Gordon B. Hinckley, fifteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was awarded an honorary doctorate degree before addressing BYU-Hawaii graduates, students, faculty and community members during the June 21 commencement ceremony in the Cannon Activities Center.
"I've been to many university commencements, but I've never been to one like this," he said. "As I have seen the great variety of people from many lands, all mingling together, and proudly wearing your graduation robes as an expression of your great achievement, it is a most remarkable thing."
President Hinckley's brief stop in Laie came on his return to LDS headquarters in Utah from several Pacific Islands, New Zealand, and Australia, where he had dedicated the newly completed Brisbane temple, the 115th temple for the church. He was traveling with his wife, Marjorie, and with Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the LDS Church, who also spoke briefly at the ceremony.
More than 300 graduates from 30 countries received bachelor's diplomas at the ceremony, including 72 from Hawaii.
At commencement, President Hinckley received a doctorate of Christian service and leadership honoris causa for his endless contributions toward humanitarian causes and his leadership in Asia and the Pacific.
In announcing the award, BYU-Hawaii President Eric B. Shumway said, "President Hinckley does not need this honor but we have a great need to bestow it." But the prophet graciously accepted the degree. "I deeply appreciate this honor. I hope to live worthy of it," he said.
Before the ceremony, President Shumway expressed appreciation for President Hinckley's visit. "It is a rare treat for graduates of any of our church universities to have a prophet speak at their graduation," he said. "We are thrilled to have President Hinckley on our campus."
BYU-Hawaii student body President Jannifer Lesuma said, "Gordon B. Hinckley is God's prophet today and that is why his visit is so important to the graduating students and to all who attend. Not only did we get to see him in person, but more importantly, we were able to hear and know God's message through him."
"I urge to reach out in the matters of the heart," President Hinckley said in counseling the graduates. "This sick and mean old world cries out for men and women in whose heart there is love and kindness and a desire to lift, help and improve. You and I must stand taller than those in need, we must be willing to reach down and lift them by the hand and assist them to stand."
He added, "You have been exposed to the aloha spirit here, it is the aloha mystique, it is a unique and wonderful thing we have in these beautiful Hawaiian islands that speaks of kindness, love and affection and helpfulness. Take it with you and never shed it."
President Hinckley, who will celebrate his 93rd birthday on June 23, has led the church since Mar. 12, 1995. During this time he has traveled to more than 60 countries to meet with, instruct and inspire members of the church.
President Hinckley was honored by the National Conference Community and Justice for his contributions to tolerance and understanding in the world, and also received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 1999 and 2000, Americans who were surveyed in a Gallup poll named President Hinckley one of the most admired men in the world.
President Hinckley has been interviewed by hundreds of journalists over the years, including representatives of Time magazine, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. He has made several appearances on the popular CNN television program Larry King Live. During the 2002 Olympic Winter Games held in Salt Lake City, he conducted 13 major interviews and met with many other visiting dignitaries.
He has also authored a best-selling book, Standing for Something, intended for a general audience rather than just church members. His latest publication, Way to Be!, is a book of virtues for teenagers and their parents.
President Hinckley was born on June 23, 1910, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He earned a B.A. degree from the University of Utah and then served two years as a full-time missionary for the church in Great Britain. He and his wife, Marjorie Pay, have five children, 25 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.