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Closing keynote speakers, W.A. Christensen along with his wife, Sherry, spoke on weathering the storms of life in their presentation which was a compilation of people and their personal struggles they deal with day to day. “Have you ever felt the raging sea around you? Living here in the middle of the Pacific, I’m sure you could teach us a thing or two about the raging sea,” said W.A. Christensen, a creative writer and producer as well as LDS broadcaster in a segment called “Enduring it Well” with the Mormon Channel’s radio station. The Christensen’s closing remarks were entitled “Weathering the Storms of Life” and their message aptly stuck to that title. Sherry Christensen accompanied her husband on stage in the auditorium in front of Education Week attendees. She asked, “On a personal level, is your tempest or storm so tossed at times that it is churning violently? That you may feel the impending doom or worse yet: destruction?” Using navigation of a ship as an anecdote, the Christensens explained attendees their own personal struggles and hardships they have faced which prompted them to begin seeking others who face similar trials in their own lives. “It’s been said that ships are safest in the harbor,” W.A. Christensen noted. “Ships weren’t built for the harbor. Ships were built for the open sea. The same can be said of us. Brothers and sisters, life is hard,” he added. The Christensens talk about their children and the health challenges they have experienced. They share how their family was able to go through each hardship through the teachings of Jesus Christ. “As a result of the challenges that we have faced over our 31 years, I was asked by the Church to write, produce, and host a weekly radio show through the official media outlet of the Church called the Mormon Channel,” he said of his start with the Church in broadcast media. According to Christensen, the segment in which he hosts called “Enduring it Well” has roughly 12.5 million listeners. “I interview people who have faced difficult challenges and through principles of the gospel, have emerged triumphant,” he said. Each of the Christensen’s four children has been diagnosed with a rare type of muscular dystrophy, a debilitating disease, which caused them to lean closer to the plan of happiness and the Church’s teachings. “The Plan of Happiness took on a much deeper meaning of hope and trust to raise [our] children,” Christensen said. “What made the difference? Total faith and trust in the great plan of happiness.” Their presentation included individuals who have faced significant losses in their lives. One such woman who was featured on “Enduring it Well” fell off a cliff, breaking her back, causing her to be bound to a wheel chair. She relayed how her life was changed dramatically, but still continues to live life to the fullest. Tammy Lau attended the Christensen’s presentation and said, “The Christensen’s talk was inspiring. Most of the talks, especially this talk is something I can learn from in my life.” Lau is bound to a wheelchair, but keeps her spirits up. She and her brother, Isaac, are both debilitated, but keep their spirits up despite their circumstances.“We are not doomed, we are destined for greater adventures ahead,” Sherry Christiansen said.

The new Facebook Messenger app has been creating a stir on social media after a Huffington Post article allegedly exposed the app’s Terms and Service agreement went viral last week. Commotion began when mobile Facebook users were required to download the messaging app in order to message others on mobile. The article lists various terms that were listed in the app’s privacy policy that made users uneasy and suspicious of Facebook’s intentions. The terms, however, are not new and the Huffington Post article was published last December. Included in the list of permissions are:• Allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention…• Allows the app to send messages. This may result in unexpected charges….• Allows the app to record audio with microphone. This permission allows the app to record at any time without your confirmation.• Allows the app to take pictures and videos with the camera. This permission allows the app to use the camera at any time without your confirmation.The permissions that are listed are rather alarming, but is the app really a major threat or is everyone jumping to conclusion? Here are a few myths about the Facebook Messenger app that are important to remember if you download the app. The app uses software without permission: The first thing to realize is that the permissions of the Facebook Messenger app is not at all different from other messenger apps like Line, TextPlus or Viber. It’s the only way to send messages through Facebook:The Messenger app is actually not the only way to send messages through your mobile device. You can use the mobile Facebook website to send messages. However, if you’re not on the go, the desktop website still uses the chat client and doesn’t require any other downloads.The app invades privacy: It’s definitely no more invasive than the desktop version of Facebook. When considering privacy it all comes down to one fact – people have the option to accept or decline policies and terms.

BYU-Hawaii presents the Lifetime Weight Management Program challenge starting in March where faculty members are urged to participate in staying healthy by regular exercise and a healthy diet, says Human Resources staff members. Students are welcome to join and gain a better understanding of a proper health and wellness routine. Dr. Werner Hoeger, who has published 54 editions of Fitness & Wellness college textbooks, said, “When people set their own body weight, they should be realistic… There is no such thing as ‘the ideal body weight.’ Everyone is different. Stick with a program for the rest of your life…a lifetime of exercise and dietary changes.”The media has the great influence on people’s perception of an ideal body weight. People use fashion, fitness, and beauty magazine to determine what they should look like. But they may not have the genes to achieve the body weight they see in the media. So when people set their own body weight goals, they should be realistic. According to Hoeger, “Food deprivation has been shown to decrease your metabolic rate by 12 to 30 percent…The body doesn't know you are trying to lose weight…So the body is trying to survive and it slows everything down…You affect your metabolic rate and it changes the amount of energy you burn. If you are on a crash diet and you exercise, your body will try not to lose as many calories because it’s trying to keep you alive… versus when you eat regular meals, your body will burn more calories as you exercise.” Make sure you count calories. There is no other way said Hoeger, “measure your servings…keep track of nutrients and calories consumed. Make the effort. If you are not willing to make this sacrifice, then don't even bother to lose weight“For most people who are fasting, all they lose is mostly just lean body mass and barely any fat. Rather moderate diet and exercise will help you lose fat …when you gain weight you gain lean body mass to carry and hold on the extra pounds… if you are not willing to do physical activity then don't even bother trying to lose weight.. Don’t be afraid to exercise …physical activity, bring it on!” he said excitedly. Decreasing total fat intake for good, using primarily healthy fats, and learning to make wise food choices are what “our target is for the program’s audience. We welcome whomever wants to come and listen…We try to get different guest speakers and have a workshop every quarter,” said Jeannie Lawrence, from Human Resources. The human mind wants instant gratification, and people don't think about the long-term effects of what they eat and do. Tonga Lauaki, a freshman from Seattle, Wash., majoring in International Cultural Studies, said, “I learned a lot about the statistics when it comes to calories…What you eat is what you are, except that you have to learn how to balance. I liked his logo of ‘junior size’ instead of ‘super sized,’ and I work at McDonald’s so it’s really hit me…We can eat whatever we want. It’s the amount we eat that determines the weight we put on and being consistent with our physical activities.”