History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints In French Polynesia
In 1843, Joseph Smith , first President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called for missionaries to visit the islands of the Pacific. It was the first time that the church turned into a foreign language and culture
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Foundation of the Church in the Pacific
In 1843, Joseph Smith called missionaries to visit the islands of the Pacific. It was the first time that the church turned into a foreign language and culture. This mission was accomplished primarily by two missionaries who have been instructed to stay in their mission field until the notes or for a replacement. They remained committed to their mission for nine years and more. April 30, 1843, Addison Pratt, F. Hanks, Noah Rogers and Benjamin F. Grouard landed for the first time in Polynesia , the island of Tubuai in the Austral. In Polynesia, the French and the English were at war. Nevertheless, the arrival of the French protectorate and installation in 1842 were favorable to the entry of Mormon missionaries in the islands. By proclaiming religious freedom for Catholics gious, the French proclaimed religious freedom for all. 9 September 1842, Queen Pomare IV was signed this document: 4. The people remain free to consider God according to his wishes; 5. The Churches of British missionaries who are currently not be molested and British missionaries carry out their duties. It's the same for everyone else, they will not be molested for their attitude vis--vis God. Nevertheless, in Tahiti , the state of war and the English missionaries exciting Islanders cons Mormon missionaries was that Benjamin F. Grouard converted only nine after six months of work.
Early converts to Tubuai
At Tubuai , Addison Pratt discovered a different situation. There were no British missionaries in the island long ago and the French conquest of Tahiti there were no repercussion. The people of Tubuai, both leaders insisted that the preachers that Pratt was their instructor. On July 29, 1844 was organized the Tubuai branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the first in the Pacific, with eleven members. The number of baptisms increased until there would end in February 1845, sixty converted to a population of about two hundred islands. After ten months, Addison Pratt wrote to Brigham Young : "The Lord has greatly blessed my feeble efforts to spread the Gospel. I baptized fifty-seven people on this island ... Among them, there is the queen ... a viceroy, his wife and daughter, ... the Master Chief and his wife ... and several junior leaders ... "
Anaa and Tuamotu
On 1 May 1845, Benjamin F. Grouard approached the island of Anaa and was greeted by the chiefs of the island. One of them said, "You're the first white missionary country that ever came in our poor country to live among us, the English missionaries of Tahiti have never wanted to come because our country does not many good things to eat like they have there ... And now, because you have loved to come to the point with us, we feel very happy and we will try to put you at ease and make you happy. " The first baptisms were held May 25, 1845, three weeks after his first sermon. On 1 August he had called 355 islands, including the governor, heads and judges. As of September 21, he organized five branches with seventeen officers and 60 members. 24 September 1846, the first conference of Latter-day Saints was organized in Polynesia on the island of Anaa. Ten branches of the Church were represented with a total of 866 souls 'reputable'.
Transition to Local Management
The departure of Addison Pratt and his colleagues marked the end of the first period in the history of the Church in French Polynesia and inaugurated a second period characterized by the efforts of local leaders to maintain the planning and teachings of the Church. During a period of violent religious persecution, partly to avoid arrest and also to continue worship services, holy island gave new names to their groups went underground and tried to continue. Over time, you end up finding the following groups: Jews, Abraham's, darkites, whistling and 'Mormons'. Despite the impression given of apostasy by these groups, the organization's branches and forms of worship were preserved until the arrival of missionaries from Utah in 1892.
During the 1890s, five mission presidents directed the Polynesian saints. The mission of the Society Islands, reopened in 1892, included residents of six groups of islands, the Society Islands , the Austral Islands , the Tuamotu Archipelago , the Marquesas Islands , the Gambier Islands and Cook Islands. As of December 31, 1895, there were 984 Latter-day Saints in the islands and the beginning of the century, around 1000. Of a population of 429 souls to Tubuai , 159 were Latter-day Saints. Of a total population of 4743 souls in the Tuamotu , 905 were members of the Church, the fifth of the population of the islands.
At December 31, 1993, the population of the Church in French Polynesia was 11,644 members registered in the records.
School and Temple
With government approval, May 25, 1963 was given the first sod for the construction of Primary School Elementary LDS to Papeete. In 1983, Gordon B. Hinckley , president of the Church, consecrated the temple of Tahiti. References
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