ALOFI, NIUE — Despite early opposition and persecution of Church members living on this southeast Pacific island nation, today 14 percent of the population here is LDS.
Indeed, life for Church members on Niue is much different today that it was on Aug. 14, 1952 — when in the darkness of the evening, 26 people were baptized in the secretiveness of a cave at Amanau. "All [baptisms] were held after dark in the caves in order to keep down the persecution which is quick to be had in many varying degrees," the missionaries reported.
More than 47 years later, the 220 members of the Church in Niue hold their heads high and can be found in government leadership roles. Many of the people holding these prominent positions are the children of those earlier saints, who, at great sacrifice, joined and remained faithful in spite of strong criticism and opposition.
Niue is reportedly the world's largest upraised coral atoll, located between Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands. The island's isolation makes for an independent lifestyle. The population, about 1,700, is bilingual, speaking both Niuean and English.
Christianity was first established on the island nation in 1846; however, it was not until 1952 that the first LDS missionaries arrived at the invitation of the high commissioner of Niue.
According to early records kept by missionaries in Niue, Fritz B. Kruger from Samoa was set apart to do missionary work before coming to the island with his family on business. A cinematographer, he started a Sunday School in his home for his wife and six children. Others were invited and attendance grew to about 80 and then to 120.
Ridicule was heaped upon those attending and attendance dropped. However, at the recommendation of Brother Kruger, full-time missionaries were sent to the island. On May 10, 1952, Sidney J. Ottley, president of the New Zealand Mission, dedicated the island for missionary work.
From this simple beginning of persecution and difficulty, the Church has prospered, said Lagavalu Haioti, president of the Alofi Niue District of the Tonga Nuku'Alofa Mission.
Pres. Haioti was 8 years old in 1952 when he was baptized with his mother and sister. They were among the first Niueans to join the Church. Today, he serves as commissioner of Niue High Court and is the highest-ranking Niuean judge.
He started serving as a part-time justice of the peace in 1975 while he was teaching school and is now the senior magistrate of the court. In his role as commissioner of the Niue High Court, he is responsible for 50 land commissioner judges and six justices of the peace. He also serves as the chairman of Forestry Projects, the chairman of Savings and Loan Society (the government credit union), and has been clerk of the Alofi South Village Council for the past 12 years.
Pres. Haioti also directs the translation of LDS publications into Niuean.
He explained in a Church News interview that he and his LDS colleagues involved in government service work for their country because of the principles they were taught by the Church.
"We have to contribute to the Church and the community at large," he said. "As members we have been encouraged by the prophet to work together with the government. We feel that is our responsibility."
More important, he said, the LDS influence in government is an indication that the people in Niue recognize and respect the Church.
Veve Jacobsen, a member of the National Assembly, is another whose parents were early Church pioneers on the island. Like Pres. Haioti's, her membership in the Church has taught her values and principles that have helped her in government service.
Sister Jacobsen, a Relief Society teacher in the Alofi South Branch, studied nursing, eventually working in public health in New Zealand before returning to Niue in 1986. Not long after her return, she had a discussion with her father that led her to politics, she explained. He told her, "If you stay in this country and you are unhappy with things then you must get into politics and help make better decisions for the country."
So, when a member of the National Assembly, the national legislative body, withdrew from office, Sister Jacobsen was elected to fill the vacant seat in a mid-term election.
In every election since then, she has polled either the first or second largest number of votes of those elected. For the past six years, she has not only served as a member of the assembly, but also as the Minister of Health and Education, one of the premier's three cabinet ministers. In the past three years her role has also included being the deputy premier, a position that has brought her acclaim as the highest-ranking female government official in Niuean history.
However, in the March 1999 election, even though she polled the highest number of votes of any of the elected National Assembly members, her party lost. She was nominated by her party to be the new premier but the party did not have enough votes to elect her.
Other Church members, in addition to Sister Jacobsen, also have served in the nation's National Assembly: Liumaihetau Matagi served in the Assembly for 12 years, Fumaka Molai represented his village for nine years and Makamau Hekau served one three-year term.
Another woman of prominence in the Niuean government is Maihetoe Hekau, who, until recently, served as the chairwoman of the Public Service Commission — which has responsibility for hiring , promotion, training and salary of all government workers.
Also holding a number of prominent positions in Niuean government is Laga Lavini, president of the Niue South Branch. He is the general manager of the Niue International Airport, fire chief and a member of the Alofi South Town Council. He also serves as a member of the Civil Aviation Advisory Committee and is treasurer of the Niue Public Service Association.
Like so many other Niuean government leaders, Pres. Lavini's mother also sacrificed for the Church as an early pioneer. Anamata Lavini, who today is the district Primary president, did much of the washing and mending for many of the early missionaries.
Pres. Haioti noted the members in his country are examples of those following direction given in the Jan. 15, 1998, letter from the First Presidency, urging members of the Church "to be full participants in political, governmental and community affairs."
One indication of this is the large number of young returned missionaries serving on the Niuean police force, said Pres. Haioti.
"They are the best quality," he said. "They respect the Word of Wisdom, they don't drink and smoke. They are in good health. They have the opportunity to administer the law.
"It is a very important assignment for each and every one of us to work in government. We are trying to help our members to live like Christ's example, to minimize criticism from others in the country," he said. "You have to show others the light [of the gospel] in order to raise the status of the Church among the people in Niue."
Douglas W. Banks, and his wife, Sandy, are members of the Oakton Ward, Oakton Virginia Stake. They returned in July after serving a mission in Niue. Brother Banks is serving as the official representative of the government of Niue to the U.S. government in Washington D.C.
