MORMON ELDERS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 71, 17 December 1937, Page 13

MORMON ELDERS

Missionaries Touring The Dominion “COUNTRY IS GRAND” Self-sent missionaries from the home of the Alormon Church, Salt Lake City, Utah, 40 elders are at present in New Zealand spreading their religion. Two elders are in Wellington, and thej’ are Mr. L. F. Toronto and Air. L. AV. AVatts. Each has played America’s national sport, baseball, since childhood, and they are keen to be in action with the team of elders to play against a selected team from the Wellington league on Saturday. The elders have already been in the Dominion six months, and will stay for two years. Theirs is purely voluntary service. “We saved up enough money to bring us and keep us here,” said Air. Toronto. “No one has financed us but ourselves, but we are helped by the people of our faith as we go round.” The Alormon Church, he said, believed in the value of sport, especially for the younger boys and girls, men and women. In America the chffrch had the largest baseball and basketball leagues in the world, and not long before he and Air. Watts left for New Zealand they participated in a big baseball rally of 1180 teams. New Zealand appeals strongly to both Air. Toronto and Air. Watts. “If I stay much longer I shall want to settle here,” said the latter. “The people are extremely hospitable and the country is grand.” Both thought, however, that the Dominion generally was a year or two behind the times and in comparison with Canada and some American States was rather slow. “I guess it’s all because you are so far away from other countries,” said Air. Toronto.

One outstanding feature of amusement ill New Zealand has impressed itself upon them both. “In America there is so much sport to amuse ourselves with that we don’t often go to theatres,” said Air. Watts. “I notice a difference here. When you people want to amuse yourselves you go to a theatre. I think I have been to more shows while I’ve been in New Zealand than in the rest of my life.” Air. Watts was surprised with the modernity of the theatres he has seen. “The big theatre in Alasterton, for the size of the town, equals some of the best in California,” he said. “All the small places we have seen have theatres as good as any of ours.”

They both found a similarity between the Lake Taui>o district and the lake district in America. “Taupo brought us very near home,” said Air. Watts. "Rotorua is very much like Yellowstone Park, and parts of it are a long way better.” The Tararua range also reminded them of the mountainous country in California, particularly in Yosemite Valley.