Mar 1st Prepared and waited all day for boat going to Malaela (( Malaela is at the extreme east end of the island of Upolu and is a little less than 50 miles from Apia. )) //
Mar 2 Having prepared the day previous Upulasi and I waited in Pesega until 1 oclock A.M. when we awoke and went to Apia. We waited until about 3 A.M. when our small gasoline launch lit out and we had a lovely ride to Malaela a distance of about 50 miles arriving there about 9 A.M. we were pleased to meet with the Saints and after a good breakfast we went out fishing all the natives hustled out and fished while I walked around enjoying the beautiful island scenery. The fishing was very successful and several baskets were procured. After fishing we returned home and had a good buggy ride also visited some of the saints.
[Mar] 3 Sunday was fast day. We had a lovely Sunday School. Even though both classes were in the same room. There were about fifty in attendance and a fine lesson was given. In the afternoon I spoke awhile then some of the saints bore testimonies. //
[Mar. 4] Monday spent several hours talking Gospel with the missionaries and also some of the village people. In the afternoon also we organized a Relief Society in Malaila. I presiding and conducting the services
[Mar] 5 The morning came bright and clear and we prepared to journey by boat to Vaovai. At about 9 oclock A.M. our boat set out with about 23 row men and we shot over the smooth ocean as an auto. About 12 N it began to rain and how it did come down. We all became wet and cold We called in at Sepa again at Satalo where we ate supper and were treated royally. After supper we continued to Vaovai arriving there after dark.
[Mar] 6.7.8 spent visiting, studying and reading in Vaovai. In the evening of the 8 I seemed to be impressed to change conference and come to Pesega to explain to Mission Pres. Jensen conditions as I saw them.
[Mar] 9 Journeyed from Vaovai to Suaniatu over an extremely difficult trail // the distance being about 18 miles. Upon arriving in Sauniatu I learned that Bro & Sister Hinck had left for home owing to sickness and that Bro. & Sister Jensen were going to Tutuila. Bro Shepherd coming to Pesega as secretary. I was bewildered and sadly amazed at what I heard but pushed it aside as the inevitable.
[Mar] 10 I remained in Sauniatu fasted and spoke in meeting. Our “Faith as the Father of Humane Liberty.” I had good success in my effort.
[Mar] 11 Jouneyed horseback from Sauniatu to Pesega where I met Pres. Jensen also received mail. The letters I rec’d were good and encouraging. But later in the day (today) Pres. Jensen rec’d a letter from the First Presidency asking him to release me on acct of my bad leg. All night I laid and tried to collect my scattered thots but it seemed to me that, to use a Samoan expression I was uma finished. //
[Mar] 12-13 Pres. Jensen asked me to make out the mission quarterly report so I busied myself as best I could trying to put the reports together. It seemed to me like things never were so mixed up to me before in my life. However, I worked hard at the books I prayed and fasted. Began to again think clear.
[Mar] 14 At 2 A.M. Elder J. T. Blake (( James Theophilus Blake, b. 1887 served from June 6, 1909—Oct 25, 1911. )) and I arose and donning our traveling duds we went to Vaiala woke up our boat crew and about 3 A.M. started in a row boat for Sauniatu. The sea was smooth, the weather fine and we had a lovely trip arriving in Sauniatu about nine A.M.
After a bath I laid down and slept several hours about the first rest for several days.
Latter in the day all the elders gathered in Suaniatu and in the evening we held an elders meeting at which I presided. I was released and Elder E.D. // Hickeman was appointed as Conf. Pres. All arose and bore their testimonies and gave Bro. Pita and I many bouquets. Pres. Jensen also complimented us very highly for the good, honest effort we had put forth.
[Mar] 15 We held a priesthood meeting for both white and native and I again presided. Much good instruction was given and a splendid meeting was held.
[Mar] 16 We also had a Relief Society meeting and a grand celebration commemorating the establishing (organizing) of the Relief Society. In the evening we had another frofin??? I visited in Sauniatu and studied had several Gospel conversations with Saints.
In the evening a farewell party was tendered us by the village and a splendid program was given. I rec’d several shells and presents.
[Mar] 17 Spent Sunday in Suaniatu and with Bro. Pita occupied the time in meeting giving them a farewell speech. //
18 Mar 1912
Packed my grip and said farewell to Sauniatu and came to Pesega with Bro & Sister Wilcox Ruth, Bro. Pita and myself in a small row boat from Savaii. Bro Pita and Sister Wilcox were both sick but I enjoyed the ride lovely. Arriving here from Sauniatu I again met Bro Shepherd and together we spent the evening having a good old time talk.
[Mar] 19 Bro Shepherd and I spent considerable time shoping working on books etc.
[Mar] 20 Owing to a call being made from Baby Sevencky who had long been sick we elders who were at Pesega all fasted as also did many of the saints. At four oclock we went up and administered to her and ate dinner with the family. The girl that was sick is in very bad condition and I am quite sure she has typhoid fever. In the evening Bro Shepherd and I visited in Magologo’s family and held prayers. //
[Mar] 23 Mar Sister Wilcox and I visited at Johnie Ah Mus place where Pepe Scherveenchy was and were surprised that her fever had left her and she was sinking very fast. Several times during the day she had prayed and sang in a semi delirious condition. She told the folks she would go to a good place of rest and not for them to feel sorry.
[Mar] 24 This morning was Sunday. We held a good Sunday School class and had just finished when we rec’d word that Pepe was dead. Bro. Shepherd and Sister Wilcox arrived there just in time to see her die Bro Petersen and I arrived a few minutes later. The family felt very bad but held their places well and were very quiet and good.
[Mar] 25 Monday—we held her funeral in the meeting house. Elder Shepherd presided. The house was full of strangers and we all took our turns in trying to speak. //
After a short service we went with the funeral and corps to the family cemetery and intered the body. As we neared the cemetery several half dressed women distant relatives of the family came out and stampeded before us rentering the air with unhuman yells and the earth with their feet and hands. This conduct was horrible and heathenish in the extreme. After the interment we hurried away but they remained for a feast as is their custom at death.
[Mar] 25 In the evening Bro Shepherd and I went up to visit them and arrived just as their father arrived from Savaii. He was late for the funeral and was so drunk he could not walk straight. He most severely blamed Grace for Pepe’s death and in fact for every thing else that had gone wrong. Poor Grace had had the whole burden of trouble before and now as getting a double dose we went down and cheered her up and told her to not // stay and be tormented now but rather to go and wait until her father was in his right mind. After a few minutes in which we tried to comfort her we bid them good night and returned.
[Mar] 26 Spent in visiting, writing and preparing for the coming week.
[Mar] 29-30-31 On Saturday Elder Petersen and I went to Fasitoatai and Salovi spending Sunday with the Saints and missionaries. In the morning we spoke in Salovi and then came to Fasitoatai where we both spoke after meeting we came to Pesega traveling in the moonlight. The saints of both places treated us most royal and we had a most splendid time.
Apr. 1st April Fools Day spent in Pesega we swam got coral and packed some of our belongings away.
[Apr.] 2. did some developing and found that the films were all spoilt and the pictures I had taken were no good. // In the afternoon I wrote songs journal and prepared for the feast Farewell party that was booked to come off at night.
At 7.30 oclock in the evening the saints and guests began to gather and shortly after we began by singing “Us Muii Tele Sama” after prayer the time was well taken up by singing and other entertainments that were in order. We Elders sang two or three song, both English and Samoan. A most splendid supper was served consisting of chickens taro bread, pies pudding cake and ice cream. There was a splendid turn out of young people gathered and I felt quite honored to have them show such respect to us. After the party was out we missionaries finished the ice cream, danced and had a good old time until late in the evening when we rolled in. //
Apr. 3 Today Bro Shepherd spent several hours together shopping, working of the books and talking of time past, present and to come.
Apr 4. Today the Atua come from Auckland and I began to think I might go to U.S.A. I spent most of my time today and a little money packing my boxes and disposing of some of my surplus luxuries. Bro Shepherd, Sister Wilcox and I came to Ah Ching to hold prayer and visit in the evening. Bro Butler came from Futuila. Elder Woolley (( Mark Stringham Woolley, b. 1888, served from Apr 9, 1911—1913 (exact date illegible). He was from SLC, UT.)) is here from Vaoai and Elder Bird and Hickman both came they all came to bid us good bye and all of them gave me a few curios that added to my limited ammt.
Apr. 5 We bid goodbye to Elder Bird Woolley and Hickman as they returned to their villages. It rained all day and was very disagreeable. In the evening we held prayer with Mary Ah Mu and spent a very // pleasant evening.
[Apr.] 6 We rec’d word that the boat was going at noon so we made all preparations carted our boxes down and bid goodbye to all, went to Apia and there rec’d word that not until 8 P.M. we returned and came again at three and were told that we would not leave until 10 P.M. so we went aboard and stayed. I had considerable trouble getting my trunk in my cabin but finally succeeded. I am now sitting in my cabin waiting for supper with Bro. Petersen.
[Apr.] 7 The sea was calm and we were fixed up very comfortably in cabin #20 of the Atua There were only us two in our room.
We soon began to make our acquaintance with others on the boat, for the sea was very nice and neither of us were seasick. //
(To be continued)
Laura, Has Burt referred previously to problems with his leg (entry Mar. 11)? Do you know what this was?
I really enjoy these various missionary journals and reports that you have posted over the years. It strikes me (from an amateur perspective) that there was a period roughly a century long (say, 1847-1947) in which the Church and its members mostly tried to survive, shelter, adapt, and then slowly send out tendrils around the world. In most places outside of the Alberta-to-Juarez corridor, numbers were small or even tiny, and the Church was in a holding pattern at best. These missionary reports show the efforts of Church members to keep those outposts and congregations going.
It was in 1947 that Church membership broke 1 million; it was at 2.6 million when I joined in 1967; next April, in 2017, it should break 16 million, or a six-fold increase during my half-century of membership. Been an interesting ride.
I like that image, bfwebster … in fact, it fits with something I’ve been thinking about, so I’ll try to turn it into a post for later this week.
@Gary, Burton had typhoid fever as a child which left him with varicose veins on his legs and trunk. During his time in Samoa (possibly before as well, I’m not sure) these varicose veins were irritated, and some of them turned into bleeding sores, or varicose ulcers. So Burton had been suffering with this problem for a long time without ever mentioning it in his journal. The closest mention was that at one time there were several travelers and three horses or mules, so Burton and the two ladies rode. The varicose veins were also a likely factor in Burton’s premature death at 55 due to a stroke while traveling on church business.
Sounds horrible, Laura. This must’ve been pretty painful, too, right? I suspect that Burton, especially as a young man and probably not wanting any special treatment, would’ve been somewhat embarrassed by this condition. (Maybe I’m projecting?) This detail adds considerably to my appreciation for his service as a missionary. Thanks for the additional information.
There is a story, told by half the family and vigorously denied by the other half about Burton’s first meeting with Mabel, my grandmother. Burton returned from his mission looking quite thin and ill, and still in pain from the varicose ulcers which didn’t clear up for several more months. He got a job teaching school in Montpelier, ID. Grandmother was teaching across the hall. She had been told in ‘Mutual’ that the Holy Ghost would tell her when she met the man she should marry. When she first saw Burton, the Holy Ghost whispered, “That’s the man you will marry.” Mabel looked him over and whispered back, “No, it’s not.”
Obviously, the Holy Ghost was right, or they wouldn’t both be my grandparents, but it took a little while.