When Wilford Woodruff was a child, he met with many accidents. At times he barely escaped with his life.
His father had a small herd of horned cattle - one of which was a surly bull. One evening Wilford was feeding pumpkins to the herd when the bull took a pumpkin Wilford had given to his favorite cow. Wilford was upset at the bull and swiped the bull's pumpkin to give to his cow. The bull became angry with Wilford when Wilford picked up the pumpkin and chased him. Wilford ran with all his might down the hill.
His father called to Wilford to drop the pumpkin, but Wilford held it tightly. It was for his favorite cow. The bull gained speed and almost caught up with Wilford when Wilford stumbled on a rock and fell to the ground. The pumpkin rolled out of his arms and the bull leaped over Wilford and gored the pumpkin to pieces. "Undoubtedly he would have done the same thing to me if I had not fallen to the ground. This escape, like all others, I attribute to the mercy and good ness of God." (Wilford Woodruff's journal)
Wilford was ever faithful, even as a child, attributing his safety to a loving Heavenly Father
Joseph Smith
Prophet, Seer and Revelator
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Brigham Young meets Joseph Smith
Brigham Young meets Joseph Smith
After Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were baptized, they wanted to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith. They left their children in the care of Heber's wife and travelled to Kirtand. When they came to Joseph's home, Emma told them the Prophet was in the back woods chopping fire wood with his brothers. Brigham approached Brother Joseph, who was tall, blond and very friendly. When Brigham shook Joseph Smith's hand, joy surged through him, and he knew Joseph was a prophet of God. The spirit witnessed to Brigham of Joseph's mission.
The men went back to Joseph's home to talk. Brigham and Heber were eager to learn all they could about the Church while they were in Kirtland. When Brigham was away from the group, Joseph told the men that Brigham would one day lead the Church.
Soon Brigham moved to Kirtland to be close to the Prophet. He was called to be an apostle of the Lord and his testimony of Joseph never wavered - even though apostasy raged around him. He loved Joseph Smith with every fiber of his being and that testimony never left him.
After Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were baptized, they wanted to meet the Prophet Joseph Smith. They left their children in the care of Heber's wife and travelled to Kirtand. When they came to Joseph's home, Emma told them the Prophet was in the back woods chopping fire wood with his brothers. Brigham approached Brother Joseph, who was tall, blond and very friendly. When Brigham shook Joseph Smith's hand, joy surged through him, and he knew Joseph was a prophet of God. The spirit witnessed to Brigham of Joseph's mission.
The men went back to Joseph's home to talk. Brigham and Heber were eager to learn all they could about the Church while they were in Kirtland. When Brigham was away from the group, Joseph told the men that Brigham would one day lead the Church.
Soon Brigham moved to Kirtland to be close to the Prophet. He was called to be an apostle of the Lord and his testimony of Joseph never wavered - even though apostasy raged around him. He loved Joseph Smith with every fiber of his being and that testimony never left him.
Brigham Young and the robin
Brigham Young - hungry and lonely
Brigham and his mother were good friends. She was sick with tuberculosis so Brigham helped her with the housework. (When he was the prophet, he said he could do housework as well as any woman - and maybe he could.) She got progressively worse and died when he was fourteen.
After that his father was gone much of the time, leaving Brigham and his younger brother, Lorenzo, home to clear the land.
One day Brigham and Lorenzo spent the day out chopping branches, digging out roots, burning the bushes - hard manual labor. As the sun began to set Brigham and Lorenzo started for home. They knew there was nothing in the house to eat. It was early summer and all the fox, deer and other game animals were further into the woods. What could they find to eat?
The boys tramped toward home. Brigham missed his mother. When she was alive there was always food in the house and a welcoming voice when he and Lorenzo got home. Now there would be only emptiness. Brigham spotted a robin flitting from branch to branch near their cabin. He crept quietly into the house to get the gun and shot the robin.
The boys plucked and dressed the bird. They boiled it in a kettle of water and dumped the last of the flour dust from the empty barrel into the pot to made a watery broth. It wasn't much, but at least it was something.
Brigham knew what it was like to be hungry and lonely.
Brigham and his mother were good friends. She was sick with tuberculosis so Brigham helped her with the housework. (When he was the prophet, he said he could do housework as well as any woman - and maybe he could.) She got progressively worse and died when he was fourteen.
After that his father was gone much of the time, leaving Brigham and his younger brother, Lorenzo, home to clear the land.
One day Brigham and Lorenzo spent the day out chopping branches, digging out roots, burning the bushes - hard manual labor. As the sun began to set Brigham and Lorenzo started for home. They knew there was nothing in the house to eat. It was early summer and all the fox, deer and other game animals were further into the woods. What could they find to eat?
The boys tramped toward home. Brigham missed his mother. When she was alive there was always food in the house and a welcoming voice when he and Lorenzo got home. Now there would be only emptiness. Brigham spotted a robin flitting from branch to branch near their cabin. He crept quietly into the house to get the gun and shot the robin.
The boys plucked and dressed the bird. They boiled it in a kettle of water and dumped the last of the flour dust from the empty barrel into the pot to made a watery broth. It wasn't much, but at least it was something.
Brigham knew what it was like to be hungry and lonely.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Brigham Young grew up in a strict Methodist home without fun and entertainment. As he got older, he decided that he wanted things to be different for his children. He wanted dancing, music, and the theater to be part of their lives. He made a conscious effort to create an enriching environment for his family.
Brigham Young watched some contention among the Apostles in the early days of the Church. When he became the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, he decided he would treat those around him with love and kindness.
The first meeting the Church held after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Brigham records that he felt overwhelming compassion for the Saints. He wanted to be their protector and nurture them. Love and charity became part of his leadership, and the Saints loved him for it.
Brigham decided how he wanted things to be in his life and set about to create that dynamic. Would that we could all be that way.
Brigham Young watched some contention among the Apostles in the early days of the Church. When he became the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, he decided he would treat those around him with love and kindness.
The first meeting the Church held after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Brigham records that he felt overwhelming compassion for the Saints. He wanted to be their protector and nurture them. Love and charity became part of his leadership, and the Saints loved him for it.
Brigham decided how he wanted things to be in his life and set about to create that dynamic. Would that we could all be that way.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Temple Work for a Nephite
Wilford Woodruff loved temples and temple work. When he and a group of brethren left Kirtland, Ohio, and began the treck to Missouri with Joseph Smith, they found a burial mound. Joseph Smith said it belonged to the Nephites and asked them to dig into the mound. They found the skeleton of a man with an arrow sticking in his backbone. The Prophet Joseph said the man's name was Zelph and he fought for the Nephites at the time of the great slaughter. Wilford brought Zelph's thigh bone to Missouri. He wanted to bury it in the Temple Block in Jackson County, but because of the persecution, wasn't able to, so he buried it in Clay County. At least Wilford got Zelph closer to the temple.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Danger, Lorenzo Snow, Danger
Danger, Lorenzo Snow, Danger
Lorenzo Snow and his sister, Eliza R. Snow, accompanied George A. Smith on a trip to dedicate the Holy Land for the return of the Jews. On the way, they stopped in Napels, Italy. The group hired a guide to take them to the mouth of Mt. Vesuvius even though there had been a small eruption the day before. Hiking up the the volcano was difficult for the path had a foot of ash and sand on it. When the party reached the top, they peered into the gaping mouth of the hot bubbling volacano. They all threw rocks over the edge of the crater. The rocks took 30 seconds to reach the bottom. Several of the party climbed up to a rock ledge the jutted out into the crater. They threw sticks into the burning inferno and watched them blaze into nothing in seconds.
How dangerous is that? Especially since the volcano exploded only the day before!
Lorenzo Snow and his sister, Eliza R. Snow, accompanied George A. Smith on a trip to dedicate the Holy Land for the return of the Jews. On the way, they stopped in Napels, Italy. The group hired a guide to take them to the mouth of Mt. Vesuvius even though there had been a small eruption the day before. Hiking up the the volcano was difficult for the path had a foot of ash and sand on it. When the party reached the top, they peered into the gaping mouth of the hot bubbling volacano. They all threw rocks over the edge of the crater. The rocks took 30 seconds to reach the bottom. Several of the party climbed up to a rock ledge the jutted out into the crater. They threw sticks into the burning inferno and watched them blaze into nothing in seconds.
How dangerous is that? Especially since the volcano exploded only the day before!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Brigham Young the Inventor
Did you know that Brigham Young worked for a shop that painted boats? It was a difficult task to crush the dye to color the paint so he invented a dye crusher. The shop owner thought it was a great invention.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)