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The year 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the LDS Church in Laie! As we prepare for the sesquicentennial celebration events planned for later this year, we begin a series of stories about the rich history of our beloved town.We express our appreciation to the Mormon Pacific Historical Society which has graciously authored these vignettes to help us remember and honor Laie’s wonderful heritage.One hundred years ago, in June of 1915, Joseph F. Smith, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with W. Charles Nibley, the presiding Bishop, and Apostle and Senator Reed Smoot, were participating in events marking the Jubilee year of Laie’s establishment as a Mormon community.On the evening of June 1st, President Smith invited his two companions to walk up towards the Laie Chapel, called I Hemolele. While on the grounds he said to his companions that he felt impressed to dedicate the grounds for the building of a small temple. Bishop Nibley and Elder Smoot agreed, and President Smith offered a prayer.Of the occasion, Elder Smoot said, “I have heard President Smith pray hundreds of times….But never in all my life did I hear such a prayer. The very ground seemed to be sacred, and he seemed as if he were talking face to face with the Father. I cannot and never will forget it if I live a thousand years.”After they returned to Salt Lake City, President Smith proposed to the general body of church members at the October 1915 in General Conference to build a temple in Hawaii and asked for a vote. The idea of a temple so far away from Church headquarters may have seemed far-fetched at the time to some, but President Smith said there were already thousands of faithful saints among the islands of the Pacific who were worthy and willing to participate in the saving ordinances of the temple, and all in attendance voted in support of the proposal.In the meantime, here in Hawaii, preparations were made for the temple’s construction. The Laie chapel was raised and carefully rolled down the hill to a position near where the Laie “Back” Chapel is now.At about the same time, the Spalding Construction Co. of Honolulu was hired as the general contractor and Ralph Woolley, one of the sons of Samuel Woolley, head of the Laie plantation and Hawaii Mission, was also hired with supervisory responsibilities. (Ralph went on to become a leading architect in Honolulu.)The dedication of the temple was necessarily delayed because of the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918, and by the time it was finally dedicated on November 27, 1919, President Smith had sadly passed away, and it was the “bittersweet” duty of Heber J. Grant, to come to Hawaii and offer the dedicatory prayer. He knew, like everyone else, that Joseph F. had wanted very much to be there.Ever since the temple opened on December 2, 1919, it has served as a place of covenant making, holy matrimony, contemplation, revelation, and personal comfort for thousands upon thousands of patrons from across the Pacific.Indeed, the temple and its holy ordinances are what drew many families from all over the Pacific to gather to Laie. And, thanks to its Visitor’s Center and lovely grounds, annually thousands upon thousands of visitors from around the world are introduced to the LDS Church and the exalting work of its temples each and every year.Uploaded June 22, 2015