eric B shumwayShlimway in the first place thejournalthebhe journal is a product of a literary adolescent mormon pacific historical society conference talk saturday april 10 1982 who wrote most of it after he had been totally immersed in the tongan culture thinking and speaking only tongan for over two years the document is full HISTORY AS AN ANECDOTE of secondsecondlanguagelanguage interference what offends is more a lack of rhetorical my purpose today is toco discuss some experiences and events during aymy restraint than of truthful intent there is the twisted grammar the bloated mission in tonga 195919621959 1962 which from the perspective now of two decades style in which every noun is accompanied by a heavy adjective the unidimen- constituted certain rights of passage in my growth as a human being and a sional point of view in which the missionary seems to be the chief figure latterlatterdayday saint my material is taken largely from my missimissionaryonaryconary journal1 in a drama whose other characters stand vaguely in the wings coming to life typically what happened to me in tonga by way of an elevation of consciousness only when his oversized shadow passes over them there is too much interpreting and spiritual maturity is duplicated repeatedly in every mission of the church and not enough telling the irritating author intrusion on the subject the but perhaps there are some insights and aberrations which may interest a victimizing of true poignancy by overwrought description overlooking these church history in the pacific buff and which may offer up a footnote here matters of style one can find in the journal the cumulative testimony of or an anecdote there to validate a larger more compelling story and deep gratitude for the sustaining force of a heavenly fathers love at the outset I1 want to comment briefly 0onn my lovehatelove hate relationship there is proof that the weak things of god are made useful for his purposes with my missionary journal june 22 of this year marks the 20th anniversary and are blessed of my return from my mission to the tongan islands on three or four occasions my arrival in tonga was a rude and painful awakening to thespecialtheehe special as I1 recall during these two decades I1 have opened my journal each time requirements of a missionary in the tongan mission in myraymay minds eye tonga I1 have hastily closed the journal with feelings of chagrin and embarrassment wastwestwas someexoticsome exotic paradise inhabited by a sweet simple people As the old these negative feelings I1 suspect had something to do with my formal education passenger boat the tafuatofua glided cautiously toward the nukualofanukulalofa wharf in english literature and language since my mission I1 totemote my first response to the tongan islands 1 I thrill at the beauty with the opportunity to address this conference on the subject of my of this place we are passing many small islands close enough to see the missionary experiences I1 determined to read the journal straight through beaches and the palm trees silhouetted against the morning sky two or three without stopping to be critical or derogatoryderagatory I1 determined to suppress sailboats are scurrying afar to some island in ththecheechainchainchein 11 what peace any inclination to find fault with the writing and hold a straight face at little what serenity and what a change of point of view as just a few minutes later juvenile attempts to fathom the obvious this exercise has been valuable elder helquist my traveling companion and I1 were being jostled down the for I1 believe I1 have discovered the real value of this record as well as gangplank into a dock milling with a dark gibberishgibberishspeakingspeaking multitude the reasons why my critical sensibilities have been offended by it the suffocating stench of the wharf and the seeming indifference of the dock 4 3

of culturalculturalshockshock identitycrisisidentity crisis insufferable homesickness and despair workers the overwhelming humidity and a total communicabilitynoncommunicabilitynonnoncommunicabi lityilcy of the my emotional survival seemed so tentative that I1 had to be on my guard constantly tongan language made a deep and frightening impression on me to avoid reminders of how far away from home I1 was even the sight of a it was several minutes before we noticed a short pudgy manroanmoan in his early church magazine a be honest with yourself poster a church hewsnews could conjure 7037019dressed7019 dressed meticulously in white trousers and a greycoatgraycoatgrey coat dark glasses up feelings of hopelessness swinging an umbrella walking toward us As I1 recall president coombs was the tongans were very friendly but in my condition their friendship more business than warmth he announced to elder helquist that he would was frequently misinterpreted I1 was invited to a luau in HaahaiaheiahaapulouhalapulouHalahea pulou translated be the mission secretary for his entire mission it was a terrible disappoint clan of the shroud which featured bats baked whole in coconut milk and ment to elder helquist I1 was somewhat disappointed in not being given that wrapped in taro leaf I1 shall never forget opening the little bundle and assignment myself as palpable fears began to come over me as I1 contemplated staring at the grinning skull of a large bat known as the flying fox endless proselyting in such a primitive place my fears were exacerbateexacerbatedd by president streams of visitors came in unannounced to our missionary quarters of course coombs blunt announcement to me elder shumway you will be going out to they would want to practice their english it was several months before the bush early tomorrow you will be stationed out at mua and will be in I1 realized the tongans felt that the cure for homesickness is to be constantly charge at first of eight tongan missionaries dont stick your head in liahonaliaLlahona in the presence of friends for them there is no comfort in privacy many and dont you come down here toco nukualofanukulalofa until you can speak tongan weve of these visitors were tongans who had finished their ownmissionsown missions they not got room for you here were full of stories of the heroic exploits of former missionaries from zion no suddenly the hostility of the environment was exceededbyexceedexceedededbyby the hostility one will ever match john groberg or ah if only you could speak tongan of the mission president and there was no comfort in his declaration that likeelderlikeilke eldereider banks this constant praising of previous elders was hardly there were no tongan missionary lessons and no materials for learning the the appropriate antidote for a despairing elder consumed by the fear of failure language except the bible and the book of mormon I1 felt the first wave I1 attended my first public meeting with the saints two days after I1 of intense homesickness very similar to that disease elder W 0 faser described arrived As I1 sat in theche meeting looking at them they looking at me I1 in his journal after he arrived in tonga in 1906 when you get that kind asked myself why do they stare at me so without even smiling how will of homesickness you wish your mother hadnt had you I1 learn this nestmost impossible language and teach these stupid staring people the november ath9th entry in the journal concluded with tommorowTommorow I1 hit and missionaries I1 can see no romantic tropical beauty at all in my situa- the bush with my native companion vakapuna the language seems impossible tion ironically as I1 wept on the standfromstand from despair the people watching and never have I1 felt more need for the lord the next journal entry was weme wept because as several commented later they saw that I1 was touched made over three months later february 25 1960 by the spirit of the meeting the experiences of the first fburf6urebur weeks were described in the journal to make matters worse I1 was plagued by the insufferable smell of body toward the close of niymy mission in march 1962 they are full of typical instances 5 6

on legs and arms and by the constant oil which tonpanstongans apply liberally their little sermon far exceededmyexceedexceedededmymy deserts but ffromraftromm then on the tongan people make capa the whole village was one pounding of the mulberrymalberry bark to tapa cloth never failedf A lied to reward with praise and expressions of appreciation every made my for days I1 heard fn my huge percussion section that ears ring it stumbling efeffortfortforc I1 made to speak the language I1 gave that samsemsame talk every sleep sunday and many times in between adding a line here and a new exarexprexpressionessionassion tongan people were immensely friendly again to their creditcredic the there my spirit fed anon the compliments blaueoiaueolaue okulokucoku vave ene poto the me from beginning but they had no they hadahad a great dealofdealoedealdeai of love for the lesleaiea fakaaaka tonga my how fast he is learning to speak tongan unfortunately would make no relationship I1 was thether one pity they concessions in our whatwaswhalwhat was nourishing food to my wounded spirit in the beginning of my mission who ce behavior on my part was not tolerated had to change for them etaincertain became on occasion a dangerous indulgence of my vanity later on example the time I1 to wash mmy own clothes outside of our for first tried the triumphant little talk anon the first sunday did not cure my depression quarters I1 received a sharp reprimand from ana malohlfooumalohifolou the wife of the what did cure it was a special experience which I1 knew to be for the first tongan missionary who livedd in a tongan taletaiefalefaie behind the missionary tivelive little time in my life an unmistakable genuine i spirlspirtspiritualtualtuai communication it came 1 was my washing was a public apartmentapartmentament I made to understand that clothes as comfort inthein theche fourth week at a pointpaint of distress when feelings of worthless- to of the branch what will the nonmembers think of us insult the sisters branchwhat ness and humiliation were so intense I1 felt I1 could not continue as a missionary rictheytheychey from scrubbing own clothes I1 resisted briefly ictheyif see our eldereiderel der zion his there was no visitvisitationationo no thunderclap niyonlyanly a quiatquietqufet7 inexillcableinexplicable sweet trying to explain through my tongan companion vakapunaVak apuna aboutabout washandwearwashandwash and wear force penetrating my heart and making impressionsimpressionssesions on my mindinmind in words of clothing drip drying the need to be careful with delicate fabric it all promise that I1 could understand namely that I1 was acceptable before the came across as smugness on my part lord now thatthetchacchecchetichati I1 would16vewould iovelove these people as my own flesh that I1 would learn week I1 myself become a non person I1 desperately in that first felt fast to speak their tongue fluently and my words would be weetsweetsi and palatable wanted t6tato be I1ovedloved and accepted by these people ones selfselfsecuritysecurity often toco them in tturncurnarniurniI1 promisepromisedato&toto use the giffingiftingift in a singlemindejsinglemindedsingleroinded effort to depends on what people think of you I1 was feeling so bad about myself I1 testify of the truth of the gospel to as many people as might cross my path had no confidence the people felt positive toward me I1 was sure they were while this experience did not totally eliminate my homesickhomesicknessess sndand talking about me the raised eyebrows the snickers the frequent use of my occasional fears of failure I1 felt a surge of faith and energy I1 had the word salagi2alagipaipat apt the only word I1 could recognize the movement of people allael not quite felt before I1 went anon a language binge memorizing and retaining at will in and out of the missionary headquartersallheadquarters allailali became a form of tyranny asS high as seventyfiveseventy five new wordswordsw a day in the next few weeks I1 went through that increased my loneliness there was no way that I1 could establish selfselfworthworth a series of euphoric highs as the lord blessed my efforts including president without being able to speak the language I1 had to become fluent in the coombs announcement ataat a district conference five weeks after I1 had arrived tongan language this awareness was my immediate salvation I1 spent many in tonga that I1 had learned the language through and by the gift of tongues hours memorizing a threelinethreechree lintline talk and testimony which I1 gave the first sunday threelint the journal entry response to this compliment reads 111 I was filled at thatchatchetchabcheb iwaswas in tonga the positive acclaim I1 received from the people for that 7 8 time with the most real sense of appreciation to heavenly father for the of theche little leantolean to others lay heavily against the plaited walls from the outside the mat on which I1 sat was just a little island on spiritual help and gift I1 received that day for I1 had truly given all I1 the dirt floor four small children naked and dirty tugged at my white shirt yelling Palanpalangipaianpalenxi palangi white nanman white man had in energy study and practice which was a small percent but deune lord made up the rest suddenly thecheehe doorway was darkened by the intensityinmensityimmensity of the anthermolhermother wife protector and ruler of this tropical abode one roar from her the mastery of the language ofcourseof course was not immediate I1 was not was enough to shake the housesendinghouse sending the pigs chickens and children fleeing in every direction sweat streamed fromfro her masses as she scratched spared the humiliation experienced by many secondlanguagesecond language learners I1 made her gnarled and matted head it wasnt long before the prayer was said and I1 started the flannelflannelboardboard demonstration I1 was hot flea ridden my share of embarrassing mistakes one day I1 proclaimed to a group of well sticky and tired as I1 got into the lesson I1 started to bear testicestitestimonymony of the divinity of the gospel A peaceful inner warmth came into my wishers at a wedding celebration that the custom of kissing the bride after heart as I1 realized words were being puiputpucpue into my mouth by the spirit andaim they were being understood by thischis woman her eyes never left me the ceremony was similar in tonga and america unfortunately instead of her soul was hearing the message and I1 was impressed with these wordswords iain my mind this is just one of the many precious spirits of god who saying kiss I1 said circumcise another time when I1 was saying goodbye wantsto believe but who is bound by poverty and ignorance to a sweet lady we had taught I1 thought I1 was saying it is too bad that since that titimecimezimeme I1 have never really noticed the things I1 go through to reach certain individuals I1 have slept manyany times in dirty places we have to part what I1 actually said was it is lootoocoozoo bad that I1 must eaten bats the meat of dogs horses whales and jellyfish but whatever circumstance I1 have found myself in I1 asam so heavily rewarded by out- now be weaned from your breast pouringspourings of the spirit and of love for these people after thefirstthe first seven or eight weeks of strugstrugglebiesgletbieg prayer fasting work sometimes my fervor led to overconfidence andradandbadand bad judgment as in the i the spirit of missionary workfilledwork filled me with a passion that sustained itself case of a near disastrous public meeting we heldheidhold in the centercennercenger of one of throughout my two and a half years iinn tonga especially in those early months the most hostile villages in tonga we had held our meetings previously when the challenges of the language and the newness of the culture kept me in that village in the honehome of a highly rerespectedspectedpecked cilcitcitizenizen only a few people amblehmblehumbledd constantly before the LOlordrd nearly every entry in the journal during showed up to these meetings I1 wanted to move closerclosetclosekciosek to the center of town this period of time concludes withwichwlch a prayer of gratitude sometimes in english for better exposure we 9secured a small singleframesingle frame home with a tin roof tcuredtoured sometimes in tongan and a ptpleapieaea for help I1 ceased prpraying in english after which stood rightt across thechee streetfromscreelstreetscreet fromerom the methodist church the idea the first month on my mission was hatthacthatthab our voices would carry for a long way to the yards and houses of the journal records several early instances of how the spirit of teaching the people around the church several older missionaries tried to persuade and testimony overcame the shocks of poverty and cultural dispadisparityrityricy the me not to be so bold and in their words combative I1 reminded them that following is an account of a visit to a very poor family in the village of I1 was in charge and all would be well I1 nearly paid dearly for that mis- pea tongatapuTonga tapu four months after I1 arrived in tonga judgment for no sooner had we started the meeting than rocks began raining I1 was sitting dpiectedlvdelectedlywithwithwichwlch mv companion in a dirty and inlerahlemiqerahle on the small house and through the doorway we all scrambled for cover little tongan hut waiting fortor the woman of the house to put on her clothescloches so we could begin our cottage meeting the vardyard was filled with mud not wanting to be intimidated I1 insisted that we continue the service only I1 felt the readyalreadyil sofamiliarso familiarfamicami liarilar invasion of fijian fleas marching stesteadilyadill tipup my every part A large pig lay stretched in one of the two doorways to be met with catcalls and insultinsults from outside at the conclusion of our meeting during the question and answer time several men of the village 9 10 which many them have A missionary ifflffiss constantly being called entered and asked questions that I1 could hotnothocnoc handle well the meetingm ended of belief of is in chaos upon tqfastto fasteast pray or administer to someone awin distress such astheagtheas theuhe wife name was laukauhaukau when she was eight months one of the greatest blessings of my mission was the unmitigated loyalty of one of our missionaries her 1 go with her husband and love of my fellowtonganfellow tongan missionariesmissionarmissionalmiss ionarlonar lesies their love was shown most of pregnant I visited them in fatal village to tractingtrading some when we returned from our work she informed all in the way they pushed meroemoe and molded meroemoe and kept me constantly before laukauhaukau had been ill for time

1 us she had been to seiseesed her doctor about her pregnancy she had not felt the public at first I felt that this insistence that I1 go bublipublipublicc became womb many days doctor told her that the baby was dead 9a form of persecution but it kept me humble and forced me to constantlyconstatly life in her for the and mustmast be removed immediately or the mothers life would be in try to speak roymoy best perhaps hullhuilmulimuil kinikini 63 years old was my most piti- that it nast would be no less and my greatest teacher in the tongan language and custom one day danger also laukauhaukau flatly told the doctor thatchatchac there operation from zion to give her a blesbiesblessingg we were Pravelingtraveling by tugboat across the channel from tongatapuTonga tapu to eua the she would simply ask her missionary it moment me lay my hands upon a woman of such faith voyage though but a few hours was always treacherous and sickening I1 was a fearful for to 1 spare next morning samiu remember stepping onto the little boat early that morning the stench of I prayed mightily unto the lord to the child the gme 4ykv1tpfa mepp 09 a his wife had been diesel oil and farm animals was so heavy I1 felt my gorge rising the deck smecame to nukualofa t9tato tttsutenteuell that at four oclock ar by a sharp kicks in her womb the baby was alive and well the was full of people animals and plantation crops what I1 didnt lose of awakened was informed laukauhaukau my breakfast because of the smell I1 was sure the highseaswouldhigh seassees would take care doctors were amazed that the baby alive again but that and baby must be removed by Ceasceasareanarean of As we teamedsteameds out to sea I1 gripped the rail tightly and leaned over she would never deliver it normally the 1 from journal 1 I met laukauhaukau the next for the inevitable suddenly I1 could hear elder kinikkinikiniiniluilul speaking to the section I quote excerpts here the mewe and 1 remain longenourlongenougionglong enoughoug crowded passengers in a voice that rang above the whir of engines and the week she was overjoyed at seeing andinsistedinsisted that I longen and bussed mumbling timecimetimestimeocimeo sounds of animals my dear countrymen we are most fortunate today to have to allow her to fix a meal she cried fussed all the 1 who saved my as our fellow traveler a youngwhiteyoung white man from america who is here to give I just havent got enough to give this servantofservantservantofof the lord 1 had meal she had prepared she asked me again you a special message in your own tongue he is dying to address you I1 baby after I finished the shehad introduce to you elder eric shunwayshumway from america to administer to her so she could have the baby normally she had been in

1 hhoues we administered her again and rushed to I felt great irritation at kinikinisKinikinis lack of consideration for my illness itlight9ht labor for several hours9urs to was mother and so that nevertheless he pullpulipulledmepullededmeme away from the railing and bade mmee speak the the hospital her baby born without pain to the fast spirit was present I1 spoke for the entire length of the crossing words the doctors only heard about it from the nurse who delivered it came easily and fluently I1 did not lose mv breakfast jnn frymypry twogwo and aa half years as as missionary I1 had five companions with

1 1 aboulaboutaboebo U months I1 in the before going to tonga I had never seen such faith to heal and to be whom I aveduveditypo in thehe odorelders0 atquartersairs for t nine lived beaked 1 homehomb nukulalpfft 0a companion I1 each day of the healed as I witnessed among the tongaitongantongen saints I1 had heard all my life about mission hamh9m in nukualafa without tradedcraded the faith of the polynesiansPolynesians but I1 was somewhat unprepared fortorfoc the depth 11 12 week with one of the married missionaries living in thevarioustheuhe various villages surrounded by four or five elderly women with knives and sticks in thelitheirthele hands the women were dressed in tongan mourning costumes with large on longatapulongatongatapuTonga tapu the mission president who seemed so unkind in the beginning filthy mats tied around their waists their long kinky hair stuck straight out in all directions their anger was all the more frightful because had become a close and very loving influence in my life president coombs of their appearance they are forbidden by tongan custom to comb their hair or bathe their body during the mourning period thus they looked was very trusting As a supervising elder on tongatapuTonga tapu I1 pretty much came exactly like satans angels and I1 was soon to find out they played the part perfectly making threatening gestures with bush knives they and went as I1 pleased there was a surge in the number of baptisms in the yelled such things as well rip you apart and cut you to little pieces you are baptized into that fools church mission the annual baptisms of 1960 and 61 were several times the average if even though my companion at the time was a wellrespectedwell respected high annual baptisms of the entire previous decade the success was due to one chief from a nearby village when I1 appeared on the scene the hostility toward rachel becamebecome even more spectacular nafe and I1 were conducted principalprincipal cause we were simply teaching moremoimozre than we were working in branches immediately inside the house ministers from each of the churches in the village including the seventh day adventist congregationcongregationwerewere there I1 was blessed to be able to work in every major island group and most to confront us they accused us of everything from sheep stealing to wife stealing the husband much changed from three days earlier said 1 tongan by of the outer islands I absorbed the culture and language the you dont know my wife like I1 do she only wants to join the church so she can dance there is probably some man she is after in your church method of strict observation and imitation my tongan mannerisms frequently at that moment rachels older sister rivedirarrived in the tongan family irritated the mission secretasecretaryryt who was always needling meroemoe for what he called hierarchy the oldest sister has more authority thanchan the parents the sisters name was dove but she was screaming like a madwoman she my oratorical raifailingsrailingslings instead of speeches after one street meeting he beat rachel severely with a stick I1 was so alarmed at what looked like sure death for rachel I1 was ready to make it my last stand too attended in downtown mukualofnukualofaMuku alof a he told meroemoe later that he would never go hear fortunately my companion pulled me down and said you will only make worse you do anything assure the family and the people that me speak again never by pc it if elder youll convert anybody reamingscreaming and waving there will be no baptism solsooso I1 assured the familyandfamily and we rose to leave at which point dove dragged rachel into the house andproceededand proceeded to beat your arms at him was his only commentary about the meeting that was the her in front of all the ministers we left the house amid jeers anda nd pointing fingers dove yelled something at us that we didnt catch first time I1 realized that I1 had thoroughly assimilated the tongan pulpit but the crowd went crazy with laughter I1 really felt that we were leaving rachel to a martyrs fate nafe did not seem concerned he manners merely said grimly not even policemen and the law dare break the traditiotraditionn and the right of the oldest in the family to discipline the other siblings but there were several mannerspanners among certain tongans which were totally I1 couldnt sleep that night just thinking about the awful experience incompatible toco my naturenatures particularly the vioviolencelence of their discipline rachel must be going through the following sunday we visited the branch in that village As I1 gave the concluding speech in the sacrament meeting to and a a com children wives there is in the journal pathetic account of cl I1 noticednoticedthroughthrough the window a limping figure making its way up the rutty road to the chapel it was rachel carrying her sixsixmonthmonth old munitysmunitys hostility toward a young woman on the day of her baptism her husband baby to church rachel walked up the steps and sat down among the saints I1 changed my subject and spoke directly to her on the words of jesus had previously agreed to her joining the church and all was arranged for christ blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake kingdom of heaven rachel was baptized two weeks us to up and for theirs is the pick her take her to liahona where the baptism would be held later with her husbands permission the following is excerpted from the journal the potential of violence against the missionaries was very real in before we reached her home 1 I1 could somethingwassomethingwaqwaswesweg up in the village tell something some areas of tongatapuTonga tapu and vavau however after my investiture with a indeed the whole town was in an uproar about rachels baptism in the mormon church when we was arrived rachel standing pathetically outside chiefly by thechethitchetchee high noble nukuanuku the likelihood of any person abusing her home wearing a delicate white dress for her newbirthnew birth 11 she was title me personally or any of my missionaries was very slim however one of our 14 13 today fofoahofoa ward with its new brick chapel Is one of the most active in one were up a night malanga new converts and elderly missionary beaten alteralcerelcer tonga town of hoftohofao the missionary was in his reference in the little indiscreet when one has a tendency to strut and preen in the mission field a thousand and abominable church the new convert made fun of the church to the great things can happen toco put him in his place I1 confess that my missionary now when we baptized people community of his forefathers five in the there journal is full of instances which demonstrate the rise and fall cycle of seemed be cause a town emergency new and old members to real for alike humility success pride failure despair and then humility again it the heat of persecution felt wasmasas fun frankly to be the only white person in many of the islands where the town was full of rough men who were neither employed nor in school I1 lived and visited I1 enjoyed the celebrity especially after having received they were subsistence farmers who spent afternoons drinking kava and doing my title I1 was welcome everywhere mischief auter the mormon missionaries had been run out of town gang alteratlerafteratterauler this but vanity is especially deadly to missionary work I1 was brought to of boys told tuituipulotupulotu the only longstandinglong standing member of the church in the Tul my knees many times and reminded from what source I1 really had my strength community that the next mormon missionary white or brown who set foot and being when I1 was stationed in vavalucavaluvavau the missionary work there had fofoahofoa would be shot the journal entry reads in ignited into great successes and many baptisms we were riding a crest of on monday afternoon I1 and sione koki went out to fofoahofoa to see the saints newlywonnewly won credibility with many nonnonmembers inevitably I1 began to exaggerate and the new converts As we parked the car in front of the home of tullTulituipulotupulotu members she came running out wringing her hands and crying oh elder shumway my own mind how much success was due toio my efforts and influence you cant visit here today you must go this is a wicked village in this men are waiting you or any other hormonmormon would these evil just for othermormon it of one ego surgeries I1 needed be terrible if they did anything to you she raved begged and cried the following is an account of the several for us to leave it was in tuipulotustulipulotus home that the new convert and missionary several times in my mission were beaten up six months before I1 assured her that no one was going approval of mission president I1 took of the missionaries co and show me was with the the all to be hurt asked her to where this murderous clique one a 200 away in vavau on a twodaytwo day fishing and camping trip to of the outermost she pointed to vacant lot about yards where about ten large was a tongan fellows were sprawled out on the grass beating ground islands in vavau this recreational activity reward for the the with men we on beach bush knives and whittling sticks they had seen us drive up in the cumulative hard work of these wonderful slept the swam swapped discussed scriptures car I1 told tuipulotu I1 wanted to go to them oh no drank coconut water fished stories little talk and generally youre not she said she made a move to stop me but I1 assured her debiteddebated doctrine relaxed again tioiiono one would dare do anything me FaivaoLa whole that to faivaola the me the of snorkelsnorkelinging seemed comical to me even my own bravado my tongan companion several of the missionaries introduced to art situation and on around island among my meager however was glad to stay at the car leaving my basket of books spearfishingspear fishing the shallow reef the full was a octopus and several small when I1 wrote to in the car I1 walked across the streetscreetstreec towardthistowardcowarddowardmoward chis group of young men prizes little fish this my 1 I1 exaggerated somewhat the I1 walked right toward them my apparent boldness took them by surprise parents about the activity I fear that my achievements tonga tiny and giving no one a chance speak I1 myself shaking significance of fishing in children to first introduced up octopus from each of hands and sat down on the ground in midst we old women catch fish and pick squid and off the reef their their no mom my octopus story with newspaper were an they were very laugh my dailynodallydailydaliydelly big deal shared the local friends in instant willing to at stories you 1 and asked questions about america and cowboys and editor can imagine my chagrin a few weeks later when I received arizona indians newspaper were RICKY for one hour we laughed and joked and they seemed to forget their a copy of the front page of that the headlines SHUMWAY CATCHES OCTUPUSOCTOPUS WINSWLNS RESPECT OF TONGAN PEOPLE our house hatred and shoot the Morcormonsmormonsmons when I1 got up leave nins andtheirtheir threat to to and she was read english well I1 extenderextended them an to attend our malanga thatchatchac night girl master of irony caricature that invitation theres happened see newpapernewnewspaperpaper read headlines and stood nothing wrong with just coming to I1 said you bet they she to the clipping the listen me mock bowing deeply Shumshumwaywaytways 1 respect chorused together and you men can lielpkielp us keep the peace I1 invited before in admiration she said I youyoutyoug laughter the story and I1 you can count on us Sasamuelmueimuel they said A few weeks later a branch then burst into devilishdevilishlaughter circulated of the church was established formally in fofoahofoa counting the children have not lived it down to this day over 20 members of the church were present 16 is15 of the doctors say that shee must be brought out of her coma with that he

my frequent lessons in humility were usually not comic in nature many journal seized her violently called her by nawename slapped her face called her no response never did regain conscious- entries are prayers and pleadings for forgiveness and help to overcome special name again shook her but still hola problemsroblemsrobproblemslems one of these problems was a nearcrisisnear crisis of faith recorded in an ness away 1 a deep I1 as alone finishedunfinishedae entry about the death of rolaroiaholallola motuapuaka when hola passed I fell into depression felt 1 during my week tonga hola was the wife of the highest chiefly attendant in the kingdom of as betrayed and as unworthy as I had ever felt first in

1 1 was me thanks a very tonga motuapuaka she hadbadbedhed married him attended the methodist church for I simply went to bed and wept I a dark hour for to one 1 was so in the begin- years and had just become active again in the church hola had become deathly wise and tender mission president the I felt hostile 1 1 was saved from complete despair he opened my door ill with a very difficult pregnancy my companion and I1 visited her many ningng I think perhaps I 1 remember nothing about what times in her home and in the hospital we fasted for her several times walked in and sat on the bed I specifically peace co my 1 was next and administered to her each time she was anointed she would make a brief he said but his words spoke to heart I relieved the was having a recovery but then became ill again we administered to her on several day to find out that motuapuaka had announced that his wife graveside occasions each time promising life to her and the baby mormon funeral which would be held at the graveside funerals tonga coombs 1 spoke to the intensity of holas suffering and the helplessness of her husband were the custom in president and I at the funeral Tongans most whom were not membersmembers of the church motuapuaka and the doctors were most pitiful to me I1 felt assured that she would livetive over 5000 tongans of never he was baptized chethe church in 1979 to day and so promised motuapuaka somehow I1 had it in my mind that a miraculous has remarried intoltheinto this recovery was exactly what was neededtoneeded to jar the nobilitynobilitylooseloose from the state he remains a fast friend of the shumwaysShumways among many 1 had among the tongan people church I1 saw motuapuaka as the key As I1 recall I1 made this point several the sweet relationships I 1 1 most highly my association with tongan children I1 seemed times ininmymy prayers I1 felt no joy in my work as long as hola was ill I think I cherished I1 was sure the lord would not let us down everything was at stake the to appeal to them and they certainly appealed to me everywhere I1 would queen herself was aware of what was b paingp ningaing with hola go in my little ford anglia if I1 met a group of children at the side of 1 them saw so few people and when the message came ar hola was in distress and would I1 please come the road I would stop and talk to they white tongan 1 them and aioliivaeioelo ferherber a blessing I1 panicked realizing that the request had come most of them had never heard a white person speak I would ask from motuapuaka himself we arrived at the hospital to find hola in a deep to remember my name and greet me anytime they saw me in or out of the car coma her grand dignified husband stood at her bedside quite unwilling or along the road children in every village received the same invitation to show the fear that he no doubt felt we blessed hola again to recover until I1 could drive from one end of the island to the other in any direction and to live to raise her baby then we stood aside to offer whatever comfort and hear choruses of children shouting as I1 went by sameuisameulsamediSameui sameul sameetsameutSame ut we could give to motuapuaka the nurses attending her were very alarmed I1 have often wondered if this acquaintance with so many of the children of doctors had been in and out all day momentarily three of the best tongan tonga did not help to soften the hearts of parents towardcoward the mormon missionarmissional physicians in the kingdom entered holanoiauolallola isas not responding I1T heard one

10 17 IS

uhe I1 am touched by 1 many important thingsaxeehingthingssaxesaweareaee recorded in theiournalthe journalurnal ies I remember one little boy especially who madewade an ifilimpactifilpactvaccpact on my life other thing theIo account of the humble tongan branch president who in the fury of a because of his faith the following is a journal entry entitled A childs the home from testimony 150mileanhour150 mile an hour hurricane saved his little singlesingleframeframe certain by simple command inid the name of jesjesus christ and by the we had labored a lot with TatauvellTau velivellveiluveltuvell anausabauanau and their little boy viliami dedestructionstruction a viliami was fourtour years old the Tau hadkad high father tauvellveli attended which I1 bear I1 command you yea this whole school and was pretty cocky about what he knew tauvell had stopped power of the holy priesthood his wife from being baptized but permitted little viliami to be blessed completelythroughoutcompletely throughout this wind I1 am equally in the church and to attend primary and even sunday school tauvell house to remain solidly and would have nothing to do with the church several missionaries had an elderly lady whopwho a week and a hahalflf before I1 visited him but their visits always ended in a quarrel with tauvell touched by the account of usually making them look ridiculous and silly ararrivedrived at her doorstep saw in a dream the white man who would bribringng her one rainy afternoon my companion and 1 Tau andiandlI passed by tauvelisvelis place she did not see the face of the white man we could see him and his wife in their little fale pelto or kitchen a gospel ofpeaceof peace and salvation and were impressed to stop and them we parked the and made visit car was sure of identity because of a bright red birthmark a dash for the little hut entering and sitting down without saying clearly but she his a word this is permissible in the tongan custom among those with whom 1 anam moved by the account of the mormon husband whose newly you are acquainted my sixtythreesixty three year old companion hulihullhuilmullmuli kinikini on his neck I was not as fast as I1 he came in dripping wet we asked a chance for begs him to find his way back during a hurricane to their to talk about the gospel tauvell said it was ok if we wouldnt make converted wifewi fe too much noise for was and we little viliami ill asleep could see her primary rollbookpollbooklbook with which she was entrusted him curled up under a tapa cloth blanket by his mother we offered a devastated house to search for rol prayer and elder kinikini gave the discussion on the apostasy in heherhenr first calling in the kingdom of god tauvell was not in the mood for anything but arguing we muddled 1 am moved by the greatness and love of the tongan people for through the discussdiscussionionlon on the apostasy and I1 proceeded with the lesson most of all I on the restoration thinking perhaps helieieehee would show a more that little example my companion insisting ohon my eatinbatineating9 the only eatmeatmead in his house respect for me when I1 reached the part in the discussion about peter kinikini james and john appearing to the prophetProplietilet joseph smith to give him the watching me and I duduckling while his hungry children sat around higher priesthood tauvelitauvell just hooted rohoh thats what you mormons a little say or what smith said but who was with smith verify thats to this own meatless supper of taro andbreadfruitand breadfruit said kinikini manifestation no one absolutely no one he could have made it up waiting for their you know you mormons knoworor did think of that where was a witness who hey had privilege no one 1 I want them to be able to tell their children that tthey hadtkehadthethe a of god could eat and be filled I1 felt a bit discouraged with this fellow and with myself for not of going without so thatschatachacathatthauchau servant makingmak ing it clear thatchatnhatchac joseph was not alone but before I1 could answer my way his wonders to perform one of the his question suddenly little viliami sprang up from under his tapa god moves in a mysterioussterious cloth his black eyes blazing his long curly hair matted against his my was my own transformation in the mission hot sweaty little face and said furiously in a high childs voice greatest wonders perhaps in life tauvelitauvellTau veli children in tonga their parents by name call their first and the comfort of a personal testimony gained among dont you know anything havent you ever heard of oliver cowdery field and the strength the angels came him and joseph you one to smith cant count two an written but highly precious missionary thats two testimonies didnt you know that and whats wrong with an elicelectit people and recorded in illlii your church anyway jesus was baptized in the river jordan and put under the water and then brought out of the water but your church sprinkles journal little babies fromtrom a little cup belorebefore they know anything do you believe that you hitehatehicehace my church because its the right church it was a powerful moment for this man and for us tears appeared in tauvelisTau velis eyes and he bowed his head in shame little viliami product of the haateiloHaateilo branch primary lay down as quickly as he had gotten upunsups and slept we finished the lesson withwichwlchwi th a testimony and a prayer yea even babes did open their mouths and utter marvelous things