The beautiful village of Sauniatu.

On July 24 the saints walk up the mountain and swim in the water, as a remembrance of the early pioneers on their own island.

This Christmas palm blooms in the winter. It is winter.

Sauniatu is now a village up in the mountains where the saints took refuge from the persecution they received after joining the church. In 1921 then Elder David O. McKay pronounced an apostolic blessing on Sauniatu and its inhabitants. He blessed them that they would have an abundance of food and clothing, that their plantations would be fruitful, and that peace would abide in their hearts and homes. The word Sauniatu means "a place to prepare." The people here are truly blessed. The fale is a tribute to Pres. McKay.

This 75 year old couple, the Penbertons from Bluffdale Utah are missionaries in Sauniatu. They and another driver bring between 15-20 young men up the mountain to Sauniatu every Monday, teach them the gospel, house and feed them, and then drive them back down on Friday. The young men work in the fields around Sauniatu to pay for their experience, all in preparation to serve missions after the year is through.

The church owns a school in the village of Sauniatu.

The children take off their flip-flops, the ones who wear flip-flops, when they enter the school room.

Rules posted for the children at school in Sauniatu.

These trees are really fence posts stuck in the ground. With the furtile soil and rain, the posts grow.