“We Did Our Best”

During World War II and the 1950s, Latter-day Saint expatriates from the United States, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand, and Australia resided in Vanuatu (formerly known as the New Hebrides). Several Tongan families made up the core of the Port Vila Branch, formed July 15, 1973, with Lanipotu Fehoko as president. After Lanipotu transferred elsewhere for work, Saikem Jackson led the local group of Saints. In January 1975, two full-time missionaries from Tonga were sent to begin teaching the gospel. The first person to join the Church in Vanuatu was Joel Busai, who was baptized on November 20, 1976.

On July 30, 1980, Vanuatu gained independence and its new name. The new government was headed by a prime minister who banned full-time Latter-day Saint missionaries from the country.

At around that same time, teenager Edwin Basil was planting cabbage in his family’s garden in Port Vila when he heard a commotion. His siblings were trying to escape the house after his mother had locked them in to keep them away from the Latter-day Saint missionaries outside. When they saw their father talking to the missionaries, they burst through the front door.

Edwin’s father informed the missionaries that they were Anglican but agreed to listen to their message. During the first lesson, Edwin’s mother “just sat there and watched them, full of anger.” She also didn’t join the second or third lessons. On the day of the fourth lesson, Edwin’s father came into the house and found the table set with flowers. “The missionaries are coming,” Edwin’s mother said. She participated in the lesson. At the end of all seven lessons, the missionaries asked Edwin’s father and mother how they felt. “Everything is good,” his mother said.

Edwin and his family were baptized in August 1981, just as the foreign missionaries were leaving the country. Missionaries trained local members, including Timothy Proveau, Fred Massing, Edwin, and another recently baptized teenager, Paul Hilliman, to preach the gospel.

“They told me about how to keep the finances and the records of the church. They told me this once, then I was called to be the branch clerk,” Paul remembered. “Then they left Vanuatu. No more missionaries in the space of ten years. We did our best.”

With little contact with the international Church over the next decade, the Saints in Vanuatu shouldered the responsibility of leadership. Every evening after work, branch president Jack Taso Hokau organized members to visit one another by the light of a lantern. “Every week. Monday until Friday. Every evening,” Paul remembered. The Saints developed strong bonds of fellowship with each other.

In 1991, with a new government in power, Edwin and another member met with Serge Vohor, minister of foreign affairs, who agreed to allow full-time missionary work to resume in the country. Edwin was so excited that he ran to the city market, where his wife, Wendy, was selling food, and hugged her. “Why?” she asked. “They let the missionaries in now!” he said.

Edwin called the mission president in Fiji and asked if he could send some missionaries. The president asked when this would be possible. “Just send them anytime,” Edwin said. “Today, tomorrow.” That same week, five missionaries arrived.

Edwin carefully guided the missionaries so that they would be seen as local helpers, not foreign invaders. He organized them in doing service every preparation day, going from house to house in the village of Mele cutting firewood for elderly people. Wendy, who was from Mele, went to the village chief and explained who the missionaries were.

Through the diligent efforts of the Saints in Vanuatu, the gospel seed took root and flourished despite significant early challenges.