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Stories: Hurricane Emma Destroys Bora Bora Chapel 1972

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Hurricane Emma Destroys Bora Bora Chapel 1972 12 Feb 2006
By Don Morrison Introductory Note: The Church did not own the land upon which the LDS chapel on Bora Bora was constructed. There was considerable anti-Mormon sentiment on the island and no one seemed willing to sell the church land for a chapel. Accordingly, the church had leased land and built a native style chapel upon it. The lease was due to expire Sunday March 1, 1970. According to the lease, upon its expiration all improvements would revert to the land owners- the chapel, our elders quarters, etc. During January and February of 1970, we had been in negotiations with the owner of the land upon which the current chapel sat. The family seemed unwilling to extend the lease, even for an exorbitant lease amount. The family told us that because of its native style and thatched roof that it would make a perfect bar for tourists and islanders to frequent. This was in part to mock the church, and in part to make money from the growing tourist trade. We were not successful at extending the lease, even for a short term period. When the lease expired Sunday March 1st, the property owners told us they would not kick us out until Monday morning, as they didn't want us to have to leave on the Sabbath. On Monday morning, March 2, 1970, we received a knock on our door about 7am. I thought it might be the landlord coming to kick us off the premises. However, it was the branch president. He informed us that Mareta, our prime investigator, had been injured in an accident. It had rained all night, and was very windy. As Mareta was riding her Vespa down the road, a large coconut had been blown from a tall coconut tree and stuck her in the head, causing her to crash her motorcycle. She was in the local hospital, and they didn't know if she would live. We hurried and dressed and went to the small hospital. The doors were locked. We went around to the back, and found an open door. We found Mareta's room, and entered. Mareta was unconscious, with bandages on her head. We asked her family members attending her if we could give her a blessing. They were concerned because they thought that by pouring oil on her that we might be baptizing her. But we assured the family that we would not baptize her, only give her a blessing to help her get well. They consented. Elder Cain administered the oil, and I did the sealing and pronounced the blessing. (As a side note, she came too shortly after we left, and was released from the hospital much sooner than expected had a full early recovery). After we had returned to our elder's quarters, which were located in the back of the chapel, we decided to get something to eat for breakfast. We looked up and noticed that the ceiling was swaying back and forth. We left the building to check the situation, and noticed how much worse the storm was becoming. We only lived 50 yards from the ocean and we noticed that waves were crashing into the shoreline, washing stuff up into our front yard. It was really blowing and raining. A few trees had been blown down. We went to the village grocery store for some groceries just when the wind really surged. It blew us down and then the roof of the village store went sailing through the air. The heavy rains were beginning to soak everything in the store. The entire village came running and rallied at store. We made a human chain and passed all the stores goods from the roofless building to nearby buildings still intact. Coincidentally, just down the human chain was our landlords. They said that since we were helping the community during the storm we could stay in our church building until tomorrow when they would make it their bar. We finished moving the grocery store goods about 11:30am. There was no TV and no power on the island. We listened to our short wave radio, and learned that a major hurricane was headed our way. It had just struck the island of Rurutu and had destroyed and flattened every building and tree on the island. It was due to hit Bora Bora at 12:10pm in 40 minutes. We didn't know if we would get a direct hit as did Rurutu, or if the Hurricane would change directions a little before striking us. We went into the chapel and elders quarters and secured everything we could. At noon we went to the generator shed and hung onto the generator framework which was anchored on a secure cement pad. We prayed for deliverance, and hoped for the best. Right at 12:10 the hurricane peaked. Water was being splashed onto our front yard 50 yard off the beach. Our chapel began to waver, then it collapsed to the ground. Many of the trees fell. We did not take a direct hit as did Rurutu, fortunately. However, many other buildings and homes on the island were damaged. After the storm passed, we gathered up all our belongings and the chapel records, supplies, etc. and took them to Henriette's place for storage. He had a pretty good sized home near the old chapel, and he said the branch could hold its meetings in his living room. During the next week, many of the islanders would stop and tell us they were sorry we lost our church house. Some were sincere, and some gleefully rubbed it in. However, we were quick to point out that last week it had been our church, but that the day before the storm it had become the landlord's bar. The next week a cruise ship anchored off the dock at the village. We met a couple there who, seeing the fallen church, inquired about what had happened. We told them the story. As it turns out, this couple was a wealthy LDS couple from California. When they returned to the US, they contacted the church and donated enough money so that the Church was able to buy a piece of land upon which to construct a new chapel which was finished shortly before I completed my mission. (Note; the landlord eventually cleared away the destroyed church house and elders quarters, and to my knowledge did not try to rebuild it into a bar). I saw the hand of the Lord in many ways during this experience. It increased my faith in the Lord, and my testimony that He is guiding His church. He is no respecter of persons and will not be mocked. He blesses those who serve him and keep his commandments. A few weeks later, I received a letter from my mother in Utah that included an Associated Press story that had appeared in the newspaper. The caption read Hurricane Destroys Islands LDS Church. Little did they know it wasn't really an LDS chapel that was destroyed, but someone else's tavern. My mom hoped I hadn't been anywhere near that terrible hurricane. Little did she know.
Christian Wilson Send Email
 

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