Descended from the Hawaiian royal line, Jonathan Napela
became one of the first—and most influential—converts to the Church in Hawaii.
A man of intelligence, social status, and wealth, he used his considerable
position to further the gospel in his native land. He developed a lifelong bond
of brotherhood with Elder George Q. Cannon, helping to translate the Book of
Mormon into Hawaiian and establish a gathering place for the Hawaiian saints in
Laie, Oahu. But when his beloved wife, Kitty, was stricken with leprosy,
Jonathan made the defining decision of his life. He would leave his life of
privilege to become her caretaker and spend the rest of his life on Molokai,
the island of lepers. To those who suffered similar heartbreak and banishment,
Jonathan’s self-sacrifice became their lifeline. Based on true story, this is
an extraordinary novel of a man who chose love in the face of death.
Excerpts
She stepped out of the cooking house and moved into the
yard. “My heart is full of joy today. My feet and fingers wish to talk of this
joy.” Slowly she began to sway, her feet moving smoothly over the packed
ground, and her gnarled fingers floating through the air, painting pictures
with each movement. “I will tell the story—na wai ‘eha. The four waters of
Maui.” She began to chant:
Fed by the tears of heaven and the hidden pools of the
mountains
Oh, life-giving waters
You flow down to the children of the land.
The fingertips of the rising sun reached over the barren
peaks of Ukumehamo, and the fisherman felt the warmth on his back. He stood on
the reef, the waves gently lapping around his knees.
“Hee mahola,” he chanted.
“Eia ka leho.” Here is the cowry.
A red cowry to attract the octopus to his death.
“Eia ka koa, he laau.” Here is the spear, a mere stick.
“He lama noka hee mahola, no ka hee-palaha.” A spear of lama wood for the
octopus that lies flat.
Catherine Keliikuaaina Richardson walked beside his son
in regal splendor. Her brown hair hung in waves down to her knees. She wore a
white holoku in the style that was part missionary and part Hawaiian. Long
sleeves covered her arms and a high collar came up to cover her neck.The soft
fabric hung loosely from a square yoke that was edged with white ruffles. On
her head she wore a wreath of bright yellow ‘ilima flowers woven with ferns and
the golden tail feathers of the o-o bird. Her golden brown skin glowed in the
morning light and the sight of her drove reason from Waaole’s head.
Jonathan chuckled as he helped Catherine and then his
father into the carriage. He leaned over and whispered to him.
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| AUTHOR GALE SEARS |
“When we are out of sight of the village we will take off
our suit coats.” He climbed up, took the lines in his hands, and commanded the
horses to walk on. As he waved to the villagers, Jonathan smiled. It was a
smile that felt its way through his entire body. Today was a good day.
Gale Sears is an award-winning author, known for her historical accuracy
and intensive research. Gale received a BA in playwriting from Brigham
Young University and a master’s degree in theater arts from the
University of Minnesota. She is the author of the bestselling The
Silence of God and several other novels, including The Route, Christmas
for a Dollar, Autumn Sky, Until the Dawn, and Upon the Mountains. She
and her husband, George, are the parents of two children and reside in
Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit her website.
