In 1965 when circuit overseer Fred Wegener and district overseer Donald Clare visited Nukualofa, they were impressed by the diligent efforts put forth to keep the organization going without outside assistance.

Thus after almost 14 years the Tongan immigration officials announced in 1969 that the Society’s traveling representatives would be allowed to stay for six months. So the Society sent in circuit overseer Len Helberg and his wife, Rita, for two months, and what a joyful time of training that was!

Several days a week the brothers gathered at Brother Vete’s home to learn congregation organization. The visit was climaxed with the Memorial, attended by 53, and a circuit assembly, which helped to develop a stronger spirit of love and unity. The brothers cooked the day’s food on hot stones buried in a ground oven and ate under a large tarpaulin hung from trees behind the Kingdom Hall. Spread on mats on the ground were low feasting tables lent to Brother Tovi by the king of Tonga, for whom Brother Tovi works as chauffeur. That month Tonga reached a new peak of 18 publishers.

Beginning in March 1955 circuit overseers made brief visits to these islands, but because of the strong influence of the Methodist and Roman Catholic religions, no Witness missionaries were allowed to enter the country, and no brothers from other places could get into the country to help the local publishers. So the Witnesses in Tonga have had to develop largely on their own.