In the ten years prior to my being called to the Presiding Bishopric, I had the blessing and privilege of helping to identify and acquire sites for temples.
A few years ago President Thomas S. Monson announced that there would be a temple in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, so we went to work researching possible sites where that temple could be built. Two sites ultimately emerged—and it just so happened that they were across the street from each other.
With the approval of the First Presidency, and after doing some preliminary due diligence, we began the process of acquiring the properties. To my great surprise, the owner of the first site accepted our offer without negotiation. I can’t tell you how remarkable this was!
It has been my experience that when a property owner discovers that the interested party is the Church, the price often goes up. To put this in perspective, the owner of the second property across the street responded with a price that was more than four times the price we offered.
When I met with the owner of the first property, he explained that he had owned the property for almost twenty-five years and could have developed it several times. But he had always felt that the property had a “higher and better purpose.” When we offered to buy it, he said it felt right.
However, you probably already know that when it comes to building the kingdom of God—and especially when it comes to building temples—things often don’t go as smoothly as we would hope.
Shortly after we filed the paperwork, the city of Philadelphia, through a city-controlled agency, filed a legal claim that stopped the transaction. They wanted to take title to the property themselves. This was a very serious matter. We did everything we could to meet with the agency and remove the claim. We were unsuccessful. This was a real problem and was very discouraging. We had felt so good about the property. We believed that this was the place where the Lord wanted His temple to be built.
As a final step we took our appeal of last resort to the mayor. He was the only one with the authority to change the situation.
With a heavy heart I flew to Philadelphia with the Church temple architect. There we were joined by an Area Seventy and two local Church members. One of these members was someone you may have heard of. He, too, attended this university. In fact, he played on the BYU football team and eventually ended up playing professional football for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Vai Sikahema is a well-known local celebrity in Philadelphia. He had completed a successful career playing football and afterward became a sports announcer on a local television station.
Before the meeting with the mayor, our little group of five met together and talked about the purpose for the meeting. Then we knelt in prayer. We knew that we would desperately need the Lord’s blessing that day.
At the meeting, the mayor, a city council member, and some of the mayor’s staff were in attendance. After introductions, my heart sank as I realized the atmosphere in the room was more than a little cold. It appeared evident that the decision had already been made, that the hearts of the city officials had been set against our building a temple there, and that this meeting was little more than a formality.
As we started to explain the project, the mayor explained that his staff had assured him this property was better suited for commercial purposes—an office building or a hotel would not only benefit the city with jobs but would provide needed tax revenue. We would need to look for another site.
Brothers and sisters, I have been in situations where all appears lost, where it seems that nothing you can do or say will make a difference. What I have learned in these situations is that if you are on the Lord’s errand, do all that you can do with the talents and abilities God has given you and then lift up your heart and plead for God to hear your prayer and intervene on your behalf. Even though you may appear to be outnumbered, even though it appears that all may be lost, our beloved Father in Heaven will reach out and take you by the hand. He will fight your battles. He will come to your aid.
I know that the five members of the Church in that room were pleading in our hearts for heavenly help. What could we say or do that would help change the mayor’s heart and mind?
I asked the mayor if the architect could show a simple drawing or two of how the temple might look. He looked at his watch—a sign that he wanted the meeting to end—and said, “Okay.”
But before the architect could begin, Brother Sikahema asked the mayor if he could say something.
The mayor was acquainted with Brother Sikahema and said, “Of course.”
Vai paused for a moment and then stood. In a humble voice he went on to say something like this:
“Mr. Mayor, many years ago when I was a young boy in Tonga, my father and mother and my brothers and sisters sold our home, we sold fruits and vegetables, and we sold everything we could to have enough money to travel to Hamilton, New Zealand, to be sealed as an eternal family in the temple. You need this temple. This temple will bless your city. This temple will bless your community. It will bless the people.”
Then he sat down. We were all very quiet.
After a moment the Church architect stood and showed the mayor a few drawings of what a temple might look like. It was clear that in those few minutes something had changed. In reality, everything had changed.
As the architect sat down, the nonmember city councilman asked to speak. He stood and said, “Mr. Mayor, I have spoken with the leaders in the community and neighbors of this property. We want this temple. We need this temple. It will bless our city. It will bless our community. It will bless the people.”
As he spoke, you could feel the Spirit come into the meeting. It was a sacred moment. What was to have been a thirty-minute meeting lasted for the better part of an hour and a half. Oh, how different things were after that sublime moment!
To my surprise, at the end of this public meeting the mayor turned and asked if I would offer a prayer in that setting. His heart had changed. The temple would go forward. It would be built on the selected site.
Now brothers and sisters, I have a special blessing for us today that is not always possible. I would like you to meet Brother Vai Sikahema, who is with us this morning. He is not just a football player and he is not just a stake president. He is an instrument in the hands of the Lord.
My dear friends, the Lord knows the end from the beginning. He knew that a young football player at Brigham Young University would one day need to be present in a meeting with city officials at the moment when a site for His temple would be discussed. He knew that Vai Sikahema’s humble testimony would need to be shared—that it would be the turning point that made the difference at a critical time.
Heavenly Father knew Brother Sikahema, and He prepared him and put him in the appointed place so that his humble testimony would be shared and his faith and testimony would help further the Lord’s work among men.
