| Show IN THE SAMPAN SAMOAN ISLANDS on christmas day the hearts oi of the elders who were at faaalu were glad bened by the words steamer 1 heres the steamers ste amerl the welcome visitor entering rit ering apia abia harbor and about to drop anchor had bad on its deck three elders irom from zion among them E J wood who returns an his second mission and U J is now our president the right man in the right place heaven seems to have smiled on our verdant shores and bestowed a special blessing As the new elders entered our humble cottage the expression of we welcome you to our ranks 1 I fell from the lips of ten elders who had come into headquarters headquarter sto to meet our new president and to wish elder barrus our former president and those who accompanied him a safe return to their loved ones in zion in a few days the elders returned to their fields of labor while elder wood and nd myself were busily busily preparing for i a journea J to the island islan of davau on new years day ve we crossed the straits between and davau landing at at avalu where we were warmly welcomed by elders and saints the elders of davau had gathered to meet our president resident and comply with the wish of df grother brother alfred keneson who had invited the elders to partake of a new years feast prepared by himself and wife none but the servants of god can appreciate the joy one has in meet ing the saints and old comrades with whom they have shared missionary ex perien ces FM T the le feast was given january 2nd and in fred Ken esons house at io 10 a m a little girl called at the mission quarters and announced that dinner was prepared on entering the gate our atten uon tion was attracted to the beautiful flowers and ferns artistically arranged in decorating the veranda now let me tell you ou what we had for our new years dinner one bullock 6 large hogs 4 chickens large fish 85 taro aames 56 bunches of bananas 40 40 pine apples 89 cocoanuts cocoa nuts 70 sami sami 40 faiai faauli plum puddings plum cakes etc elder wood and captain keneson were seated at the head of the table and to watch brother wood eat palusami ma faiai ma ulu you would think he had grown up in samoa at night the saints many foreigners and the sliders elders gathered at our littile church where a program rendered by the elders occupied a part of the evening during the entertainment the elders surprised that kindhearted captain david keneson sr by making him a present of a nice hanging lamp we spent the sabbath here and many people eople came out to bear what misi laau f ie e alu pul pule elder eider wood had to tell them while elder wood was on his first mission he conceived the idea that if he ever returned to samoa he would bring with him a magic lantern antera and views of early church history also photographs of our prophets and A apostles astles As a result we now have with WF thus us a good lantern and many nice views and atif photographs A night was designated to give a magic lantern en hundreds turned out and as brother wood showed his different views the writer had the pleasure of explaining explain inz to the people each view and giving a short sketch of each prophet and Av apostle ostle thus advertising the work of the lord in a pointed manner the natives were surprised to see our beautiful temples that were built in the tops of the mountains in the he last days in fulfillment ot of prophecy and that we had prophets and apostles our large tabernacle schoolhouses and beau beautiful thul cities astonished them as they appeared on canvas by their ministers that we lived in some dense forest away inland shut out from civilization we dext called on the chiefs of sapa baalu a and through the efforts of brother va david v 14 keneson Kt neson succeeded in g getting etting the largest house in their village to show our views this is the village where the first white missionaries landed about sixty six years ago it then being the home of king faletoa Male toa they have a law forbidding other churches to hold meetings there As the time drew near for us to be at their village the ministers and deacons held a council and decided to have us turned out but they were too late for the chiefs said 0 a le ie a batou matamata i ie mala malama 0 Mamona literally we will look at the mormons cormons Mor mons light fight hundreds of them came and we taught them truths that caused theta them to marvel frequently quoting passages of scripture to show enem they were gospel truths they had bad never heard of cf we now returned to Tui Tu asive sive elder via it i a native carrying our lantern etc 06 31 we were royally entertained by brother david keneson and wife during the sabbath three well attended meetings were held it was estimated that three hundred were in attendance at night and listened to a powerful sermon on church organization by elder E J wood the people came irom from all the neighboring villages to see our views of zion we were several days getting to sale aula as we gave entertainments in the largest villages through which we passed elder wood established a branch ot of the church in saleaula in 1890 and while laboring there gained many friends who have not forgotten him on entering the village talofa lava misi laau came from the throats of old and young saint and sinner as they came out to meet us the saints and elders had decorated the mission house and no means had bad been spared to make our visit pleasant while there hundreds came to our meetings and entertainments the day before leaving the whole village came out to do us honor the taupo or virgin of Saul eaula and her helps dressed in their best brought f food and danced for us elder wood remarked what a change has taken lace 1 since sister tolovae aud I 1 were driven ven out of sale laula and ht hr r house bouse burned III it was a solemn moment when we were about to leave with tears streaming down their dusky cheeks they reluctantly gave us the parting hand band the next night was spent very profitably at Sa mauga and in the morning taufauna Tau Tauf auga a young man who attended elder woods school six six years ago joined our little force and assisted in carrying our satchels etc we called at the home oil of william creighton he is is in in very poor health but firm in the faith and gla glad d to meet with the elders B rother brother creighton wishes to be remembered to all the elders with whom he is acquainted mr george burges is the same kindhearted george and always feeds the elders on the fat of th ahland the land we found the elders at Foga tuli enjoying good health and the spirit of their mission when aflalo one of the highest chiefs on the island and noted for his bravery in war entered the house he be extended his hand to brother and for five minutes there was a deadly silence large tears rolled down the brave mans cheeks as he tried to bid the man welcome who had first taught him the plan of salvation his wife fol lowed in like manner aloalo was the first man to receive the gospel on savaii it would be intruding on your valuable space to tell of our spiritual and temporal feasts hire so I 1 must hasten on we stopped and gave entertainments at sa ailua faaaga sili and Ro lauli each night I 1 the house was filled to overflowing many could not obtain standing room the next days journey brought us back back to avalu on wednesday february 3rd ard through the kindness ot of brother fred Ke keneson we returned to fagalii in h s boat thus leaving savaii after preaching the gospel to thousands and bringing some in to the true fold by baptism since arriving at fagalii Faga Fag alii iii we have performed a number ot baptisms in the neighboring villages during the last six weeks twenty five baptisms have been performed pei formed and eight children blessed this thi IS months report show that the sunday schools are nf ia creasing in number and more interest than ever before is being taken ahw work of the lord never has looked so 0 o encouraging as at the hresc present nt time aa ave we anticipate a rich harvest mr churchill american consul tai f samoa has called at fagain fagalii several times he is very kind to the el elde d and is on hand to protect our rights do us a favor whenever it is is nee wh le on his last visit elder W brought out his shot at the consul and his boat crea c fc the elders have learned to respect mn churchill chill for his true americanism I 1 aua k s trust he has many years to stay to hect american rights in samoa the elders are enjoying good healthy and the spirit of their mission CHRISTIAN JENSON JR |
