Newspaper Calls Elder Dallin H. Oaks a 'Samoan at Heart'

The Samoa Observer newspaper reported last week [26 April 2013] on Elder Dallin H. Oaks' recent visit to Samoa. 

"At the Apia Samoa Stake Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday 21 April 2013, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles told the hundreds in attendance that of all the countries in the world, Samoa was his most favourite country to visit. 'I’m very glad to be here,' he said. 'I like this country very much and it is very special to me, and I’ll tell you why.'"

The Samoa Observer continues, quoting Elder Oaks:  “Over 100 years ago, my great grandfather, Abinadi Olsen, was a missionary in Samoa from 26 January 1895 to 18 May 1898, a period of about three-and-a-half years. His first assignment was to labour on Tutuila Island. After many weeks of illnesses and struggling to learn the Samoan language - which was necessary to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ - he was so discouraged and homesick that he decided that since he was failing to achieve what he had come to do, and he was not doing any good here, he would return home to his young wife and four little children he had left behind in Utah to fend for themselves."

Read the full article in the Samoa Observer. The article, titled, "Apostle Oaks, a Samoan at heart," was written by Tupuola George Hunt.