Pacific Ponderings

Dear Ohana: This Christmas “pondering” for the university ‘ohana is longer than most because I wanted to share some stories—a story from Dickens famous novella, and from his experience working in a blacking factory, my own Dickensian work experience, and the inspiring stories of some of our wonderful students. In a greeting that Dickens made famous: “Merry Christmas!” and “God bless us, every one!”

Last week we unveiled a newly donated statue of the First Vision entitled “Face to Face” by D.J. Bawden. Among the distinctive features that I like in this familiar LDS tableau is the way that the Father rests his hand on the Son’s shoulders. This tender gesture expresses their unity and love in a natural way. I also like that the piece depicts a resurrected Christ; wounds are clearly visible in his hands and wrists. I had not thought about this before. And I like the expression on the faces of the Father and Son. But most of all I like the simple yet evocative title, “Face to Face.”

Although many retailers try their best to convince us that “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” are the most important days in the Holiday Season, we know better. In fact, the word “holiday” comes from the old English word for holy day, and not even the increasing commercialization of Christmas can drown out the sacred joy of this holy time of year. In the United State we recognize our national day of Thanksgiving at the end of November, about a month before we celebrate Christmas, which I find to be a highly appropriate start to the Holiday Season. Indeed, in the progression of the holidays (or holy days) from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s Day, I find many parallels with steps an individual might take when striving to become more Christian.

It is Thanksgiving Day 2016. Today my thoughts turn back in gratitude to a Thanksgiving nearly 100 years ago on November 27, 1919. On that Thanksgiving Day, President Heber J. Grant dedicated the Hawaiian Temple, thus linking forever our lovely temple here in Laie with the Thanksgiving holiday.

On Saturday we hosted the Fijian ambassador to campus. After his campus tour, he held a Q&A in which he fielded questions about passports among other topics. He explained that it is now possible for Fijian citizens to hold dual passports—one from the Republic of Fiji and a second from any other country.

Yesterday was our anniversary. Susan and I have been married for 42 wonderful years! I love her more deeply with every passing year. Yes, the initial headiness of the honeymoon is long past, but not the intensity, depth or ardor of my love for her.

As I write this, the Rio Olympics are just opening. By coincidence, our student athletes also assembled today for the official opening of the Seasider season. I was asked to speak to them. I decided to base my brief remarks on the inspiring life and words of the Olympic gold medal winner Eric Liddell, the Scottish sprinter who famously refused to run on Sunday in the 1924 Paris Olympics and so was disqualified for the 100, his best event, but still won gold in the 400 in a world-record time. I asked our student athletes how many had heard of Eric Liddell through the movie Chariots of Fire. I was surprised that very few had. This is a shame! For not only is Chariots of Fire a great movie—one of my all-time favorites—but Liddell is a man whose life is worth remembering.

The Polynesian Cultural Center has adopted the motto “One ‘Ohana Sharing Aloha.” We spoke about this motto at the PCC Board Meeting recently. We even heard a new song that features the motto as part of an inspiring new show that is being developed. I love this phrase. I am glad that our students who work at the PCC will be exposed to it daily. It captures a gospel ideal that we should all strive to live, whether at the PCC, here on campus, or across cultures internationally.

On a recent Sunday morning before church, my wife and I took our grandchildren to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific—the Punchbowl. We felt that this would be a place where they could feel the Spirit and where we could talk about sacred things.