"The major thing was to take care of the needs of the wards," said Keith Pierce, president of the first stake. "We are concerned about individuals, and with smaller wards and stakes, we will be able to take more time to work with people.
"[The division] also prepares us for when the university is able to expand its student body," he added.
Von Orgill, president of the Polynesian Cultural Center, was called to be the president of the third stake, with Meli Lesuma and Logo Apelu as his first and second counselor respectively.
"To me, [the division] really exemplifies and embodies how much our Heavenly Father and the Savior care about the young people here," said President Orgill. "When the students [of the third stake] stood up to sustain me, I had the strongest feeling wash over me how important each one of them is to our Heavenly Father.
"The whole idea, purpose and meaning is to allow these individuals the attention they need to prepare to become the leaders that David O. McKay prophesied they would become," he continued.
President Pierce continues to meet with President Orgill to prepare him to assume his full responsibility.
"He's a great man," said President Pierce, speaking of President Orgill. "I'm sure he will take it quickly and do well."
The boundary was drawn down Kulanui Street, with the north side constituting the first stake and the south side forming the third stake (with the exception of the south side of Puuahi Street that stayed with the first stake). In the dorms, the first floor belongs to the first stake and the second floor belongs to the third stake. Including the married stake, the university now supports three stakes.
Before the division, the first stake held a successful hukilau in conjunction with their stake conference. Wylie Swapp and David T. Hannemann spoke about old Laie, students created sand sculptures of the Laie, Hawaii Temple, Rueben Pukahi and others helped the students set and pull in the hukilau nets and everyone enjoyed a luau organized by Bishop Von Logan and the fourth ward.
"It couldn't have gone better," Kimball said. "The students were interested and involved, and there were lots of non-members in attendance."
President Pierce hopes to continue a close connection with President Orgill and the third stake, holding joint activities, service projects and firesides in the future.