One of the most beautiful places in the world, and among the most sacred

Last updated on: March 2, 2018 at 8:10 pm by Dan Peterson

One of the most beautiful places in the world, and among the most sacred 2018-03-02T20:10:09-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Laie Hawaii Temple stands adjacent to the Oahu campus of Brigham Young University and not far from the Church’s Polynesian Cultural Center. (LDS.org)

With four friends, my wife and I had an excellent breakfast this morning at the little Hukilau Cafe in Laie. And then we attended a session in the Laie Hawaii Temple — something that we always love to do when we’re here.

The “Hawaiian Temple,” as it was long known, was dedicated by President Heber J. Grant in 1919, so it’s nearing its centennial, which, I have no doubt, will be (and should be) a really big deal. It was the first temple constructed outside of the contiguous United States and, indeed, the first temple built outside of Utah. The first one, too, that had been dedicated after the Salt Lake Temple. President Joseph F. Smith, visiting in 1915, felt inspired to choose a site and announce a temple, not having previously spoken of such an idea with his counselors or the Twelve. Unfortunately, he didn’t live to see it completed. He died on 19 November 1918, and President Grant, as his successor, dedicated the temple in November 1919.

It was satisfying, though, to see a photograph of Joseph F. Smith, along with a photograph of his longtime fellow member of the First Presidency George Q. Cannon, hanging in the foyer of the temple, just past the recommend desk. Both of them served as missionaries in the “Sandwich Islands,” as Hawaii was often still called then, and the experience had a huge impact on each of them. In those days, of course, Hawaii wasn’t yet the wonderful resort destination that it has become. It was a relatively primitive, poor, and very isolated place where English wouldn’t get you far. Both had to learn Hawaiian. In fact, in later years, when both were serving as counselors in the Presidency of the Church, they would sometimes correspond in Hawaiian regarding sensitive subjects. It was George Q. Cannon, working with Jonathan Napela, who first translated the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian — something that would seem a bit frivolous today but that was absolutely necessary in the mid-nineteenth century.

For various reasons, I spent a fair amount of time a couple of decades back studying the life of George Q. Cannon, who was a deeply impressive man. Hawaii was crucial for him, and he had some truly remarkable spiritual experiences here — particularly on Maui. Two years ago, I wrote a brief column about this aspect of his life:

“Remembering the history of the LDS Church on the Hawaiian Islands”

He’s been on my mind all day.

Posted from Honolulu, Hawaii

Previous Post

February 28, 2018

What the West Owes the East (Part 9)

Next Post

March 1, 2018 What the West Owes the East (Part 10)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What question did Jesus ask Saul on the road to Damascus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Why do you hate me? Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Why do you persecute my followers? Do you not know who I am?