In 1976 the Church was brand new in a group of South Seas islands that would become the independent nation of Vanuatu four years later.  Vanuatu would win its independence from England and France in 1980.  A small branch had been formed in Port Vila, the capitol city.  It needed a branch president.  The missionaries went looking for a man who could fill the position.  They knocked on the door of Jack Tasso Hokao.  When he opened it, the missionaries knew immediately that they’d found their man.  Jack invited them in, listened to their discussions, was baptized, and was sustained and set apart as branch president two months later.  He was the first branch president in Vanuatu.

Living an hour and a half’s walk away was Jack’s sister, Lessy Tasso Mahit.  Lessy had four small children, and a big problem.  She had suddenly gone blind.  All that she could see was a white cloud.  Her mother took her to every medical doctor.  She took her to custom doctors.  She took her to various churches trying to find someone who could help her regain her sight.  No one had a solution.

“We have tried everything,” Lessy’s mother finally told her.  “We are going to have to accept the fact that you’re blind.”

But then someone reminded her that her son was now “a pastor” in the Mormon Church, and suggested that he be contacted to see if there was anything he might do.

President Hokao knew just what to do.  He told the missionaries how to find his sister’s house, and sent them to give her a priesthood blessing.

Lessy’s third child, Ian, was six years old when the elders arrived to give his mother a blessing.  He was playing outside with his friends when all their activity ceased as they saw two white men in long trousers, white shirts, and ties approaching.  The two men stopped to talk to the children, and asked where they could find Lessy Tasso Mahit.

“That’s my mother,” Ian answered, and ran inside to tell her that the elders were there to give her the blessing.  He set a chair for his mother, and two for the elders.  He then led his mother to her chair while he, himself, settled down by the door to watch the proceedings.  The elders were both from Canada—Elders Gilbert and Worsh.  They visited with Lessy, and explained what a priesthood blessing was.  After being assured that she wanted the anointing, one of the elders anointed her with consecrated oil, and the other sealed the anointing.  She was told in the blessing that before she went to bed that night, she was to kneel down beside her bed and pray for her sight to be restored, and to repeat those actions the next morning.

Following the blessing, the elders left without any further visiting.  Young Ian forgot about the visit altogether.  He remembers getting up the next morning, and going outside to the family’s outdoor kitchen.  As he was building a fire so that they could cook breakfast, he heard someone in the doorway of the house.  A voice said, “I can see!”

He turned, and saw his mother.  She said, “I can see you.  I can see your hair.  I can see the kitchen.”

“Can you see the bay?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered, “I can see men in a boat out in the bay fishing.”

Several days later the elders returned to see how Lessy was doing.  She ran to meet them, and told them that she wanted to be baptized.  She began taking the missionary discussions.  Her husband joined her for the second discussion, but became frightened, and avoided the missionaries thereafter.  One day he forgot that the missionaries were coming, and answered the door when they knocked.  He invited them in, listened to the discussion, and in a short time both he and Lessy were baptized.

That was in 1979.  Little Ian grew.  His parents became stalwarts in the Church.  The family walked 1-1/2 hours each way in order to attend church every Sunday.  Ian particularly enjoyed seminary.  He submitted his missionary application, and was called to serve in the Auckland, New Zealand Mission.

That meant he would have to learn English.  He became very discouraged at the Missionary Training Center because he couldn’t understand anything that was being taught.  His companion told the missionary trainers, a man and a woman, that Elder Mahit couldn’t understand them unless they talked slowly.

After the class the two trainers took Elder Mahit aside, and asked how they could help him.  Elder Mahit told them, “You can fast and pray with me.”

The next morning the missionaries were called to breakfast.  Elder Mahit declined, and went to the classroom instead.  The two trainers appeared.  They were fasting, too.  Together they prayed.  Elder Mahit then picked up an English Book of Mormon.  Up to that point he hadn’t been able to read and understand anything.  He opened the book to 3 Nephi chapter 11, and began to read.  He was understanding what he was reading!  He was thrilled.  He continued reading.  “The Book of Mormon taught me English,” he says.

Sister Lessy Tasso Mahit remained a faithful, stalwart member of the Church all her life.  Her husband still lives in Port Vila, and is also a faithful member of the Church.  Ian lives on the island of Espiritu Santo, and currently (2014) serves as district president of the Luganville District of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.