Her Call to Serve

What Stake calling did Elizabeth Swapp receive in July of 1883?

A)                 Relief Society President

B)                 Nursery leader

C)                 Cowgirl over the tithing herds

D)                 Nurse

Yesterday’s answer:

C)   Parley and wife’s arrival

The following incident takes place while Parley P. Pratt is on a mission to England:

   During the Conference I received a letter from my family in New York informing me that they were dangerously ill of scarlet fever. I, therefore by advice of the other members of the quorum, concluded to cross the ocean once more and bring them to England, where I was likely to remain for several years rather in a stationary position as an editor and publisher I accordingly repaired immediately to Liver pool and embarked for New York. I was thirty-seven days confined on this dreary passage, without any friends or associates who cared for me or the cause of truth.

   I then landed in New York, found my wife and children recovered from their sickness, for which I felt truly thankful. They were agreeably surprised at seeing me so soon and so unexpectedly, and so were the Saints in that city and vicinity. After several joyful meetings among them, I went to the State of Maine on a visit with my wife and children to her parents and kindred. They lived in Bethel, Oxford County, about sixty miles from Portland, the seaport where we landed. The day before our arrival my wife’s sister, a Mrs. Bean, prophesied to her husband that Brother Pratt and family would arrive there the next evening, and she actually changed the bedding and prepared the best room for our reception, as if she had received notice of our coming. At this her husband and friends laughed in derision: “for,” said they, “our brother-in-law is in England and his family in New York; how, then, will he be here tonight?” But she still persisted, and made ready the room and all things for our reception, assuring them that I would arrive that night with my family.

   Night came, the deep shades of evening gathered around, a dark and gloomy night set in, and still no signs of us. They still laughed her to scorn for her superstition, and she still persisted in her anticipations of our momentary arrival. At length, as they were about to retire to rest, we knocked at the door and were joyfully received—it being the first time that any of my wife’s kindred there had seen my face.

   Mrs. Bean had a dream a few days previous to our arrival, in which she dreamed that I came to her and gave her a key to the Bible. As she related the dream to me, I presented her with my “Voice of Warning.” It seemed to her and her husband as they read it as if it was indeed a key to the doctrine and prophecies of the Holy Scriptures. They rejoiced with exceeding joy, and promised to be baptized, and to gather to Nauvoo if God would only open their way to sell their farm.

Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, pg. 379-381.