Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-11

Elder Mcdonald writes to VIM. Nc
Donald, Cottonwood. as follows
TIE Puke, Bay of Plenty, Oct. is, 1897.
Il suppose you have heard of the hard
time l had coming over here ON the
ship. Wen, for my part L would sooner
be on the land, where everything is
not moving around so much. Many
sights were to be seen as we came
along, both on land and on sea. The
hrst place we stopped after leaving
America was Hawaii. but l did
not get chance to 20 on land, as the
people in the town had the fever and
no passengers were allowed to go on
land except those who were going to
stay. So iFjl was the first place we
got chance to step on land. There
are about $50 in this group of islands
and they have a good climate for
growins coeoanuts and bananas.
Australia. Sydney is large town but
is built in such a crooked shape that
person would lose his way If he did
not look out where he was going. We
spent two days taking in the sights;
then we came on to Auckland. 1t was
rough ride; the waves We're like
mountains and many of the sailors
thought the ship was going to sink. 1
only ate % cents worth of cakes in
five days. | was quite sick when ar
rlving in New Zealand. l spent two
weeks with the Elders at Auckland
and among the European Saints.
From there 1 went to Maoridom. II
did not take me long to get into their
ways, although they are much differ
ent from what we have at home. They
are II great people for having big
feasts where all gather together and
have good time, and when they are
going through some of their war
dances, 1t would almost scare IA new
conner to see them dance and pull
faces. / have taken a great deal Of
notice of this people since coming to
this country and find they are much
like their old forefathers in their ways
and religious beliefs. of which the
Book of Mormon gives an account
Some of them must be the pure blood
Of Nephi. Many blessings are prom
ised to. this people IL they will only
keep the commandments of the Lord.
Many of them have Joined the Church
and are trying to live up to its prln-
ciples and are waiting patiently for
the day to come when they can gather
to Zion.
The Maori people are very intelli-
gent race and some of them very large.
Those who have received the Gospel
seem to be advancing in farming and
in every other way much faster than
the Others Some are good speakers
and many of them in the southern dis
trict can repeat the Ready Reference
from beginning to end. from memory.
There are in the Church about four
thousand. We have in our district
nearly two hundred but they are in
scattered condition. 1t is large dis
trict and keeps us on the go. We have
better district for sightseeing than
any other in this land. There are warm
springs, geysers, lakes and other
things of curiosity. The work of the
aflt lie Inc ef, f,, l,f. .-.Il
ms others. We have baptized about
twenty and blessed about the same
amount of children since my arrival
Every once in while we find a good,
honest soul who is willing to receive
the Gospel. When we came through
sydney there were no Saints. but now
there are over fifty. Many of the
Europeans are investigating the Cos
pei. We are not doing much European
work. There are three Europeans in
this district. one of them is an old
gentleman about seventy years old.
We visit him. He lives alone and is
always glad to see us. We also have
many fathers and mothers among the
Maoris who treat us kindly and the
Lord always raises up someone to sup
ply our wants when we are in need.
am glad l was numbered worthy
among those who come forth and help
carry on His work in these the latter
udyS. "A person gets good experience
on n trip like this. We learn to know
there is God in heaven who protects
us and answers our prayers. We have
often laid hands on the sick and they
have recovered instantly Many testi-
monies l have had since coming to
this land.
was down the east coast n few
weeks and some of the Maoris We're
very unfrlendly, but | got through
without being hurt. l was all alone
and have Travelled a great deal of my
time that way.
1t is much more wet and damn
climate here than in Utah and often
we get q good wetting while riding
along the roads. For the past three
weeks 1t has rained every day. A few
weeks ago we felt slight earth
quake. Further south 1t shook many
of the chimneys down and frightened
the people so they ran out into the
streets. Some of the judgments of
God are visiting this part as well as
others. The Lord is continually at
work separating the righteous from
the wicked.
VIM. w. MCDONALD.
Address: TIE Puke, Bay of Plenty,
New Zealand.