Saipan Ward Groundbreaking

Saipan, a tropical island in the western Pacific Ocean and a commonwealth of the United States, is the largest and most developed island of the Mariana Islands. It lies about 125 miles northeast of Guam, 1600 miles east of the Philippines and 3700 miles west of Hawaii.

Members of the Saipan Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been attending church in a chapel building located in Chalan Lau Lau that they have been leasing for the past 40 years.  As the lease will soon expire, the Church has acquired land in which to build a new chapel for the Saipan Ward members. 

The Church held a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, July 24, that was attended by church leaders, members and missionaries at the new chapel location, a peaceful neighborhood along Katbon Drive in San Vicente overlooking the Lau Lau Bay. According to a construction worker at the site, the new chapel could be built in a year. 

The Saipan Ward Bishop offered the dedicatory prayer. Missionaries joined with ward members and leaders in the tradition of filling a spade with fresh soil. 

How did the Church start in Saipan? Turns out that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was introduced to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in 1944 to 1945 by American servicemen during World War II, according to Wikipedia. 

Many members were saddened over moving away from the large mango tree they had grown to love at their previous chapel. In time, within the walls of their new chapel, love and friendship will fill the void as members congregate to worship their Lord Jesus Christ on this isle of the sea.