Tongan Mission Report

My brethren and sisters, this is a surprise to me, to be asked to address an audience of this kind. I suppose there are one-third as many people in this building as there are in the mission that I presided over. The Tongan islands are somewhat scattered. They are composed of about two hundred units, or two hundred small islands, and most of our missionary work is done on the sea, you might say, or traveling to different parts of the islands. ¶

I feel that I am somewhat out of place, talking in English, because most of my mature life has been spent in the Tongan islands. I labored as a missionary under the direction of President Willard L. Smith in the Samoan Mission, for nearly six years, and then went back as the presiding elder over the Tongan Mission for a little better than four years. ¶

The Tongan people are a very good class of people. They resemble very much the Samoans, as they have been described here by President Smith. There is no question but that they are descendants of Father Lehi. Their characteristics resemble those of the Lamanites of this continent, or what we call the American Indians. ¶

I am thankful that I have had the privilege of laboring as a missionary. It has been the happiest time of my life. I did enjoy my labors among those people. ¶

I have a testimony of the Gospel. I know it is true. I feel as Job of old, when he said : ¶

Oh that my words . . . were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever ! ¶

'For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth : ¶

And though after my skin worms' destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God : ¶

'Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. ¶

I am thankful that those who preside in this Church have had confidence in me. I am thankful for my parentage, for those who have reared me in the Church of Jesus Christ. This Church means all to me, and I hope and pray that I shall remain true and faithful to the covenants I have made with God the Eternal Father. ¶

I pray that the Spirit of the Lord may attend us at all times, that our desires for good may increase, and that our determination to spread the Gospel of Christ may grow. I bear you this testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶