A Māori Prophecy Fulfilled by Latter-day Saint Missionaries
A Māori holy man foretold exactly how his people would recognize the true church when it came to Aotearoa (New Zealand.) When those missionaries finally came, Chief Hirini and Mere Whaanga believed the prophecy had been fulfilled.
Their Mauudi ancestors predicted Mormon missionaries in Altereroa, also known as New Zealand. In 1881, a respected Maui holy man named Paora Teangareroa gathered his people near Teor O on New Zealand's North Island and made an extraordinary prophecy. He said, "The true church for the Mai had not yet come, but when it did, they would recognize it, and they should enter into that church.
It would come from the east. Its messengers would travel in pairs, and when they came, one of them would stand and raise both hands to the heavens and pray. Many would join the church, and one from among them would go to the place where the messengers came from. For years, the Mai waited. Then in 1884, two Latter-day Saint missionaries arrived from America. One of them, Elder William Stewart, stood and raised his hands to bless the people.
The crowd fell silent. Some immediately remembered the prophecy. Could these be the promised messengers? On New Zealand's Hawk Bay region was a powerful Mai chieft named Hini Terita Fonga and his wife Med. They had also heard a similar prophecy that had been passed down through Hedini's own family and were receptive when they met the missionaries. Within a short time, more than 200 Mai joined the church.
The Fongas felt impressed to leave New Zealand and travel all the way to Utah so they could receive temple blessings. For Hedini, that wasn't an easy decision. He was a tribal chief. Leaving meant saying goodbye to his position, his homeland, and the people who depended on him. Med wrote that her heart achd because she had never before been separated from her parents, brothers, or relatives.
Yet, they trusted God. In Utah, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple and began performing ordinances for their ancestors. Years later, at nearly 70 years old, Hedini returned to New Zealand as a missionary. Because he was respected as a chief, villages that had once rejected missionaries now welcomed him. In just one month, he helped baptize 20 people. Everywhere he traveled, he carefully gathered family history so he could return to Utah and performed temple work for even more of his ancestors and friends.
After Hideini passed away, Med later returned to New Zealand as a missionary herself. By the time Med died in 1944, the church in New Zealand had grown to about 10,000 members, the majority of them Mai. Today there are 121,000 members. Throughout history, God has prepared people before sending his servants. He did it in the scriptures. He did it in New Zealand. And he still prepares hearts today.
