Reverend Hirano

This past year one of my best friends from my youth, Jerry Hirano, was featured in several media pieces (including one in The Mormon Times) about his Buddhist faith and his role as the Reverend of the Buddhist church in Salt Lake City.  What was omitted from these articles was the fact that Reverend Hirano is likely the only Buddhist priest to have ever delivered a sermon in an LDS Sacrament meeting.  In fact, a couple of years ago at our 35th high school reunion Jerry asked me to vouch for this accomplishment.  Apparently the Reverend Hirano serves on an Interfaith Coalition in SLC and had mentioned this to a fairly high ranking LDS church officer who was in disbelief that any LDS bishop would have the chutzpah (or lack of judgment) as to turn the pulpit over to a Buddhist.  I hope that I am not risking my standing or reputation in the church by revealing to the World Wide Readership that is Darrell's Yakimania, that in fact the Reverend Hirano did speak in the Wilson Ward's Sacrament meeting circa 1976.  Never mind that he was not yet an ordained Buddhist priest, nor that his sermon was not a strongly worded doctrinal or philosophic statement on Buddhism.  The fact remains that he did read a Buddhist poem about friendship, and the venue for this reading was indeed our ward's Sacrament meeting.

The reality is that Jerry was asked to speak at my Missionary Farewell (when we used to have such things in the church) and my dad, who was bishop of the Wilson Ward, invited him to speak on "friendship."  My guess is that his sermons today are much more polished that what he delivered to our Mormon congregation in June of 1976, but I doubt if the content of this message is less true than any message he or I have shared since.  He is a true friend.  I am proud of his accomplishments and laud the wise words of tolerance and love that he speaks to our community.  Most importantly, I am grateful that there are friendships in life which so easily overcome the differences of religion and the passage of time. I salute my good friend Jerry and his tireless efforts to promote peace and understanding in Utah and beyond.

Of course, I was fortunate enough to have been called to serve as a missionary in the Japan, Fukuoka mission (1976-78). I think it's only fitting that as close childhood friends we would share a common bond related to the Japanese language and culture.  I hope the Reverend Hirano recognizes what an important message he delivered years before his priestly ordination and that the life he lives continues to exemplify that message today.