The Tongan Mission

After touring the Samoan Mission, McKay and Cannon briefly separated. While Cannon sailed to New Zealand to secure their future travel itinerary and steamship tickets, McKay headed to neighboring Tonga alone. Before he could set foot in the Tongan Mission, however, the apostle and his fellow steamship passengers were forced to endure two weeks of quarantine on the remote five-acre islet of Makahaa near Nukualofa. They did so at the behest of the local Tongan government, who feared an outbreak of measles brought by outsiders. McKay’s long, hot days were enlivened by exploring the coral beds, reading Shakespeare, and holding