Waialua, November 26th. Were up about 3 o'clock this morning and breakfasted off poi and salt, had prayer, and then started on our journey to Waialua. We traveled about three miles and then came to the foot of the hill of difficulty and commenced the arduous task of ascending by the light of the moon. Although it was early and cold, the perspiration poured off us with the exertion. With the exception of the surf rolling in there was no sound to be heard; it seemed as if all nature was asleep. We could not even hear a dog bark although we passed through the village of Kalaupapa. Soon after reaching the top of the hill daylight began to appear, we traveled about two hours before daylight. We walked about twenty miles before we could get anything to eat. We then stopped at the house of a native and had some new baked Kalo and new milk. After eating and resting a short time we pursued our journey.

We called at the store and got a letter each from Brother John A. West, Honolulu, Oahu. News good with the exception that the Saints are very Polaka, that is to say dull or idle. We reached Kiliula about 2 o'clock and found Brother Kealoha busy shipping potatoes. We stopped a short time and then came on to this place. The Saints seemed very glad to see us back. We have traveled about 35 miles today and my feet are very sore.

Brother King is in a pilikia as his boots are worn out and he has nothing to wear. We ate a hearty supper of (Hee) or squid and some good sour poi. I wrote a letter to Clement and answered Brother West's letter. We have had the house full of Saints all the evening alternately talking and singing.

November 27th. I arose this morning very little refreshed, I was troubled very much with the toothache all night. We met with the Saints before breakfast, Brother King preached on faith. Brother King went to Kililua to try to get a pair of boots but didn't succeed. Met with the Saints in the evening. Keluli and Kamalema had a bit of a fuss, but it was all settled by forgiving each other and shaking hands. I have been troubled all day with the toothache so bad I have not been able to study and it still continues.

November 28th. My tooth troubled me so much that I have not been able to sleep all night, and the pain seems to increase. Our old man was troubled very much too. He got a native to extract his in the following manner: He laid down on the floor on his back and the native Doctor then stuffed his mouth full of dirty kapa. He then took a stick about three inches long, and a stone about as large as my fist. He fixed one end of the stick on the tooth and hit the other end with the stone. Two good hits fetched it out. He very kindly offered to serve me the same way but I declined as I was afraid he would break my jaw bone. However, I got Brother King to try. He struck my tooth three or four times but could not bring it and the operation put me in such pain I thought I would go out of my mind. After that I got him to lay hands on me, it got a little easier then. I have been trying all day to get a horse to go to Kaluakai, but have not yet succeeded. The excuses are that some are heavy with foal, some very poor, and one had a stick in its eye.

November 29th. My tooth still troubled me. No sleep all night. I got Brother King again to try to knock it out but he only succeeded in breaking off a small piece. It is very bad I cannot study nor read. We met with the Saints twice today, very few attended meeting.

November 30th. I got up this morning about nine o'clock most worn out with my toothache. I got Brother King to lay hands on me again, since which time I have been easier. I wrote to my brother C. C. Hurst, and also to Brother Eli Bell in answer to one received from him this afternoon stating that Brother Hammond has got charge of a vessel, everything prospering in Lanai, all the Brethren enjoying good health.

December 1st. My tooth seemed to get worse than ever this morning. I got Brother King to try and burn the nerve with a large needle. Tried a long time and got my lips burned on one side which caused them to be very sore. My tooth has been easier all day though we were not able to get to burn the nerve as the tooth was so far back. It has rained all day very hard and the wind is very strong.

Our next door neighbors had a pig take sick the other day, for fear it would die they killed it today in the following manner: They got a rope and tied its jaws together and smothered it. They then baked it whole with a quantity of Kalo. We have been in a pilikia for fish these last two days, having to live on poi and salt and kukui nuts.

Sunday, December 2nd. Not feeling very well I did not attend meeting before breakfast. Somehow I have not felt so well in meeting as I usually do. I have been worried all week and had very little rest of either mind or body. Bobby Burns may well call toothache the hell of all disease.

Brother King and one of the native Elders preached a couple of good sermons about the Saints giving Brother King a pair of boots. Brother Poipoa then got up and said he would give one half dollar toward buying a pair, so they took up a collection and raised the sum of two dollars. The Saints don't seem to have as good a spirit as they used to have. I don't know what to think hardly. They seem as if they do not care for Mormonism. I hope something will take place shortly, the worst of it is they are not persecuted enough they need something to rouse them up. I sometimes feel almost like praying for something of the sort to come upon them. We get talking to the natives sometimes and it is just like throwing water on a duck's back, it runs off, or goes in at one ear and out of the other. This makes me think how weak man is without the assistance of the Almighty. So prospects look very dull at present, in regard to the Gospel among this people, yet I fully believe and trust if we prove faithful and unite ourselves as the heart of one man that the Lord will bless us, not only in getting a thorough knowledge of the language but also in doing a good work among this people. This is ever my earnest prayer. I feel already that being sent on this mission has and will prove one of the greatest blessings I ever received, for it tries a man in every way imaginable. It is necessary to be always good tempered. We must govern ourselves, I find from experience, in our thoughts as well as actions. Also to watch and live prayerful at all times for the Devil is always at hand, even when I have been amongst the natives I have found it necessary to be watchful lest I partake of this spirit.

December 3rd. My tooth seems as bad as ever, it woke me about two this morning. After breakfast I got some tobacco leaf and stuffed in it which made it a little easier. One of the brethren brought me a hat made by the natives (Auiwana). I am very glad of it for the last time we were traveling I wore a cloth cap, and not being used to it I suffered dreadfully from the heat of the sun. Sometimes it would blister my neck and face.

I wrote the following letter to my brother Alfred W. Hurst:


"Dear Brother: As this is the anniversary of your birthday, I forget which but I believe the 27th, I take pleasure of seating myself to address a few lines to you. I heartily wish you many happy returns of the same.

"I hope this will find you and Mrs. Hurst, (or shall I say sister Emma) enjoying good health and prosperity. I presume you have been informed of my arrival here and being appointed a mission on these Islands, so I shall not trouble you with a long detail about that. So suffice it to say that I am enjoying excellent health and spirits.

"I already feel that being sent on this mission has and will prove one of the greatest blessings I have received since I have been in this church. I am, they say, learning the language very fast but as yet I have only spoken in public twice in the native language. I hope by the time you get this I shall be speaking fluently.

"Clement is in Honolulu at present. I expect he will leave very soon for the valleys in company with some of the brethren. He was well the last time I heard from him, about a week ago.

"I would like to know what you think about Mormonism now. I hope and trust ere this you have rendered obedience to the requirements of the Gospel. You have either got to believe it or be damned, that is Christ's words, and I know it is true. You cannot, my dear brother, obtain salvation in any other way than being baptized for the remission of sins, that you may receive the Holy Ghost, which will give you a knowledge of the Gospel. My dear brother, I tremble lest you reject this Gospel, if you do, behold how great will be your condemnation, for you have had the privilege of hearing this Gospel preached, you have had an example set before you, you have had our testimonies to the truth of this work, you have had our fervent prayers offered up in your behalf, and will you, oh my brother in the flesh, will you not believe your own brother. Do you think we would have left our home, and dear mother and sisters behind on mere belief. Again do you think for one moment we lie when we say we know the gospel is true and that it is from God? Do you think we would risk our salvation in this manner? O my dear brother I beg and entreat you to examine these principles and obey them, and then ask God for a testimony and He will give it to you. Remember St. Paul says: "The natural man understandeth not the things of the spirit of God." Therefore, before you can tell anything about this Gospel you must try it. I have found for myself that this church is true, by a witness of the Spirit of God, or I should say hundreds of testimonies. I have witnessed the gift of tongues, prophecy, healings, etc. to back this up. The whole of the scriptures prove this church to be true, also the signs of the times. I promise you in the name of the Lord Jesus you shall receive all these blessings if you obey these principles. How do you think you are going to obtain salvation unless you obey the commandments of God? The Bible shows us plainly there is only one road to heaven. Therefore, my brother, pray to God that your eyes may be opened, that you may see the truth. You may try to cast this aside, but in vain, it will stick to you, and if you reject this testimony of your brothers, affectionate though distant, you will have to give account thereof in the day of judgement. May the God in heaven bless you is the prayer of

FRED AND CLEMENT HURST."


December 4th. Brother Keanu, a native Elder, arrived from Lanai via Lahaina. He brought a letter from President S. Smith, stating that they were all well, everything going well except the potatoes, the worms were bothering them considerably. I spent most of the day writing the following letter to my Mother:


"My ever Dear Mother: This is the second letter I have addressed to you from these Islands, and I can assure you I long to hear of your welfare. I hope you will not think we have run away from you and forgot all about you because that is not the case. I have no doubt it looks strange to you about leaving you in New Zealand and not going to see you before we left. We would have done so but it would have taken all the means we had. Besides it would not have been wisdom as we were counseled together and I concluded the Lord knew best and did as His servants told me. Another thing you sent such unkind letters to us, that is when you did write, which was seldom, in fact all of the letters I got were full of abuse against the Church, especially from Selina; but do not think for one moment we think anything about it, for still as I have written above in native, "Great is our love for all." I can assure you that you are not forgotten by us, for you are remembered daily in our prayers.

"One thing why I wanted to gather was to be with the Saints of God, and also to get a comfortable home for you, but the Lord has seen fit to call me to a mission in these Sandwich Islands, so I will leave that for Clement to do. I hope and trust when my mission is up I will meet you all in Zion for as the Lord lives, that is the only place of safety from the distress that is already coming upon the nations, and if you will take the warning voice of your two sons and the Elders of the Church, if you have not already done so, you will be baptized for the remission of your sins and flee to Zion. That is the place spoken of by the Prophets, both ancient and modern, for surely with your own eyes you can see that peace is taken from the earth. The judgements of the Almighty are being poured among the nations of the earth; pestilence, wars, famines, earthquakes, etc., and you can read about it all in your own Bible. What can you be thinking about, will you reject our testimony, shall we call on you in vain to repent? O that I had the voice of an archangel, I would make all the nation to hear the joyful sound of the Gospel. Will you not believe what we say? Does it seem like idle tales to you? I hope not. If you do not understand what I have written, kneel down and pray and ask God, and He will give you wisdom. I wish I could express my thoughts to you but I cannot. At times I feel as if I could weep for you. O if you could only know our love for your soul. I feel as if I could undergo anything to get you to obey the Gospel, but I feel to put my trust in God, knowing it will work out alright in the end if I do right. I do sincerely hope and pray that you will no longer reject our testimony but read your Bible carefully and practice its teachings. Get baptized in order that you might receive the Holy Ghost from those who have the power to bestow it and then you will know for yourself as we do that the Gospel is true, and the power of God unto salvation to those who believe and practice it.

"I will now draw to a close stating that we are ever well and rejoicing in having cleared our skirts of your blood, so that in the day of judgement you will have no excuse. May the God of heaven bless you with his spirit is the prayer of your ever affectionate sons

FRED AND CLEMENT HURST."


Mrs. S. M. Taunton, Wellington, New Zealand.


"My ever Dear Sister: It is with pleasure I take up my pen to let you know of my welfare in this far off land. As I used to sing at home, "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder", again, though in a foreign land they will find no change in me. This is true though long absent from you, we have not forgotten you. Our prayers have ascended in your behalf daily that you may render obedience to the commandments of God in order that you may receive the same blessings that we do, and also that you may obtain salvation in the kingdom of God. I will ask you one question. Before we obeyed the commandments of the Lord Jesus you used to love us both and believed what we said, but since that time you have set your face against us. What is the reason? Have we behaved unkind to you? Verily no. But otherwise we have loved you all the more and have done every kindness that lay in our power, in one way especially, in warning you to flee from the wrath to come. What then can be the reason? Jesus Christ's words shall be the answer to the question. Matthew 34:35-36. "Think not that I am come to send peace to he earth, I am not come to send peace, but the sword; for I am come to set a man in variance against his father, the daughter against the mother, etc., and among his foes shall be those of his own household." so you see you are fulfilling the prophecy for our Savior. Now I know you do it ignorantly, God forbid that you should continue to reject his council. Will you not believe our testimony that this work is true, and that Joseph Smith was inspired of God to usher in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times? Do you call this blasphemy? The Jews of old called Jesus a blasphemer because He said He was the Son of God. I ask you: Did that alter the truth of what He said? Verily no. Unknowingly they killed him but still He was the Son of God. The very same with Joseph Smith, he said he was a prophet of God and commanded man everywhere to repent. Did he do any man an injury? No. He warned them to obey not his commandments, but God's, which you have plainly written in your own bible. Did he like the sects of the day, get a feeling in his heart that he must preach? Verily no, for the Lord commanded him by revelation from heaven. Why did no men rise up and kill John Wesley, Calvin, and others too numerous to mention? Because they preached their own opinions and were not sent from God by revelation. Then why was Joseph Smith and his followers driven from city to city and at last hundreds of them murdered, persecuted, and Brother Joseph with them? Because they preached the same Gospel that Christ and his Apostles preached anciently. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned," Jesus Christ says: "Ye are not of the world, therefore, the world hateth you." again, "You shall be hated of all men for my name sake," therefore, you see the necessity of persecution. Christ says again: "It is necessary that offences come, but woe to them by whom they come." This strengthens me when I see you all against us. It proves the Gospel is true. Lest I weary your patience I will close by giving you my humble testimony to the truth of the Gospel. I have examined it every way to my satisfaction. I have searched the scriptures diligently. I have proved it by gaining a testimony, or shall I say hundreds of testimonies. Therefore, I can say to you, and lie not, that I know the Gospel to be true, and will save them that believe and practice it. I humbly pray to our Father in Heaven that you may render obedience to the principles and that you may be saved in the Celestial Kingdom of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

YOUR AFFECTIONATE BROTHERS, FRED AND CLEMENT."


Miss Amelia Ann Hurst. Wellington, New Zealand.


"My Ever Dear Sister Amelia: It is with peculiar feelings that I sit down to write to you. I sincerely hope you are enjoying good health. What pleasure it would give me to see you once more, and have a chat once more my dear Amelia. Though we are Mormons we have not forgotten you, but love you all the more. As I cannot have the privilege of a chat with you I will do the best I can under the circumstances. Presuming you would like to know how I live here I will proceed to tell you to the best of my ability as follows:

"The chief article of food used here is called poi, and is made from the roots of a plant called kalo, a species of Indian turnip. It is baked underground then washed and pounded up and mixed with cold water to a thick paste. It is then set by till it ferments, or gets sour. It is then eaten cold with the fingers. Also sweet potatoes, these are usually mashed up and mixed with cold water and as they bake enough to last sometime near a week, the consequence is they get sour too. I was most afraid to eat them at first, but however, received no injury. Then we have fish when we can get it, sugar cane, water melons, sometimes breadfruit which is delicious when ripe, also bananas and sometimes oranges, but they are not plentiful on these Islands, some places plenty of coconuts. I believe this is the poorest of all the group for fruit.

"The people are generally very kind and hospitable, except when the ministers have got such power over them. Some places they actually tell the people not to let us come near their houses lest we defile them. They circulate all manner of lies about us. I am very glad about that as it always helps forward the work of the Lord.

"I am present studying the language of this people. It seemed very hard at first but the blessings of the Lord have attended me, though I do not do much at preaching yet. This language is different from the New Zealand as they use "K" instead of "T", though it evidently belongs to the same class. The natives here resemble the natives there as far as skin and color goes, but they are not such an intelligent people by far, at least so far as I have seen. It is laughable to see the women, they dress in what they call in New Zealand, round abouts, all the gayest colors they can get. They then get a long piece of print and wind it about their waists and get astride a horse and away they go, daring as a horse soldier, with the end of said print flying in the wind.

"Obey all the commandments of God as far and as fast as they are made known to you, in so doing the Lord will bless and prosper you. You have our testimony to the truth of this work. I have proved it every way to my satisfaction, therefore, my dear Amelia, hesitate not, but serve the Lord. As for Clement and I, we will serve the Lord come what may, even death, for we love the Lord Jesus Christ. May you receive His spirit to lead and guide you into all truth, is and ever shall be the earnest prayers of your affectionate brothers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

FRED AND CLEMENT HURST."