Pacific Islanders and Mormonism



Pacific Islanders have a particular place in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Its first non-English-speaking mission was in the region in 1844, less than twenty years after the church's founding, and there are currently six temples among the Pacific Island regions of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia. In 2015 the Latter-day Saint population in the area was increasing in percentage and absolute numbers.

Since the 1850s Mormon leaders have identified Polynesian islands with the "islands of the sea" marked in their scriptures for missionary activity, and taught that the people there were descendants of Israelite people from the faith's canonized Book of Mormon. There are numerous notable adherents of the church, and LDS missionary efforts in the region were highlighted in the film The Other Side of Heaven. The church began operating schools in the Pacific Islands in 1850, and currently owns and runs Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU–Hawaii) and the nearby Polynesian Cultural Center. The Book of Mormon has been translated into numerous local languages of the region since 1855.

History


The Pacific islands were one of the first areas to be evangelized after Europe and North America, notably Hawaii, which fell under American influence and was annexed by the United States in 1898. The LDS Church began sending missionaries to the region in 1844, and 75 years later the Laie Hawaii Temple became the first LDS temple outside the continental United States in 1919. In 1955, the church partially lifted some of its temple and priesthood racial restrictions and began allowing Melanesian women and men access to all temple ceremonies (called ordinances), and Melanesian men and boys to be ordained to the priesthood. The church allowed Pacific Islanders to hold the priesthood, and president of the church David O. McKay stated that native Fijians and Australian Aboriginals could also be ordained to the priesthood. Later that year BYU–Hawaii was established.

Hagoth
In addition to the LDS Church's stories about people sailing to the New World, there is also the story of Hagoth, a Nephite ship builder who according to The Book of Mormon lived in or around 55 BCE, and whom some church publications have stated sailed from the Americas to Polynesia. Leaders of the LDS Church and LDS scholars have stated that the peoples of the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii, Polynesia, and New Zealand, are descendants of the Nephite Hagoth and his supposed followers, and this accounts for their darker skin. Many members of the LDS Church in Polynesia have come to believe that Hagoth is their ancestor. Modern genetic testing has disproven any connection between Pacific Islanders and purported peoples of The Book of Mormon.

Folklore


Some of the folklore that exists in the relationship of the LDS Church and Pacific Islanders include:


 * Polynesian leader Tāwhiao accurately predicted the site of the 1958 Hamilton New Zealand Temple before his death in 1894;
 * Māori prophets or chieftains, including Paora Te Potangaroa and Tāwhiao, predicted the coming of Latter-day Saint missionaries to New Zealand;
 * During the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft pilots attempted to bomb or strafe the church's Laie Hawaii Temple, but were prevented due to a mechanical failures or unseen protective force. An LDS-source stated that the Japanese pilot who attempted to bomb or strafe the Laie Hawaii Temple was converted to the LDS Church after he saw a picture of the temple in the possession of Latter-day Saint missionaries in Japan.

Temples
Although there is a sparse population, and great distances to travel, the Oceania region has a number of church temples due to the significant numbers of members in many countries. There are also temples in the Philippines and Australia.


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Book of Mormon translations
Oceanic languages.svg

Orange is the Admiralties languages and Yapese, yellow-orange is St. Matthias, green is Western Oceanic, violet is Temotu, and the rest are Central-Eastern: dark red Southeast Solomons, blue Southern Oceanic, pink Micronesian, and ocher Fijian-Polynesian.]]


 * 1855, Hawaiian language translation of the Book of Mormon, which was the first translation of the Book of Mormon to be published in a non-European language.
 * 1889: Māori edition.
 * 1903: Samoan edition.
 * 1904: Tahitian edition.
 * 1946: Tongan edition.
 * 1965: Rarotongan edition.
 * 1980: Fijian edition.
 * 1981: Niuean edition (selections)
 * 1987: Pohnpeian, Micronesian languages (selections).
 * 1988: Palauan edition.
 * 1989: Chamorro edition.
 * 2001: Gilbertese (Kiribati) edition.
 * 2002: Tok Pisin edition.
 * 2003: Marshallese edition.
 * 2004: Bislama edition.
 * 2004: Yapese edition.
 * 2015: Kosraean edition, Micronesian languages.
 * 2015: Chuukese/Trukese edition, Micronesian languages.

Portrayals in media

 * Johnny Lingo
 * The Other Side of Heaven
 * The Legend of Johnny Lingo, a remake of the 1968 film.

Notable Pacific Islander Latter-day Saints


LDS Church members from indigenous groups:

Political Figures

 * Princess 'Elisiva Fusipala Vaha'i of Tonga
 * William Sio, New Zealand MP
 * Elizabeth Kikkert, ACT MLA

Artists

 * Naomi Kahoilua Wilson
 * The Jets, Tongan American pop and R&B family band
 * Dinah Jane, member of pop group 5th Harmony

Athletes





 * Sid Going, All Blacks captain, and player for NZ Maori.
 * Ken Going, All Blacks player, member of the NZ national side on the 1974 tour of Ireland.
 * Jonah Lomu, joined the Church in 2012, 3 years before his passing
 * Valerie Adams, Tongan, New Zealand Shot Putter world champion, Olympic and Commonwealth Gold Medalist
 * Willie Brown
 * Tony Finau, PGA Tour professional golfer
 * Pearl Going, NZ mountaineer.
 * William Hopoate, Prominent NRL Bulldogs player.
 * John Hopoate
 * Todd Miller
 * Ken Niumatalolo, Coach of the Navy Midshipmen football team
 * Brendon Pongia, New Zealand basketball player
 * Jordan Rapana, NRL Canberra Raiders, NZ and Cook Island national teams
 * Sam Perrett, NRL Sydney Roosters and Bulldogs
 * Lloyd Perrett, NRL Bulldogs and Manly Sea Eagles
 * Leilani Rorani, Former NZ squash player
 * Vai Sikahema, Tongan, NFL player
 * Kalani Sitake, Coach of the Brigham Young University Cougars football team
 * Nooa Takooa, sprinter.
 * Saimoni Tamani, Fiji Olympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, South Pacific Games gold medalist
 * Manti Te'o, Samoan NFL player from Hawaii