About: Mere Mete Whaanga

Mere Mete Whaanga (February 15, 1848 – May 11, 1944) was a pioneer and missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in New Zealand. She was a leader of the Maori 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, Hirini Te Rito Whaanga, hundreds of members of their tribe were baptized. Mere and Hirini became vital to LDS work in the area. She moved to Salt Lake City 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.