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| Frederick William Hurst |
For example, while on a mission to Hawaii, he wrote
one Christmas day:
"We left Waiakane about six o-clock this morning. We walked about ten miles and then sat down and ate some cold potatoes we had brought with us by a big spring. I could not help thinking how different they would spend Christmas at home. I got into a sort of reverie and fancied I could see their happy faces around a table loaded with the good things of this world, such as plum pudding, roast beef, etc. ...
I spend the day pleasantly thinking how much better off I now am than I was before I became a member of the Kingdom of God, not in the things of this world, for I have only a suit of clothes and they have seen their best days, for I see my elbows begin to show through my coat sleeves. I am almost barefoot.
I have an old pair of low shoes and every now and then I have to take them off and empty the sand out of them as the roads are very sandy and heavy. I have no socks so I will leave the reader to imagine the state of my feet, especially when I arrived at the end of my journey.
If I had liked I could have made myself miserable, but no! I put my trust in the Lord and He blessed me with a light heart, occasionally singing a hymn ...
We called at Pokea .. they had no poi in the house, but they gave us some fish, and after resting awhile we continued our journey to Kauwila where we stopped and bathed and ate some sugar cane.
We reached Kamalua about sunset but could not obtain a house in which to stop so we had to continue on ... ten or twelve miles farther, in the dark.Brother Keanu being tired out stopped at Kiliula and I pursued my journey alone to Waialua. I arrived about nine o'clock.
Brother King was praying when I got to the house so I stood outside until he finished although it was raining pretty hard and had been for the last mile or so. With the rain and perspiration I was wet through and had to change my clothing. I had traveled 15 hours and walked about 40 miles. I suppered on poi and hee (squid)."I'm quite certain that next year at this time my shoes will have no holes and they will not have to carry me 40 miles on Christmas Day. I hope that I remember to count my many blessings and sing a hymn.
Another inspiring Christmas entry occurs in Frederick's journal when he and his brother, Charles C. Hurst, were serving in New Zealand on a mission to the Maoris. When his call was received, Frederick had described his feelings this way:
"I felt at once to drop everything pertaining to my business and fix up my family as well as possible and be prepared to start with the rest of the missionaries. Means, I had none, and no property to dispose of, however ... President Brigham Young informed me that he had instructed Bishop W. B. Preston to look after my family and see that they would be provided for while I was away."A few months into the mission, on Christmas Eve that year, he wrote:
"I could not help thinking of home. What a good time the children would have hanging up their stockings, and wondered if Santa Claus would remember them all round with his usual liberality. I heartily wish them all a happy time, and a Merry Christmas all round. But I find I must change the subject."No doubt he was homesick, but on the following day, Christmas, Frederick recorded:
"Took a walk round the bay, found a secluded spot on the side of a mountain. While reading from Hebrews 13;5, I was very much comforted by the words, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." I read the whole epistle of James, and then sought the Lord to open up our way in this mission, that the hearts of the people might be softened, and that He would give us, His servants, influence among the people to do good. For I earnestly desire to be more actively engaged. I returned comforted.
I spent the day drawing and finishing up some of the sketches ... It has been a beautiful day. Took another walk this evening ...
We had quite a Christmas dinner, a small piece of roast beef, and the lady of the house sent several pieces of plum pudding."Rather than dwell on his loneliness, Frederick chose to spend Christmas reading the words of the Savior, whose birth he was celebrating, and then sought guidance to serve Him better on his mission.
The following, though not in Frederick's own words, is written about his Christmas time back in Utah, working at the remote Ruby Valley Pony Express Station:
The Indians in the vicinity at that time were very hostile, since they felt that the white man was usurping their lands and food supplies.
The winter was exceptionally severe, and many of the tribesmen and their families were dying of cold and hunger.
Frederick believed in the policy of Brigham Young - that of feeding the Indians rather than fighting them - and being a naturally kind-hearted man, he desired to alleviate their suffering. Many times he gave the Indians who came to the station bread and also a kind of poi he had learned to make in the Islands.
At Christmas time he gave them a special treat of a large plum pudding which he had steamed in flour sacks over a bonfire. The Indians were deeply appreciative of these acts of kindness and often warned him of hostile bands who were bent on destroying the station. Thus he had time to secure proper defenses.
Great, Great Grandfather Hurst's wonderful example of Christmas behavior inspires me.
