[1]While Clark and Whittle’s letter to the Maui missionaries is not extant, they wrote to the Kaua‘i missionaries that “the prospct looks dark at presant but the Lord is abel to turn the harts of the Children of men we are not discureged yet[.] we will do the best that we can [to] improve evry opertunity and preach to all that will hear and get the langqueg If we can” (Clark and Whittle to Dixon and Farrer, Jan. 2, 1851, WFC).

[2]Cannon subsequently recounted the Protestant missionaries’ influence in the islands: “Their religion was, in fact, the State religion, though not so declared by law; it was popular to be a member of their church, while it was unpopular not to be connected with it. It looked like a formidable and hopeless task to attempt to preach the gospel to a people and in a government over whom sectarian priests had such complete control. But we knew God could break down every barrier, and remove every obstacle” (Cannon, My First Mission, 36). Several influential government officials had originally gone to the islands as missionaries. Although government officials did display overt prejudice against the Latter-day Saints on occasion, actions that Cannon and his fellow Latter-day Saint missionaries viewed as prejudice were actually reflections of logical national concerns or were the result of officials’ uncertainty about the authority they held under the Sandwich Islands’ evolving government. While Latter-day Saints were denied some requests, on other occasions during Cannon’s mission they successfully petitioned for relief at both the local and highest levels.

[3]Cannon originally wrote the year for his entries of January 6 through January 13 as 1852, then changed it in pen to 1851.

[4]Pia, or Polynesian arrowroot, is high in starch. It was mixed with water and drunk as a treatment for diarrhea. Pia was also used as a thickening agent in food. For additional information, see Krauss, Plants in Hawaiian Culture, 15, 103, 284.

[5]Cannon provided additional information when he later wrote about the day’s events:

“I had explained our position to the man of whom we rented the house. Of course my explanations were not perfect, for three weeks’ residence had not made us masters of the language; but he comprehended the situation exactly. He went to a neighboring house, where the family lived who had done our washing, and who had been very friendly and kind, and told the lady how matters stood with us. She came in; but we were so busy making our arrangements to start out that we did not converse with her, and she went away again. Brother Bigler started off in the direction which had fallen to him, with a piece of paper in his hand, on which sentences in native, such as he would be likely to need, were written, with their meaning in English. Brother Keeler and myself were preparing to go in the directions which had fallen to us, when Bro. Keeler suggested that we call upon Na-lima-nui, the old lady of whom I have spoken. Our object was to learn from her, if we could, who there was that would be likely to entertain strangers. . . .

“Na-lima-nui did not know where we could find a man who could entertain us; but she said we were welcome to come and live in her house. We had a long talk with her, and I endeavored to explain our position and what our business was in coming to the Islands. We had no money, I said, but anything that we did have, we should be glad to give her. We felt humble, and would have been pleased to obtain a corner on the floor to sleep in, so that we could live, learn the language and fill our mission. The kindness of this old lady touched me, and I could not refrain from weeping. Never before in my life did I feel so thankful as I did for the shelter she offered. I praised the Lord therefor; it was He who touched the heart of herself and family. The thought that we would not have to separate added to our joy, and you can probably imagine with what delight we went to find Brother Bigler. He had succeeded in finding a native who was willing to give him food and a lodging place, if he would milk his cow and do other chores. He was as much rejoiced as we to learn that we could live together.

“We did not expect to get any more accommodations than a place to stretch ourselves at night in our blankets; but Na-lima-nui’s daughter, who was married to a Spaniard, lived adjoining; and she had arranged for her mother to live in her rooms. . . . Such a profound feeling of thankfulness as I had on our obtaining a shelter in this poor, native woman’s hut I never experienced before” (Cannon, My First Mission, 16–17).

Before drawing lots the missionaries had “called on the Lord to open our way” (Bigler, “Personal Experience,” Apr. 2, 1896).

[6]Cannon originally wrote the date for this entry as January 15 and the next as January 16, but corrected them in pen.

[7]Years later Bigler still fondly recalled his feelings at the time: “All this seemed so much like a miracle to [find] a house and home and food for nothing! Our hearts were melted with thankfulness to the Lord for His goodness. We blessed, and asked the Lord to bless Naliman[u]i, and we rejoiced and praised the Lord for the tender mercies bestowed upon us. After we had taken possession of the house, the old Lady and a number of her associates came in and sat down on the mats. They looked at us earnestly and then wept like children, with pity for us, and I must confess that we elders were considerably touched and felt like crying too. To tell the truth we were overjoyed to be so well treated” (Bigler, “Personal Experience,” Apr. 2 1896). The missionaries’ new home featured beds, a table, and three chairs (Bigler autobiography, “Book A,” Jan. 13, 1851).

[8]Parley P. Pratt’s A Voice of Warning and Instruction to All People was the main Latter-day Saint missionary tract of the day. First published in 1837, this work of more than two hundred pages set forth the beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and featured a systematic discussion of the differences between that church and traditional Christianity. For further information, see Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:69–71, 97–98, 172–73, 182, 261, 359–60; 2:304–5; Flake and Draper, Mormon Bibliography, 2:123–31.

[9]Keeler reported that “Brother Cannon went this morning to see Mr Baldwin to see if he could get some books he said that he had not got eny that would bee of eny benifet to us and that he did [not] know of any in the Language” (Keeler journal, Jan. 20, 1851). Bigler’s efforts to obtain study materials two days later proved more successful. Mary Ann Alexander, wife of the Reverend William Alexander, principal of nearby Lahainaluna Seminary and herself a teacher at the school, told Bigler that “such books were now Scarce” but then gave the grateful Latter-day Saint missionary a Hawaiian grammar book as a present (Bigler autobiography, “Book A,” Jan. 22, 1851). Years later Cannon recounted an event that apparently took place during the latter part of January pertaining to his efforts to learn the Hawaiian language:

“My desire to learn to speak was very strong; it was present with me night and day, and I never permitted an opportunity of talking with the natives to pass without improving it. I also tried to exercise faith before the Lord to obtain the gift of talking and understanding the language. One evening, while sitting on the mats conversing with some neighbors who had dropped in, I felt an uncommonly great desire to understand what they said. All at once I felt a peculiar sensation in my ears; I jumped to my feet, with my hands at the sides of my head, and exclaimed to Elders Bigler and Keeler who sat at the table, that I believed I had received the gift of interpretation! And it was so. From that time forward I had but little, if any, difficulty in understanding what the people said. I might not be able at once to separate every word which they spoke from every other word in the sentence; but I could tell the general meaning of the whole. This was a great aid to me in learning to speak the language, and I felt very thankful for this gift from the Lord.

“I mention this that my readers may know how willing God is to bestow gifts upon his children. If they should be called to go as missionaries to a foreign nation, whose language they do not understand, it is their privilege to exercise faith for the gifts of speaking and interpreting that language, and also for every other gift which they may need” (Cannon, My First Mission, 15–16).

[10]A schooner is rigged with sails that run fore and aft (parallel with the length of the ship) on two or more masts. The Kaluna ran a regularly advertised route between Lahaina and Honolulu (see “Regular Packet,” Honolulu Polynesian, Dec. 21, 1850).

[11]Farrer later noted that there were “not more than forty or fifty who spoke the English language” on Kaua‘i. “We tried for some time to hold meetings among them, but owing to their scattered situation, and their indifference to the principles of truth, we found it useless to spend our time among them” (Farrer to Tibbets and Clawson, Nov. 26, 1855). On January 13 Farrer went to O‘ahu to “see what was the best course for us to take as the White people would not turn out to hear us & we could not make much progress in learning the native Language for want of some person to teach us.” On January 18 Farrer reported to Clark and Whittle “what we had done and what the prospects were for doing any thing amongst the whites that they would not come to hear us. this I found to be the case with the people here and Bro Clark said he did not think it was any use for those of the Brethren who were going home in the spring to stay any longer” (Farrer diary, Jan. 13, 18, 1851). Consequently, Dixon was sent for. Regarding Cannon’s arrival, Farrer wrote: “We were all glad to see him he was in good health and spirits, and had made considerable progress in learning the native language: he said that Bros. Bigler & Keeler were both well and in good spirits and felt as though there would be a great work on these Islands amongst the natives” (Farrer diary, Jan. 25, 1851).

[12]Scriptural references to the knowledge of Jesus Christ covering the earth include Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14; and 2 Nephi 21:9; 30:15.

[13]James 2:14–26.

[14]Although Cannon did not write about it at the time, he later recalled that his determination to stay in Hawai‘i was largely the result of experiences he had in Lahaina after the Maui missionaries decided to preach the gospel to the natives:

“Our desire was to fill our mission: and because we felt thus, the Lord made up for any lack of comfort by giving us His Holy Spirit. I had never been so happy in my life before as I was then. When I prayed I could go unto God in faith; He listened to my prayers; He gave me great comfort and joy; He revealed Himself to me as He never had done before, and told me that if I would persevere, I should be blessed, be the means of bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, and be spared to return home after having done a good work. Many things were revealed to me, during those days, when He was the only friend we had to lean upon, which were afterwards fulfilled” (Cannon, My First Mission, 18).

During a visit to Lahaina in December 1900, Cannon enlarged upon these events:

“I had many reflections this morning upon my first residence in this place. It was here where the Lord revealed to me the good that should be accomplished if I should stay and work with this people. So clear was I upon this point that I was resolved to stay here if I had to do so alone. . . .

“I started out this morning to find if possible the place where Nalimanui lived when she gave us shelter. I wanted to find the site of this house and the garden where I sought the Lord in secret prayer and where He condescended to commune with me, for I heard His voice more than once as one man speaks with another, encouraging me and showing me the work which should be done among this people if I would follow the dictates of His spirit” (Cannon journal, Dec. 27, 1900; spelling standardized).

[15]Cannon later recalled that “the progress I had made in learning the language surprised the Elders at Honolulu. I was able to converse tolerably well with the natives, and understand what they said. When they learned how the Lord had opened our way and aided us in acquiring the language, they felt that it might be wisdom for me to continue my labors there, instead of removing to Honolulu” (Cannon, My First Mission, 21).

[16]See Appendix 2, Item 1.

[17]Cannon afterward wrote that some of the missionaries at Honolulu were “of the opinion that our mission was to the whites, and that when we had warned them, we were at liberty to return. How do you think such differences of views and opinions can be settled? Had the president of the mission exercised the authority to dictate, he could have decided between these views; but he would not. He left each one to act for himself. . . . Our only resource was to obtain revelation from the Lord for ourselves. This is the privilege of every man and woman in the Church. If Latter-day Saints will seek for knowledge, God will give it to them to guide them in all the details of life. . . .

“. . . The idea of leaving the islands, because there were not enough white men to preach the gospel to, was so foreign to the minds of my companions on Maui, and to myself, that when I heard these Elders w[e]re there with the intention of returning home, I was surprised.

“I did not conceal my feelings from [t]hem; I told them that I could not go home under existing circumstances, without feeling condemned. . . .

“Brother Whittle had been told by Elder Rich that he could return home after filling a short mission. The president of the mission had done all the preaching at the meetings they had held, and had not even given him an opportunity to bear his testimony. His position had been, and still was unpleasant; and he saw no way to remedy it. If he could do any good, he was willing to stay; but he thought that, under his circumstances, it was useless. Brother William Farrer, one of the Elders who had been laboring on Kauai, made up his mind that he would not return home, but stop and devote himself to acquiring the language. His partner, however, would not stop. He was bent upon returning. Being an intimate acquaintance, I talked freely with him upon the subject. He would go home, he said, and gladly take a mission to Europe, if he should be appointed; but to labor there he could not with any pleasure. Besides, he was an old bachelor, he added, and he ought to be married, and so he would return home and take him a wife” (Cannon, My First Mission, 14–15, 19–20).

[18]The vessel the missionaries were on had been trapped by headwinds for several hours in the harbor before it was towed (Farrer diary, Jan. 29, 1851).

[19]Keeler wrote of Cannon’s return: “This morning contrary to our expecttations Brother Cannon returned from Oahu and Brother Farer with him which caused us to regois mutch as we ware very loansom there being no whites here to asociate with we had considerable talking to do about things that had transpired since we parted with them” (Keeler journal, Jan. 30, 1851). Farrer reported that Bigler and Keeler “were both well and in good spirits and felt that the Lord was going to do a great [work] among this people” (Farrer diary, Jan. 30, 1851).