Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The official ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the “Pago Pago, American Samoa Temple” for   on Ottoville Road that was held last Saturday comes at a time when the Church’s membership has grown to more than 16,000 in the territory. And its roots began in 1862 on the island of Aunu’u, with two Hawaiian missionaries.

Building a Temple in Pago Pago to serve both American Samoa and Samoa was first announced in 1977 but later changed to building the Temple in Apia to serve members of the Samoan islands, according to church leaders and information shared with journalists during a pre-ground breaking news conference held last Friday morning at The Church’s Central Stake Center at Ottoville.

“Temples of The Church differ from meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Each temple is considered a house of the Lord” where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity,” according to Church information.

In the temple, church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their fellow man.

Elder K. Brett Nattress, who is first counselor in the Church’s Pacific Area Presidency, presided over the ground breaking ceremony with the “turning of the soil” on Saturday and he also accompanied Elder Fa’apito Auapa’au during the one-hour news conference, where a video was shown with testimony from church members around the world on what the Temple means to them.

Elders, K. Brett Nattress (left) and Faapito Auapaau (right) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the news conference last Friday morning at The Church’s Central Stake Center, prior to last Saturday’s Ground Breaking ceremony for the Pago Pago, American Samoa Temple on Ottoville Road. [photo: FS]

Auapa’au recalled that back in 1997, it was first announced that a Temple was to be built in American Samoa to serve both the territory and Samoa — which was known as Western Samoa at the time. However, Church leaders later on in 1980, re-announced that the Temple would be built in Apia, Samoa and the Temple was dedicated in 1983 by President Gordon B. Hinkley of the Church’s First Presidency.

Changing the Temple site from Pago Pago to Apia was “because Apia was very much central to members” both in American Samoa and Samoa, said Auapa’au.

“As you know, cost of living in Samoa is very expensive compared to here in American Samoa,” he said during the news conference, in which other church Elders, including Elder O. Vince Haleck — who previously served at the post of Pacific Area Presidency — were present. “It’s a lot easier for members in American Samoa to travel to Samoa than members in Samoa to pay for their airfare to travel to American Samoa.”

“So it was a very wise decision to move from here to Samoa,” he said.

Nattress, who is based in New Zealand, noted that after careful consideration, the Church announced in April 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah, construction of the Pago Pago Temple.

And he shared a brief history, of what he called, the “story of resilience and faithfulness of the Samoan Saints” who accepted the Church missionaries from Hawaii who “showed up here” in 1862 and traveled to Aunu’u island.

(It should be noted that at the time, Tutuila and Aunu’u islands were not yet considered American Samoa, a U.S. territory, which did not happen until April 1900.)

The ground-breaking invitation, included a small-booklet, which provides a summary of the history of the Church in American Samoa. And it all started on Jan. 24, 1863 on Aunu’u island, when Kimo Pelio and Samuela Manoa became the first Latter-Day Saint missionaries to preach in Samoa, after being called by Walter Murray Gibson in Hawaii.

During the news conference, Nattress recalled that since the first missionaries visited Aunu’u, the Church membership has grown to 16,490 in American Samoa and 80,000 in Samoa.

“Instead of becoming offended and running away” when the decision was made to change the Temple site from Pago Pago to Apia, the Church members in American Samoa in 1977, “paid their own way, and they went over to Apia and helped with the construction of the Temple, using their own money and their own time,” Nattress pointed out.

“The people here in American Samoa, was a faithful group,” he said. “Of course, the Temple has been a wonderful blessing but now it’s the time to have a Temple in Pago Pago.”

The news media asked and the two Church elders shared an explanation of the importance of the Temple to members. “Everything that we do in The Church, points to the Temple, and everything we do in the Temple, points us to our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. To us, a Temple in American Samoa would be a place of prayer, a place of peace,” said Auapa’au.

And he also confirmed, when asked, that only working Church members are allowed into the Temple. For non-members, the outside of the Temple is open to the public to enjoy the beauty, the surroundings outside the Temple.

Nattress added that once construction is completed and prior to the dedication, there will be an open-house where “we will invite everyone in the community “ to take a look inside of the Temple.

Regarding the contractor for the Temple project, Nattress told reporters that “in order to maintain and assure quality, we got a general contractor but many local subcontractors will essentially build the temple.” Westerlund Construction, who has built several Temples, is the general contractor.

He also said that construction is estimated to take three-years but they are hoping for two and half years.

A large framed graphic showing the image of the future Pago Pago, American Samoa Temple on Ottoville Road at the Central Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Two senior members of The Church flank the image before the soil was turned at last Saturday’s ground-breaking ceremony, at the site on Ottoville road. [photo: FS]

Last Saturday morning, Church leaders and members, were joined by Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga and First Lady Ella, leaders of other church denominations in the territory, as well as Fono leaders, some lawmakers, business representatives and other VIPs for the “turning of the soil” — the official ground breaking ceremony, starting with the church service at the Ottoville Chapel that was streamed live.

Elder Haleck, provided one of the two testimonies during the church service, saying that the ground breaking ceremony “is fulfilling of the fruits of sacrifice of so many from our church families — young and old. For decades many made the journey to Samoa. They wanted to show the Lord the fruits of their faith.”

“Prayers, faith and extra sacrifice by so many of you who attended the Apia, Samoa Temple for years, have brought us to this glorious day,” said Haleck, who was among the church leaders who attended the meeting some 4-decades ago, when the announcement was made changing the Temple site from Pago Pago to Apia.

“While we were sad, with the news of the Temple’s relocation, we stood strong and supported the Temple,” he said. “We had a lot of ‘lototele’ that day, although difficult as it was. Many made the commitment to travel to Samoa on a regular basis... and spend days and weeks working on the Temple...”

“The Lord has now answered our longing prayers and the sacrifice of so many who made the trip to Samoa,” he said.

“We turn the soil today, to symbolically show to the Lord, that we are fulfilling His will to build His holy house. We turn the soil symbolically not only to break ground but to turn our hearts to God,” he said.

Haleck said that, “according to our engineers, the grounds on which our Temple stands is bed-rock, with a few fissures to allow the rain water to drain. They conclude that there could not be suitable ground... to build our Temple on solid bed-rock. This is a special place.”

A verbal summary of the Church’s history in American Samoa was provided by Vaitinsa Dr. Salu Hunkin-Finau, while the two speakers, were Nattress and Auapa’au.

In this photo, some of the VIPs in the second group to turn-the-soil at last Saturday’s Ground Breaking ceremony for the Pago Pago, American Samoa Temple on Ottoville Road at the Central Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Among the individuals in the group — in no particular order — are, Bishop Peter Brown, leader of the Catholic Church in the territory; House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale and his wife Beauty; Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean and his wife Fiapa’ipa’i; and Elder K. Brett Nattress, of the The Church’s Pacific Area Presidency. [photo: FS]