Its nice to learn a bit of the history of a place, to hear of the people who have walked where you are walking today. Joseph F. Smith came to Hawaii on his first mission as a young 15 year old who had lost both his father and mother. A stranger in a strange land who did not speak the language and didn’t know anyone. I wanted to capture in this painting, the love that he had for this land and the people.
‘He got deathly sick and was carefully nursed back to health by his “Hawaii Mother”. There is a statue honoring the love and care this woman gave. The tie of love is strong. Elder Oakes came over with his wife to speak at the BYU-Hawaii Devotional. Sister Oakes is a great granddaughter of Joseph F. Smith. When she got up to speak she was wearing a gift from the descendants of Ma Mahuhi’i. We form great bonds of love when we care for others. Bonds of love that can go down and have an effect for generations.
Matthew 25: 40 ….”Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”