Okinawa Temple: A Light to the World

President Russell M. Nelson’s announcement of the new temple to be built in Okinawa, during the April 2019 General Conference, filled the saints in Okinawa with gratitude and joy. The excitement has remained, and the saints are busily researching and preparing ancestral names for saving ordinances to be performed in their homeland. With the upcoming groundbreaking of the Okinawa Temple, many saints have enthusiastically shared their feelings towards this temple.

“After hearing the announcement that a temple will be built in Okinawa, I felt that I could clearly see the path for the next half of my life. So much temple work and genealogy needs to be done to save individuals and families on both sides of the veil,” President Hiroaki Yoza of the Naha Stake expressed.

 “I feel the blessings from the Lord. He cares about us so much that we can build a temple here in Okinawa,” Katsuyuki Kawajo stated. “Now, visiting the temple will become easier for all saints. I am grateful for an opportunity to devote my time to temple work. I pray that we can continue the work of the Lord as we build Zion here through this blessing.”

When the Okinawa Temple was announced, Akari Oshiro was serving a mission in Hokkaido. “I felt that the second coming must be just around the corner. I felt Okinawan ancestors were also filled with great joy and happiness.”

Okinawan people have a close relationship with their ancestors. Okinawa is known for its practices of ancestor worship and deep respect for those who died in the terrible battle fought in Okinawa during World War II. Sister Oshiro considered what the temple would mean to the people in Okinawa. “Having a temple here will provide an excellent opportunity to accelerate missionary work. Many Okinawan people have an interest in their ancestors. The Okinawa Temple will help them to get to know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m confident that this great work will expand over the generations.”

Sister Oshiro is excited for the temple to be built. “Church members have willingly sacrificed many things to participate in the temple ordinances for their ancestors so far. With the Okinawa Temple, Okinawan members will be able to go to the temple much more frequently, and the work of salvation will be hastened. Many people are still waiting for their salvation. As an Okinawan Church member, I’ll keep engaging in this wonderful work with my family and other members,” Sister Oshiro conveyed.

“I was impressed and humbled by the love of the Lord knowing that He was taking care of the members of the Church on such a small island, Okinawa, and I was satisfied with it. On the other hand, I also felt the pressure to prepare. Not only myself, but to also prepare my family and children,” a mother in Okinawa contemplated. “I haven’t been to church for a long time, but when I heard about the temple, I felt the spirit and cried. I hope the Okinawa Temple will help my husband gradually return to church and want to follow the Lord’s teachings. I want to be sealed in the Okinawa Temple.”

“Because of the time zone, when the prophet made the announcement I was actually sleeping. My friends who live in Utah texted me that a temple would be built in Okinawa. I suddenly woke up and watched it,” Airi Kise remembers. “At the time, I was extremely happy and felt the spirit. I posted this big news on Facebook and texted my other friends. We shared our feelings and we thought about how lucky we are.”

Elizabeth Lunt, of the Futenma Military Branch, remembers feeling happy for the people of Japan when she heard the announcement of the Okinawa Temple. About six months later she received 3-year orders to serve in Okinawa Japan. “I was absolutely so excited to experience this new journey. I had forgotten that the temple would be built here in Okinawa, but when I attended church I was quickly reminded of the blessing Okinawa has received and prayed to heaven above that I would be here to see the day it was built and finished.”

Recently, Sister Lunt heard about the upcoming ground-breaking. “I felt a very strong prompting to attend and bring my non-member boyfriend, Daniel, to show him the importance of Temples and why they mean so much to Latter Day Saints. I hope that one day Daniel will make the decision to join the Church so we can get married in the temple together for time and all eternity.”

Being in a country so far away from home, Sister Lunt has not been able to return to the House of the Lord for over a year. “I cannot wait to feel the peace and love surround me and protect me from the outside world. Being in the Marine Corps is a huge test of faith and morals. Knowing that the grounds of Okinawa are finally gaining a temple on this island, that has experienced so much, is surely needed. I love temples and the ability to step inside them as a worthy member of the Church. I cannot wait to see the ground-breaking and see the progress of the temple being built. It truly will help me feel at home while being hundreds of thousands of miles away from my family.”

“When I heard the news of the Okinawa Temple, I was filled with surprise and joy that the long-desired temple would finally stand in the land of Okinawa. The people of Okinawa have gone through a fierce battle in which one in four Okinawans died,” Tadashi Kina recalled. “The gospel of Christ connects us with our ancestors in a seamless circle as we perform ancestral ordinances in the temple. It comforts us, gives us hope and faith, and helps us to overcome challenges.”

He shared this family story:

“My family evacuated to the mountains in the north during the war. They faced hunger in an air raid shelter. The bodies of people who had fallen covered the area. It was a terrifying sight. My family was able to evacuate. My mother lost her beloved husband at the age of 38, leaving eight children behind. In 1967, the year after the church of Sogenji was completed, my mother was visited by a missionary. My mother listened in search of salvation. He said that every person must be baptized to obtain the salvation of God. ‘How can my deceased husband and daughter be saved?’ my mother asked. In learning that ordinances can be performed for the deceased, my mother was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She set an example for her children. Seven children were baptized and converted to the Church. Four of my brothers, who were born after the war, became missionaries and preached the gospel. My mother and my son performed the ordinances for her deceased husband and daughter in the Hawaii Temple and performed their sealings. My mother’s posterity is marrying in the temple.”

Kyoko Thayne works diligently in her Church calling as an Okinawa Stake Temple and Family History consultant. “We are preparing every day until the temple is built,” she reports. “I am working hard with my family tree, as well as helping other people with their research. I really appreciate that these preparatory steps have been given to us. I am thankful to our Father in Heaven.” Not only does Sister Thayne help people search for their ancestors, she also helps to train other family history consultants.

“In Okinawa, many genealogies were burned due to World War II. The saints have visited living relatives and collected genealogies from graves that did not collapse in the war. Even before the announcement of the Temple, many saints worked hard to find the genealogies. That is because we know that we will be saved as families,” Sister Thayne explained. “I don't think there is anything more precious in the world than saving our beloved family and ancestors. It is the responsibility of Church members to look up their genealogy, submit names of their ancestor to the temple, and feel the joy of performing proxy ordinances for ancestors. It's a real pleasure to be linked together with our ancestors.”

Sister Thayne was excited to hear the announcement. “When the Okinawa Temple was announced, tears came, and I thanked God for His love and grace and for wonderful Church members and leaders. The Okinawa Temple will be meaningful in saving our ancestors. I want to remember this joy and be able to set an example of love for others.”

The enthusiasm and diligence to prepare for the temple is flourishing in Okinawa. Just recently, the Okinawa Stake held a virtual family history fair. Many people tuned in to be inspired, motivated, and to learn new skills. The saints in Japan are grateful and joyous to soon be blessed with four temples in Japan.