Tribute to Gunnery Sergeant Keith Renstrom, USMC
"Brothers and Sisters, it is just marvelous for me to come back here after 60 years to see how things have changed on Saipan. Seeing you people from the islands meeting in this beautiful meetinghouse in such peaceful surroundings is the highlight of this trip.
When I hit the beaches with my Marines we were fighting an enemy who had taught the people here to believe that we were coming to rape and torture them; that to become a Marine it was required to kill your own mother and father; so that rather than surrender to us they should instead commit suicide. During all of this, in my heart I knew that what we were doing would be for the good of the people here and that the blessings of liberty were what we were bringing to these islands. Seeing you good saints here today is a fulfillment of what we did here exactly 60 years ago this week.
"Now brothers and sisters, I had learned to hate the Japanese. In fact, I can tell you without a doubt that there is not a person in this room today who has experienced hate such as I have experienced during my lifetime. I have taken many lives in battle, and have suffered the loss of many of my friends. I am an eyewitness to the multitudes who threw their loved ones and themselves off the cliffs of Mt. Tapochao and Banzai Cliff at the hands of the Japanese. I have witnessed Japanese officers brutally murder civilians by the sword. I was aware of the torture my fellow Marines endured in the Philippines. It seemed to me that there could be nothing good come of this race of people.
"I was wounded in the leg during my service in the Pacific, which required me to be sent back to Hawaii for recovery. While there, another LDS Marine invited me to attend a sacrament meeting nearby where I was recovering in Waialua on the island of Maui. To my surprise the meeting was full of Japanese-American saints! Indignant, I took a seat at the rear of the chapel. I told myself that if one of those Japs brings me the sacrament that I would be out the door in a heartbeat. Fortunately, my Heavenly Father was watching out for me and as it turned out, one of the Caucasian Marines brought me the bread. I thought, OK but if a Jap brings me the water I am out of here! Again, a Caucasian brought me the water too. So I stayed on to listen to the rest of the service.
The speakers that day were two Japanese missionaries. I thought to myself 'how can these people be Christians, let alone holders of the priesthood? This is absurd!' But I kept listening. The first talk was so-so, but the second talk changed my life completely from that point forward. This young Japanese Elder recounted the hardship he endured in becoming Christian, how his family rejected him, how his friends turned their backs on him, but in the end he knew the truth and could not deny it. It was during this talk that the spirit whispered to me: " Keith Renstrom, just who do you think you are hating my people as you do? I forgave those who crucified me. But you are still living!"
After the service I went up to the Elder and embraced him. Tears rolled down both of our cheeks as I told him that I am willing to forgive and love his people. From that day forward I have learned to love not only the Japanese but all people as well. I served a mission among the Japanese in Hawaii; I sent my son on a mission to Kobe Japan. It has been marvellous.
Brothers and sisters, Christ meant it when he said 'be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.' This gospel is all about us reaching perfection. Many religions preach that we are all sinners and fall short of the grace of God. But I know better. We truly can overcome our imperfections, even those etched in our souls due to the harrows of war. God bless all of you."
@