Wendell B. Mendenhall
Encyclopedia
Wendell Bird Mendenhall was the head of the Church Building Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and one of the moving forces behind the Labor Missionary program of the LDS Church in the 1950s. Mendenhall was largely the father of the Polynesian Cultural Center
in Hawaii. He was also the building supervisor for the Oakland California Temple
in the 1960s.
and graduated from Springville High School. He then attended both Utah State University
and Brigham Young University
. Mendenhall served as a Mormon missionary
in New Zealand
from 1927 to 1930.
He was then involved in various business ventures mainly in California and served as bishop of the Stockton
Ward of the LDS Church.
When Mendenhall was first given the assignment to select a temple site in New Zealand
by David O. McKay
, he was serving as president of the San Joaquin
Stake in California.
Mendenhall was the person who went to such countries as Tonga
and recruited local members who were called as labor missionaries to assist in building the Polynesian Cultural Center
. He was then until the mid-1960s closely connected with Henry D. Moyle
in the acquisition of land and the building of a large number of chapels and other buildings for the LDS Church.
In 1978 Mendenhall died at the age of 70 from a heart attack.
Polynesian Cultural Center
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a Polynesian-themed theme park or living museum located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Dedicated on October 12, 1963, the PCC occupies owned by nearby Brigham Young University–Hawaii....
in Hawaii. He was also the building supervisor for the Oakland California Temple
Oakland California Temple
The Oakland California Temple is the 15th constructed and 13th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The LDS temple in Oakland, California was announced on May 26, 1962, and dedicated on November 19, 1964 by David O...
in the 1960s.
Biography
Mendenhall was born in Mapleton, UtahMapleton, Utah
Mapleton is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,809 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mapleton is located at ....
and graduated from Springville High School. He then attended both Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
and Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. Mendenhall served as a Mormon missionary
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...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
from 1927 to 1930.
He was then involved in various business ventures mainly in California and served as bishop of the Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
Ward of the LDS Church.
When Mendenhall was first given the assignment to select a temple site in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
, he was serving as president of the San Joaquin
San Joaquin County, California
San Joaquin County is a county located in Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, just east of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 685,306. The county seat is Stockton.-History:...
Stake in California.
Mendenhall was the person who went to such countries as Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and recruited local members who were called as labor missionaries to assist in building the Polynesian Cultural Center
Polynesian Cultural Center
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a Polynesian-themed theme park or living museum located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Dedicated on October 12, 1963, the PCC occupies owned by nearby Brigham Young University–Hawaii....
. He was then until the mid-1960s closely connected with Henry D. Moyle
Henry D. Moyle
Henry Dinwoodey Moyle was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-Early life:...
in the acquisition of land and the building of a large number of chapels and other buildings for the LDS Church.
In 1978 Mendenhall died at the age of 70 from a heart attack.