Sam K. Shimabukuro
Encyclopedia
Sam Koyei Shimabukuro is one of only two Japanese American
s to have been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy from 1991 to 1996.
. His parents were migrant laborers from Okinawa. He was baptized a member of the LDS Church in February 1942. Later he served a three-year mission
to Japan
, spending half of his time on Okinawa.
While on his mission, Shimabukuro met Amy Michiko Hirose. After his mission he returned to Okinawa and they courted and eventually married. The marriage occurred in October 1957 in the Laie Hawaii Temple
. Their only child, Phyllis, died of lupus
in 1974.
Shimabukuro served for two and a half years in the United States military. He received a degree in public administration from the University of Hawaii
. He then worked for many years in the Hawaii Department of Labour.
In the LDS Church, Shimabukuro was a bishop and was president
of the Japan Sendai Mission
from 1981 to 1984. From 1985 to 1988 he was the president
of the church's Tokyo Japan Temple
. From 1988 to 1991, he was the president of the Honolulu Hawaii West Stake.
Shimabukuro became a general authority in 1991, joining the church's Second Quorum of the Seventy. For part of this time, he was a member of the church's Asia
North Area
presidency. He was released as a general authority and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1996.
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
s to have been a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy from 1991 to 1996.
Biography
Shimabukuro was born in Waipahu, HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. His parents were migrant laborers from Okinawa. He was baptized a member of the LDS Church in February 1942. Later he served a three-year mission
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, spending half of his time on Okinawa.
While on his mission, Shimabukuro met Amy Michiko Hirose. After his mission he returned to Okinawa and they courted and eventually married. The marriage occurred in October 1957 in the Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on the northeast shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The temple sits on a small hill a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean in the town of Lāie, from Honolulu...
. Their only child, Phyllis, died of lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus , often abbreviated to SLE or lupus, is a systemic autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the body. As occurs in other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage...
in 1974.
Shimabukuro served for two and a half years in the United States military. He received a degree in public administration from the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. He then worked for many years in the Hawaii Department of Labour.
In the LDS Church, Shimabukuro was a bishop and was president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the Japan Sendai Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
from 1981 to 1984. From 1985 to 1988 he was the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the church's Tokyo Japan Temple
Tokyo Japan Temple
The is the 20th constructed and 18th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, it was the first temple built in Asia. It has a compact style that was a precursor for later urban area temples such as the Hong Kong China Temple and the...
. From 1988 to 1991, he was the president of the Honolulu Hawaii West Stake.
Shimabukuro became a general authority in 1991, joining the church's Second Quorum of the Seventy. For part of this time, he was a member of the church's Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
North Area
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
presidency. He was released as a general authority and a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1996.