradition of speaking at the first devotional of the academic term on April 21 by sharing “one of the fundamental principles that will help prepare you for exaltation and godhood,” he said.

The Brigham Young University-Hawaii President's Council held their monthly Question and Answer Forum in the Little Theater on April 9, to answer submitted questions about housing, the new schedule, J-1 visa, the BYUH mission statement, online degrees, the Art department, Health Center hours, school colors, the Testing Center, Student and University Bulletin e-mails, faculty housing, and improving the quality of education.

Ko'olau Loa residents and anyone interested in the communities that make up Oahu's treasured North Shore can now get up-to-date information and stay connected via a new website at:

The presidents of Brigham Young University Hawaii, the Polynesian Cultural Center and Hawaii Reserves, Inc. (HRI) collectively held a series of meetings this week to update faculty, staff and community members on the status of the Envision Laie project and invite them to participate further on:

The scriptures are our Father in Heaven's letters, and there are times in our lives when we need to open the letters, communicate with Him, and understand what He is like and His concern for us, taught S. Michael Wilcox, CES Institute of Religion Instructor at the University of Utah and author, in his BYU-Hawaii devotional address, titled "Bread or Stones: Understanding the God We Pray to," on March 31. Wilcox's devotional speech was the first of three BYU-Hawaii Joseph Smith Lecture Series presentations he delivered throughout the week.

In his third and final BYU-Hawaii Joseph Smith Lecture Series presentation on April 1 in the Aloha Center, S. Michael Wilcox, a visiting instructor from the Salt Lake Institute of Religion at the University of Utah, taught that the modern equivalent of an antichrist is anyone who would trouble or shake a person's faith. In addition, he taught how the Book of Mormon provides lessons on resisting such attempts, and clarified a number of metaphors relating to the faith and testimony required to do so.

In this school we call life, teaching moments are not just by simple lectures in the [metaphorical] classrooms, but through other experiences, stated Elder Won Yong Ko, Philippines Area Presidency First Counselor, and member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in his devotional speech at BYU-Hawaii on March 24. Ko, a native of Korea and now living in the Philippines, spoke of "Heavenly Father's Divine Design," clarifying that God's Design, the Plan of Salvation, was tailored for each and every one of us.

The exciting sounds and contagious spirit of Brigham Young University Hawaii's steel drum band "Shaka Steel" permeated the island of Maui as the ensemble shared their exhilarating music with Latter-day Saints and non-members alike March 12 through March 15. From a radio show, mall gig, high school exchange, and concert in Kahului to an exciting beach side performance and combined ward activity in Lahaina, the ensemble had a jam packed tour uplifting the spirits of the many people, tourist and residents alike, that were within range of the thrilling tunes and unique sound of the steel pan and marimba. "It was excellent. They were so fun!" said Sharon Ako, Lahaina resident counselor in the Lahaina 1st Ward Relief Society. "They made absolutely beautiful music, very entertaining and happy!"

Seventeen individuals from around the country met in BYU-Hawaii's television studio on Friday, March 13, 2009, to discuss issues that have the potential to change the world's outlook on federalism and intergovernmental relations. Troy Smith, Brigham Young University Hawaii associate professor of political science, was approached by the Forum of Federations to coordinate one of 13 round table discussions planned to happen globally.

Stephen K. Woodhouse, former President of LDS Business College in Salt Lake City, Utah, addressed students, faculty, and staff at the BYU-Hawaii devotional on March 17. Woodhouse's speech, titled "Influence of the Holy Ghost," began with an introduction from his wife, Sytske Woodhouse. She set the tone for his talk by highlighting several milestones that have brought them, as a family, closer to the Lord.

The Brigham Young University Hawaii men's basketball team's dream season came to an abrupt end March 18 in the Cannon Activities Center when Cal Poly Pomona's Larry Gordon scored on a put-back with three seconds to play to give the third-seeded Broncos a 59-58 win over the top-seeded Seasiders in the NCAA II West Regional Final.