Focus Hawaii

Follow

• 

  Focus Hawaii President Clarke

  Lance Chase, J. Richard Clarke, and Barbara Reed Clarke

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features President J. Richard Clarke and Sister Barbara Reed Clarke, newly arrived as president and matron of the Hawai‘i Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, following his emeritus release as a General Authority after more than two decades of worldwide church leadership. President Clarke reflects on his upbringing in Idaho, military service at the close of World War II, a successful career in the life‑insurance industry, and his call to full‑time church leadership—including service in the Presiding Bishopric, the First Quorum of the Seventy, and multiple assignments across Africa and other international areas. Sister Clarke shares her perspective on family life, motherhood, and her extensive service alongside her husband in church auxiliary leadership. Together, they discuss the sacred role of temples, the responsibilities of a temple president and matron, the history of the Hawai‘i Temple as the first LDS temple built outside the continental United States, and the spiritual significance of temple worship, eternal families, and proxy ordinances, offering viewers a thoughtful and personal introduction to their mission and ministry in Hawai‘i.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Taran Erickson Christmas

  Lance Chase and Taran Erickson

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this Christmas edition of Focus Hawaii features professional singer and entertainer Taran Erickson (Taran McQuivy), who shares her musical journey from her early years singing nonstop as a child to performing with local groups, including The Surfers and eventually Don Ho. Now a BYU–Hawaii student and Kahuku High School graduate, Taran talks about the role her mother played as her teacher, manager, and greatest supporter, her musical influences—especially Karen Carpenter—and her aspirations to build a national performing career while balancing marriage, education, and classical vocal training. The episode showcases two Christmas performances, including a Carpenters‑style medley and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” while Taran reflects on connecting with audiences, the challenges of live performance, and the joy and purpose she finds in uplifting, meaningful music.

• 

  Focus Hawaii "Lance Chase Tribute"

  Lawrence Lau and Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lawrence Lau, this special Focus Hawaii tribute episode honors the life, legacy, and enduring influence of Dr. Lance Chase, longtime host of the series, beloved educator, and mentor at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, following his passing in June 1999 after an eight‑year battle with cancer. Through heartfelt reflections, archival footage, and excerpts from past programs, the episode celebrates Chase’s profound impact as a teacher of English, religion, and history, and as an interviewer whose curiosity, warmth, and moral seriousness elevated every conversation. The tribute highlights the remarkable range of voices Chase brought to Focus Hawaii, including Robert La Marchina, Arthur Haycock, Diana Hansen‑Young, Charles Toguchi, Hugh Nibley, Jamie Kealoha, James Arrington, Keith Merrill, Carolyn Merril Shumway, Tony Dipreta, and Anne Chase Workman. Together, these moments reflect Lance Chase’s intellectual honesty, deep faith, generosity of spirit, and unparalleled commitment to students, community, and meaningful public dialogue, affirming his lasting legacy within Hawai‘i and beyond.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Pioneers in the Pacific Gold and Green Ball

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii showcases scenes from the Gold and Green Ball, part of the Pioneers in the Pacific sesquicentennial celebration held on the Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i campus in January 1998. The program highlights an evening of music, dance, and theatrical performance inspired by popular styles of the 18th century through the mid‑20th century, blending ballroom traditions with vintage American and Latin rhythms. Performances include period waltzes, costumed ballroom dancing, and energetic numbers such as rumboogie, reflecting how young people across generations have used music and dance for joy, connection, and cultural expression—even during times of global hardship. Through these lively scenes, the episode captures the celebratory spirit of the Pioneers in the Pacific week, emphasizing youth participation, cultural creativity, and communal remembrance of history through performance and festivity.

• 

  Focus Hawaii: Pioneers in the Pacific Opening Ceremony Part II

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii showcases stirring performances from BYU–Hawaii’s sesquicentennial celebration of Pioneers in the Pacific, featuring a powerful cultural and spiritual presentation by representatives from Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The program highlights the Cook Islands’ portrayal of the coming of Christianity—Te Atu Omo—through prophecy, chant, drumming, and dramatized storytelling. The performance interweaves Pacific heritage with scriptural narratives, including the journeys of Lehi and Nephi, the division of Nephite and Lamanite peoples, the destruction at Christ’s crucifixion, and the Savior’s appearance to the people in the Americas. Through vivid imagery of the birdman (Te Mamaia), celestial symbols, and the voice from heaven, the presentation expresses deep gratitude for the gospel and honors the connection between Polynesian identity, ancestry, and faith. The episode captures the reverence, artistry, and cultural pride of this Cook Islands tribute as part of the larger campus‑wide commemoration.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Mataumu Alisa

  Lance Chase and Mataumu (Matt) Alisa

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Mataumu (Matt) Alisa, a faculty member at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i and an acclaimed Samoan‑born artist whose work is deeply rooted in Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. Alisa shares his personal journey from growing up in Samoa and La‘ie to becoming a professional muralist before returning to formal education and earning a Master of Fine Arts degree. He discusses his career creating large‑scale murals across Hawai‘i, including his award‑winning ceramic tile mural at the Hawai‘i Convention Center, selected through a highly competitive statewide process. Through reflections on artistic process, cultural memory, and the symbolic meaning behind his work—particularly his recurring theme of the imu and the spirit of selfless giving—Alisa offers insight into how tradition, place, and personal history inform his art and teaching. The conversation also explores the balance between technology and hand‑rendered artistry, as well as his philosophy as an educator encouraging students to “listen to the wall” and observe life deeply as the foundation of creative expression.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Garth Allred

  Lance Chase and Garth Allred

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Garth Allred, Associate Dean of the Division of Religious Instruction and Chair of the Department of Religion at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, who shares insights from his academic career and extensive experience teaching and living in the Middle East. Dr. Allred discusses his background in psychology and marriage and family therapy, his role in religious education, and his repeated service as a faculty member and director at the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center. The conversation explores the Center’s mission of non‑political, non‑proselytizing academic study, the immersive educational experience of teaching scripture and history on location in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt, and the value of exposing students to multiple cultural and religious perspectives. Drawing on firsthand experience, Dr. Allred reflects thoughtfully on Israeli‑Palestinian relations, the challenges of achieving lasting peace, and the spiritual and educational significance of studying biblical history in its original geographic and cultural context.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Elder William C. Cogdell

  Lance Chase and William C. Cogdell

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Elder William C. Cogdell, a senior Latter-day Saint missionary from Lenoir, North Carolina, whose life story intertwines faith, education, and a lifetime love of music. Elder Cogdell shares his journey from his early years in rural North Carolina—where he developed musical talent under the guidance of his mother—to earning a degree in instrumental and vocal music, teaching for 32 years, and operating a chain of music stores. He describes his uncommon missionary assignment at BYU–Hawaii, where he directed choirs, taught voice classes, worked with university ensembles, and served alongside his wife, who contributed through sewing for university productions. The conversation highlights his work as a piano tuner, his experiences with blind craftsmen who influenced his training, reflections on Hawaiian musical culture, and his continued passion for choral work—both in Hawai‘i and in his longtime community men’s chorus in North Carolina. With warmth and humility, Elder Cogdell reflects on his service, his enduring dedication to music, and his plans upon returning home after completing his mission.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Stephen R. Covey

  Lance Chase and Stephen R. Covey

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Stephen R. Covey, internationally renowned author, educator, and leadership philosopher, best known for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Speaking candidly about his personal journey, Covey reflects on his upbringing in Utah, academic career at Brigham Young University, missionary service abroad, and the evolution of his work from university teaching to global leadership training through the FranklinCovey organization. The conversation explores Covey’s core ideas of principle‑centered leadership, individual responsibility, and the human capacity for self‑renewal, emphasizing the four unique human endowments—self‑awareness, imagination, conscience, and independent will. Covey discusses the universal relevance of moral principles across cultures and religions, the importance of family and community support systems, and the role of moral authority in leadership, drawing on examples from global figures and his own life experiences.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Elder Reed C. Durham

  Lance Chase and Elder Reed C. Durham

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Elder Reed C. Durham, a distinguished educator and scholar with more than four decades of service in the Church Educational System, who was serving as a teaching missionary at BYU–Hawaii at the time of the interview. Elder Durham reflects on his 43‑year teaching career spanning seminaries, institutes, university classrooms, and international study programs, including his role in founding BYU’s Semester at Nauvoo program and his extensive teaching and travel experiences in the Holy Land, Europe, and the Mediterranean world. He discusses his academic background in theology and biblical studies, authorship of influential books and manuals—including work on Joseph Smith’s Bible translation and church succession—and his philosophy of teaching rooted in faith, scholarship, and student engagement. The conversation highlights the unique spiritual and cultural richness of BYU–Hawaii’s diverse student body and Elder Durham’s enduring commitment to teaching, learning, and service well into retirement.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Aaron Hammer

  Lance Chase and Aaron Hammer

  Hosted by Lance Chase and filmed on location in Laie, Hawai‘i, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Aaron Hammer, a young drum maker and musician whose work blends craftsmanship, sound, and community connection. Originally from Kansas, Hammer shares how he discovered hand drumming and became drawn to its healing, social, and expressive qualities, eventually teaching himself to build drums using local and imported materials. Viewers are introduced to his drum‑making process, including working with solid woods and staved shells, stretching natural goatskins, knotting African diamond weaves, and branding each drum with his distinctive hammer trademark. Hammer discusses the cultural universality of drumming, its role in personal reflection and group communication, and its therapeutic power across ages and backgrounds. The episode also highlights his involvement with the Art Plantation gallery in Haleʻiwa, drum‑making classes, and facilitated drum circles that invite people of all skill levels to rediscover rhythm as a shared human experience.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Thomas Jefferson

  Lance Chase and Clay Jenkinson

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this unique episode of Focus Hawaii features renowned humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson performing in full character as Thomas Jefferson, offering viewers an unprecedented “interview” with one of America’s most influential founders. Speaking as Jefferson, Jenkinson discusses his early life in Virginia, the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the philosophical grounding of the Revolution, the controversies of equality, his strained relationship with Alexander Hamilton, his aversion to war, the Louisiana Purchase, and his belief in the virtue of the common citizen. He also reflects on the tragedies of his personal life and the contradictions in his moral and political legacy, including slavery. In the final moments, Jenkinson steps out of character to talk about his scholarly work, his upcoming book The Paradox of Thomas Jefferson, and the challenges of interpreting such a complex historical figure.

• 

  Focus Hawaii B.J. Lee BYU-H Pacific Island Room

  Lance Chase and B.J. Lee

  Hosted by Lance Chase and filmed on location in the Pacific Islands Room of the Joseph F. Smith Library at BYU–Hawai‘i, this episode of Focus Hawaii features B. J. Lee, longtime university employee and supervisor of the Pacific Islands Room. Lee shares her personal history growing up on Moloka‘i with Hawaiian and Korean heritage, her decades of service at BYU–Hawai‘i, and her deep connection to Hawaiian quilting traditions passed down through her mother and kupuna. Surrounded by historic and contemporary quilts, Lee explains the cultural significance of Hawaiian quilting as both an artistic and social practice, recounting family stories behind specific heirloom quilts, original patterns, and naming traditions. She also highlights preservation efforts, the role of Relief Society women in quilting history, and the Pacific Islands Room’s unique collection of quilt patterns available to the public, underscoring the importance of the library as a living repository of Hawaiian and Polynesian culture.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Dwight Miller

  Lance Chase and Dwight Miller

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Dwight Miller, Associate Director of the Center for Academic Excellence at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, who discusses the rapidly evolving field of distance learning and its implications for higher education. Drawing on his background as an educator, Vietnam veteran, photographer, and specialist in post‑secondary education and human resource development, Miller explains his recent work in Provo developing Internet‑based courses designed for multi‑campus use across the BYU system. Using photography instruction as a case study, he explores the challenges of teaching visually and subjectively driven disciplines through online platforms, emphasizing the importance of instructor–student interaction, timely feedback, and community‑based learning models. The conversation examines broader trends in non‑traditional education, accreditation standards, technological change, and the shifting role of faculty from lecturers to facilitators, offering insight into how emerging technologies can expand access to quality education while preserving academic rigor.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Dave Porter and Willfred Navalta

  Lance Chase, Willfred "Will" Navalta, and David Porter

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features two of BYU–Hawaii’s most celebrated coaches—Dr. David Porter (tennis) and Dr. Wilfred “Will” Navalta (women’s volleyball)—whose teams have earned an extraordinary record of national championships. The interview highlights the raising of new championship banners in the Cannon Activity Center, including Navalta’s eighth national title in women’s volleyball and Porter’s first‑ever women’s tennis national championship for the university. The coaches discuss their long‑term success, the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II competition, changes in scholarship rules, and the new level of nationwide competition they will face. They also explore BYU–Hawaii’s honor code, academic expectations, international recruiting networks, and the unique challenges and benefits of coaching athletes from Hawai‘i, the mainland, and around the world. With candid reflections on team culture, gender differences in coaching, recruiting philosophies, and student‑athlete graduation priorities, the episode offers an insightful look into the values, discipline, and global reach of BYUH athletics during its championship era.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Family History Center

  Lance Chase, Bill Neal, and Diana Neal

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii visits the Family History Center in Laie, located near the LDS Hawaii Temple, and features Bill and Dianna Neal, who serve as the director and assistant director of the center. They explain what family history work is, why people feel drawn to discovering their roots, and how anyone—regardless of church membership—can use the free services offered. The Neals walk through the five steps of beginning family history research, discuss the center’s resources such as Hawaiian and Polynesian records, U.S. and international reference books, microfilm services, and computer databases connected to the Salt Lake Family History Library. They also describe volunteer support, senior missionary helpers, increasing public interest, plans for major expansion of the center, and touching experiences patrons have had while discovering ancestors. The conversation highlights both the practical and deeply personal aspects of genealogy and the spiritual significance it holds for many who participate.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Elder Talmage W. Nielsen

  Lance Chase, Elder Nielsen, and Sister Nielsen

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Elder and Sister Nielsen, the directors of the Hawaii Temple Visitors’ Center in Laie, who share their remarkable personal histories and wide‑ranging missionary service across the world. Elder Nielsen, a retired surgeon, and Sister Nielsen, an educator with deep cultural and spiritual roots in Utah, reflect on their upbringing, family life, and multiple missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, including humanitarian, medical, and administrative service in South America, Europe, and Eastern Europe following the fall of communism. They describe their current mission at the Temple Visitors’ Center, where they welcome visitors from dozens of countries, share messages of faith in Jesus Christ, and help build bridges of cultural understanding, particularly with visitors from Asia. Through stories of medical service, humanitarian aid, and daily interactions with guests, the Nielsens illustrate how global experience, compassion, and faith come together in their work at one of Hawai‘i’s most visited spiritual and cultural destinations.

• 

  Focus Hawaii President Eric B. Shumway

  Lance Chase and Eric B. Shumway

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this in‑depth episode of Focus Hawaii features President Eric Shumway of Brigham Young University–Hawaii, offering a personal and wide‑ranging conversation about his life, leadership, and the mission of the university. Born in small‑town St. Johns, Arizona, President Shumway reflects on his journey from missionary service in Tonga, to earning his doctorate at the University of Virginia, to more than three decades of service at BYU–Hawaii. He discusses recent university accomplishments—including national championships in athletics, international performance tours, and a thriving undergraduate research program—along with the school’s transition into NCAA Division II. Central to the interview is President Shumway’s explanation of BYU–Hawaii’s prophetic mission as outlined by President David O. McKay: to develop leaders of integrity from many cultures, united by shared values. He also addresses stewardship over sacred tithing funds, efforts to reduce per‑student costs, the pivotal role of the Polynesian Cultural Center in student employment and education, the university’s evolving academic structure, and the ongoing challenges of enrollment demand and distance education.

• 

  Focus Hawaii The Skousens

  Lance Chase, Elder Skousen, and Sister Skousen

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Elder and Sister Skousen, a missionary couple from Arizona completing their third year of service at BYU–Hawaii. They recount their upbringing in large, musically rooted families, their student years at BYU, and their lifelong shared involvement in music—she a dedicated piano teacher since age 16, he a trombonist, vocalist, and former member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, with whom he toured internationally. They discuss careers in teaching, engineering, and mathematics alongside their musical pursuits, as well as their contributions on the BYU–Hawaii campus through piano instruction, math teaching, choir direction, and mentoring students. The Skousens reflect on the multicultural musicality of Polynesian and Pacific students, memorable experiences in Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand, and the profound emotional and spiritual influence music has had throughout their lives. As they prepare to conclude their three‑year mission, they express deep gratitude for the students, community, and diverse cultural environment that shaped their time in Hawaiʻi.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Denise Woodbury

  Lance Chase and Dr. Denise Woodbury

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Denise Woodbury, a BYU–Hawaii business professor whose extraordinary academic path and international experiences span economics, psychology, and global development. Woodbury recounts beginning university studies at age 15, earning a doctorate in financial economics at a young age, and later pursuing additional graduate degrees while teaching in the United States and abroad. The discussion centers on her six‑month assignment in post‑Soviet Russia, where she taught finance and economics, advised government economists, and navigated daily life amid political transition, economic instability, and organized crime. Through vivid personal stories—ranging from classroom exchanges to a harrowing encounter at a Moscow currency exchange—she offers deep insight into Russian culture, perceptions of America, the challenges of transitioning from communism to market systems, and the human realities behind global economic theory.

• 

  Focus Hawaii BYU-H Business Experience

  Bill Neal, Jim Bradshaw, Allan Oleole, and Denise Woodbury

  Hosted by Bill Neal of the School of Business at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, this episode of Focus Hawaii examines an innovative, integrated business education model designed to give students real‑world entrepreneurial experience while still in the classroom. Faculty members Jim Bradshaw, Allan Oleole, and Denise Woodbury introduce a team‑taught core program that combines finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, and communication into a single, immersive learning experience in which students create, fund, operate, and close actual businesses during the semester. Through student‑run ventures—including coupon sales, shaved ice operations, and digital product businesses—the program emphasizes applied learning, teamwork, cultural diversity, financial accountability, and community service, with all profits donated to charitable organizations. The discussion highlights how this hands‑on approach prepares BYU–Hawai‘i’s internationally diverse students—many of whom will return to small or developing economies—to create jobs, lead ethically, and apply business principles in real entrepreneurial settings.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Pioneers in the Pacific Excerpts from the Opening Ceremonies Part 2

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii presents selected excerpts from the “Pioneers in the Pacific” sesquicentennial celebration held at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i in December 1997. The program features a series of cultural performances, including traditional chants, songs, and staged presentations representing the diverse Pacific Island communities connected to the history of early Latter‑day Saint missionary efforts in the region. Through music and expressive performance, the episode highlights the shared heritage, spiritual traditions, and cultural identity of Polynesian peoples while commemorating the legacy of pioneer faith and migration across the Pacific. The presentation reflects the celebratory and unifying spirit of the larger commemorative event, emphasizing cultural continuity, historical remembrance, and community participation.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Pioneers in the Pacific Opening Exercise Part 1

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii presents highlights from the opening exercises of the “Pioneers in the Pacific” sesquicentennial celebration, held on the Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i campus in November 1997. Blending scripture, Hawaiian chant, dramatic narration, music, and theatrical reenactment, the program reflects on spiritual signs, cultural traditions, and historical events linking Polynesian beliefs with the arrival of early missionaries in the Pacific. Lance Chase frames the presentation within both Hawaiian tradition—particularly stories associated with the god Lono—and Latter‑day Saint history, recounting the 1843–1844 mission of Addison Pratt, Benjamin Gruard, and Noah Rogers, whose labors led to the establishment of the first LDS branch in the South Pacific. The episode emphasizes remembrance, faith, cultural continuity, and historical perspective, illustrating President Gordon B. Hinckley’s call to look to the past to better understand the present and future.

• 

  Focus Hawaii William Wallace III Associate Professor of History

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features William “Bill” Wallace III, associate professor of history at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, attorney, kumu hula, and respected Native Hawaiian scholar, in a thoughtful and wide‑ranging discussion of Hawaiian sovereignty, identity, and cultural responsibility. Drawing on his deep family roots in La‘ie and Moloka‘i, Wallace reflects on Hawaiian history, land stewardship (mālama ʻāina), language revitalization, and the spiritual and cultural values of aloha that underpin Hawaiian society. He offers a calm, nuanced examination of the sovereignty movement, acknowledging differing viewpoints within Native Hawaiian communities while emphasizing healing, self‑determination, education, and reconnecting families to land and tradition. Rather than framing sovereignty solely as a political pursuit, Wallace reframes it as a broader moral and spiritual challenge—one grounded in culture, family, faith, and responsibility—presenting a hopeful vision for the future of Native Hawaiians rooted in identity, values, and community strength.

• 

  Focus Hawaii Youth Garden at BYU-Hawaii

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii presents highlights from BYU–Hawaii’s sesquicentennial celebration of Pioneers in the Pacific, featuring performances by local youth in the symbolic “Youth Garden” program. Through song, chant, and dramatized storytelling, the presentation honors the heritage, sacrifices, and faith of Pacific pioneers while using garden imagery—flowers, drought, prayer, renewal, humility, and covenant—to teach lessons of resilience and spiritual commitment. The episode includes dramatized segments portraying themes of pride, humility, and unity, as well as reflections on the responsibilities and identity of the rising generation. This special broadcast captures the spirit of the week‑long campus celebration and its tribute to the youth of the Pacific and their cultural and spiritual roots.