Rautea Teihotu

"One of my favorite, my eternal family. I was still on mission and my Mission President allowed me to go to my brother's set apart. I don't have a lot a family picture because my father doesn't like pictures."

The island of Tahiti is the home of Rautea Teihotu (photo left). As the oldest of three children, he grew up outdoors in the water and on the land. His mother was an active member of the church and helped her three children to follow in her footsteps. It wasn't until 17 years after their marriage, that Rautea's father was baptized and took his family to the Papeete Tahiti temple to be sealed for time and all eternity.

Rautea loved sports and was an active participant in basketball, volleyball, soccer and even American football. When he was 17 years old, he injured his knee during a basketball game and was unable to play competitively again. He still loves sports--especially basketball.

After high school graduation, Rautea spent two years at the Tahitian University studying a physical chemistry science degree. He was called on a mission to his native land - Tahiti and returned early in 2015. While he was on his mission a doctor there recommended that he have surgery to repair the damage to his knee. So when he returned from his mission he underwent surgery, and after months of recuperation and rehabilitation, he was able to come to BYU - Hawaii.

In the meantime, his younger brother returned from his mission to Africa and his sister, who is currently serving in New Zealand, will return this fall. They both plan to join their eldest brother here at school by the Spring Semester.

Rautea's grandfathers on both sides were fisherman, so Rautea grew up participating in what would become one of his favorite pasttimes. Like all good fishermen, he has a couple of favorite fish stories:

The first took place after he and his friends had been fishing and were standing in shallow water cleaning and taking care of the catch. They were laughing, talking and working when one of them spotted a sea eel and shouted out the warning. They all tried to jump out of the way, but Rautea was unable to avoid the eel and has a scar to show where he was bitten.

The second was when he put himself in great danger by disobeying the rules. He was out spearfishing alone (rule #1) and saw a fish. He swam after it, but the fish was getting away. Rautea was determined NOT to let the fish escape and dove deeper after it without surfacing for air (rule #2). The fish got away and Rautea looked up only to realize that he couldn't make it to the surface with the air in his lungs. He barely reached the surface--his nose bleeding--when he passed out for a few seconds, but was able to clear his head enough to swim to the shore. When his family heard what had happened, they were not very happy with him and he is more aware that rules (and commandments) are given primarily for our safety.

After working with Rautea for a semester, I was impressed with his quiet demeanor, his work ethic, his humor and his testimony. Here is a excerpt from an essay he wrote and gave me permission to share:

When I was on my mission, I liked to share this story with our investigators and the members of the Church. We read the first four verses of Alma chapter 50 and looked for what the Nephites built to reinforce their cities.

:1 “… that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities, …”

:2 “And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there should be timbers, …”

:3 “And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be a frame of pickets …”

:4 “And he caused towers to be erected … and he caused places of security…”

Then I compared the ways that the Nephites used to reinforce their cities with the ways we can use to defend ourselves against our “enemies”. Nowadays, we can say we have modern Lamanites who are trying to destroy us. They could be Satan, pornography, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, etc. So like the Nephites, we have to protect and reinforce our family’s defenses. Our enemies know the plan of happiness and the family’s potential to be eternal, that is why we are an important target.

For example, the heaps of earth can be compared to prayer, timbers to scripture reading, pickets to fasting, towers to prophet or leaders and places of security to holy places like the Temple, Church, Home, etc.

Alma 37:6-7 said “… that small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.” My mother taught me a little story before I went to BYUH. She said if I don’t pray, it would be like I let the door open, if I don’t read the scriptures, I let the windows open and if I don’t fast, my home doesn’t have a roof. Then when the storm come, it will be a disaster.

As senior missionaries, our lives are blessed through the examples and testimonies of the young people we associate with here at BYUH.