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Acts of Service Make a Life in the Gospel

Elder Joshua Subandriyo, Area Authority Seventy in Indonesia, highlighted his many service experiences during his BYU-Hawaii devotional address on April 8 and told how they added to his "journey of life in the Restored Gospel."

He said visiting Laie was an especially emotional experience for him and his wife because their daughter, Jaredita, who was a student at BYU-Hawaii and an employee at the Polynesian Cultural Center, passed away almost a year ago, while in transition to BYU-Provo. Elder Subandriyo shared how their family survived the loss through faith and reliance on the Lord. "The Holy Ghost testified to me that God indeed loves me and my family... One time when I longed for her, I heard the Spirit whisper to me, Why are you looking for the one who is not with you and who is happy and busy doing the Lord’s work. You have three living children to care for."

"Brothers and sisters, these experiences affirmed to me that God truly loves His children. Without His love, mercy and grace, life would be meaningless... The promises of resurrection and eternal life that come from the great plan of happiness give us a comforting feeling."

Years earlier, after the death of his father during his teenage years, Elder Subandriyo moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, with his mother. It was at a train station there that a young woman befriended him and invited him to church. He was baptized shortly after meeting the missionaries in April 1977.

"I didn’t know much at that time about the Church, but I knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Yes, I knew it! I felt my Heavenly Father’s love. Somehow, I felt that life had a purpose and meaning. I could see a light for the future." He added that his baptism brought a "change of heart," similar to Alma’s experience:

And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. [Mosiah 27: 25-26]

His has been a life of fulfillment and service since then. "As soon as I became a member, I learned more about service. My first calling was as a Primary teacher. There were no manuals in Indonesian. I went back and forth to my dictionary to figure out the meaning of the lessons in my native language."

As a young man with family obligations, he struggled with the idea of serving a mission. "As I moved up in my job, I began to rationalize about the need to serve a full-time mission. I said to myself that since I supported my mother and my grandmother every month from my salary, I could continue working and not fulfill my promise and God would understand. One evening, I read in Matthew chapter 19:29, where the Savior said, And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. This scripture sank deep into my heart. I knew the Lord would never lie to his people, and I put my faith in Him and decided to serve a full-time mission."

The mission would set the course of Elder Subandriyo’s future, starting with "a miracle and a blessing from Heavenly Father" in the form of employment immediately after he returned home. Since then, men such as Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, President James E. Faust and President Hinckley have inspired him to work hard and be successful.

He also stressed the importance of education, and cited President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve, who said for "those privileged to attend a Church school, there is a tuition other than money which we must require of you — a tuition of conduct and performance. Students who enroll in Church schools do so after an interview with their bishop and, beginning this year, with their stake president. They must commit to a standard of conduct consistent with faithful Church membership."

Accordingly, Elder Subandriyo encouraged BYU-Hawaii students to work hard and live a higher standard while overcoming the challenges, distractions and temptations that can distract them, such as using computers for "things that have nothing to do with schooling or personal improvement. Internet technology is a blessing or a curse for mankind and it depends on how we use it," he said.

He added the warning from the prophet Nephi in 2 Nephi 28: 7-9 as advice to present-day students, that many will say we can "eat, drink and be merry" with no consequences; but these are "false and vain and foolish doctrines" taught by men who are "puffed up in their hearts and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark... Be careful my young friends. Satan uses a soft approach to hit hard targets like all of us."

Elder Subandriyo also spoke of the challenges he and his wife had early in their marriage with finances, schooling and raising children. He recalled how just after getting married, they followed the advice of President Kimball and moved out on their own to start a family. He advised the students to follow a similar path and act on the words of modern-day prophets, using as an example The Family: A Proclamation to the World, which establishes the roles of each member of the family.

Later Elder Subandriyo and his wife sometimes traveled up to four hours with their four small children to attend church meetings and fulfill callings.

For many years, as home teachers, the males of the Subandriyo family visited an elderly lady, who was originally from France. After her death, Elder Subandriyo was told that the French Embassy would take care of everything, but late one night, he received a call saying that no funeral arrangements had been made. Elder Subandriyo and his son responded to the call to serve and take care of Sister Gizelle De Meige.

"It was not easy, but we were happy to serve," he said. "It meant a lot to me when we gave service outside of our convenience."

  -photo by Monique Saenz

:: For a complete transcript of Elder Subandriyo's devotional...  

:: View video clips from Elder Subandriyo's devotional address...