209:, which would be the location of their residence. Church leaders recommended Kanab as a better location for the family to live as the climate is not as cold as Salt Lake City in the winter. There Mere's husband planned to raise sheep, which had brought him much success in New Zealand. However, the two returned missionaries that were assigned to help the Whaanga family with their financial affairs mismanaged their money. The church sent leaders to Kanab to review the incident and eventually, the Zion's Maori Association helped Mere and her family relocate to Salt Lake City.
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164:, New Zealand, to parents, Hachem Schmidt and Parapara Kurekure. Her name is the Maori pronunciation of "Mary Smith". At 21 years old, Mere married Hirini Te Rito Whaanga, an important leader of the Maori Ngutikahungu tribe. Mere was his third wife as he had been widowed twice before. Together, the couple had three daughters and a son. However, one daughter and their son did not survive past childhood.
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Hirini and Mere quickly became very involved in church activity and missionary work. They built a rush house specifically for the missionaries, and the
Whaanga home became a center for LDS missionary work. Hirini was branch president and Mere often consulted with the missionaries when difficulties
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In 1907, only a year and a half after the passing of her husband, Mere returned to New
Zealand to serve a full-time mission. She was nearly 60 years old. She returned to America in 1908 after being released from mission duties. Less than a decade later, her sister-in-law died, leaving her without
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In 1884, Mormon missionaries came to Hawke's Bay to share the gospel. Mere was touched by the missionaries' message and convinced her family to meet with them. Her daughters were baptized first, and then Mere and her husband were baptized on
November 30 by missionary John C. Stewart. The Whaanga
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On May 21, 1894, Hirini and Mere moved to Utah with a group of extended family members, leaving their children and parents in New
Zealand. Upon moving, Hirini and Mere ordered that their house in Nūhaka be used as a home for the missionaries. The Whaanga family arrived in
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in 1984, where she stayed until the death of her sister-in-law, besides a year-and-a-half mission back to New
Zealand. Mere returned to New Zealand before eventually returning to Salt Lake City to be buried next to her husband. She died on May 11, 1944, at the age of 96.
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Although she enjoyed being with her family in Nūhaka, Mere had a desire to return to Salt Lake City. Ultimately, she wanted to be buried next to her late husband. After many years of waiting, Mere was issued a visa to return to the United States in 1938.
202:) on their lips and chins". On the evening of their arrival, a reception was held for the Whaanga family by former New Zealand missionaries. The reception included a dinner and traditional Maori music to make the family feel welcome.
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On
November 21, 1938, a reception was held by community members in celebration of her return to Salt Lake. Mere remained active in the LDS Church into her old age. At 95 years old, Mere made a quilt for LDS Church president
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much family in Utah. Mere's grandson and nephew who made the original trek out to Utah back in 1894 both decided to return to New
Zealand. As a result, Mere decided to join them.
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work in the temple. After relocating to Salt Lake, Mere learned to write in order to maintain frequent contact with her children and parents back in Nūhaka.
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Ngati
Kahungunu tribe and helped to spread the gospel in her area after being baptized by American missionaries. The efforts of her and her husband,
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family were some of the first Maori tribe members to be baptized, and they were followed by more than 200 members of their tribe in several weeks.
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Newton, Marjorie (2014). Her Very
Presence is a Sermon: Mere Mete Whaanga. In Richard E. Turley Jr. and Brittany A. Chapman (Eds.),
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198:. They made quite a spectacle on the streets as both Mere and her sister-in-law had "the traditional blue Maori facial tattoo (
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143:, hundreds of members of their tribe were baptized. Mere and Hirini became vital to LDS work in the area. She moved to
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arose in communicating with tribe members. She also prioritized missionary work and caring for the missionaries.
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as a birthday gift, however it was in honor of her own birthday and not his.
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About a week after arriving in Salt Lake, the
Whaanga family traveled to
127:(February 15, 1848 – May 11, 1944) was a pioneer and missionary for the
478:. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. October 14, 2016.
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Mere died on May 11, 1944, at the age of 96. She was buried at the
435:. Vol. 2. Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press.
536:"Women of Faith in the Latter Days: Mere Mete Whaanga"
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Hachem Schmidt ("John Smith") and Parapara Kurekure
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224:. The couple spent most of their free time doing
476:"Early Mormon Missionaries: Mere Mete Whaanga"
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358:. November 14, 1938. p. 13 – via
332:(Vol. 3). Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book.
129:Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
582:New Zealand emigrants to the United States
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212:On October 9, 1895, Hirini and Mere were
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350:"Maori Tribal Leader, 90, To Live Here"
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534:Newton, Marjorie (May 11, 2014).
330:Women of Faith in the Latter Days
190:on July 19 after making stops in
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592:New Zealand Mormon missionaries
390:. November 20, 1938. p. 16
261:, next to her husband Hirini.
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432:Story: Hirini Te Rito Whaanga
511:– via Newspapers.com.
501:The Ogden Standard-Examiner
398:– via Newspapers.com.
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587:Female Mormon missionaries
429:Lineham, Peter J. (1993).
384:"Maori Leader to be Feted"
135:. She was a leader of the
196:San Francisco, California
597:New Zealand Māori women
259:Salt Lake City Cemetery
72:Salt Lake City cemetery
602:Ngāti Kahungunu people
355:Salt Lake City Tribune
141:Hirini Te Rito Whaanga
388:The Salt Lake Tribune
192:Gisborne, New Zealand
61:Salt Lake City, Utah
577:People from Nūhaka
497:"Missionary Dies"
156:Mere was born in
125:Mere Mete Whaanga
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38:February 15, 1848
22:Mere Mete Whaanga
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131:(LDS Church) in
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98:Hirini Whaanga
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503:. May 12, 1944
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360:Newspapers.com
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247:Heber J. Grant
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188:Salt Lake City
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90:LDS Missionary
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87:Known for
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57:(aged 96)
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543:. Retrieved
540:Deseret News
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505:. Retrieved
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181:Move to Utah
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55:(1944-05-11)
53:May 11, 1944
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572:1944 deaths
567:1848 births
545:October 14,
507:October 31,
449:|work=
394:October 31,
236:Later years
207:Kanab, Utah
162:Hawke's Bay
133:New Zealand
101:(1869–1905)
77:Nationality
561:Categories
265:References
168:Conversion
34:1848-02-15
451:ignored (
441:cite book
226:ordinance
152:Biography
115:Parent(s)
95:Spouse(s)
107:Children
220:in the
214:endowed
218:sealed
158:Nūhaka
63:, U.S.
42:Nūhaka
253:Death
137:Maori
547:2016
509:2016
453:help
396:2016
216:and
200:moko
194:and
50:Died
28:Born
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439:{{
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110:4
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32:(
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