Dedication of Indonesia for Preaching of the Gospel

Puncak (meaning hill, mountain, peak or summit in Indonesian) is a tea growing, mountainous area south of the cities of Jakarta and Bogor that was best known in the past as a cool retreat for Dutch colonialists and is best known today as a fun weekend escape for Jarkartans—complete with a Safari-like zoo and other attractions. For Mormons it is also known as the place where on October 26, 1969, Elder Ezra Taft Benson dedicated the land of Indonesia for the preaching of the gospel.

The participants in the dedication left Jakarta at 6:00 AM for the drive south. As they went to leave, Elder Benson asked Sister Hardy if she would sing a solo prior to his dedicatory prayer. In a letter to her family she described what followed: “I don’t have to tell you how frightened I was. Not only hadn’t I chosen and practiced a song but also it would have to be accapella. During the drive out I thumbed through my little hymnbook like crazy. Finally I turned to ‘As the Dews from Heav’n Distilling and the words seemed perfect for the occasion.”

Back row: (l to r) Carlos Smith, Bruce R. McConkie, Ernest Tungka, Marvin Harding or Wilford Kirton, Sutrisno, Dennis Butler, driver?

Middle row: Ludy VanderHoeven, Brent Hardy, Eileen Hardy, Flora Benson, Ezra Taft Benson, , Dorothy Wendel, Raymond Wendel, LaVon Smith, Karen Cornelius, Don Cornelius, Pete Grimm.

Front row: Debbie VanderHoeven, her friend, VanderHoeven, Barbara Wendel, Jeffery Butler and VanderHoeven.

Church reps: Marvin Harding (Manager of Construction Services LDS Church) and Wilford Kirton (General Counsel of the LDS Church)

Once at the Canadian bungalow they headed up into the hills. The final path was a single dirt track lined with banana plants and other tropical vegetation. The dedication site looked down on agricultural villages and fields and up to higher forested mountains. It had rained the night before and so “the ground was wet and shiny.” Gathered together that day from Salt Lake City were Elder and Sister Benson, Elder and Sister McConkie, Wilford Kirton and Marvin Harding (Manager of Construction Services LDS Church). Joining them were President and Sister Smith and President and Sister Hardy. Accompanying these church leaders was Pete Grimm from Manila. Also attending the dedication were the local latter-day Saints: Dennis Butler (his wife Vernene stayed home to take care of a sick son) and his son Jeffery, Ludy VanderHoeven (his wife Toontje stayed home to take care of a new born son), Raymond and Dorothy Wendel and their daughter Barbara, and Don and Karen Cornelius. The lone Indonesian Mormon was recently baptized Sutrisno. Rounding out the congregation was Ernest Tangku, an Indonesian naval officer and brother-in-law of Jan Walandouw (it is not known why Walandouw did not attend). Tangku was a good friend of the church and would later be baptized along with his wife. Ernie, as he was called, was the only man to wear a suit coat, all of the temperate climate visitors who were not so accustomed to the tropical heat opted to just wear white shirts without a suit coat. One of the Indonesian drivers also attended the meeting.

The meeting started at 8:30 as grey clouds loomed above looking like they would burst open at any moment. Instead they parted and “the sun poured down” on the gathering. Elder Benson presided at the meeting and Elder McConkie conducted. Karen Cornelius led them in singing “An Angel From On High” which tells of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the latter-day restoration of the gospel. Branch President Butler then gave the invocation. They then sang “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” which Elder McConkie explained proclaimed the divinity of Christ, which he said, was in keeping with the central message of the gospel.

Elder McConkie then offered the first remarks. He explained that when a land was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel, it really meant that they were “dedicating the resources of the Church and the talents and abilities of the members of the Church to spread the gospel in that nation.” He quoted from Doctrine and Covenant 1:4-5 noting that “the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples…And they shall go forth and none shall stay them.” He then explained that there “will be problems to solve and difficulties will arise, but through it all the work will advance and progress and grow and increase” in Indonesia and elsewhere “until finally the knowledge of God covers the earth as the waters cover the seas.”

President Hardy then spoke. He referred to the Old Testament prophecy of Daniel about a stone being cut without hands out of a mountain and rolling forth and filing the earth. He explained that what was transpiring that day was part of that great rolling forth. It will not be easy, he said, “but it will succeed.” He continued: “As we rode up this morning I looked at the many hundreds and thousands of people that we passed by. They were going about their daily work, selling bananas and pineapples, taking tickets on buses, driving their ox carts, their little horse carts, washing their clothes, unaware of what was taking place in their great country on the twenty-sixth of October 1969. They have had many great things happen in their country, many heart-breaking things, many momentous things, many historical things. But the event that you and I, the few of us here today, the event that we are participating in today, is the greatest thing that has happened to Indonesia, and yet so few, this few here, know about it. But that won’t always be the case. The message, the responsibility, is now to see that every man and woman and child knows why we’re here. That we’re here because the Lord has commanded us to be here.”

President Smith, who would begin to preside over Indonesia with the creation of the Southeast Asia Mission on November 1^st, then spoke. A new-comer to the region, he began by stating: “My mind is at ease and my soul is peaceful. I’m grateful to the Lord that I have his assurance that what is being done here today is his will. I’ve had a great deal of anxiety about coming [to] this part of the world, and all of my fears have been alleviated since coming here.” He then confessed that he was sort of a rebellious spirit who liked to take shortcuts and that he wondered why Elder Benson would want to travel two hours out of town for the dedication when it could easily have been done at a park in Jakarta. Being at that mountainous spot, with its view down on fields of rice and corn, he now could see why. Like the others before him, Smith testified that what was happening that day was the will and work of the Lord.

Sister Hardy then sang “As the Dew from Heaven Distilling” which was penned by early Mormon missionary and apostle Parley P. Pratt.

As the dew from heaven distilling
Gently on the grass descends
And revives it, thus fulfilling
What thy providence intends,

Let thy doctrine, Lord, so gracious,
Thus descending from above,
Blest by thee, prove efficacious
To fulfill thy work of love.

Lord, behold this congregation;
Precious promises fulfill;
From thy holy habitation
Let the dews of life distill.

Let our cry come up before thee;
Thy sweet Spirit shed around,
So the people shall adore thee
And confess the joyful sound.

Ezra Taft Benson was the concluding speaker. He related how this was the fourth time he had been asked by President McKay to dedicate a land for the preaching of the gospel: Finland in 1946, Italy in 1965 and Singapore just a few months earlier. He then stated: “I think that never before have I felt so completely sure that we’re opening the door to a very fruitful field. I have already come to love these people as I’ve watched them, as I’ve talked with them, as I’ve learned a little more about them. And I have every confidence that the Lord will bless us and those who come here, and that there will be a rich harvest come from this great country.  The Church will prosper, branches will be raised up, districts will be organized, and I’m sure some day a great mission of the Church will center in these islands alone. These are good people and I’m sure the Lord loves them and He wants them to have the truth.”

He then quoted another hymn of Parley P. Pratt: “The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee” which also speaks of the restoration of the gospel with phrases like “the dawning of a brighter day” and “the glory bursting from afar, Wide o’er the nations soon will shine.” He then quoted from Doctrine and Covenants Section 1 verse 1 which states: “Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together.” Benson then expressed how since arriving in Indonesia he had thought about that scripture “time and time again.” He then explained: “There’s no nation in the world that has more islands than this nation, and I am sure that they are going to listen together because, as the revelation continues, “For the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape.’” Thus the gospel of Jesus Christ “must go to the wonderful people of these islands” and “I expect with great confidence and assurance that the work will grow and prosper here in these islands among this good people, that the Lord will raise up good friends for the Church. He’s already demonstrated that in a most remarkable manner. He’ll raise up further friends for the Church among high officials of government, men of influence, as well as among the humble and sweet characters of these islands. So I have no fear but what the Gospel will prosper and the work of the Lord will grow and increase in this wonderful nation.”

Benson expressed “gratitude to the Lord” on behalf of all in attendance “for the manner in which the way has been made open that we could come here today.”  He then suggested that it might be fitting if Latter-day Saints, like they have done in other counties, would come to the site of the dedication once a year “and have a little service and thank the Lord again for opening the door to this great nation of 130 million people” (Such a return visit has yet to happen). He then proceeded to offer the dedicatory prayer.

In the prayer Elder Benson expressed gratitude for the beautiful setting, for the restoration for the gospel, for the growth of the Church throughout the world, and for the blessings that come through the organization of the Church. Then, citing his authority from President David O. MacKay, the First Presidency and the Council of the twelve Apostles, he dedicated the land including its “physical properties” and “the good people who live here” for “Thy great work’ and for “the accomplishment of Thy purposes for the spread of Thy great Gospel.”

He then invoked a blessing on the people of Indonesia petitioning that “the scales of darkness drop from their eyes that they may have vision and the spirit of discernment and may be able to see clearly, when the Gospel is presented to them, the step that they should take.” He expressed gratitude for the kindness of the leaders and prayed that they would be rewarded for the help they rendered. As a well-known opponent of communism, Benson then prayed:

“This Great nation has come through a very critical and crucial period, Father. They are lovers of freedom. And thou knowest, Holy Father, that the gospel can only prosper in an atmosphere of freedom. Thou knowest the insidious influences that are at work here in the earth. Counterfeits to the Gospel that would destroy Thy work. Thou knowest, Holy Father, that the fight we have now is but a continuation of the War in Heaven. Will Thou, Holy Father, hedge up the way of the adversary in this great country, that the great godless communist conspiracy may have no influence here, that people may not have to further shed blood in order to oppose this great evil.”

He then prayed that through the love of the Holy Ghost, the people would receive a witness of the “mission of Thy Beloved Son and the ministry of the Prophet Joseph.” He also prayed that they would understand the nature of God’s divine personality and receive a testimony that God is their father and that His son Jesus Christ is their Savior and Redeemer.

Benson’s experience as the U.S. Secretary of the Agriculture then seems to influence the tone of his prayer when he prays that “their land may be productive” and that the “movement of pests and disease among their crops” be impeded. He also prayed that there would be an increase in scientific knowledge, in the establishment of industries and in their standard of living.

As he concluded his dedicatory prayer, Elder Benson prayed for those who would receive the gospel that they would have a desire to pay their tithing, to maintain the standards of the Church and to live the gospel fully. He also prayed for the mission presidents and the missionaries who would serve in Indonesia and that the work would prosper with “thousands upon thousands, yea hundreds of thousands” being brought to a “knowledge of the truth.”

The dedicatory service then concluded with a song, “We thank Thee O God for a Prophet,” followed by a closing prayer by Pete Grimm. As the meeting ended the clouds rolled in with rain beginning to fall as the last cars were loaded.[1]

________Sidebar______

Navy Colonel Ernest Tungka[2] was one of only three Indonesians present at the dedicatory service and the only man wearing a suit coat. At the time he was regularly attending LDS Church services, but was not yet a member of the Mormon Church. Ten months after the dedication he wrote how he came to be a Mormon. The dedication service played an important part of the process. He wrote:

“One Sunday morning my cousin Jan Walandouw, invited me to attend church with him. This was the first time I had attended any kind of a church service for many months. I felt I had lost all faith in my own church. It just didn’t have what I wanted or what I needed. So with a desire to find something new, I went to church with my cousin and his family.”

“The church we attended was named [T]he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After the first meeting, I truly felt attracted to this new church. A real joy and happiness existed among the small group here in Djakarta. There was something different about these people, something that I wanted.”

“I [became] very interested in the life of Joseph Smith. It amazed me to think that a young boy of 14 years of age had received a visit from God because of his desire to know the truth. I was really impressed when I heard of the trials and tribulations of the Prophet Joseph Smith and that he never denied his testimony, even unto death.”

“Every Sunday as I returned home from church, I had the most wonderful feeling inside. It seemed like the Holy Ghost was telling me that this is something different and wonderful.”

“When I learned about the Word of Wisdom, it was very easy for me to give up my bad habits. My friends were all surprised and they asked me, ‘How can you just suddenly stop drinking and stop smoking?’ I told them it was very easy when you wake up to the fact that these things destroy your health and that God has forbidden us to use them.”

“I was really touched by the Spirit of the Lord when Elder Benson, an Apostle of the Lord, came to Indonesia. It was on that mountain top that I really gained a testimony that the Church was true. I had no doubt in my mind that this was Christ’s church.”

“Week by week, month by month, my testimony grew stronger and stronger. Finally I knew that I couldn’t hold back any longer. I knew that my time had come, so I asked to be baptized. On the 16^th of August 1970, I became a member of the church. I bear you my testimony of these things.”  Col. Ernest Tungka[3]

________end side bar

From Puncak they all returned to the Jakarta home of the Butlers for a Sacrament meeting which 39 people attended. How long the meeting lasted is uncertain, but it most likely was longer than normal given the list of speakers: Brothers Butler, Wendel, Harding, Kirton, Grimm, McConkie, Smith, Hardy and Benson (in that order). Prayers were offed by Brothers VanderHoeven and Sutrisno. Sister Hardy provided another impromptu solo of “I Need Thee Every Hour” and Rurie Tungka, the wife of Ernie Tungka, led the congregation in singing a rest hymn of “I Need the Every Hour.”

In his journal entry for that day, President Hardy wrote: “After my first visit in January this year I was not too optimistic about the prospects here, but now look forward to significant success here. However it will most likely come after periods of turmoil. The present government had noble intent. But it is difficult to make changes in the fundamental fabric of society. And who knows what power will do to the men who have just come to power.”

That evening the Salt Lake guests and mission presidents flew on to Singapore to begin setting up mission headquarters there. After a day of looking at property for a mission home and a church, President Hardy informed Sister Hardy that Elder Benson had requested a report of the dedication. President Hardy assumed he wanted it before he flew out the next morning so while Hardy wrote the report, Sister Hardy listened to a tape of the dedicatory service while writing it up in shorthand. Once written down she then stayed up until 5:30 AM getting everything typed and ready for Elder Benson. [4]

Two days later, on Tuesday October 28^th, Elder Benson formally created the Southeast Asia Mission out of the Southern Far East Mission at a special branch and mission conference in Singapore.[5]  

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[1] Brent Hardy Journal of the Southern Far East Mission History 1968-1971.

[2] In a listing of famous people form North Sulawesi, Ernest Tungka is identified as being the founder of Indonesia’s navy and the Assistant Governor of the Navy War College. http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daftar_tokoh_Sulawesi_Utara

[3] Tungka, Ernest. “A Man’s Own Story,” Echo Asia. August 1970, p. 7.

[4] Brent Hardy October 26, 1969 journal entry

[5] Franklin Willard December 13, 1969 journal entry.

Gaining recognition for the Church

In October of 1969, Elder Ezra Taft Benson (with his wife Flora) and Elder Bruce R. McConkie (with his wife Amelia) set out on a tour of Asia. Indonesia was on the itinerary with a directive from President David O. McKay that if they felt so inspired they were to dedicate the land for the preaching of the gospel. The first stop was a seminar in Manila for all of the Asian mission presidents and their wives. The newest mission president at the meeting was G. Carlos Smith (with his wife LaVon) who was in route to Singapore where he would begin overseeing the newly organized Southeast Asia mission (that would include Indonesia). Brent Hardy would continue to oversee the new Hong Kong-Taiwan Mission which was being created out of the other half of the former Southern Far East Mission. Traveling with President Hardy was his wife Elaine. They had left their four young children in Hong Kong (including a 14 month old son) under the care of their house help and a hired 17 year old girl.

At the end of the mission conference the Bensons, McConkies, Smiths, and Hardys along with Wilford W. Kirton Jr., General Counsel for the LDS Church, Marvin Harding of the church building department, and Pete Grimm (Maxine was home in Tooele dealing with the aftermath of the fire) proceeded to the Manila airport for their flight to Jakarta. At the Airport Hardy suggested that they all do a group check in so that he could include a half dozen boxes of copies of the Book of Mormon in with the rest of the luggage. He then gathered all of the boarding passes and passports to check the group in. In the process a Garuda Airlines agent discovered that Brother and Sister Benson did not have a visa to enter Indonesia, a clerical oversight of Murdock Travel. A week earlier, Garuda had been fined a thousand dollars for boarding someone on a flight to Jakarta without a visa and so it looked like the Bensons would not be permitted to board the plane. Brent Hardy and Pete Grimm, who seemed to be in charge of the entourage, hustled around trying to figure out what to do. Luckily, Elder Benson as the former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture still had some political clout and so a call was made to the U.S. ambassador in Manila (who knew Pete through various endeavors) who then phoned the U.S. ambassador in Jakarta who then made some calls and arranged to have Elder Benson enter without a visa.[1]

Of that incident, President Hardy recounts how “Brother Benson, of course, was very distressed and a bit embarrassed.” While Hardy was doing his “political maneuvering,” he noticed a thoughtful and somber Benson off by himself in the airport. Later, after a resolution to the crisis, Benson told Hardy “that he was prayerfully considering the whole matter of the dedication of Indonesia” and that “he told the Lord that if this travel document problem was the means whereby the Lord was ‘hedging up the way’ that he would accept that and abort the trip to Indonesia.”

In thinking about this incident, Hardy reflected: “It gave me a very human insight into the life of this Apostle. It is natural to think that all the actions taken by and (sic) Apostle are clear cut and written in stone by the finger of the Lord. It was rather comforting, in a discomforting way, to see that he wrestled with the same process of obtaining spiritual confirmation as the rest of us.”[2]

With the way not hedged up the party proceeded to Jakarta. Once everyone, including Elder Benson, was on board a laughing Elder McConkie exclaimed; “Are we all on? Nothing short of a latter-day miracle!”[3]

At Jakarta’s Kemayoran airport, the welcoming party included the director of immigration, Jan Walandouw and his cousin Ernest Tungka, a representative from the U.S. embassy as well as many others. The travelers were whisked into the VIP waiting room while their luggage was collected and then they sailed through customs and off to the hotel “before [they] could blink.” Walandouw then took the men in the group to a male-only gathering for high ranking government officials and diplomats as part of a royal wedding for Suharto’s number two man. The plan was for them to meet President Suharto there, but the visa problem in Manila had delayed the flight and so the Mormon hierarchy missed meeting the president, who even waited a while for them.

The next morning Elders Benson and McConkie met with U.S. Ambassador, Francis J. Galbraith who was “most kind and very willingly offered his assistance” to their efforts. He said he was encouraged with the prospects for Indonesia and “expressed confidence in the leadership, motives, and integrity of President Suharto.” Benson then visited with the Minister of Agriculture, who was also serving as a university president, and then with the number two man who they were told would be the next president of Indonesia. [4]

During the day they also went to meet with Dennis Butler at the Canadian Embassy. In his office, they told Butler that that they had authority from President McKay, if they felt it was right, to dedicate the land of Indonesia for the preaching of the Gospel. To that end they wanted to meet with as many members and friends of the Church as possible; to find a place that would be suitable for a dedication; and if it was possible to meet with the Minister of Religion. There were only three Foreign Service officers assigned to the Canadian Embassy and Butler was the highest ranking of them. He thus had a breadth of interactions with Indonesian officials that diplomats in large embassies like that of the United States did not have, given their more compartmentalized portfolios and interactions. He had met the minister and so he picked up the phone, called the receptionist and asked to speak with him. After introducing himself and exchanging the normal pleasantries, Butler said, “I have a request. This is not a Canadian government request, and I want you to know that, but you know that I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons.” He said “yes”, then Butler questioned, “What do you know about us?” He said, “Well I know you're Christian.” Butler then explained that the church had basically the same organization that existed at the time of Jesus with apostles and prophets. After once again reminding the minister that this was not a Canadian government request, he explained that one of the apostles of the Church was visiting Jakarta and he would like to meet with him. Butler went on to explain that this visiting leader once served in the cabinet of President Eisenhower and that “his name is Ezra Taft,” upon which the Minister filled in “Benson?” Butler replied, “Yes, Benson.” The minister then said: “He's here?! I would love to meet him.” Butler said, “When?” He said, “Anytime.” Butler said, “How about fifteen minutes?” He said, “That would be great.” Butler said, “By the way, there are two of them here, and the other man is just as qualified.”[5]

Benson and McConkie then went to meet the minister with the promise to call Butler when they were finished and needed to be picked up. Back in his office, Butler started to get worried at the long absence of the church leaders. Then finally the two men showed up again at the Canadian embassy, having been given a ride back in the minister’s car. He went out and escorted them back into his office. One of them said: “You're probably wondering what happened.” Butler said, “I sure am, 'cause it's been a long time!” One of them replied: “We got permission for recognition of the Church. And we'll have official recognition in three or four months.” When pressed by Butler for more information they told how the minister had explained that Indonesia’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and thus there would be no problem in getting the Church recognized. The minister then asked: “Now I believe that your church teaches polygamy, does it not?” And they said, “Well, why do you ask?” He says, “Well the constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but it also forbids polygamy unless it is a tenet of your faith. Do you want to practice polygamy?” They replied “no” and explained that polygamy was no longer practiced by members of the Mormon faith. They then thanked him for asking.[6]

 Mural in the entry of the Ministry of Religion depicting the five official religions of Indonesia (2007).

 

During the Jakarta visit, Wilford Kriton from the Church Legal Department was able to meet with an officer in the U.S. consulate office who was able to offer help. Then he and Carlos Smith spent one whole Saturday waiting unsuccessfully in the hotel lobby to meet with a Jakarta attorney (Walandouw’s contact) to discuss setting up the Church as a legal entity.[7] Kriton then turned to plan B and contacted another attorney who indicated that their needs could be met. In describing these visits, Hardy noted that “the government administration is inefficient and frustrating to deal with. However consideration must be given to the fact that the government is just beginning to function again.” 

 Hotel Indonesia in the 1960s. Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/travel/2018/08/08/five-things-to-know-about-the-historical-hotel-indonesia.html

After the visits the apostles returned to the hotel where they, along with the two mission presidents and their wives, several of the expatriate LDS couples, Pete Grimm and Jan Walandouw, met in an “upper room” of the hotel to discuss whether or not Indonesia should be dedicated for the beginning of missionary work. Elder McConkie gave “a beautiful prayer and told the Lord that we felt, after consideration, that it was the thing to do and asked Him to make it known to us by a calm, peaceful feeling if this decision was right.” As they sat in a circle, Brother Benson asked most of the men present “to express their feelings regarding the people, the government, government leaders, potential, and advisability of sending the missionaries to Indonesia.” They also offered their feelings about whether or not the land should be dedicated.  All spoke affirmatively. President Hardy told of his two previous visits to Indonesia and summarized the reports he had submitted. Then as the final voice, Elder Benson explained: “I have been praying to the Lord that if it were not proper for the land of Indonesia to be dedicated to the preaching of the gospel. That he would hedge up the way and prevent it from being done.” By this point it must have seemed as if the answer was obvious, the Bensons had been allowed last minute entry without the required visa (something McConkie joked about later as not being a preventative hedge), government officials and diplomats had offered support, the minister of religion had offered recognition, and everyone in the circle had expressed their support for moving forward (including Pete Grimm with his decades of experience trading in Indonesia and Jan Walandouw with his many political connections). [8]

The next step was to find a place that Saturday afternoon for a Sunday morning dedication. Several local members had spent the morning looking in Jakarta for an appropriate place but with no luck. That afternoon, at the recommendations of Pete Grimm and Dennis Butler, President and Sister Hardy drove with Jakarta resident Sister Cornelius (whose sister lived near the Hardy’s in Salt Lake City) two hours south of Jakarta to the Puncak area “where they found a beautiful secluded hill that overlooked the countryside.” The selected knoll was a three mile drive and a 300 yard walk up into the hills above the Canadian Embassy bungalow—where Sutrisno had been baptized a few months earlier. On the way back from the finding expedition Sister Hardy remembers how they stopped at a road side fruit stand and bought some mangos and mangosteens to eat along the way. She also noted in a letter home how it rained and rained to the point that in certain places the water was up to the door of the car.

Later that evening the Wendel’s hosted a large dinner party for the visiting and local Mormons as well as Indonesian friends and contacts. Jan Walandouw furnished the food. Sister Hardy, on her first visit to Indonesia, likened the delicious food to Chinese food only “a little bit spicier and hotter.” A “little bit” may be an understatement for Carlos Smith and Amelia Benson who unknowingly “got hold of a little piece of green pepper that about took their heads off.” Elaine Hardy noted that Smith “was bright red and sputtering, the tears just rolling down his face’ and that everyone “got a good laugh out of it at his expense.”

SIDE BAR

Sister Hardy’s description of being red faced and sputtering is conveniently expressed by a single Indonesian word: kepedasan. The root pedas is an adjective that means spicy hot, add the ke and an affixes and you get a noun that means “the state of being overcome by something spicy hot.” President Smith and Sister McConkie were not the first nor were they the last foreign Mormons to experience kepedasan in Indonesia. It is something that most every first time visitor to the country experiences.

At my first dinner invitation/birthday party as a very green missionary in Semarang in November 1975, I excitedly loaded up my plate from the large table top spread of rice, curries, stir fries and condiments (called a rijsttafel—rice table by the Dutch). Included in my selection were two tiny green peppers (cabe) that a naïve me (from an America yet to be invaded with Mexican cuisine and its hot green chilies) thought would taste like the large sweet green bell peppers of my youth and not the hot red peppers associated with Tabasco Sauce (the only hot sauce or salsa I had been exposed to at the time). I was wrong. Like Carlos Smith, I popped one of the peppers into my mouth and started to chew.  Soon my mouth was on fire, my lips were burning, my eyes were watering and my face was turning red. Water (always served room temperature or hotter and never with ice) was the only antidote I could think of. It didn’t help. A young girl at the party noticed my face and while pointing (with her thumb, not her pointer finger) exclaimed “dia kepedasan!” (he is burning up from the chilies!). Everyone looked and laughed. The host and my companion Elder Gary Stephens came to my relief with encouragement to eat some plain white rice to help absorb the burn of the cabe’s capsaicin. Most Indonesian meals end with a serving a fruit which is also a nice antidote for all the heat of the rijsttafel dishes for it literally “washes the mouth” (cuci mulut ).

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[1] Brent Hardy Journal of the Southern Far East Mission History 1968-1971 and McConkie, Joseph Fielding. The Bruce R. McConkie Story. Salt lake City: Deseret Book, 2003,  p. 339

[2] Brent Hardy Journal of the Southern Far East Mission History 1968-1971.

[3] Brent Hardy Journal of the Southern Far East Mission History 1968-1971.

[4] Brent Hardy Journal of the Southern Far East Mission History 1968-1971

[5] Dennis and Vernene Butler interview, March 10, 2011. While not certain, Maxine Grimm (October 20, 2001 interview) suggests that it is very likely that the Minister of Religion had already been approached by Jan Walandouw about granting approval for the LDS Church, which may explain why the Minister could fill in the name of Benson so easily.

[6] Dennis and Vernene Butler interview, March 10, 2011. It is not exactly certain which of all the many government contacts and connections should be credited with getting the LDS Church recognized. It could very well be that different contacts helped at differ levels and with different government entities. One other possible influence in the process came from LDS businessman Hall Jensen (25 June 2003 Interview) who first began working in Indonesia in 1968. One of his first projects was helping to arrange for the Indonesian government to repay US loans with petroleum. This brought him into contact with Sigit, the son of President Suharto. Jensen recalls that his contact with Sigit helped establish contacts between the Church and the Department of Religion which helped in gaining permission for the entry of the first elders in 1970.

[7] G. Carlos Smith, Jr. Oral History Program, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Interviewed by William G. Hartley September 8, 14, 21, 28, 1972. p. 2.

[8] Brent Hardy Journal of the Southern Far East Mission History 1968-1971 and McConkie, Joseph Fielding. The Bruce R. McConkie Story. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003,  p. 340.