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BYU Studies Quarterly

BYU Studies Quarterly

Keywords

Mormon studies, book review, La'ie, Hawaii, community

Abstract

I stayed in La'ie last winter, a stone's throw from the temple, which is within easy walking distance of Brigham Young University-Hawaii, which is next door to the Polynesian Cultural Center--all the major landmarks of the town within an easy ten-minute circuit. It is surprising to see how compact a place has earned so expansive a reputation. This book surprised me in the same way. There's a lot going on in this history of the little town--Gathering to La'ie traces how the sleepy village wrought dramatic influence on Hawaii, managed the miracle of melding diverse factions into a united community, exerted far-flung impact on the history of the Church.

Gathering to La'ie says "aloha" to readers. It's an open invitation to the historical and cultural and spiritual texture of a charming place. The book enthusiastically invites readers to participate in the La'ie experience. If you can get to La'ie by plane or boat or walking on the water, you'll want to gather there. If you can't, the next best thing to being there may be this colorful compilation of the developing spirit of the little town on the north shore of Oahu that makes big waves.

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