President Wilford Woodruff: Dear Brother: Onr [Our] new mission- aries, Elder Wm. O. Lee, wife and child, and Elders Adelbert Beesley and Ed. J. Wood arrived on the 10th inst., safe and sounds, and were met by Brother Manoa and myself with a crew of natives, at the steamer. We had a terrible time waiting for the steamer, however, as it was four days behind advertized time, having had to wait in San Francisco for the British mails. We spent most of that time day and night, in sun and rain, out to sea in the open boat, fearing to go ashore lest, when the steamer came, we could not reach it in time. After looking anxionsly at the horizon from Saturday noon till Tuesday night in vain, and being quite exhansted from exposure and want of sleep, we were quite disheartened. Wednesday morn- ing at daylight, however, the steamer was sighted, and we immediately for- got all our troubles and put off to meet her. The schooner that takes the mail got there first, however, and being four days behind time the officers of the steamer would not delay a second the bundling of the baggage for Samoa into her. So by the time we got there most of the brethren's baggage had been transferred, and we had to pay $2 for the accommodation of getting it away from them again. We finally got every thing all right and had a pretty pleasant passage in our boat to Aunuu. We arrived here next morning at 9 o'clock, badly worn out bodily, but feeling well in spirits. Brother Manoa was taken down with a heavy fever throngh exposure and exhaustion, he not being very strong. The rest of us were all right after a night's rest. Manoa is around all right again now. Your kind letter sent by the brethren, together with the shoes, shoe-mending "kit" and medicines came all right and was greatly appreciated, the shoes especially. Our friends also remem- bered us in a very liberal manner. God bless you all for yonr kindness. You say you wrote me under date of August 13. It has never reached me, nor have other letters for the same month. But I think, probably, I will get them yet, when we can go for onr mail. Since I last wrote you, Brother C. K. Kapule has arrived from the Sandwich Islands. He got here Aug. 13th, and has been here ever since. He has sold all that he had on the Sandwich Is- lands (some $3000 worth of property) and when he is released from his mis- sion he intends to go to Utah. It will be quite a task for him to get the language, but he is stndying diligently and will soon be able to talk some I think. On Aug. 27th Brother Kapule and I went to the island of Tutnila for a week's missionary trip. Two days af- terward Manoa sent me word that there was great exitement on Annuu through word having reached there to the effect that the governor of Tntuila had received orders from the Germans to have me and all those who had joined the Church arrested and taken to Apia. He thonght I had better re- turn immediately. Not wishing to do so until I had visited the settlements or villages that I desired to, I sent back word where I would be each day until I returned, and that if any officer wanted me they were to direct him where to find me. I was inclined to think the thing was all a canard at first, but subsequent investigation has shown that there was considerable foundation for the report. Of course you are aware that the Germans have been dictating affiars here for a year or two past. A German named Bran- daus has been prime minister to the King. His salary was $250 per month, the king's $25, and the Chinaman ]]CBI|cook's]] $30. This Brandans having heard that we were here and meeting with considerable snccess, sent word to the governor of Tutuila and Aunun to proclaim on the two islands that if, after the proclamation, any Samoan should join the Church he should be imprisoned. That was the foundation upon which the first rumors we heard were founded. A week or so after the governor started to "proclaim;" he had not got many miles from home be- fore a vessel arrived from the capital bringing word that the natives on the island of Upoln had taken up arms against the government and over- thrown it, and had chosen Mataala as king. The governor said if that was the case he would return, for if the government were overthrown he was governor no longer. And that was the last we have heard of the matter, of- ficially. The war altogether has been confined to Upolu, and has consisted of three battles in which the rebels have been victorious. Both parties are still in arms and which way it will finally be decided depends upon the action of the great powers, England, Germany and America. Since the scare started, that is, that those who joined the Church would be arrested, we have had but one application for baptism, and that a young boy. A good many are believ- ing, but they are afraid the Germans will return to power and that the threat will be carried out. They say there is no need for hurrying, and they will wait and see how things turn out. When the war is over and things quiet down again, if the German's retain their grip (which they are almost sure to do I am afraid) and the natives are still afraid of being arrested, I think I shall go to the capital and begin work right at headquarters, and thereby sound the thing to the bottom and see what they will do. I can bear anything bet- ter than nncertainty. I feel certain that the Lord will overrule it all for good. We have received quite an ex- tensive advertizing as it is. I have not done mnch missionary work yet outside of this little island for several reasons. Having some forty souls here that have accepted my testimony and joined the Church, I thought it foolish to leave them in ig- norance and rnn to hunt other bap- tisms, until I could ground them snfficiently in the faith that they could stand alone, or until some one could come and take my place. My policy has always been to labor as hard to keep a member as to get a new one and not to spread my wings over more eggs than I can keep warm. And to carry the hen comparison a little further, I can assure yon it has kept me busy "clucking aud scratching" to keep my little brood straight. Another reason is that I have had to get the language, which I bave not yet ac- complished by considerable, having been here but a little over four montbs, and I have also been working with the natives building us a meeting house. Since the brethren arrived we have been working every day together on it, and finally got it finished last Saturday. It is 36 x 18 feet and very comfortable and commodious, and we all feel proud of it. The roof is of thatch- work of cocoanut leaves. The posts are ronnd cocoanut trees with the bark hewn off and the floor is covered with clean white coral pebbles from the beach with a good sprinkling of sea shel[l]s among them. I made a stand by hewing a large cocoanut tree flat on one side and placing it flat side up on two posts firmly planted in the ground. I made it as nice as I could with a hatchet and an old jack plane that Manoa has. Elder Wood says it is a nice piece of furnitnre, and he ought to know hav- ing worked in Brother Dinwoodey's store. In commemoration of the completion of the house, we had a feast last Saturday, and then an entertainment, which was quite cred- itably rendered, and pleased the na- tives immensely. It consisted of hymns by us missionaries. Xylophone and violin solos by Elder Beesley, speeches, etc., and songs in Hawaiian. On Sunday, October 28, we held our first Conference. All the missionaries were present, also all the Saints that could come. We sang hymn 64, Sa- moan Church of England hymn book, beginniug with the words "Ua tele le Alofa." I offered prayer and dedi- cated our new meeting house to the Lord. The missionaries then sang "Come, come ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear." I explained to the peo- ple the nature of a conference as held semi-annually in the church, and then presented the Anthorities of the Church, and all voted to sustain them with their faith and prayers. The statistical report of the mission was then read, which is as follows: Statistical report, Samoan Mission, to October 6, 1888: Missionaries—Male, 0, female, 2. Elders, 2. Priests, 1. Deacons, 3. Total officers, 6. Members—Male, 13, female, 16; total members, 29; total officers and members, 35. Children under 8—Male, 2, female, 8; total chil- dren, 10; total souls, 56. Deaths, 1. We also organized a Sunday School and Relief Society, with the following officers, who were unanimously sus- tained: Wm. O. Lee Superintendent of the Sunday School; A. Beesley and S. Manoa, counselors, F. R. Dean, Presi- dent of the Rellef Society; Louisa C. Lee and Leutuva, Counselors. Pa- loga was chosen a missionary to travel with me on the island of Tutuila. He was ordained a Priest. Chief Lemaza made a few remarks. Singing. Bene- diction by S. Manoa. Met again at 3 p.m. Prayer by Le- mafa. Brother C. K. Kapnle arose and made his "maiden" speech in the Samoan langnage. The rest of the meeting was occupied by myself and Elder W. O. Lee, the latter of course speaking in English, which I interpre- ted. Singing. Dismissed by Brother Beesley. Thus ended our first confer- ence on the Samoan Islands. Having got our meeting house done and the new missionaries settled, I now feel justified in leaving Aunuu in charge of Brothers Lee, Kapule and Manoa, and taking Elders Beesley and Wood with me and Paloga to make a thorough canvass and circuit of Tu- tuila. There are some 3000 inhabitants, and it will probably take ns two months to go around. We leave day after tomorrow, nothing preventing. I am mnch pleased with the spirit manifested by the brethren, and be- lleve they will make good mission- aries. They are stndying hard to get the language, and feel well in every way. They are also taking to the food very well, but Sister Lee can't get along quite so well, bnt will gradually get used to it I think. Brother Manoa has given up his en- tire house to us and is living by him- self in another he has adjoining. He has been financially embarrassed, how- ever, for some time, and can therefore not help us financially. We would feel much better in a honse of our own. There is no use thinking of making this little island our perma- nent headquarters, however. There is no land to be gotten. We are 78 miles from supplies and mail connec- tions, and a way from the great body of the natives. What we need is a few acres of ground in some good situation on the island of Upolu, where we could build our own honses and grow our own food and be near mail con- nections aud base of supplies. But these things will have to be developed in the future as circumstances permit. As yet I am single handed and alone, practically, being the only one that can speak the language. It will take two or three years to get things well started, as the brethren have to have time to get the langnage, and we have to take things as we find them and make the best of them. We all feel well in the work in which we are engaged, and there seems to be a lively and energetic spirit among all the missionaries. On account of the unsettled condition of affairs on the islands I don't think it wonld be wise for any more missionaries to come at present, though a dozen Elders with the language could be used to good advantage. The brethren and sisters all send af- fectionate regards. And we all pray that you may be strengthened and blessed, and preserved from your ene- mies. Please to remember me kindly to Brother Geo. Q Cannon and the brethren at the office. Your brother in the Gospel, JOSEPH H. DEAN.