Religion is one of the most important aspects of Samoan culture.  Before missionaries came from the West, most Samoans had a religion where they believed in many gods, as well as worshipped their ancestors.    The first missionaries arrived in Samoa in 1830, they began teaching Christianity to these Pacific Islanders.  By 1848, the New Testament had been converted into the Samoan Language. To this day, churches and the houses of the pastors tend to be the grandest buildings one would come across in any village in Samoa.