Kaneohe 1st ward church today--1/27/13

Sacrament Meeting

• Presiding:  President Carl Kawakami
• Conducting: Bishop Bert Oshiro

Kanoa Kanahele

• Ward business:  Released from callings with a vote of thanks: Stacy Christian and Pohai Hayashida.   New callings (sustained): Stacy Christian (YW, 1st counselor), Naomi Sellers YW, 2nd counselor), Pohai Hayashida (YW, secretary), Lormona Meredith (YW, personal progress advisor).
• Announcements: 
• By Ward Mission Leader Kanoa Kanahele:  Ward Flood. All members are invited to participate.  Meet at the chapel at 8:30 a.m. on 2/2 Saturday.
• Musical Fireside:  2/10 Sunday.  7 p.m. at Waikalua Chapel.

• Youth speakers:
• Rocky Baso spoke about his experience at the Laie Hawaii temple on 1/25 participating in saving ordinances.  Also on that night was the LDS prom.  "I know I made the right choice (in attending the temple)," he said.
• Lele Stanley told us that integrity is the foundation for faith and that her testimony is her foundation.  Referring to foundation, she read Helaman 5:12.
• Adult speakers: 



Sean Jung

• Jodi Presbitero spoke about testimony which is "knowledge and a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost"  A testimony is gained, she said, by personal desire and prayerful seeking.  She also mentioned that a testimony should be borne, and doing so is our duty.
• Sean Jung, who just returned from two years of service to the Mexico City East Mission, shared about his mission experiences, including the growth of his testimony "100 fold."  Among the many things he mentioned were forming bonds with church members there to move the work forward, working in several different areas in the mission, serving as district leader, taking a shower with water from a bucket and a plastic yogurt cup, and being robbed at gunpoint on the way to church one Sunday. 

Sunday School

• Gospel doctrine:  Lesson 4 --Remember the New Covenant, Even the Book of Mormon.
• Gospel Principles: see manual

Elders Quorum

• Announcements:
• Mahalo to quorum members who served at the Baptism for the Dead, Friday 1/25, at Laie Hawaii Temple. Several hundred saving ordinances were completed.
• Ward flood to visit ward members.  Saturday 2/2, 8:30 a.m. Meet at church.
• Laulau/palasami making activity and potluck.  Friday 2/8, 6 p.m. at Bill Sellers' house.
• Trip to Laie Hawaii Visitors Center.  Saturday 2/9.  9 a.m to 11:00 a.m.  Potluck to follow.
• Missionary Fireside.  Sunday 2/10, 7 p.m. Waikalua Chapel. 
• The lesson in the quorum today was based on talks by Elder Robert D. Hales [link to talk] and Elder Daniel L. Johnson [link to talk] from the October 2012 General Conference

Kaneohe 1st Ward--Church today--1/20/13

Sacrament Meeting 

• Presiding:  Bishop Bert Oshiro
• Conducting: Brother Tommy Friel

• Youth speakers:
• Reiko Baso, speaking about repentance, mentioned how his ohana has family prayer together in the morning and evening.
• Kawehi Filiaga spoke about how the atonement makes repentance possible.  She read 1 Corinthians 15:22:  For as in ^aAdam all ^bdie, even so in ^cChrist shall all be made ^dalive.
• Adult speakers: 
• Makana Tani, Elders Quorum secretary, gave a talk titled "Who Am I and Who Can I Become?"  He spoke about his experiences in school, his accomplishments, the help he has received from others, and his aspirations, which include serving a mission.  Scripture references included D&C 4:1-3 and Jeremiah 16:16: Behold, I will send for many ^afishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
• Dana Chong Tim, Stake High Council, asked us if we were truly converted to the Lord and described the five key points of conversion which include [1] Believing in the Word of God as revealed by Prophets, [2] Having faith in Christ, [3] Repenting  of sin and wrongdoing, [4] Experiencing a might change of heart, [5] enduring to the end.

Sunday School

• Gospel doctrine:  Lesson 3 -- I Had Seen a Vision
• Family history: Providing Temple Ordinances
• Gospel Principles: see manual

Elders Quorum

• Announcements:
• Mahalo to quorum members who helped with chapel clean up on 1/19 Sat.
• Baptism for the Dead, Friday 1/25, 5 p.m. Laie Hawaii Temple.  Need priesthood holders with current temple recommends to perform ordinance work.
• Ward flood to visit ward members.  Saturday 2/2, 9 a.m. Meet at church.
• Laulau/palasami making activity and potluck.  Friday 2/8, 6 p.m. at Bill Sellers' house.
• Trip to Laie Hawaii Visitors Center.  Saturday 2/9.  Time TBA.
• Missionary Fireside.  Sunday 2/10, 7 p.m. Waikalua Chapel. 
• The lesson in the quorum today was about Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Key points of the lesson were [1] We receive blessings from God when we follow the principles He has established; [2] The outward ordinances of baptism and confirmation are inseparably connected with the inward works of faith and repentance; [3] Baptism is administered by immersion, and the gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed by the laying on of hands; [4] The blessings of baptism and confirmation come only when those ordinances are administered by the proper authority. [5] When we keep the baptismal covenant and seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, the promised blessings are sure to follow.

Chapel clean up, ye Elders of Israel

One of our quorum assignments is to clean up our chapel building, specifically on the third Saturday of the month.  Today, quorum members did their duty.  Mahalo for your service, ye Elders of Israel.  At the conclusion of chapel clean-up duties, quorum member Makana Tani helped us feel the Spirit by playing Ye Elders of Israel on the organ in the chapel.   Good job, Makana.

Kaneohe 1st Ward, Church today -- 1/13/13

Sacrament Meeting 

• Presiding:  Bishop Bert Oshiro
• Conducting: Brother Robert Carlile
• Ward business:  
• Releases--Laola Kau (Relief Society President), Sheri Livingston (RS, 1st Counselor), Lorelei Wai (RS, 2nd counselor), Kim Hanohano (RS secretary), Pat Wong (Primary President), Ashley Tani (Primary, 1st counselor), Jodi Presbitero (Primary, 2nd counselor)
• New Callings--Jan Tani (Relief Society President), Lorelei Wai (Primary President)

• Youth speakers:
• Kamuela Hoopili spoke about tithing
• Airi Sellers spoke about how she builds a relationship with Heavenly Father.
• Adult speakers: 
• Elder Taylor Johnston, from Centerville, Utah, regarding his mission, said although he was expected to serve, he wanted to serve.  "Serving is something I always wanted to do," he said.
• Elder Mitchell Goodman, from Thatcher, Arizona, told us the parable of the long hike through the desert at the completion of which a hiker obtained strawberry lemonade to quench his thirst.  When given the opportunity to share some lemonade with a fellow hiker, he did not.  Likening the lemonade to the gospel of Jesus Christ, Elder Goodman urged us not to keep it to ourselves but should share it far and wide. 
• Sister Ella Arume, recently returned from a mission in Milano, Italy, spoke about the blessings that come from obedience.  "We're in this little trial period of our lives," she said, and we need to make the most of it.

Sunday School

• Gospel doctrine:  Lesson 2 -- Intro to Doctrine and Covenants and Church History
• Family history: Gathering information from public records.
• Gospel Principles: see manual

Elders Quorum

• Brother Kanoa Kanahele was released, with a vote of thanks, as Elders Quorum 1st counselor
• Brother William Sellers was sustained and set apart as Elders Quorum 1st counselor.
• Brother Isimeeli Hikila was welcomed to the quorum.  He and his family moved from Kaneohe 4th ward.
• Announcements:
• Ward Temple night.  1/16 Wednesday.  7 p.m. session, Laie Hawaii Temple
• Chapel clean-up:  Saturday 1/19.  7 a.m. 
• Baptism for the Dead, Friday 1/25, 5 p.m. Laie Hawaii Temple.  Need endowed priesthood holders for ordinance work.
• Ward flood to visit ward members.  Saturday 2/2, 9 a.m. Meet at church.
• Laulau/palasami making activity.  Friday 2/8, 6 p.m. at Bill Sellers' house.
• Trip to Laie Hawaii Visitors Center.  Saturday 2/9.  Time TBA.
• Missionary Fireside.  Sunday 2/10, 7 p.m. Waikalua Chapel. 
• The lesson in the quorum today was about Learning by Faith.  Lesson key points:
• Learning requires faith, exertion, and perseverance.
• The education of the Spirit is worthy of our best attention.
• We benefit from hearing gospel principles over and over again.
• When we gather to learn the gospel, both the teacher and the learner need the guidance of the Spirit.

Quorum service--adopt a highway

Adopt-A-Highway is a public service program for volunteers to pick up litter along Hawaii's State highways...to make a contribution to a cleaner State. In addition to a cleaner roadside, participants help to prevent pollutants from entering our storm drains, streams, and the ocean.

On 1/12/13 Saturday ward members picked up litter along Likelike and Kahekili Highways, which is the Elders Quroum's adopted sections of roadway.  Mahalo to all who participated for their service.

Kaneohe 1st Ward--Church today--1/6/13

Sacrament Meeting

• Testimony meeting: Bearing testimonies were Bishop Bert Oshiro, Garth Gertch, Filipo Filiaga, Vivian Filiaga, Elmo Tacuban, Tai Lesa, Iliesa Delai, Vaughn Lei.

Sunday School

• Gospel doctrine:  Lesson 1 -- Intro to Doctrine and Covenants and Church History
• Family history: Gathering information from public records.
• Gospel Principles: see manual

Elders Quorum

• Brother Makana Tani was sustained and set apart as elders quorum secretary.
• Quorum service project: Adopt-a-highway trash pickup on 1/12 Saturday.  Meet at 8 a.m. at Kaneohe Burger King parking lot.
• Chapel clean-up:  Saturday 1/19.  7 a.m.
• The lesson in the quorum today was about home teaching responsibilities which include 
• visit members in their homes at least monthly. 
• watching over and strengthening the families they are assigned.
• becoming acquainted with family members’ interests and needs and recognizing special events in their lives.
• consulting with the head of the household about the family’s needs and about ways to be most helpful.
• helping parents ensure that their children are blessed, baptized, and confirmed. 
• helping parents ensure that their sons have the Aaronic Priesthood and Melchizedek Priesthood conferred upon them and are ordained to priesthood offices at the appropriate ages.
• offering help when members are unemployed, ill, lonely, moving, or have other needs
• helping members strengthen their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and encouraging them to make and keep sacred covenants, especially new members and less-active members.

Baptism and Confirmation for Alan Yugawa

When we are baptized and confirmed, we have entered into the gate, and there lies before us a “strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:18).

Baptism is the gate that opens the path leading back to the presence of God.

Baptism by immersion is “the introductory ordinance of the gospel, and must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order to be complete” (Bible Dictionary, “Baptism”). The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that “baptism is a holy ordinance preparatory to the reception of the Holy Ghost; it is the channel and key by which the Holy Ghost will be administered. The Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, cannot be received through the medium of any other principle than the principle of righteousness” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 95–96).

Brother Alan Yugawa