preaching and visiting—pearl fishing—place of my arrest in 1851—accident to a young man—incident with the governor of anaa—see a leper—capture of an eel—conference on anaa—time of dedication of salt lake temple—specially interesting meetings—new elders from utah—start back to tahiti—another funeral sermon—meet the french governor of the tuamotu islands—his cordial greeting—arrive at papeete—appointments for the new missionaries—fail to get a passage to tubuoi—my health very poor—learn of the dedication of the salt lake temple—elders unanimous in the decision that i should return home because of my illness—i demur—conclude to go—trouble on anaa—my sixty-fifth birthday—notable kindness of a native child—sail from papeete—difficulty in landing from small boats—in the society islands—reach san francisco—arrive in salt lake city—report the successful opening of the society islands mission.
after the severe warning from the governor, we returned to our missionary labors, preaching to the people as we could find opportunity. the sunday following this occurrence (january 15th) we had three well-attended meetings in a private meeting house, and on monday we went in a boat to putuahara, a town of two thousand people on my first visit but now dwindled down to a place with less than sixty inhabitants. all the ablebodied men were away, engaged in pearl-fishing. this is the place where the people killed the french policeman and severely beat the catholic priest, as already stated.
we conversed with and preached to the inhabitants until the 25th, when we went to otopipi, but returned that same day, as our friends there were absent from home. our missionary work in putuahara continued till february 4th, when we again went to otopipi. next day being sunday i had the privilege of preaching to a large congregation. there were thirty-one native members of the church present. many of the people in attendance were catholics, and my remarks raised quite a discussion among them, some of them being for and others against me. early on monday, according to previous arrangement, we sailed around to temeraia, receiving a hearty welcome there.
at this place we met the granddaughter of john hawkins, once an elder in this mission and now a josephite. i also visited the spot where i had been arrested in the year 1851. the house had been cleared away since then, and an old wrecked boat occupied the site. we held meetings and had a large attendance, though the weather was intensely hot and oppressive, and my health quite poor.
on february 17th a young man named temia fell thirty-five feet from a tree and broke his arm in three places, the bones coming through his skin in one place. with such hot weather, and no surgical or medical attendance available, it looked as though his chances for recovery seemed slight. we visited him again on the 28th, and his case looked even more serious. we administered to him, and he ultimately recovered. towards the latter part of the month the people began to feel more friendly to us, and received us more cordially than at first.
while we were in meeting on march 1st, the governor passed, and as he was averse to recognizing us then as previously, i called to him and asked the reason. his reply was that it was not wise to do so. i continued to talk with him, and he became more sociable, confessing that it was the darkness of his heart that had caused him to act so improperly. i advised him to repent of his sins and ask the lord to give him light, and he felt better. two days after this i beheld the unusual sight of a leper, as one passed the house—a painful picture to behold. the third day a man and his wife were baptized into the church. a visit to tuuhora was made on march 6th. and on the return voyage, while diving for pearls, an eel was discovered under a rock in deep water. it took quite a light to capture it, but it was a fine one—about four feet long. we went to putuahara on march 13, and during the remainder of the month continued our missionary labors, meeting with no unusual experiences.
on march 31st, elders damron and jones came from fakariva, and native members of the church began to arrive in preparation for our conference, which was set for april 6th, 1893. at 7 o'clock that morning we assembled in conference, being the same actual time when the saints were meeting for the dedication of the temple in salt lake city, utah—10 a.m. at the latter place. i explained to the saints in conference the nature and importance of the event just named. elder damron also spoke on temple building, and after the close of our meeting we went to the seashore, where we held a short service, and my son elando baptized five persons into the church. we also ordained three native elders and appointed two of them to preside over branches of the church. the conference continued till sunday evening, and all in attendance had a most enjoyable time.
we had received word on saturday that eight elders had arrived at papeete from utah, and at the close of conference we decided that we had better return to tahiti as soon as possible. next morning we bade farewell to the weeping saints, and set sail for tuuhora. from there we took passage for taroa. on april 12th, we stopped at apatai, where i went ashore and met a number of people whom i had baptized on my former mission. they did not display much of a hospitable feeling, as none invited me to their houses.
taroa was reached on april 16th, and the hearty welcome there was highly appreciated after a voyage which had been very unpleasant to me, as i had been quite ill. we were met by messrs. marvin and mapuhi, and escorted to the latters fine residence. it being sunday, we attended meetings. my son elando was also called on, on on april 21st, to preach the funeral sermon over a young man who had died of consumption.
on the morning of april 27th, the schooner avaroa came into port, having on board the french governor of the tuamotu group, also the native governor of taroa. we had a friendly chat with them, the frenchman saying he had been in salt lake city. he invited me to visit him when i went to fakariva again. next day the people assembled to pay their respects to the governor, and we also had another pleasant chat with him.
we started from taroa on monday, may 1st, on the avaroa, but as the vessel was going out to sea she struck on a rock which disabled the rudder, and it took till evening to repair it. then we sailed for fakariva, reaching there the following afternoon. the french governor went ashore, and later we did the same. next morning we took breakfast with him, being invited to come again whenever we were on the island. that afternoon we sailed for tahiti, reaching papeete harbor on saturday, may 6th, and meeting there elders edward sudbury, frank goff, frank cutler, eugene m. cannon, carl j. larsen, thomas l. woodbury, fred c. rossiter and jesse m. fox, all from utah.
at a meeting of the missionaries held on may 13th, elders carl j. larsen and thomas l. woodbury were appointed to go to the tuamotu islands, elders frank goff and jesse m. fox to tubuoi, with my son elando and myself and the others remaining on tahiti for a short time. through mr. marvin we engaged passage on a french man-of-war going to tubuoi, the captain giving his permission. but after we had packed our trunks and purchased our provisions for the journey, the captain suggested that we had better get a permit from the governor. we tried to do so, but that official responded with an abrupt "no." so we had to await another opportunity.
for some time previous to this date my health had been poorer than usual, and it grew worse, so that it was with difficulty i attended to missionary labors and to conducting the mission affairs. i continued at work, however, the best i could, and my fellow-missionaries were devoted to their duties. some of them were in the best of health, but others were not so fortunate; indeed, one of them, edward sudbury, was under the necessity of returning home shortly after the date of which i write. on may 25th we received mail telling us of the dedication of the temple in salt lake city, and the notable events connected therewith.
i had tried to get a hall in which to hold meetings for the european residents of papeete, my last efforts in that line being on june 13th, but i was unsuccessful, so we had to do without, and endeavor to reach them and the natives in other ways. on june 25th we held a council meeting of all the elders on tahiti, eight in number, at which methods for the best conduct of the mission were considered. among other events of the meeting was the unanimous expression by my fellow-missionaries of the opinion that my state of health was such that i should go home. a motion that i do so was put and carried, all but myself voting in favor of my going by the next mail steamer, which sailed july 8th. i thought that if conditions improved before that time, i would be at liberty to remain longer in the mission field. elder sudbury was also in such health that he was booked to start home at the same time, and my son elando was selected to accompany us, and give me the attention i needed.
my health showing no signs of improvement, passage was secured on the brig galilee, bound for san francisco. on june 27th we had seen two persons from anaa, who informed us there was trouble there, the missionaries not obtaining their rights to preach. i gave such advice as i felt would be safe to follow, and elder j. w. damron, who succeeded me in the presidency of the mission, was left to deal with affairs.
on july 4th, my sixty-fifth birthday, john hawkins, one of my fellow-laborers of forty-two years before, who had apostatized and joined the josephites, called, with others. he was particularly bitter towards the church. that day little tapura, between six and seven years old, brought me, of her own volition, a large and beautiful bouquet of flowers—an act of kindness scarcely to be expected in one so young. she is the daughter of mr. topaz, who was very kind to us.
the day previous to our going on board, the neighbors brought in bananas and cocoanuts for our use on the voyage, and we were treated well. we bade farewell to friends and associates, all being sorry at the parting, and on july 8th i sailed for the last time from the harbor of papeete, island of tahiti. the words of apostle lorenzo snow, spoken to me before commencing my journey, had been fulfilled. though this mission had not been so long as some of the others i had filled, it had been one of the greatest and best i had performed, so far as relates to the work i had been the means of accomplishing in reopening and establishing the society islands mission.
our vessel this voyage was very different to those we often had to use in our travels from place to place, even in the same island. we also bade adieu to the native method of landing from boats, which always brought discomfort and often serious peril. for illustration, it was no uncommon thing, when approaching harbor, to have to pass through breakers across a coral reef where there was barely room for the boat to glide between the rocks. sometimes the vessel would be run close to the opening, the occupants would spring out on to the rocks on each side of the passage, and seizing the boat, would hold it there till the large or "three-twin-sisters" wave came along; and then, by its aid, would drag or push the boat through in safety. in such times as these my lame condition was hindersome to the extent of being more than annoying; it was exasperating. but i always got through, though it was hard work, and my companions gave the needed assistance with perfect willingness.
the voyage to san francisco was without particular event more than is usual on such occasions, as was also the journey from san francisco to salt lake city by rail. we reached home about the middle of august, and were welcomed cordially. i reported to the first presidency the condition of affairs in the mission, the progress we had made, with the difficulties that were to be met with. elando and i had been absent for sixteen months, and had worked with diligence to perform our part.
our efforts had been blessed of the lord, for many people who had been astray from the path of life were led to direct their footsteps in the straight and narrow path. the society islands mission had been reopened successfully, and yet continues to prosper, the membership in the church there being quite numerous.