In 1863 Kimo Pelio and Samuela Manoa—two missionaries sent from Hawai‘i—brought the restored gospel to the Samoan Islands. Due to disruptions in the Church in Hawai‘i, the additional missionaries they expected never arrived, but both chose to remain on the islands. In 1888 Joseph and Florence Dean arrived to formally open a mission. By 1900, when Samoa was divided into a western, German-governed territory and an eastern, American-governed territory, there were over 1,000 Latter-day Saints on the islands.
In the early 1900s, in addition to teaching the gospel, the Church organized schools and helped build up Mapusaga as a gathering center. As the Church became more established in the mid-20th century, many American Samoans learned career and Church leadership skills while serving as labor missionaries. In 1969 the first stake in American Samoa was organized.
In 1977 President Spencer W. Kimball announced plans to build a temple in Pago Pago, American Samoa, but the location of the temple was later changed to Apia, Samoa. American Samoan Saints “gave after their ability” (Ezra 2:69) to help build the Apia temple, which was dedicated in 1983. The Church in American Samoa has continued to grow: by 2012 there were five stakes in American Samoa, and in 2019 President Russell M. Nelson announced new plans for a temple in Pago Pago.
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Richard Hunter
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