The 29th of September began like most other days for Elder Heimuli Lelea and his companion Elder Wade Elliott Miller, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Lelea, the senior companion from Tonga, had been serving in Samoa since January of 2008. Elder Miller, the junior companion from Brentwood Tennessee, USA, was relatively new and had only been in the Samoan mission since the middle of August.
They were living in a Church member’s fale (home) in the village of Malaela and were beginning their day as they normally did, with morning prayers, showers and study time.
Elder Lelea was just completing his shower when he heard someone outside shouting “Peau, Peau!” (Samoan for “Wave, Wave!”). He wrapped a towel around his waist and ran outside to see what was going on. As he looked toward the sea, he could see a large brown wave coming toward the village.
The wave was very high and the thought came into his head that this could be his last day on earth. With a wave this size, he knew that the village would be destroyed and as he ran back to the house he began silently praying to his heavenly father for help.
Elder Miller, who was unaware of the pending disaster, was inside writing in his journal as Elder Lelea burst into the room and yelled: “We have to go now. We have to run!”
Elder Miller had either not heard or didn’t understand the shouts from the village of “lolo, lolo” Samoan for “flood, flood.” So Elder Lelea shouted, “Quick, look at the sea”.
As Miller looked out the window he saw what all the excitement was about. A gigantic wave was about to crush the village. They bolted for the door and ran for their lives toward higher ground, many metres away beyond a forest.
As they ran towards the trees they couldn’t help but notice that everyone else was gone and they were probably the last ones to leave the village. Upon reaching the first of the trees they could see that many of the villagers, off in the distance, were already up in the branches of the trees and yelling for them to climb.
They continued running for a short distance when they noticed three little children huddling together near the trees. They had somehow been separated from their family, scared and crying for their mother.
With no time to waste the missionaries scooped the children up and ran to the first large tree. Elder Lelea said that it almost seemed like Elder Miller flew up the tree and was perched in the branches. Lelea quickly threw the children, one by one, into the waiting arms of Elder Miller who carefully placed the two oldest in the branches and held the youngest in his arms.
Elder Lelea began climbing the tree just as the wave hit with the water coming up the back of his leg. He scrambled onto a higher branch as the water crested just below their feet.
According to Lelea, they were all very frightened, fearing that the force of the water might topple the tree and sweep them out to sea. Although the missionaries had been silently praying throughout their ordeal, they now prayed aloud, asking the Lord to preserve not only them but all those who fighting for their lives.
After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a few minutes, the water had calmed and people began climbing down from the trees. Several men yelled to the missionaries to do the same and encouraged them to walk toward the hills above the water.
Elder Lelea climbed down and discovered that the water was still about five feet deep and was up to his chest. Elder Miller handed the children down to him and with two on his shoulders and the other one on Elder Miller’s, they continued their trek toward higher ground.
The walking was very hazardous and difficult, as the water was now filled with fallen trees and other debris. They were at the end of a long line of survivors that now snaked their way toward the hills.
Progress was slow and the missionaries were worried that another wave might come and sweep them away. They continued praying asking their heavenly father to help them carry the children to safety.
“I know God was watching over us because He helped us hear the call of warning,” Lelea said. “He guided us to the lost children and then placed us near a tree which was large enough to support our weight and withstand the force of the tsunami.”
“I felt the spirit of the Lord was with us throughout the ordeal.”
When they finally reached higher ground, they were able to locate the grief-stricken mother who thought she had lost her three little children to the tsunami.
As the missionaries sat there on the ground, they realized that they had lost everything. The house was completely gone, along with all their possessions. They were left with only the clothes on their backs ¯ or in Elder Lelea’s case, the pair of shorts he had hastily put on as they fled their fale.
But they were alive. They were thankful that God had protected them and many of the villagers. Sadly, though, some lives were lost.
Days later after he had time to reflect on the incident, Elder Lelea said that he didn’t mind losing his possessions, though he was sad to lose his missionary journal. He was very happy that Heavenly Father had saved his own and his companion’s lives; and the three little children.
He also expressed his thanks that the Lord had watched over the people of Samoa during this terrible tragedy.
Since the tsunami, Elder Miller has been transferred to American Samoa where he is now serving.
“Sister Haleck [the mission president’s wife] gave us clothing and other necessary items,” says Lelea. A fellow missionary, Elder Vea, loaned him one of his missionary tags to wear on his shirt until a new one arrives.
Missionaries and members of the Church continue to work with others in the relief and reconstruction efforts in many parts of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.
