Skip to content
  • Give me access to SECRET EPISODES
  • Episodes
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Episodes
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Subscribe
  • Give me access to SECRET EPISODES
PrevPrevious EpisodeImproving Conversation on Divisive Topics (Part 2 of 3 Devan Jensen)
Next ExpisodeReviewing Polygamy Criticisms (Part 1 of 6 Brian Hales)Next

LDS Church in Pacific (Part 3 of 3 Devan Jensen)

Table of Contents: LDS Church in Pacific (Part 3 of 3 Devan Jensen)

Click to Support
Gospel Tangents

Micronesia, Guam, Truk. You may have heard of these islands, but what do you really know about them? Devan Jensen is writing an LDS History about these islands and will give us a sneak peek into his upcoming book.  We’re getting an early preview.

YouTube player

Devan:  It turned out there was a topic. They were coming up with a book on the Pacific, and I said, “Well, I was a missionary, in one of the most remote areas of the world. It’s an area called Pohnpei.” It literally means, “on the altar.”  It’s a very Christian nation now, about 30,000 people.  I was there in Guam, where the temple is going to be built in Yigo, and I was there in Palm Bay. Those were my two areas that I was a missionary. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to collect some of those conversion stories and some of the early pioneering members?” So, I wrote that into a chapter and that was published in the book. A few years later, I realized, “That is a really important story,” that for some–well, I understand why people aren’t writing about it, because it’s so remote.

Devan:  I’ll give you a give you a visual. So, imagine flying out to Hawaii, now flying out to the Philippines, halfway between there, approximately, is Guam and the Micronesia-Guam mission. So, it’s really out in the Pacific. I was a missionary there in Guam and Pohnpei. I decided I would be very interested in interviewing some of the other folks out there. So, I went out to the island of Chuuk. Chuuk is one of the–it used to be called Truk. Some of your listeners will know that. They’ll know that from World War II, because a lot of battles were there. Essentially, what happened, where we know about this story is, is after Pearl Harbor. The Japanese had their fleet in the Chuuk Lagoon because it was a beautiful, big lagoon. It was a place where it was naturally protected. I can’t remember. It seems like it’s about 1000 square miles. So, it’s a huge lagoon, surrounded by volcanic islands. Basically, they were waiting there, and the U.S. forces made their way west and then they just bombed the Japanese in that lagoon. There are so many ships at the bottom of that lagoon, to this day. There are actual skeletons, there are artifacts, like gas masks.

GT:  This was kind of a reverse Pearl Harbor.

Devan:  Yes, it was a reverse Pearl Harbor.  Being sensitive to the Japanese, this was sort of the payback for the Pearl Harbor, and it was very devastating attack on them. So, basically, I thought, “I’d like to go out there and interview some people.” So, I applied for funding and got some funding to fly out there. I recorded about—I’m trying to think how many [interviews] I did.  I think I did about six or 10 oral history interviews. I submitted those to the Church Archives, and so those interviews now exists there, and they will be donated to BYU as well, when I’m done with them. I’m not quite done, but really close. So, as a result of this, I decided to gather all these into a book. Now we have, we’re getting ready to submit this book for publication. It’s going to be called something along the lines of, From Battlefields to Temple Grounds. It’s going to be the Latter-day Saints in Guam and Micronesia, something along those lines.

Check out our conversation….

- LDS Church in Pacific (Part 3 of 3 Devan Jensen) - Mormon History Podcast
Devan Jensen served a mission in Guam & Micronesia and is writing a Church history book about the region.

Don’t miss our previous conversations with Devan!

570: Improving Conversation on Divisive Topics

569: LDS Publishing & Media Assoc

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:49 — 12.8MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Email | RSS | More

Love this? Donate or Subscribe

Do you love the friendly, non-bashing interviews about Mormonism here on Gospel Tangents? 
Please show your support for Gospel Tangents by becoming a donor or subscriber:

Make me a Donor
Make me a Subscriber
No related products found.

More Podcasts with these Guests:

  • Improving Conversation on Divisive Topics (Part 2 of 3 Devan Jensen)
  • LDS Publishing & Media Assoc (Part 1 of 3 Devan Jensen)

Get more information on the people and things discussed in this episode:

  • Guest: Devan Jensen
  • International Mormon History
  • Historical Mentions Mormon History
  • Tags: Church History, Chuuk, GT Podcast, Guam, iTunes, Micronesia, Truk

Tell me when the next episode drops!

PrevPrevious EpisodeImproving Conversation on Divisive Topics (Part 2 of 3 Devan Jensen)
Next ExpisodeReviewing Polygamy Criticisms (Part 1 of 6 Brian Hales)Next
  • Date: October 10, 2021
  • Guest: Devan Jensen
  • International Mormon History
  • Historical Mentions Mormon History
  • Tags: Church History, Chuuk, GT Podcast, Guam, iTunes, Micronesia, Truk
  • Posted By: RickB

Subscribe

Rick Bennett, Host

Rick Bennett is the friendly host of Gospel Tangents LDS Podcast: The Best Source for Mormon History, Science, and Theology. Book Rick for your fireside or conference.

More Interviews

  • Ben Spackman
  • David Ostler
  • Denver Snuffer
  • Lachlan McKay
  • Lindsay Hansen Park
  • Margaret Toscano
  • Richard Bushman
  • Sally Gordon
  • Terryl Givens
  • Ugo Perego...
View all 100+ Interviewees

Proud to be an Amazon Associate

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Subscribe

Go ad-free, get written transcripts, and talk to Rick one-on-one!
Stop Seeing Ads

Rick Bennett, Host of Gospel Tangents

Rick Bennett is the friendly, independent historian at the heart of Gospel Tangents LDS Podcast: The Best Source for Mormon History, Science, and Theology. When he isn't interviewing Mormon scholars, prophets, and others, he is teaching math and statistics at Utah Valley University. He also freelances as a research biostatistician in the fields of Dermatology and Traumatic Brian Injuries, as well as in the network television/cable T.V. industries as a sports statistician. Rick holds a Master of Statistics Degree from the University of Utah.

Contact Rick
Book Rick for your Event
0 +
Podcast Episodes
0 +
People Interviewed
  • Home
  • About
  • Episodes
  • Subscribe
  • Fan Shop
  • Book Rick
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Episodes
  • Subscribe
  • Fan Shop
  • Book Rick
  • Contact Us
Copyright 2023, Gospel Tangents. All Rights Reserved.