Brigham Young University–Hawaii's first devotional of 2010 will be led by the President of BYU–Hawaii, Steven C. Wheelwright, tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12, at 11 a.m., at the Cannon Activity Center. President Wheelwright's devotional will be entitled "Integrity: Honoring Our Word."
"President McKay, at the ground breaking of the school, talked about integrity," said Wheelwright. "I picked this topic because I thought that was what the Lord wanted me to speak about," he explained.
"There are two aspects of honoring our word," Wheelwright pointed out. "One is only giving it when we know we can honor it," he said. "Don't give your word of honor until you have had a chance to think about it." The second aspect is making amends when you realize that you are not going to be able to do what you said you were going to do. "If you actually tell someone as soon as you know, they will actually respect you more for it," explained Wheelwright. Then, it is important to tell them what you are going to do instead of what you were originally going to do, to make up for it.
"I think everyone ought to come. Take a break, come and be uplifted, feel refreshed," Wheelwright said.
Four categories make up a database from which speakers are chosen, including General Authorities, Priesthood Leaders, faculty and staff who are thought to be influential speakers, and others who will be effective role models. "There are 15 Stake Presidents in Hawaii and we have had 13 of them speak in the last year," said Wheelwright. "Any speaker for a university has to be approved by the board before we invite them," said Wheelwright. A list of names of possible speakers is kept on file, and then a summary of each individual, along with a picture, are sent to the Board to be approved.
When an invitation to speak is accepted, the speaker is given about a month's notice to prepare. Speakers are allowed to choose their own topic so that they can pray about it themselves in the process of selection. Their speech needs to "invite the spirit, needs to be a topic related to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and they need to bear their testimony," said Wheelwright.