Melba Latu said family, community, people, your profession and the Lord will call on you to teach, lead, direct and serve. When such a call comes, she said, students should say, “Koau’ eni,” a Tongan phrase meaning “I am here.”
She said it is often difficult to feel confident but encouraged students to accept the call even when they feel unsure of themselves. “Even if your voice is shaky you can answer I am here.”
Latu, the senior manager of International Student Services, spoke at a BYU–Hawaii devotional on May 11, 2021. Latu said being ready and willing to accept the Lord’s call will bless students’ lives by building their faith and teaching them about sacrifice and how to trust in the Lord.
She encouraged students who are unsure about making sacrifices to not “give in to doubt, don’t be afraid to make sacrifices. … Others will follow you, but you’ll have to be the first.
“I will be on your right hand and on your left,” Latu said, quoting the Lord’s promise to Joseph Smith and his companions. The Lord’s promise, she said, “extends to anyone who responds to His call and improves your lives as you step courageously into the unknown.”
Koau’ eni, I am here.
If students are feeling unsure or afraid, Latu encouraged them to ask the Lord for help and strength, and the Lord’s spirit and angels will lift them. “The Lord has far greater plans for you, and it will take courage and faith to walk alone at times,” Latu said.
A pair of sibling who are students at BYUH said the devotional taught them not to take the easy path in life. They also said it taught them to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from many different people at BYUH.
Latu’s relative, Lisita Vi, described her as a kind, loving and optimistic person. She said Latu was admitted to BYUH when she was 15 years old and graduated with a bachelor's of arts degree in English.
According to Vi, Latu was accepted to the Suffolk University Law School in Boston where she earned her Juris Doctorate degree. She later submitted her mission papers and was called to serve in the California Long Beach Mission.
In her talk, Latu said her poor upbringing was difficult and recalled feeling embarrassed because she needed to go to free health clinics. She said she wished she could tell her younger self to not be ashamed but to proudly embrace her life.
“Do not curse any step of your journey if it is contouring you into an amazing leader and person,” she said. She advised students struggling to respond with faith, hard work and love because those struggles are critical in their growth as leaders.
“When your loved ones call for your sacrifice and service, when places and events call for your giving and growing, when your family, community and the Lord call on you, you can answer it’s me, I am here,” she concluded.
Do not curse any step of your journey if it is contouring you into an amazing leader and person.
Kaylin Carroll, a sophomore from Arizona majoring in TESOL education, attended the devotional in person. She said, “I really like how her talk focused on being willing and prepared to accept any call.”
Carroll said one of the most valuable lessons she took away from the devotional was to be better at seeing things from a different point of view. “I think everybody should look at the larger picture instead of focusing on what’s complicated right now,” she said.
Seeing the big picture, Carroll said, opens up doors for not just herself but also for others. “Don’t choose the easier path; rather, seek the path with many opportunities and trials because it will help you grow into a better person,” she advised.
Leanna Carroll, a junior majoring in elementary special education from Arizona, said she is excited to be able to attend devotionals. “I feel like it’s time to not only forget about your problems but also concentrate on my spiritual side, which helps me prepare for the rest of the week,” she said.
She said she liked Latu’s discussion on the sacrifices people make to attend BYUH and the opportunities available there. “I feel like there are a lot of good opportunities here to learn from many people from all over the world about their cultures and experiences,” she said.
Carroll said recognizing those opportunities will help students accept the call. “I will strive to embrace the call by taking advantage of the many opportunities here at BYUH and what I learned today to prepare myself as a potential educator to answer the call to support my future students and others,” she said.