BYU–Hawaii Administrative Vice President Steve Tueller has served as the Laie Married Student stake president since March 2017. He shared how his calling has helped him to be a better leader and disciple of Jesus Christ. He also shared how he has helped to strengthen his stake through revelations and setting specific goals.
The spiritual magnifying the secular
Tueller shared being a stake president helps him to magnify his work as a vice president of Administration. “I am aware of the resources the school has to help students – who are also members of my stake,” he said.
He noted interactions with student members and their bishops help him understand the challenges and frustrations students have and allows him to help the administration understand how some decisions are not as helpful as they thought they would be.
“It is not always easy to change things, but knowing about the problems allows us to try,” Tueller explained. “I think this perspective has helped me contribute as a vice president in ways I may not otherwise be able to.”
BYUH Academics Vice President John Bell said, “I met President Tueller almost six years ago when I first came to work at BYUH. We have worked closely together since that time. He was also my bishop for about a year before becoming the stake president over the Married Student Stake.
“From President Tueller, I have learned to always try to do what is right. He is a wonderful example of a principled life,” Bell stated. “I admire him for his firmness and his consistency. He knows how to be firm and compassionate at the same time.”
Quoting the Church Handbook, Tueller said, “Being a faithful disciple in order to help others become faithful disciples is the purpose behind every calling in the Church.”
He said being a stake president allows him to see people’s faithful efforts in areas within the Church. Tueller explained, “It is inspiring to see how people exercise their faith in Jesus Christ by making sacrifices to serve. Seeing the faith of others grow also helps my own faith grow.”
Strengthening Zion’s stake
Tueller said he tries to make improvements by setting specific goals. One thing he has done is encourage stake members to memorize “The Living Christ, The Testimony of the Apostles.” He shared many people were able to do it, and those who did not finish at least were able to memorize many essential truths about our Savior.
He also shared when members come for temple recommend interviews, they have family history workers with computers ready to help with family history while they wait. “This simple change has helped generate many names for temple ordinances,” he noted.
Tueller said he is pleased with the progress they have made in temple and family history work and missionary work among members of the stake. According to Tueller, the number of names submitted to the temple for ordinances from his stake increases each year. “That is really gratifying since there is so much work to be done in that area.”
Merlin Paul Waite, bishop of the Laie Married 4th Ward, said, “President Tueller is one of those kind, humble, and wonderful men. I knew our stake was in good hands when we first met. Since he became the stake president, he has helped our stake members become more temple active and self-reliant.”
Tueller shared due to the demographics of his stake, they cannot do much missionary work within the stake boundaries. However, when he learned the Temple Visitors’ Center sisters teach individuals remotely, it gave him the idea to start reaching out via technology to friends and family of the members worldwide.
“We are not as good as we are going to get at this yet, but we are much better organized than we have ever been to make this work well,” Tueller said. “I am very enthusiastic about the direction our missionary effort is headed.”
He said his stake has also made some progress in holding consistent self-reliance courses and English Connect courses for the spouses of students who need help learning English.
Tueller shared he and his team helped organize the Virtual Bishop’s Storehouse that allows needy members to order food and pick it up at the Laie Hawaii North Stake Center twice each week rather than drive to the Kalihi Storehouse.
Leading through revelations
Tueller shared he often feels the inspiration of the Holy Ghost as he serves. It has made him realize over and over again this is the Lord’s work, and he is actively directing it.
“One of the first impressions I received after being called was that our members needed to get prepared for emergencies,” Tueller said. “Sometimes, these emergencies are felt by everyone, such as hurricane and tsunami warnings, COVID-19, etc. and sometimes they are more individualized, such as illness, difficult pregnancies, etc.”
He highlighted the importance of preparedness for emergencies. “Having extra food and other supplies on hand is a great blessing, even if all it does is prevent you from having to stand in line at Costco to buy toilet paper, being prepared is worth it,” he shared.
According to Tueller, the main reason he worked to bring a Bishop’s Storehouse to Laie was so his stake members could get a short-term food supply for emergencies.
“It is often hard for students to buy enough food to make it week to week. So buying extra food is difficult for them,” he added. “If a disaster comes, we want our members to be prepared and be able to help others if necessary.”
Tueller said the most dramatic revelation for him has come while working with individual members. “I have had some really wonderful experiences feeling the Lord directing me how to seek out and to help specific individuals,” Tueller commented. “I also love the direction I feel when selecting a new bishop to serve. I have found that if I am patient and willing to put in the spiritual work, God will make it very clear whom He has selected to serve.”
Lessons from the calling
Tueller highlighted he has learned many lessons from his calling. “I could spend the whole day talking about what I have learned from this calling,” he said. “I have learned the Lord yields multiple results from a single transaction. I think most of what He does is designed to bless multiple people at the same time.”
He said God might call someone to serve in a calling, and the person serves and blesses many others. “But they are also blessed themselves as they serve. Their families are blessed in their absence,” Tueller explained. “Children of those who serve and those who are served are blessed by the increased faith of their parents.”
Tueller has also learned the importance and value of priesthood keys. “These are real, and there is heavenly power connected to them. I have seen it in others, and I have felt it myself.”
He said he also has learned the Lord truly does speak through his prophet and studies all the general conference talks President Nelson has given. “There are over 90 of them, and all are very helpful, but his talks since being called as the prophet are packed with treasures of truth and practical principles that will make our lives so much better if we will apply them.”
Waite said, “I admire his willingness to serve everybody and kindness. I learned to be humbler and read scriptures at a deeper level from him.”
Tueller said the most powerful lesson he has learned is that people’s testimonies and faith must be nourished every day. “Too many of us are living on borrowed light – borrowed from others or borrowed from a time we served as missionaries when we were living in a way to receive more light. Some call this ‘the memory of a testimony,’” Tueller commented.
Tueller explained people’s spirits need daily nourishment as much as their bodies do, and if they do not give it the attention it needs, their faith weakens and leaves them spiritually vulnerable.
Tueller believes the most important attribute of being a good leader is humility.
He quoted from Doctrine and Covenants 136:32-33, “Let him that is ignorant learn wisdom by humbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God that his eyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear. For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite.”
Tueller explained, “This tells me that if we are humble, God will teach us to be an effective leader.”
Support from others
Tueller said his fellow servants, including his counselors, high councilors, clerks, executive secretaries, bishops, Elders Quorums and Relief Societies, Primary workers, and ministering brothers and sisters, do all of the heavy lifting in a stake.
“I am in a calling that cannot be successful without the consistent help of others. Today, we have a fabulous group of wonderful and spiritual leaders who are on loan to us from the family stakes,” Tueller commented. “It is a sacrifice for all of them and a great blessing to the Married Student Stake.”
Tueller also said his wife, Laurie, has been supportive in every calling he has had. “She is very forgiving of the time I have to spend and helps make my life rich by the thousands of little things she does on a regular basis to bless me and support me. We both know very well that I am less effective without her support.”
Josephine Nakalatia, a junior from Laie majoring in psychology, said, “President Tueller is a great leader. I have interacted with him a few times since being called to the Relief Society Presidency in my ward, but he always gives off a really positive and kind vibe.”
Nakalatia continued, “My daughter and I go for walks in the morning as part of our daily routine, and a few times, we have run into President Tueller. Although I’m sure he is very busy and probably doesn’t remember my name, he always makes an effort to smile and say Hi. It’s the small things that truly matter, especially during this pandemic, where we are reduced in ways we can serve each other and interact.”
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