At the age of 20 Jennifer Tarohati was a young adult living with her widowed mother on the island of Tanna in the South Seas’ nation of Vanuatu.  The year was 2000.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was new to the nation, and only a very few Latter-day Saints lived on the island.

One was Jennifer’s aunt, the sister of her mother.  The aunt invited Jennifer to Family House Night (Family Home Evening).  The young woman was a silent observer, but liked what she saw and felt.  She made it a point to be in her aunt’s village every Monday evening thereafter, so that she could participate in Family House Night.

After several months of study and prayer Jennifer had a desire to be baptized.  She went in search of the missionaries, and asked to receive the lessons.  Her mother was very upset.

So was the village chief when he learned that Jennifer was meeting with the LDS elders.  He summoned her to appear before the tribunal.  The tribunal was the supreme authority for the area, and was composed of the leading men.  Women were not allowed to speak in the tribunal, so the chief interviewed Jennifer prior to her appearance, and asked if she wanted to become a member of the Mormon Church, or of the other church that was already well established in the village.  Jennifer replied that she wanted to become a member of the LDS Church.  The men of the tribunal tried to dissuade her from her decision.

Five times Jennifer was brought before the tribunal.  It was a daunting and an intimidating thing to be thus singled out and berated for her decision.

Even more difficult was the treatment that she received at home.  “Every day my mother beat me with a stick,” Jennifer said.  “If she found a Book of Mormon in the house, she’d throw it out.  She hated the Church.  It was very hard.  I hid a Book of Mormon in a banyan tree, and would go out in the bush each day to read it.”

Jennifer was baptized without her mother’s knowledge.  Also, without her mother’s knowledge, she submitted an application to serve a mission.  A call was received for her to serve in the Fiji Suva Mission.  Jennifer gave the letter from the First Presidency to her older brother, and asked him to read it to their mother.

She was furious, but Jennifer continued to talk with her about the Church, and shared bits of information whenever she could.  Eventually she and her mother read a chapter together from the book, Gospel Principles.  Her mother liked what she heard, but still hated the Book of Mormon, and would have nothing to do with it.

Jennifer went to New Zealand to receive her endowments in the temple.  She prayed there that her mother’s heart might be softened, and that she could accept the gospel.  On that same trip she received her patriarchal blessing.  As she visited with the patriarch before receiving the blessing, he told her, “Your mother will be baptized in one month.”

Jennifer was on her mission a month later when she received a phone call from her mother.

“I’m going to be baptized.  I’m so sorry for the way I’ve treated you.  I know the Church is true.”

That was in 2001.  Jennifer is now married to a returned missionary who served concurrently with her in the Fiji Suva Mission.  They have four young daughters.  Her younger brother is very close to completing his own mission.  Jennifer’s mother is an active Church member in Tanna—and loves her Book of Mormon.

—24 January 2014