メリディアン
日本語
帰還宣教師から
From Returned Missionaries
Dwayne N. Andersen-Excerpts from Autobiography
First Mission to Hawaii-Part II
Landing on Molokai August 29, 1943, I went to the Hoolehua Branch, which was housed in a modest chapel on a windy hill with red dirt blowing around the island constantly. We were placed in a small mission home by the side of the chapel. I had several outstanding experienceshappen on Molokai. My first experience of going down into the Leper Colony was one toremember. The colony was located on a peninsula that stretched out into the ocean at the bottom of about a two thousand feet pali, as the Hawaiians called it. We put on shorts for the trip down, planning to hike on a narrow trail that zig-zagged down the cliff. We placed our suits into our luggage, and started down. We soon discovered some horses, which someone had ridden to the top of the pali and then let them go to return to their stables below. So, I slid down between the zigzags and cut the horses off so that we could mount them and ride the rest of the way down into the colony. While riding the horses with shorts, I wore sores on the inside of my legs.
That night I was really worried because I had no disinfectant; and I knew that the lepers sometimes rode on those saddles. I had a sleepless night worrying about contracting leprosy!
Seeing those lepers is something I will never forget. Their bodies were maimed with open sores, disfigured limbs and faces. Some were blind and others without hands. However, it was also an inspiration to attend meetings in the Kalaupapa Branch within the Leper Colony.
What a thrill it was to watch the lepers serve one another! The administration of the sacrament was tenderly inspiring. There were blind and maimed lepers who were not able to pick up the emblems of the sacrament by themselves. Those passing the sacrament would pick up the bread and place it in their mouths and pour the water into their upturned mouths.
The saints in the settlement were very faithful. They did their ward teaching every week. It was wonderful to listen to their testimonies to hear how grateful they were for the gospel, knowing that eventually they would be made whole in the glorious resurrection.
We made a trip into the Leper Settlement periodically. It was about a three and a half mile trip. I used to run down in about fifteen minutes and then run back up in about thirty minutes. I think I held the record. One of my most spiritual experiences happened on the 25th of September 1943. We attended a Saturday afternoon Priesthood meeting in which we learned that Sr. Mokuilima had suffered a stroke. We went to the hospital immediately where we met her husband who gave us a firm handshake and invited us into her room. She was lying there very still with large beads of perspiration on her body. Brother Mokuilima asked if my companion would anoint her and then asked me to seal the anointing. While giving her the blessing, I was moved to promise her that she would recover her health. When I finished the blessing, she gave a sigh of relief. We left and returned to the branch priesthood meeting that was just ending.
It was announced that all the priesthood holders would meet in the back room for a special prayer for Sr. Mokuilima. One of the brothers announced that he had been to the hospital and the doctor informed him that she had had a heart attack from which only one out of seven ever survived. The doctor had given her 24 hours to live; and if she passed this crisis, she might have a chance to pull through. I had not known this when I performed the administration; therefore I had a frightening feeling wash over me as I remembered the words I had spoken when sealing the anointing. We all knelt and united our faith as Bro. Kawai offered a prayer. As he prayed, the promise I had given Sr. Mokuilima through the power of the priesthood came into my mind.
As the prayer ended, a peaceful feeling settled upon me. I mentioned this to my companion, and he said he felt the same impression. We made another visit to the hospital. Bro Mokuilima was in smiles and expressed his joy at the Lord’s sparing of his wife’s life. She had passed the crisis and was steadily improving. She left the hospital in just 12 days after she had entered.This incident stands as a testimony of God’s power to the faithful brothers and sisters there; but it was recorded in the minds of the doctors and nurses as a mystery.
The Molokai saints had been making annual temple trips to Laie for a number of years previously, but after the war started, they had not been able to go. We had the opportunity of preparing them for another excursion in November 1943. The members went by barge; and my companion and I flew by plane to Oahu. We spent nine glorious days in the temple and participated in other special spiritual meetings. What a privilege it was to be with these fine saints as they performed sacred ordinances for their dead.
While at the temple, I was informed by President Waldron that I was to be the new branch president in Hoolehua, as well as to train a Hawaiian local district president. While doing these assignments, I was also asked to train the local leaders to prepare to take over the branch leadership. In many areas the missionaries were acting as branch presidents and district presidents. As the missionaries returned home, the local Hawaiians would have to become the leaders. Our leaving proved to be a blessing by forcing the local saints to become the leaders. And this they did very well.
My new companion at this time was to be Maurice Lambert from Fillmore, Utah. I returned to Molokai and had to work alone for a week and a half until he arrived. On December 3, 1943, I went alone to the Leper Colony to spend the weekend with the saints in Kalaupapa.
Brother and Sister Waddoups, past Hawaii Temple president and matron, were now the superintendent and wife over the Leper Settlement. They invited me to dinner and to stay at their home. They were just like a mother and father to me. That night as I knelt to pray, I was overcome by a spirit of joy and gratitude and an uncontrolled expression of tears overcame me for about 20 minutes, as I thought of the many blessings that my Father in Heaven had given me.
On a few occasions we had the assignment of going from Molokai to the island of Lanai to visit the saints there. It was necessary that each companion would go alone while the other took care of the Sunday activities in Molokai. During the time I was in Molokai, we also painted the chapel; but the paint did not dry because of the moist air; and it kept continually sticky. No matter what color we painted it, it ended up red because of the frequent red dust storms that occurred.
My final companion was Elder Lamont Hunt from Salina, Utah. As I looked back over my mission, I found that my main responsibility was to keep the branches running and to warn the people through tracting and visiting on various islands. The only convert baptism I was involved with was here on Molokai. We taught and baptized a young mother who became a stalwart member in the Hoolehua Branch. We missionaries had the opportunity of remaining on our mission during the war if we wanted to do so. We were classified as ministers and therefore exempt from the draft. However, after spending 33 months on my mission, I felt it was important to return and serve my country as well.
Almost all the missionaries felt the same way, so we returned home together, except one who chose to remain. The missionaries gathered in Honolulu in the latter part of July 1944 in preparation to return to their homes. The departure of ships was a military secret, so we had to just wait until we were notified.
There was a local Sr. Fong who worked for the government. She informed us that the ship would be delayed for a number of days. Elder Hunt and I decided to visit Kauai while we waited. This gave me the opportunity to visit the only island that I had not seen while serving my mission. There were about 17 missionaries in the group who were finally boarded on the ship, which zig-zagged all the way home to America to avoid any Japanese submarines.
During this long voyage, I had the opportunity to reflect on the wonderful experiences I had enjoyed on my mission and how it had strengthened my testimony, plus my love for the Polynesian and Japanese people. I also recalled a part of my patriarchal blessing, which said that I would go on my mission in peace and return in safety. What a marvelous blessing from the Lord.
My parents were not notified of my date of arriving home, so I was able to surprise them as I walked into the front door. It was an exciting, glorious reunion. After spending two months home with my family, I tried to join the air force or navy; but the only place I was accepted was in the army. The only thing the United States needed at this time was front line infantrymen.