--------------------- Forwarded message: From: [email protected] (David Kenison) Sender: [email protected] Reply-to: [email protected] To: [email protected] Date: 97-08-19 10:10:53 EDT JOSEPH F. SMITH'S HAWAIIAN MOTHER Joseph F. Smith was the son of Hyrum and Mary Fielding Smith. He was 5 when his father was martyred, and only 14 when his mother passed away. He was called on a mission to Hawaii at the age of 15, and at age 16 was the presiding Elder on the island of Molokai. It was difficult work, as many of the members had lapsed into inactivity and lived far away from each other around the island. At one point, Elder Smith became very seriously ill with a high fever. He spent almost three months in this critical condition, almost passing away several times. During that time, a young native couple cared for him and nursed him back to health, including many days of fasting and prayer on his behalf. Elder Smith always considered this wonderful Hawaiian lady, Ma Mahuhii, as his own Hawaiian mother. Many years after returning to Utah and being called as an apostle at age 27, then as President of the Church at age 62, Joseph F. Smith returned to the Islands with Charles W. Nibley, then a member of the Presiding Bishopric. They were greeted at Honolulu harbor by throngs of native Saints, who expressed their love with music, leis, and embraces. Bishop Nibley recorded: "It was a beautiful sight to see the deepseated love, the even tearful affection, that these people had for him. "In the midst of it all I noticed a poor, old blind woman tottering under the weight of about ninety years, being led in. She had a few choice bananas in her hand. It was her all -- her offering. She was calling, 'Iosepa, Iosepa!' Instantly, when he saw her, he ran to her and clasped her in his arms, hugged her, and kissed her over and over again, patting her on the head saying, 'Mama, Mama, my dear old Mama!' "And with tears streaming down his cheeks he turned to me and said, 'Charley, she nursed me when I was a boy, sick and without anyone to care for me. She took me in and was a mother to me!' "O, it was touching -- it was pathetic. It was beautiful to see the great, noble soul in loving, tender remembrance of kindness extended to him, more than fifty years before; and the poor old soul who had brought her loving offering -- a few bananas -- it was all she had -- to put into the hand of her loved Iosepa." (Smith, _Life of Joseph F. Smith_, pp. 185-86) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stories from LDS Church History - distributed on the Internet via LDS-Gems mailing list - http://www.xmission.com/~dkenison/lds/gems/ Now available - a new book collection of pioneer stories: "Chronicles of Faith: Stories of the Mormon Pioneers." Price including postage is $17 (Utah residents add $.95 tax). Ask about international rates. Send check or money order to: David Kenison, 105 S. State #216, Orem, UT 84058 See http://www.xmission.com/~dkenison/lds/gems/chron.html