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Out of the Storm

Missionary work in the Hawaiian Islands started on Oahu in December 1850, with Elder George Q. Cannon and his companions. Then on February 17, 1853, Elder Thomas Karren who had marched with the Mormon Battalion in 1846-47, arrived to serve. 

After his arrival, Thomas felt strongly impressed to make his way to the island of Hawaii—the big island. Accordingly, on June 1, 1853, Elders Karren and Tanner, and a recent convert named John W. Kahumoku left Oahu in a small boat bound for Hawaii. 

The voyage was routine until the middle of the second day when they ran head-long into a heavy gale. The seas became very rough and the small vessel was tossed violently. The storm continued for two days. The boat made only twenty miles and the men were very seasick. 

On the morning of the third day, and the storm still raged, the decision was made to seek a sheltered cove and wait out the storm. “They were able to make it to, and anchor in, a cove on the very North tip of the island of Hawai’i, in the Kahala region.”

They then made it to shore. Thomas Karren said: 

“When I landed, I could hardly walk up the beach, my limbs fairly trembled with weakness having not eaten anything since Monday night, now it is Thursday. Soon we were surrounded by a lot of natives—poor and miserable—to all appearance. We felt that nature was almost exhausted.” 

The missionaries learned that there was a man there who was a member of the Church and he invited them to stay. That first evening a great number of the natives sought them out to hear them preach and ask them questions. Elder Kahumoku taught and interpreted masterfully. They were invited to come back the following morning. They did go back, and at the close of the meeting, 25 natives came forth requesting baptism. The next day another meeting was held and two more locals requested baptism. 

The saying went up among the locals that it was God that had brought the storm in order to “blow the missionaries into this place that was otherwise inaccessible, in order that the gospel might be preached to them.”

When the Captain of the schooner heard of the missionary success, he said that must have been the reason why he had had to put into that cove—because he had had 3 “Jonahs” on board and they had to be landed there.

Elder Karren agreed. He wrote: 

“Indeed, I believe the hand of the Lord is in it-in causing us to have been driven to this place. This is the extreme north point of the island of Hawaii, the district of Kohala. While traveling this morning through the settlements and neighborhood of this place, along the seacoast, I was reminded of the sayings of the Prophets: when God would send out fishers and then hunters to hunt out Israel out of the dens and caves of the earth and holes of the rocks. Indeed the Sons of Jacob are to be found here in the holes of the rocks and the Spirit of God is at work with them.”

The work continued and more people accepted baptism—even the village chief was baptized and ordained. A more attentive and sincere people could not be found. 

When the schooner finally sailed out of the Cove, the missionaries were not onboard. Thomas Karren recounted: 

“The whispering of the Spirit to us was to tarry here for a while, how long I do not know. But I pray to my Father which is in heaven always that I may know the voice of his good spirit and walk according to its dictates….I do feel to praise my God for every manifestation of His providence to me.”

The boat sailed away and the missionaries continued to teach and baptize. On June 15, 1853, the Elders organized two branches of the Church and ordained leadership to preside and teach. Thomas wrote: 

“I never saw a people feel better in my life. They manifested much of the Spirit of God. We all felt well.”

It was later learned by the missionaries that the natives had been earnestly seeking and praying to know the truth when a storm drove them ashore. 

Thomas Karren served the people of Hawaii for years to come as did others who would follow. And thus the work of the Lord was established in Hawaii. 

How many times has it happened that out of the storms, literally and figuratively, that great blessings of salvation have come?

Sources: 

Based on Thomas Karren and the Opening of the Work on the Island of Hawaii, article written by George Karren Wallace, of Hau’ula, Hawai’i, who is a great, great grandson of Thomas Karren. 

https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/KPD2-7JV