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Sixty million refugees at the end of 2015 is a devastating reality. Nevertheless, the story of someone forced to leave home and country due to crime, terror, corruption and war is the story of the one. “The Savior knows how it feels to be a refugee—He was one,” said Elder Patrick Kearon from Britain in the April 2016 General Conference. But not only did Christ develop charitable empathy by walking this path, He also became the greatest example of how to relieve the wounds of people injured by war, persecution and the loss of home, country and family. Initiated during the General Women’s Session of the April 2016 General Conference, the church united its humanitarian relief efforts with more than 70 organizations in Europe and elsewhere, under the motto, ‘I Was a Stranger.’ It echoes the call of Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “Never has there been a greater need for tolerance, compassion and solidarity with people who have lost everything,” Guterres stated in an interview with Reuters. “Everybody who is a refugee overwhelmingly feels powerless,” said Elder Randall Keyes, a service missionary working in the Counseling Center, comparing it to the feeling of having the rug pulled from underneath one’s feet. “In life we want to feel personal power. When we feel powerless, we also can’t predict or control the future. Those two things create trauma.” Developing countries bordering conflict zones still host the lion’s share of the strangers in the form of refugees, the United Nations reported. While the world is running into the danger of a growing “resentment” and “politicization of refugees,” as stated by the United Nations, the LDS Church is focused on ministering to the one. “Begin on your knees in prayer,” counseled Elder Kearon, who as president of the Europe Area, has witnessed first-hand the drama the war in Syria is causing in Europe. “Then think in terms of doing something close to home, in your own community,” he continued, “where you will find people who need help in adapting to their new circumstances. The ultimate aim is their rehabilitation to an industrious and self-reliant life.” Mason Baird, a sophomore from Washington majoring in business management, served his mission in Elder Kearon’s native country of England. There, thousands of refugees have gathered over the years, which Baird considered was Kearon’s reason to address this special topic. “They come looking for education, employment and most importantly to get away from the trouble their homelands are in,” said Baird. Though they receive houses from the government and are safe, they don’t know how to take the next step. “The greatest aid,” said Keyes, “is to help people get settled in some ways.” Though physical and geographical settlement done by the respective governments and financial donations of local citizens are surely included, the personal interaction and social integration of refugees are of the greatest importance. Keyes said he believes the best thing to do to help refugees is to serve. “That is the quick answer, though it is not easily done,” he stated. “Most people are afraid of the refugees. We fear they will bring all their problems with them and make them our problems.” If people are hesitant to embrace strangers of a different culture, language and religion, they would much rather just give some money. This is, however, is not the best way, according to Keyes. Fears are usually about things people don’t know and understand, taught Keyes. “The more we get to know the people and their stories, the more comfortable we become in our interactions with them.” Getting involved in volunteer work helps individuals overcome the gap of fear between native and stranger. “You end up caring for, liking and eventually loving the people you serve,” said Keyes. “We hear about that in connection to serving a mission all the time, but it is true in almost any volunteer work.” Baird drew parallels to his own coming to BYU-Hawaii. “It takes time. When I first came here as a freshman, I was a bit tense. But once I got past the first semester, I listened to, talked to, and got to know people from other countries. Now that I am actually friends with them, know them and where they are from, it makes a huge difference. A lot of students come here and feel so far away from home. But then, once they find those friends and family away from home, this place becomes home for them.” Jun Gyu Choi, a junior from South Korea majoring in hospitality and tourism management, reflected on a similar situation in his country of origin. “A lot of people try to escape from North Korea through China because of the ongoing conflict, contention and war.” The refugee crisis in South Korea has been going on for more than 50 years. Although the government helps refugees with their immediate needs, Choi remembered engaging in service projects during high school. “We just went and were their friends. They are the same people as I am. There was this kindred spirit.” This resonates with Elder Kearon’s promise, “Meeting refugee families and hearing their stories with your own ears, and not from a screen or newspaper, will change you. Real friendships will develop and will foster compassion and successful integration.” Baird remembered the refugees in England being very humble and more likely to listen to the missionaries. “They are sometimes a bit hesitant to join the church, because they are used to so much persecution from their religions. A lot of fear is still in there, but they open up more and more.” He remembered it gave the members opportunities to give service, invite them to activities, welcome them to their homes, feed them a nice meal, and give them a family in a country where they have nobody. Kearon said, “The possibilities for us to lend a hand and be a friend are endless. You might help resettled refugees learn their host country language, update their work skills, or practice job interviewing. You could offer to mentor a family or a single mother as they transition to an unfamiliar culture, even with something as simple as accompanying them to the grocery store or the school.” Though mixing cultures causes tension, Baird said the gospel is a way to find common ground. “That is why Latter-day Saints play such a key role in holding countries together. They are this happy medium where they allow people to associate, feel safe and loved.” Uploaded May 6, 2016

Water pollution in Rio de Janeiro not only worries Olympic sailing officials but also BYU-Hawaii Brazilian students also have concerns over the extreme water pollution levels.In response to the news, Brazilian Lucas de Oliveira, a senior in exercise sports science at BYUH, said, “I think that water pollution is a disgrace to Brazil and the Olympics. A lot of tourists spend their money planning to go to Brazil to enjoy the Olympics and there are other beautiful beaches on the 7,000 kilometers of costal area that are not contaminated and still have a good time. However, with corrupt politicians in the government, Brazil will continue to suffer with water pollution.”Sailing's governing body announced on May 19 it might conduct independent water-quality tests in Rio de Janeiro's polluted Guanabara Bay, the sailing venue for the 2016 Olympics and the site of Rio's first test event in 2½ months.“Any hope Brazil would be able to clean up the sewage-filled bay in time was withheld in a document obtained by The Associated Press over the weekend,” says an AP story on the subject. In a May 7 letter to sports minister Aldo Rebelo, Rio's state environment secretary, Carlos Francisco Portinho, acknowledged in a best-case scenario that pollution flowing into the bay could be cut to "over 50 percent" — well below the promised reduction of 80 percent.Alastair Fox, head of competitions for the international sailing federation, told AP that the body is likely to conduct its own test, hoping to allay athletes' health concerns.The tests could also push Rio organizers to move more quickly on the problem.Fox said he hoped the International Olympic Committee would do independent testing, although the IOC indicated it had no such plans."If the IOC are not conducting water-quality tests, then I think it is very likely the ISAF will," Fox said Monday in an email. "Certainly compared to most sailing venues, the water quality is very, very bad."Danish Olympian Allan Norregaard, a bronze medalist at the 2012 Olympics, said Guanabara was "the most polluted place I've ever been." Other sailors interviewed called it an "open sewer."The bay and similar concerns about Rio's iconic Copacabana and Ipanema beaches add to the disarray plaguing South America's first Olympics, it was revealed last November that it has 78-times Brazil's legally allowed limit of water pollution, and 195-times the United States limit.The IOC has sent a special troubleshooter to monitor progress, and last month IOC vice president John Coates said Rio's preparations were the "worst" in memory.Spending on Rio has reached $17 billion and is expected to rise.Nearly 70 percent of Rio's sewage goes untreated into its waters. Exposure to fecal matter can cause hepatitis A, dysentery, cholera and other diseases.The visible problem involves old couches, tires and dead animals floating in the 148-square mile (383-square kilometer) bay. State officials are using garbage boats to collect floating debris, with the detritus weaving giant blankets of human and industrial waste along noxious shorelines."If someone picks up a bag, or hits a sofa or something like that, then clearly that is going to affect them in the race," Fox said."We've seen numbers from teams of the fecal content in the Guanabara Bay, which clearly are not safe," Fox added. "For us, that's a matter of concern. We've been assured again by the organizers that they are doing everything they can."The IOC said it had no plans to test, but suggested others might.Enviro Equipment Inc. adds that, “The international Olympic Committee knew about the filthy and polluted waters around Rio de Janeiro before they awarded Brazil the Olympics, so we are curious to see how they will respond to this news.”"We trust the organizers and (the) ISAF will carry out the necessary research and analysis that will be carefully considered in order to ensure the safety of the athletes," the IOC said in a statement.The IOC did not respond to repeated requests to interview IOC Medical Director Dr. Richard Budgett about potential health risks to athletes. In March, Nawal El Moutawakel, head of the IOC inspection team in charge of preparing Rio, said she had been assured the bay could be "clean from garbage.""I don't think we will forgive ourselves if we let the athletes compete in an environment that is not safe and secure," she said.Malcolm Page, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and chairman of the sailing federation's Athletes' Commission, said he trusted state tests, but welcomed independent testing.

With more than a billion monthly active users on Facebook, according to the Facebook official website, lately there are rumors that the Office of Honor is investigating students’ Facebook pages. Regarding to the rumors, Michael A. Johanson, director of BYU-Hawaii Communications and Marketing, provided some clarifications. Would students be reported to the Office of Honor if they post anything inappropriate on Facebook such as comments or photos?Yes they could – especially if the photos are inappropriate such as pornography. The use of social media needs to be taken seriously not only when it comes to the Honor Code, but also when it comes to representing who you are, your families, and your employers. Employers today often look at their potential employee’s Facebook pages. So it is better to keep your online profiles and content in a way that represents yourself, how you would like to be represented.How does the Office of Honor find out about suspected post on Facebook? The complaints mostly come as an anonymous emails or printed postings. If anyone observes something, they are welcome to submit a complaint to the Office of Honor. If there is a claim about a specific student’s behavior, the Office of Honor could investigate and ask that student about the specific nature of that complaint. The best case scenario of a complaint is to address who it is, what had happened, and as much information as possible. It is easy to send a note to the Honor Code Office with a link to the inappropriate post. If a report is turned to the Office of Honor, they are obligated to follow up according to the standards of the Honor Code, for example, residential living standards or dress and grooming standards. Would the Office of Honor actively keep track of students’ Facebook pages?They might check it if they have a reason. They might do some random checks, but they would not look at every single student’s Facebook page and look for who’s not keeping their Honor Code commitment. How do you define an “inappropriate post” on Facebook?Anything that involves vulgar words, crude language, or photos displaying conduct that is not in standard with those outlined in “For the Strength of Youth.” What if in the photo, the student is in standards but not his/her friends who are not LDS members? Would it be considered as inappropriate, too?No, the Office of Honor might look at the claim but decide not to take any action. It depends on the content of the picture.What would happen to the students turned into the Office of Honor for a suspected issue?If the inappropriate behavior is confirmed or admitted, then appropriate action would be taken if necessary. The job of the Office of Honor is to encourage keeping of the commitments we all make and investigate the claims where those commitments might have been broken.Do you worry if some students use this system to get revenge on people that they dislike?No. Any investigation is based upon the individuals, their side of the story, and any evidence related to the violation of standards and commitments.What is your last word to students regarding the Honor Code?We, as individuals, can support our fellow students to encourage them to live up to their commitments and covenants. We can all help the Office of Honor by helping to reminding one another to keep our commitments. Everyone should know when they leave here [BYU–Hawaii] and go somewhere else they will likely experience an environment that is different from here – where others around them don’t follow the same standards. The hope is that students can maintain those high standards – especially after graduation – and continue to see the spiritual and practical benefits of living those standards.