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Church historyofmangaia

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Larry Price
Larry Price

Elder Earle Hollingshead was the first branch president on Mangaia and provides details on how the Church was established there in 1955. The Church was officially opened on Mangaia on May 10, 1955 when Pres. Howard B. Stone and others arrived with Elders Hollingshead and Thueson. They held the first Sunday School on June 5, 1955 and the first baptisms occurred on September 30, 1955. By the time Hollingshead left in 1956, they had 9 members on Mangaia, including Makiakama who was ordained as the first Mangaian priesthood holder.

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How The Church Began in Mangaia By Earle Hollingshead Now let me answer your question about when the Church began on Mangaia. Yes, I was the third Elder to set foot on Mangaia.(there may have been one or two earlier Elders way back in 1948-9 who stopped by as they traveled around from Aitutaki to Rarotonga), but Elder Larry Thueson and Elder Ted Smith arrived there in Nov. 1954 after first going to Mauke. Their assignment was to see if the people of Mauke and Mangaia would accept the Church. Those in Mauke seemed favorable (in October '54), but they thought after one month in Mangaia -from about the 5th Nov. to 9 Dec.'54, that most people in Mangaia were hard cases (karikao pao ngata), even though Kimiia Vaine, and Moetu Kavea were friendly to them, and they stayed in the home of Mama Vai while there. However Pres. Howard B. Stone our mission President, decided to send Elders to both islands of Mauke and Mangaia, so on 10 May 1955 Elder Larry Thueson and I, Elder Earle Hollingshead along with Pres. Stone and Elder and Sister Golden Andrus (they were the Presiding couple of the Cook Islands then) arrived on the Matua Ship to open officially the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to the island of Mangaia, even though only one member lived there then-- Sister Nui (Teatuanui Teauono), who was a young women married to her husband, Teauono, who lives in Tamarua today. At that time she was akama but we stayed in her home or the home of her father in law a couple of times. As you know she was inactive when we were there with you, as she was in 1955-6. She sometimes did go to church when she stayed in New Zealand. Anyhow Pres. Stone and Andrus left on the Ship later that day, and Elder Totini and I stayed and tried to acquire some land for a mission home and church which the aronga mana never allowed to happen while we were there. Soon after, Elder Thueson left Mangaia to return home on 15 July 1955, and Serge Lee Burningham was my companion till I left Mangaia 21 May '56 with members of our Mangaia Branch to attend the First conference in the new built Chapel in Avarua Rarotonga. I then was released from Mangaia on 1 June 1956, (about 13 months as the first unofficial Branch Pres. in Mangaia) when I went to Mauke to reopen the Church there. Elder Charles Crittenden then went back to Mangaia with Elder Burningham. We held the first Sunday school in the home of Mama Vai on 5 June 1955 with 12 people attending (mostly women and children), and each week thereafter increasing each week, with some men, when they were not drunk. The first baptisms were held on Friday 30 Sept. 1955, and confirmations on Sunday 2 Oct. '55. (same days exactly as this year) Those baptized and confirmed in order were: Makitangi Rere Akaiti by Elder Burningham; Vaine Piripapaa Matekeiti Kimiia by Elder Hollingshead; Makiongo Toparea by Elder Hollingshead;
Makiakama Ara (Akaiti) by Elder Burningham. Confirmed on Sunday in order were: Sister Kimiia by myself; Sister Akaiti by Burningham; Sister Toparea (age 18) by Burningham ; Bro.Maki Ara (age 11) (known by us as Maki Akaiti) by myself. After the confirmations the Spirit was very strong and we blessed and passed the Sacrament for the first time to the new members and ourselves. (19 people attended and I bore my testimony and we sang a hymm. everyone felt the Holy Ghost. It was a day to always remember) This is why Makiakama in New Zealand is celebrating 50 years on Oct.1 & 2 even though the official beginning was when Pres. Stone came with us on May 10th 1955 to start the Church. When I left Mangaia we had baptized a total of 9 members, the other 5 were Kao Kimiia (age13); Moe Tokoua (about 13); Ngametua Akaiti(about 14), baptized on 3 March 1956; and finally Moetu Kavea (about 19) who befriended us to Sister Kimiia so we had a place to live)and Ngaro Kimiia on 27 May 1956 in Rarotonga at the conference. Also at the conference I Ordained Makiakama a Deacon, the first Mangaian priesthood holder in the true Church at age 12 on 3 June 1956. Kao was soon to follow as the second Deacon or Teacher, later when I was on Mauke but I don't know the date.. I hope this helps you in your history. Earle (Oringi) Hollingshead

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Church historyofmangaia

  • 1. How The Church Began in Mangaia By Earle Hollingshead Now let me answer your question about when the Church began on Mangaia. Yes, I was the third Elder to set foot on Mangaia.(there may have been one or two earlier Elders way back in 1948-9 who stopped by as they traveled around from Aitutaki to Rarotonga), but Elder Larry Thueson and Elder Ted Smith arrived there in Nov. 1954 after first going to Mauke. Their assignment was to see if the people of Mauke and Mangaia would accept the Church. Those in Mauke seemed favorable (in October '54), but they thought after one month in Mangaia -from about the 5th Nov. to 9 Dec.'54, that most people in Mangaia were hard cases (karikao pao ngata), even though Kimiia Vaine, and Moetu Kavea were friendly to them, and they stayed in the home of Mama Vai while there. However Pres. Howard B. Stone our mission President, decided to send Elders to both islands of Mauke and Mangaia, so on 10 May 1955 Elder Larry Thueson and I, Elder Earle Hollingshead along with Pres. Stone and Elder and Sister Golden Andrus (they were the Presiding couple of the Cook Islands then) arrived on the Matua Ship to open officially the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to the island of Mangaia, even though only one member lived there then-- Sister Nui (Teatuanui Teauono), who was a young women married to her husband, Teauono, who lives in Tamarua today. At that time she was akama but we stayed in her home or the home of her father in law a couple of times. As you know she was inactive when we were there with you, as she was in 1955-6. She sometimes did go to church when she stayed in New Zealand. Anyhow Pres. Stone and Andrus left on the Ship later that day, and Elder Totini and I stayed and tried to acquire some land for a mission home and church which the aronga mana never allowed to happen while we were there. Soon after, Elder Thueson left Mangaia to return home on 15 July 1955, and Serge Lee Burningham was my companion till I left Mangaia 21 May '56 with members of our Mangaia Branch to attend the First conference in the new built Chapel in Avarua Rarotonga. I then was released from Mangaia on 1 June 1956, (about 13 months as the first unofficial Branch Pres. in Mangaia) when I went to Mauke to reopen the Church there. Elder Charles Crittenden then went back to Mangaia with Elder Burningham. We held the first Sunday school in the home of Mama Vai on 5 June 1955 with 12 people attending (mostly women and children), and each week thereafter increasing each week, with some men, when they were not drunk. The first baptisms were held on Friday 30 Sept. 1955, and confirmations on Sunday 2 Oct. '55. (same days exactly as this year) Those baptized and confirmed in order were: Makitangi Rere Akaiti by Elder Burningham; Vaine Piripapaa Matekeiti Kimiia by Elder Hollingshead; Makiongo Toparea by Elder Hollingshead;
  • 2. Makiakama Ara (Akaiti) by Elder Burningham. Confirmed on Sunday in order were: Sister Kimiia by myself; Sister Akaiti by Burningham; Sister Toparea (age 18) by Burningham ; Bro.Maki Ara (age 11) (known by us as Maki Akaiti) by myself. After the confirmations the Spirit was very strong and we blessed and passed the Sacrament for the first time to the new members and ourselves. (19 people attended and I bore my testimony and we sang a hymm. everyone felt the Holy Ghost. It was a day to always remember) This is why Makiakama in New Zealand is celebrating 50 years on Oct.1 & 2 even though the official beginning was when Pres. Stone came with us on May 10th 1955 to start the Church. When I left Mangaia we had baptized a total of 9 members, the other 5 were Kao Kimiia (age13); Moe Tokoua (about 13); Ngametua Akaiti(about 14), baptized on 3 March 1956; and finally Moetu Kavea (about 19) who befriended us to Sister Kimiia so we had a place to live)and Ngaro Kimiia on 27 May 1956 in Rarotonga at the conference. Also at the conference I Ordained Makiakama a Deacon, the first Mangaian priesthood holder in the true Church at age 12 on 3 June 1956. Kao was soon to follow as the second Deacon or Teacher, later when I was on Mauke but I don't know the date.. I hope this helps you in your history. Earle (Oringi) Hollingshead