George Q. Cannon's Vision of Native Hawaiian Elders

While serving his first mission in the Hawaiian Islands, George Q. Cannon felt deeply exercised in his mind regarding his service. During this time, he received a distinct vision of three specific native Hawaiian men. He saw them as clearly as he had ever seen any person in his life and knew with certainty that they were prepared to receive the gospel and would become mighty instruments in the Church. By early March 1851, after struggling with language acquisition and the realization that his mission would require preaching to the native population rather than only white settlers, Cannon set out from Lahaina on a preaching tour around the island of Maui. Upon reaching the district of Wailuku, he felt a powerful impression to return to a house he had just passed. As he neared it, two women emerged, observed him, and called out to those inside, 'Oh, here’s a white man.' Three men—Jonathan Napela, William Uaua, and H. K. Kaleohano—immediately came out to greet him. Upon seeing them, Cannon recognized them instantly as the same three men he had witnessed in his earlier vision, a realization that solidified his conviction to persevere in the mission. These men subsequently became foundational converts and leaders in the Church, playing a pivotal role in the success of the mission.