The main session of the Latter-day Saint multi-stake conference
met in the BYU–Hawaii Cannon Activities Center on November 22, 2009
— All photos by Ryan Bagley, courtesy of the BYU–Hawaii Ke Alaka'i

Several thousand members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormons) from throughout Koolauloa met in the Cannon Activities Center on the Brigham Young University–Hawaii Campus, and many thousands more from throughout Hawaii met at their respective regional centers via direct satellite broadcast, for a special multi-stake conference on November 22, 2009. The conference featured messages from the president of the Church and several other General Authorities.

Earlier, local Latter-day Saints had anticipated that Church President Thomas S. Monson would personally attend the session on the BYU–Hawaii campus, but when his wife was hospitalized with a serious injury, he remained at her side in Salt Lake City, Utah, but videotaped a special broadcast for the members in Hawaii.

Elder L. Tom Perry, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided at the conference in Laie. Other Latter-day Saint leaders there included Elder Richard J. Maynes of the First Quorum of the Seventy; Elder Scott D. Whiting, the Kailua, Oahu-based Area Seventy for Hawaii and a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy; and David M. McConkie, recently called First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency.

Elder Maynes, in conducting the meeting, explained that as the Latter-day Saint Church approaches 14 million members around the world, it becomes harder for General Authorities to personally meet with the members.

President Thomas S. Monson

President Monson, in his broadcast message, said he wished he could have come to Hawaii as originally planned. "Over the years I've visited the islands of Hawaii on numerous occasions. I must confess, of all the places I've visited in the world, Hawaii is one of my favorite destinations." In addition to the natural beauty of the islands, President Monson also praised the "spirit of love and devotion" found among the local people.

"You respond willingly to the calls that come to you. You look after each other. You lift up the hands which hang down and strengthen the people in need, as the scriptures encourage us to do," he said. "Thank you for your dedicated service."

President Monson referred to a book he recently read about the 1916 World War I Battle of the Somme where "many of the battlefields took a hideous toll of human lives" [an estimated 57,000-plus British soldiers were killed on the first day of the battle], and said that the rows of "neat white crosses" in the cemeteries still there "serve as a reminder of those who did not return."

He also referred to the 1918 "lost battalion" of World War I who were surrounded in the Argonne Forest, and after many hardships, were rescued by volunteers. He said this brought to mind John 15:13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

President Monson said that even though many have forgotten the "terrible price" paid in the past during these events, "are there lost battalions even today? If so, what is our responsibility to rescue them? Their members may not wear clothes of khaki brown, nor march to the sound of drums; but they share the same doubt, feel the same despair and know the same disillusion that isolation brings. Consider the lost battalions of the aged, the widowed, the sick."

"The members of these lost battalions can be succored and sustained by the hand that helps and the heart that knows compassion."

"There are other lost battalions — mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, who have, through thoughtless comment, isolated themselves from one another," President Monson continued. "Love is the binding balm."

He added that some "struggle in the jungle of sin, while others wander in the wilderness of fear, or apathy, or ignorance. For whatever reason, they've isolated themselves from activity in the Church, and they will almost certainly remain unrescued unless there's awakened in us, the active members of the Church, a desire to rescue and to save."

President Monson next read a portion of a letter he received from a man who left the Church: "I had so much. I now have so little. I'm unhappy, and feel as though I'm failing in everything. The gospel has never left my heart, even though it has left my mind. I ask for your prayers. Please don't forget those of us who are out here, the lost Latter-day Saints. I know where the Church is, but sometimes I feel I need someone to show me the way. Encourage me, take away my fear, and bear testimony to me."

He said this letter reminded him of the 1831 painting by Joseph Turner of a lifeboat attempting a rescue in stormy seas. "Who would man the lifeboats?" President Monson asked. "Our task is not insurmountable. You are on the Lord's errand. You are entitled to His help."

"I love and cherish the noble word, duty," he continued, citing James 1:22, Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Then he pointed out that "two fundamental reasons largely account for a return to activity, for changes of attitude, habit, and of actions":

"First, individuals have been shown their eternal possibilities, and have made the decision to achieve them."

"Second, others have followed the admonition of the Savior, and love their neighbors as themselves, and help to bring their neighbors dreams to fulfillment, and their ambitions to realization. The catalyst in this process has been, and will continue to be, the principle of love."

"Another principle that will guide us," President Monson added, "is that people can change." He illustrated this point by telling the story of Quentin Duffy who was appointed warden of San Quentin Prison in 1940 "and began one of the most dramatic housecleaning jobs in prison history" by improving conditions for the prisoners, establishing a vocational program, "and established the first prison chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous."

When a critic told the warden that "leopards can't change their spots, Duffy responded, you should know I don't work with leopards: I work with men, and men change everyday."

President Monson also cited "Abraham Lincoln's wise counsel: If you would win a man or woman to your cause, first convince him or her that you are a sincere friend."

"A friend cares. A friend loves. A friend listens, and a friend reaches out," President Monson continued. "I believe those who have the ability to reach out and to lift up…" have "…the ability to see Christ in everybody…"

President Monson said such a person acquires "the language of the Spirit. It's not learned from textbooks written by men of letters, nor is it acquired by reading and memorization. The language of the Spirit comes to him who seeks with all his heart to know God and keep His divine commandments. Proficiency in this language lifts one to breach barriers, overcome obstacles and touch the human heart."

"In a day of danger, in a time of trial, such knowledge, such hope, such understanding bring comfort to a troubled soul and a grieving heart. Shadows of despair are dispelled by rays of hope. Sorrow yields to joy, and the feeling of being lost in the crowd of life vanishes with a certain knowledge that our Heavenly Father is mindful of each of us."

"Mothers and fathers pray for their sons and daughters. Wives pray to heaven that their husbands may be reached. Sometimes it's the children praying for their parents," President Monson said.

In closing, he said, "I pray that we might reach out to rescue the lost battalions that surround us — the aged, the widowed, the sick, the handicapped, the less active. Extend to them the hand that helps and the heart that knows compassion."

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I thank you for all that you give, for all that you do, and for all that you are."

Elder L. Tom Perry

Earlier in the multi-stake conference, Elder Perry remarked on the upcoming Thanksgiving Day, tracing the history of the holiday by first citing the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament, Chapter 23, in which Jehovah commanded the Children of Israel "to have times of celebration. One of these celebrations was to have a great feast at the time of the harvest… a time of thanksgiving."

He noted the Pilgrims began the Thanksgiving holiday tradition in America in 1621, and "a day of thanksgiving became the custom in one form or another in 1789 when President George Washington was urged by Congress to proclaim it a national day." In declaring the holiday, Elder Perry said that President Washington added several charges: "He spoke of the duty of all nations…to obey His [God's] will and be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection." He also urged the people to repentance as part of their thanksgiving, and counseled the nation "to practice true religion…"

"[The late] President James E. Faust gave us this counsel: True religion is … the spirit of strength in overcoming faults, even as we would wish our own faults to be overlooked. When we focus our entire attention on what may be wrong rather than what is right, we miss the sublime beauty and essence, and the sweet gospel of our Master."

"We must find ourselves with the desire to promote the practice of true religion and virtue," he continued. "Living testimonies and personal revelation is the foundation stone of true religion."

"Let us remember to give thanks to the Lord for His bounteous blessings to His children," Elder Perry added.

Elder Richard J. Maynes

Elder Maynes told the local Latter-day Saints that "the future success of the Church in Hawaii will depend on the next generation"; then he suggested four standards of excellence to help parents raise the youth:

Love the Lord: "Our motives need to be pure," he said. "We are active in the Church because we love the Lord, and we want to serve Him as righteous parents, leaders and teachers."

Be worthy: "Our love of the Lord has prompted us to change our behavior and keep all the commandments. We have repented. We feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in all we do."

Obtain basic gospel knowledge: "Becoming spiritually prepared allows us the freedom and ability to become intellectually prepared," he continued, pointing out that this is necessary because "Satan is looking for multi-generational success in the false teachings and traditions of the parents."

Be obedient to the Lord's commandments: Elder Maynes said when we're obedient, "we are being the examples we need to be to our youth. Many of the lessons we teach are taught without words; they are taught by our actions."

Quoting President Monson, Elder Maynes said, "The home is the laboratory of our life," and he stressed that if we follow these four principles we can "teach our children with moral authority."

Other speakers

Elder Whiting spoke of personal revelation — the "promptings and whisperings" that can inspire us "with regularity when we are worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost… We, as a people, are not sufficiently experienced in seeking, recognizing and acting upon these sacred communications. We are a good people, a decent people, a moral people, but we must be something more: We must be men and women of revelation as we raise our families in these turbulent times."

Befitting his new calling in the Sunday School General Presidency, Elder McConkie said, "We are all teachers, and we are all learners… We depend on each other to teach one another the doctrines of the Kingdom. When we teach, we are on the Lord's errand." His wife also spoke briefly.

On Saturday, November 21, the Latter-day Saint authorities met with local priesthood leaders from throughout Oahu in the Cannon Activities Center for two hours. They and their wives also attended the Polynesian Cultural Center's luau, and spoke with the cast of the new night show after its finale.

The Laie Hawaii North Stake Choir, under the direction
of Esther Macy, provided music for the multi-stake conference