Sauniatu: A Sacred Place to Learn and Go Forth

The 200 or so young people who came to Sauniatu last week with their youth leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a three day youth conference continued the rich history of gathering and learning in that sacred place.

Alema Tamala, a local leader of the Church in Nuumau, felt very strongly about organising this conference for the youth of the nine congregations under his supervision. President Tamala's intent was to focus the youths’ hearts on Jesus Christ and to help them to feel the Saviour’s love for them.

Their dedicated Church youth leaders also love them. The conference was an opportunity for those leaders to teach the youngsters in an extraordinary, special place of refuge, to come to know their Saviour away from the influence and noise of the world.

President Tamala spoke of the purpose of getting the young people together: “We want them to know that they can do all things through Christ, we want them to focus on Christ. We, their leaders, spent this three days with them playing games, sharing our faith, teaching and encouraging them so that they will know that we are here for them. We want them to understand that they have a heritage of faith and that they need to prepare themselves to serve missions for the Lord. We really emphasised learning to become self-reliant and able to go forth to contribute to their families, communities and church.”

Being in Sauniatu reinforced their messages. During the three day conference, the youth group conducted a special meeting gathered in front of an historical monument erected there decades earlier by the villagers. The Church leaders’ messages were even more powerful with the monument—which recalls Sauniatu’s history of faith—as a backdrop.

In 1904, Joseph F. Smith, prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, directed the purchase of 800 fertile acres up in the green hills of Samoa to provide a refuge for members of the Church. Those first Samoan saints were being exiled, persecuted and even executed for their religious beliefs and for their membership in the Church.

The newly purchased land provided a place of safety for them to live their lives and their religious convictions apart from the world. The first significant event held by the people was a meeting to give praise to the Lord for His kindness and to dedicate the 800 acres with a prayer that it might “become a choice land and a fit place for saints to gather and become a choice people of the Lord.” They then voted on the name of their village, calling it “Sauniatu,” which means “prepare to go forth.”

Starting over wasn’t easy and being exiled was painful, but the early villagers moved forward in faith as they planted crops, built homes as well as places of worship, and they founded a school for their children. Today, a lovely primary school operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remains and blesses many young lives with an excellent education.

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In May of 1921, David O. McKay of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visited Sauniatu. He was so beloved by the people there that his leaving was an event of great sorrow. As he departed, the people wept, sang songs of farewell and the women kissed his hands.

The farewell scene was so tender and heart-wrenching that President McKay dismounted his horse, hung his umbrella on a tree branch, and raised his hands to leave an Apostolic blessing upon the land and the people of Sauniatu.

The monument bears a plaque that shares a portion of the blessing. It reads, “He called this place one of the “first temples” and blessed the people that their hands would be able to produce the necessities and comforts of life. He prayed that the plantations would be fruitful and the leaders would be wise. He asked for a special blessing on the mothers, fathers, young men and women, and especially the little children. Above all, he prayed that they might have a ‘clear understanding of the truth’ and make rapid progress in gaining a knowledge of God and His work. ‘May thy peace abide here in the village of Sauniatu.’”

The Apostolic blessing was faithfully recorded and a copy was placed in a sealed bottle and buried on the spot that it was given. A pile of stones was erected to mark the site. A more elegant monument built of stone with a plaque now commemorates David O. McKay’s blessing on Sauniatu and its people.

The youth group from Nuumau felt the significance of being in Sauniatu. One of the leaders, Bishop Francis Leung Wo, believes that the young people gained an appreciation for the challenges that their ancestors faced and for the sacrifices they made by being there.

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He said, “Many kids came up to me after the meeting and said that they were grateful to be in this sacred place and that they wouldn’t take their own many opportunities for granted. They were thankful for the blessing that President David O. McKay left upon the land and their ancestors.”

Bishop Leung Wo also felt that the youth took to heart the great lessons they learned about self-reliance at the conference. “I gave the youth a worksheet to fill out and watched them wait for pens. I told them that they should have come prepared with their own pens—that is part of being responsible. They need to learn to take care of their own needs.”

15-year old Faleapuna Leota brought a pen, but discovered that he couldn’t both share it with others and complete the worksheet himself. He told Bishop Leung Wo, “I brought a pen today, but it wasn’t enough. I learned that I need to have a pen for myself and a couple of spares to share with others.”

Brenda Fagaote, 17, was impressed with the feeling of friendship and love she felt during their conference. “I liked making new friends and being with our leaders.”

She went on to say, “My favorite things were our discussions about being self-reliant. I want to go and serve a mission and I learned that I must know how to take care of myself so that I can care for others. I also learned that I can do all things through Christ. I pray every day for His help.”

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The ethereal beauty and peace of Sauniatu initially consumes the visitor. Eventually, one’s attention will be drawn to the large words written in white stones on the hillside that read “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.”

Bishop Leung Wo noted, “This is a learning place for anyone who comes here. You are expected to serve others when you leave, to build the kingdom of God. Our kids understand that.”

120 years later, Sauniatu continues to be a place to “prepare to go forth.”