Weekly Ward Message 10/11/26

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In the Stillness, Praise Him

By Bishop Kamuela Kimokeo

As we prepare for Stake Conference in November, our Stake Conference theme invites us to consider something very personal:

“Finding Joy Through the Ordinances of the House of the Lord.”

Take a minute to think about that. How do you find joy through the ordinances of the House of the Lord?

Perhaps one place to begin is by asking ourselves what we are currently doing to carve out time to simply praise God and consider His goodness.

We live in a world that constantly reminds us of what we do not have. We think about the things that are difficult, the prayers that have not yet been answered, the goals we have not reached, and the problems we are still trying to solve.

Even within the Church, we can sometimes become so focused on DOING that we forget to simply BE. There are callings to fulfill, assignments to complete, meetings to attend, activities to organize, lessons to prepare, and people to serve. These are good and important things. But in the midst of doing the work of the Lord, we also need moments when we simply sit in His presence and recognize His goodness.

The Psalmist wrote:

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful

unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting.”

—Psalm 100:4–5

I love the imagery of entering His gates with thanksgiving and praise. What if we approached the temple that way?

Instead of only bringing our questions, worries, and requests to the temple, what if we also intentionally brought our gratitude? What if part of our temple worship was simply saying, “Heavenly Father, I am here today to thank Thee. I am here to recognize Thy goodness.”

Lately, during my own temple attendance, I have tried to carve out a few quiet moments to do exactly that. I silently praise God for His goodness. I thank Him for Jesus Christ and His Atonement. I think about my family, the gospel, the blessings I have received, and even some of the difficult experiences through which He has helped me.

Something interesting often happens during those quiet moments of gratitude. As I praise Him, I begin to recognize blessings I had overlooked. I receive personal guidance. Thoughts and impressions come to my mind that I was not necessarily seeking.

The Lord said:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

—Psalm 46:10

Sometimes we need to be still long enough to hear Him.

I know these experiences do not come because I am the bishop or because of any calling I hold. They come because I have tried to prepare my spirit to connect with God. When I attend the temple prepared, with a desire to feel the Spirit and receive answers to prayer, I know that God hears me.

For me, this is where much of the joy in the ordinances of the House of the Lord is found. Certainly there is joy in performing the ordinances themselves and in the covenants that bind us to Jesus Christ. But there is also a very personal joy found in those brief, sacred moments when the noise of the world becomes quiet and God speaks to us through His Spirit.

An Invitation for Everyone

I also recognize that not everyone reading this is currently able to attend the temple. Some may have never entered the temple. Some may be preparing to go for the first time. Others may be hoping to return after some time away. And there may be some who feel that the temple is very far from where they are spiritually right now.

If that describes you, please know that this invitation is for you too.

No matter how far away you may feel from being able to enter the House of the Lord, there is a path forward. The Savior's invitation is simply:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

—Matthew 11:28

If you have a desire to enter the temple, or to return to it, I would love to sit down with you. Not to judge you or dwell on where you have been, but to prayerfully discuss a sacred and personal plan that can help you prepare to enter the House of the Lord. That journey may take some time, and that is okay. You do not need to have everything figured out before we begin. You can simply come and say, “Bishop, I want to go to the temple. Where do I begin?”

And you do not have to wait until you hold a temple recommend to begin drawing closer to the House of the Lord. Spend time on the temple grounds. Visit the visitors’ center when you have the opportunity. Learn about the ordinances and covenants of the temple. Work on your family history and prepare names for temple ordinances. Pray. Study. Repent. Make your home a place where the Spirit can dwell.

The journey toward the House of the Lord can itself be a source of joy.

So as we prepare for Stake Conference, I invite each of us to take one step toward the House of the Lord.

For some, that step may be scheduling your next temple visit. For another, it may be returning after a long absence. For someone else, it may be beginning to prepare to receive a temple recommend. And perhaps for someone, the first step is simply having a conversation with me and saying, “I want to go to the temple.”

Wherever you are on that path, begin there.

And when you go to the House of the Lord, go with your prayers and your questions, but also go with gratitude. Find a quiet moment to praise God. Consider His goodness. Think about what the Savior has done for you. Allow yourself to simply be still in His presence.

Perhaps we will discover that some of the greatest joy available in the House of the Lord is not found in receiving something new, but in finally

becoming still enough to recognize

how much God has already given us.

Weekly Family Message

By Namele Fauatea

Preparing Them, Trusting Him

As a mother, I’ve always felt it was both my sacred duty and my privilege to teach my children to put the Lord first in their lives, to be kind to others, and to serve whenever they can.

In 2013, President Russell M. Nelson shared some counsel that really stayed with me. At the time, Noah was six years old, and Jonah was just a newborn. President Nelson taught, “The preparation of future missionaries begins in the family. Each home can become a miniature missionary training center.”

I took that counsel to heart. I knew that preparing my boys to serve missions someday wasn’t something I could wait to do until they received their mission calls. It was something I needed to begin doing right then, in our home, through the things we taught them and the experiences we gave them.

In 2019, Elder David A. Bednar reinforced that same principle when he taught that the ultimate missionary training center is in our homes.

As I thought about these teachings, there were three things I really wanted to prioritize as a mother to help prepare my boys to serve.

First, family home evening.

We began holding regular family home evenings, and I made sure Noah had opportunities to participate in ways that were appropriate for his age. Eventually, he was conducting family home evening and preparing and giving lessons himself. As Jonah got older, he watched his brother and then began participating, too.

I wanted them to understand that sharing the gospel wasn’t something reserved for missionaries. It was something we could do right there in our own home, with our own family. I hoped these small experiences would help them gain confidence in teaching the gospel and sharing their testimonies.

Second, learning to recognize how the Lord speaks to them individually.

This was another priority for me. I wanted my boys to learn how to recognize the Spirit

and understand how Heavenly Father communicates with them personally.

I knew that the sooner they learned to recognize His voice, the better prepared they would be to seek His guidance throughout their lives. I wanted them to know for themselves that Heavenly Father knows them, loves them, and will guide them as they turn to Him.

I knew this would be especially important when they eventually left home and had to learn to rely on the Lord in ways they hadn’t before.

Third, serving in the temple.

I also wanted my boys to develop a deep love and appreciation for the temple. In addition to attending with the youth, we made it a priority to attend as a family.

I wanted the temple to become a place where they could go to feel peace, feel their Heavenly Father’s love, and learn to serve others. I hoped that by making the temple a regular part of their lives, they would develop a desire to keep returning throughout their lives, especially when they needed direction, strength, or peace.

Looking back, I realize that these experiences were about more than preparing my boys to serve missions. They were about helping them build a foundation of faith that they could carry with them wherever life took them.

And now, as I’ve leaned on my faith and trust in Heavenly Father throughout this sacred work of raising children who were His before they were mine, I’ve learned something about faith myself.

I know I can’t simply have faith; I have to exercise it. I have to use it, especially when I don’t know what lies ahead, so that it can grow stronger.

As I’ve prayed, I’ve felt that strength increasing. And as my faith has grown, I’ve become more aware of the small miracles and tender mercies happening all around me.

The Lord has sent so many angels to lift me up when I’ve felt discouraged. I’ve felt His loving guidance as I’ve turned to Him in prayer.

And now, as I’ve sent one of my boys out into the world to serve, I’m choosing to trust the One who called him.

My heart is so full of gratitude. There are people waiting to hear the gospel, and I know the Lord is preparing the way.

And Mom will be praying.

---

Sharing the Gospel in Natural Ways

Take a minute to listen to a message on sharing the gospel from our missionaries, Elder Garner and Elder Guillermo. If you like the message, see the next section.

Missionary Meals

Feeding the missionaries is a happy little service with a big impact. Please add your name to the SIGN-UP SHEET and spread some aloha, or call Elders Garner & Guillermo at 808.253.8666 to meet with them.

Meet the Conrads

Bruce and Sara Conrad family

Bruce and Sara met when they were cast as husband and wife in a production of the Crawford Gates play, Papa and the Playhouse. Both were married at that time, but after losing touch for eight years, they met randomly in the same community theater—Sara a single mother with six children, and Bruce a lone man. Once again, they were cast as husband and wife and decided to make it official. Ask Bruce about his awkward marriage proposal while they were sitting at the grave of Sara's father, which she graciously accepted. Kissed for the first time, and married two days later; after a year and a half, they were sealed in the Bountiful Utah temple.

Together, they have enjoyed traveling, living for a month in India (for his work), and for two years in Mauritius (an island in the Indian Ocean, on a mission). Most recently, they accepted a call to serve for eighteen months in Hawaii, and have loved living in the Kaneohe 4th Ward this year.

Next week they will be celebrating their 22nd anniversary, and it has been a happy life. Between them, they have eleven children and twenty-one grandchildren.

They look forward to spending the rest of this year in Hawaii; who knows what the future holds?

Young Women

Young Men

Primary

Check out the Primary Newsletter! CLICK HERE to view it.

Announcements

• Join our WhatsApp Community for mobile Ward alerts. While on your phone, CLICK HERE

• Tithing Declaration starts in September and ends on December 15. Please sign up with Brother Owen Adams to schedule an appointment.

• YSA Institute (18-35) - Every Thursday at 7 pm at the Kailua Chapel

• Institute (open to anyone) - Every Thursday at 7 pm at the Kaneohe Stake Center

• Youth Stake Mission Prep

  • 2nd Sunday at 2:15 pm - Keolu Chapel

  • 4th Sunday at 2:15 pm - Stake Center

• NEW Sunday 2nd Hour Schedule:

  • 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Sacrament

  • 12:35 pm - 1:00 pm Sunday School

  • 1:05 pm - 1:30 pm Class & Quorum Meetings

Calendar

• October 11, 2026 11:30 am - Sacrament Meeting @ Kaneohe Stake Center

• October 11, 2026 12:30 am - Teachers Council meeting

• October is Chapel Cleanup Month at 7:30 am every Saturday morning

• November 7, 2026 7:00 pm - Stake Conference Adult Session

• November 8, 2026 10:00 am - Stake Conference General Session

• December 6, 2026 - First Presidency Christmas Devotional

• December 20, 2026 11:30 am - Sacrament Meeting Only

Annual Ward Events

• October 24, 2026 - Ward Trunk-or-Treat

  

  Download digital copy to share with friends and family

• October 25, 2026 11:30 am - Primary Presentation @ Kaneohe Stake Center

• December 19, 2026 - Ward Christmas Party

EQ/RS Lesson Schedule

• Sep 27 - The Character of Christ, Elder Christofferson

• Oct 4 - General Conference, No Quorum Meeting

• Oct 11 - Remember, Remember, Elder Wong

• Oct 18 - “Here Am I, Send Me”, President Porter

• Oct 24 - Jesus Christ Is The Way, President Holmes

Stake Temple Recommend Schedule

In-person temple recommend renewal interviews will be conducted at the following buildings and chapels during the listed times:

Buildings/Chapels	Sunday	Address	Time
Waimānalo Stake Center Keolu Hills	1st 1st & 3rd 3rd	41-972 Oluolu St. 46-117 Halaulani St. 1461 Kanapuʻu Dr.	9:30 - 11:30 am 9:30 - 11:30 am 9:30 - 11:30 am

• No appointment is necessary for renewal interviews.

• First-time temple recommend holders (for your own endowment): After your

  interview with your bishop or branch president, please call Dayton Labanon 808-232-9869 to schedule an appointment. You may contact the temple only after your interview with the stake president is complete.

You are welcome to attend any of the listed chapels for your interview. Please come dressed in Sunday best attire.