Sendai Temple

No, no, don't get excited.  There is not a temple in Sendai, Japan.  But oh I wish there was.  And oh how I hope and pray there will be.  Ken and I served in the Sendai, Japan mission.  We served in a small branch across the narrow country (about a 2 1/2 hour drive) from Sendai in Tsuruoka.  We came to love those people in Tsuruoka.  They long for a temple of their own.  They know they don't have the numbers (Sendai was the smallest mission in Japan and we heard was the 2nd lowest baptizing mission in the church) to justify a temple.  Many family home evenings ( night the Tsuruoka saints gather to sing, have a lesson and a meal)  were devoted to whiteboard discussions conducted by dear Brother Sugawara on what do we need to do to get a temple?

Dear Brother Sugawara preparing the white board for FHE lesson.

This is a picture I took of one of the many discussions held on how to get a temple.  These are statistics comparing the seven Japanese missions in number of those submitting names for temple ordinances and convert baptisms in the last year.  You can see that Sendai is the lowest in both categories by far.

A temple had just opened in Sapporo.  They knew the numbers they had, and they projected that if they could get that same number of active members, maybe they could get their own temple.  So they talked about it: personal righteousness, attend the Tokyo temple as frequently as possible, do family history work and submit names,  and mostly increase activity and baptize new members.  Then they did (and still do) all they could to achieve those goals.  We had two convert baptisms while we were in that branch.  That was a tremendous miracle as there had not been a convert baptism in that branch for . . . well no one could remember how long.  There had been a child member baptism eight years before, but no one could remember the last convert baptism.   When we arrived, the elders were teaching a sister who became interested through English class.  We don't know how long she was taught before we came, but she was taught weekly almost the whole time we were there.  Ken and I helped teach her many times.  She sincerely wanted to be baptized, but she had some hang ups and problems that just seemed insurmountable.  Shortly before we came home, the elders decided they had to drop her as an investigator.  But dear Sugawara san (pictured above)  volunteered to continue to teach her, remembering his covenant to increase the size of the branch until it could become a ward. So, at least weekly, he would drive the half hour from his house to meet her at the church and teach her.  We just heard she was finally baptized!
 These committed saints are few in number, but I think deserve a temple.  We pray most every day that they will get a Sendai temple.
When the twelve new temples were announced in the last conference, I sat with almost held breath waiting to hear, "Sendai, Japan"  When President Nelson said the last one, "And Washington county, Utah" there was huge reaction from the audience in attendance at the conference center and I'm sure in many homes throughout Washington county.  But my reaction was different.  I burst into tears.  I so wanted him to say Sendai !  I felt so guilty that we were getting a second temple and they have none.  I cried for over an hour.  I'm not exaggerating.  I was just devastated.  Since then, I have had my time of rejoicing for our anticipated temple.  As I wait in line for an hour to get in to do three names in Initiatory, I realize we really do need a second temple, and I am humbly grateful.  But I still long and hope and pray for a temple in Sendai, Japan.
 When you think of it, will you please throw up a prayer that they will get their temple?  I will be holding my breath at the next conference, waiting to hear those precious words, "Sendai, Japan."