Devan Jensen tells how Saints in the Pacific turned their war-torn islands into peaceful Church communities
Wartime turns innocent people into refugees in their own land, and the citizens of Guam and Micronesia were no exception during World War II. Devan Jensen, a BYU College of Humanities alum (English ’95) and editor at the Religious Studies Center, has edited a new book, Battlefields to Temple Grounds: Latter-day Saints in Guam and Micronesia. The book tells the stories of the Saints in the Pacific Islands who established the Church in their communities while facing global turmoil.
During World War II, both the Allies and the Axis powers used the Pacific Islands as strategic bases, and many of the leaders stationed there treated the inhabitants like second-class citizens. However, some of these servicemen were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they recognized the persecution taking place on these islands. They helped rebuild the suffering communities while they were stationed there. More Church members came after the war, providing aid to the islanders and introducing them to the gospel. Many of the islanders converted to the Church, which paved the way for temples to be built on their islands. Jensen says that this book focuses on “decolonizing Micronesia, having them arrive back to where they started as a self-governing, indigenous power.”
Battlefields to Temple Grounds details a sensitive, yet important, chapter of history requiring a thoughtful and respectful approach. Jensen meticulously sourced his narratives and involved collaborators with personal ties to the islands. His coeditor, Rosalind Meno Ram, the associate academic vice president for curriculum and assessment at BYU–Hawaii, grew up in Guam, so she took a particular interest in this project. Jensen likewise had personal investment in telling these stories because he served his mission on these islands. Every person who had a hand in sharing these stories has ties to the islands, so they share this history with the same care that they would take cataloging their own genealogy.
Jensen noted that the message of the book is “that everybody has a story. It’s really important to capture and preserve those stories and share them in a way that’s meaningful to the person who’s telling them.” He continued, “We feel like we did that really well with this book, and I hope that people will do that in their own families and look for that missing story on the shelf.”
Battlefields to Temple Grounds: Latter-day Saints in Guam and Micronesia is available now. You can learn more about Devan Jensen here, or order a copy of his new book online.