I Sincerely Trust And Pray That I...

I sincerely trust and pray that I may enjoy the Spirit of the Lord which was so manifest during our sessions this morning and this afternoon. I will say "Hawaii Noka noi!" That is, there is no mission that goes beyond or exceeds Hawaii. ¶

I have had the privilege of laboring among the true blood of Israel, through the loins of Joseph, through the two branches of the House of Israel — Ephraim and Manassa — a people whom the Lord loves — a people whom the Lord chastens and forgives because of their great faith. ¶

Hawaii, during the past one hundred years, has been greatly blessed because of the faith of that wonderful people. The Lord has blessed them with a Temple, where they have the privilege of going into the House of the Lord. And they look upon that house with sacred feelings in their hearts. Would that you could have the privilege of attending one of the sessions in the Hawaiian Temple at Laie and witness there the sincerity and the honor they feel for the privilege which is theirs in going into that holy house. ¶

I feel it within my heart that I am an Hawaiian. I was born in Hawaii. I made that statement once that I was an Hawaiian and one boy spoke out in that little meeting and said, "You don't look like it to me." ¶

I said, "Son, why?" ¶

And he said, "Because you haven't got the same color skin." ¶

I said, "No, son, that's true. I haven't been blessed with that delicate, brown, lovely skin of the Hawaiian, but if you could see my heart, you could note that I am an Hawaiian." ¶

I love that people because of their faith and their love and their respect for the General Authorities of this Church. When the President of the Church visited them, they honored and respected him, and they love him as their prophet. When they say their morning prayers and at night, they remember their prophet. They remember the General Authorities of the Church for they love them. And when the counsel goes out from the headquarters unto that wonderful people, they heed that counsel and they honor it. ¶

The Lord said that they should become a white and delightsome people. They are a delightsome people and I feel, when they stand before God and their souls are presented before him you'll find that they are a white and delightsome people. We are not judged by the clothes we wear, nor the skin that covers these bodies but God will judge us by the purity and the love and the sincerity that's in our hearts. ¶

The mission of Hawaii has also produced a Stake. It stands well among the leaders of the Stakes of this great Church. They have produced many missionaries. During the past year and a half it has been my joy to present before the First Presidency ten names of Hawaiians for missionary work, and they honored these fine young people and all ten were assigned to labor in the Japanese Mission, in Japan. And they are doing good work. I would like to relate one little incident of Brother William Akau from Kawaihae, a fisherman boy, a boy who was out to sea fishing for a living. He was called on a mission. He said, "I'm not learned. I haven't had a college education, but I know that God lives and I know that Joseph Smith was a divine prophet of God." And so he hung his net upon a branch of a Kiawi tree and he went forth to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and become a fisherman of men. In bearing his testimony, he declared that he prayed sincerely and honestly that he might perform an honorable mission and when his work was completed in the land of Japan, that he could return to his little village at Kawaihae and there pick up his net on the Kiawi tree and go fishing again. Another stalwart boy had only been in the Church two years, married, and had a lovely baby. His mother was not a member of the Church and so I spoke to the mother first, about his going on a mission. He was a boy who was well provided with the necessities and comforts of life, and the mother said: "Yes, President Smith, it would be an honor unto us to have our son go on a mission." Then I spoke to his wife. She cried with joy, "What a grand blessing it would be for my husband to go on a mission." ¶

"How would you get along?" ¶

"Very well, with my baby to comfort me." ¶

"Then I spoke to the boy, who had just purchased him a brand new 1948 Packard automobile, "Kimo, how would you like to accept a mission?" ¶

"President Smith, I would appreciate the honor." ¶

I said, "I have interviewed your mother and your wife; they feel as you do." ¶

And so his name was presented to the First Presidency. He was called upon a mission. He went to Japan with his music. President Clissold reports to me that during the time of study when he could hear the other missionaries studying aloud, this good boy was off in the corner of the room playing his guitar. His first impression was to correct that and have him join the other missionaries in studying the language, but he said he felt perhaps that he was homesick. Then a day or two later again he was playing his music while the others were studying. President Clissold hesitated, then, to speak and the third time he said: "Well, perhaps I had better speak to him." But that morning he called on him to pray. In that little family group of missionaries, he got down upon his knees and he humbly prayed in the Japanese language. It was not a memorized prayer. President Clissold said it came from his heart, and he marveled. The next morning he was called upon to offer prayer for the food they were eating, and again in the language of the Japanese he prayed. He said, "How are you learning this language, Kimo?" ¶

"Well he said, "You know I go off in a room with my guitar and while the other missionaries are talking one with another and explaining the principles of the language I listen. It goes in this ear, the music goes in that ear and it can't get out. And thus, I've learned the Japanese language." ¶

I am proud of our missionaries in Japan. It seems to be easy for them to learn the language among that people. ¶

And another thing they have taken into that land is kindness and sunshine, and love for the music of Hawaii. Through the war clouds over Japan and their defeat, and they were crushed, they could see no light, they could see no joy in life, the clouds were heavy over them; but when the Hawaiians arrived on the shores of Japan with their cheer, with their great love, and their music, the darkest of the clouds fled and light came through; their souls were touched with a new interest in life. ¶

I attended a meeting on the island of Lanai, an island that stands out prominent in the history of Hawaii and the Church. ¶

Time will not permit to give you the story. At one time in Hawaii in 1858 when the missionaries were all called forth because of the Johnston Army trouble coming into Utah, a condition existed in Hawaii whereby the Church was practically destroyed. The Saints endeavored to buy the Island of Lanai. An unscrupulous man by the name of Walter M. Gibson, cheated the natives out of the land which was being purchased by the Church. The great grandfather of Elder Benson, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, W. W. ¶

Cluff, and Alma L. Smith were called to go back to Hawaii to reorganize the mission and establish again proper leadership. In later years the island was sold to the Hawaiian Pineapple Company. ¶

At the present time 3500 people live upon that island. We endeavored to establish a meeting place over there. We sent our missionaries to that island. A little over three years ago they gave us a six months probation period and we have built a meetinghouse, helped by the plantation, and we established a nice little branch where we put our elders to labor. In that length of time we had gained the respect of the Hawaiian Pineapple Company. They are very generous to us. We have a nice meeting house, a recreation hall free, and our light and water free. They furnished us paint that we might paint the building and maintain it. So we have taken a pride in our lot and we have nice flowers and a beautiful lawn which is a credit to the Church. In my last meeting on Lanai we had 145 present, Hawaiians, 43; Japanese, 31; Philippinos, 39; Chinese, 10; Koreans, 9; Portugese, 2; and our whites who were mainly missionaries, 11. To mingle with the peoples of Hawaii who associate together as one, and when you labor among them, they are no longer Japanese, Koreans' Philippinos, Hawaiians; they are children of God, brothers and sisters, who have that same feeling in their souls that we have who are assembled here in this holy house. ¶

Much work is being done at the present time among the Philippino peoples and when you get to know them and understand them, you will find that they have the same sweet feelings in their hearts that the Hawaiians have. They are very generous in their natures. Over in Pahalla, the farthest place south on the big island of Hawaii, most of the people in that little branch are Philippines, and when we held our little meeting there and bade them farewell and could see their eyes fill with tears and their cheeks moistened we felt to thank God that we had had the privilege and joy of associating with His children, though they have not had the privilege we have had. ¶

At our farewell social and our meeting in the Temple, the land of my birth, ( I was born in Laie ) , after the talk, Brother Kanahele, the first counselor in the presidency of the Temple, said, "President Smith, you have hurt our feelings." ¶

I said, "What did I say? What did I do to hurt your feelings?" ¶

He said, "You have been released and you are returning home." ¶

He said, "This is your home and therefore you have hurt our feelings." ¶

From then on I remembered that, and so, I, in our farewell meeting mentioned the fact that I was leaving the land of my birth and returning to my adopted land, and thus they seemed to be pleased. ¶

We have listened to President Cowley's talk, his feelings toward Polynesia. Sister Smith and I know how he feels. Our hearts are out there in Hawaii. When I see our beloved sisters, Abbie and Kamaile, here, stalwart in the Church — I have known them for many years — how pleased I am that they are here with us. ¶

Now, may the Lord bless us and may the Lord sustain us and give us courage to stand for the right and above all, that when we sustain the General Authorities of the Church by raising our hands, may we be sincere and honest in that privilege that is ours to sustain them, and when they give us counsel that might be contrary to a feeling that we have within our hearts, let's uphold them and sustain them, because they are inspired of God and they are prophets of the Lord. May the Lord sustain us and bless us in this and give us courage to do that which is right, is my humble prayer and I pray for it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶