The Prophets Tender Heart

Joseph Smith

Pioneer Margaret Burgess states that the Prophet Joseph visited their home on many occasions. One day she was sick. What did the Prophet do with the consecrated oil?

a.      He didn’t use it as a show of faith

b.      Placed it on her head the way we do today

c.       Forgot it, so he substituted

d.      Placed the oil on the affected region of the body

Yesterday’s answer:

a.      He had money that Brigham Young needed

Joseph Toronto was a native of Sicily, who, wrote E. Cecil McGavin, “had served for years as a sailor in the Italian navy. This frugal man had carefully hoarded his money for years, concealing his gold coins in his money belt.

“As he approached New York harbor, he became fearful that some rogue in the large city might rob him of his golden spoil—the earnings of a lifetime. In the midst of his concern about the safety of his money, he dreamed one night that a man came to him, requesting that he leave his money with ‘Mormon Brigham’ and he should be blessed.

“On reaching New York, he began to inquire about ‘Mormon Brigham,’ but no one knew him. Finally he met a person who told him that Brigham Young had recently become president of the Mormon Church, and was residing at Nauvoo, Illinois. Young Toronto left immediately for the city of the Saints. He arrived at the city of his desire during the April conference, at which President Young told how difficult it was to get enough bread for the workmen to eat, and made a strong appeal for assistance. At the close of the meeting, the twenty-seven year old Italian went to President Young’s office where he removed his belt and placed it on the President’s desk, informing him that it contained twenty-five hundred dollars in gold.”

Church History for Latter-day Saint Families, Thomas R. Valletta (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2004), 346-7.