During the BYU-Hawaii 2nd Stake conference over the March 12 weekend, Elder Charles Didier of the First Quorum of the Seventy and Elder Eric B. Shumway of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy called ArapataMeha as the new president of the university's married student stake.
Arapata Meha, Associate Dean of Admissions overseeinginternational and domestic applications to BYU-Hawaii, succeeds Norman W.Evans as president. He chose William Neal and Billy Casey as his first and second counselors,respectively. They succeed Isileli Kongaika and Brett Ellis.
"This is an amazing and incredible blessing, and an opportunity to serve the Lord, for which I'm grateful," President Meha said of his new duties. "Needless to say, it was an overwhelming surprise. The responsibilities are great, but I'm excited to serve these wonderful students at BYU-Hawaii and the other leaders in our stake and wards."
President Meha, who is originally from New Zealand, first came to BYU-Hawaii after serving a mission in the Philippines from 1976-78. He graduated with a degree in music in 1983 and returned home to teach at theChurch College of New Zealand. He and his family came back to Laie in 1995. Since then he served as bishop of BYU-Hawaii 5th Ward in the Second Stake from 1999-2002, "so I'm familiar with the needs of the families. There are five wards in our stake, with about 120 in each ward."
The former President Evans, who is Department Chair of EnglishLanguage Teaching and Learning, served as the Second Stake's leader for just "one month shy of six years," he said. Prior to that, he was a counselor in the stake presidency for two years, and also served as bishop of the BYU-Hawaii 13th Ward for single students for three years.
"It was the best calling I've had in the church so far," Evans said of his most recent service. "It was a delightful experience and a lot of work, but that's what maybe made it so fun."
During his tenure, he noted the initiation of a stake farm and the construction of the BYU-Hawaii Student Stake Center were the most significant changes.
"The new stake center has made dramatic changes. Back in the early 90s we met in classrooms and borrowed offices. Although we had the MPC [at TVA], when the stake center was finished, there was a dramatic difference. The meetings were more focused on what we are about. How nice it is to have a proper facility to worship in."
Evans also recognized "the incredible focus and dedication"the community and senior missionaries have had in training and teaching the students to be future leaders.
Evans, who has been teaching at BYU-Hawaii since 1981, plans to leave Laie in mid-June to teach in the BYU Provo Linguistics and EnglishLanguage Department.