This Pioneer Day marks the 179th anniversary of the arrival of Latter-day Saint pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. Those faithful travelers, and many who followed, endured tremendous hardship and heartache.
Through it all, they held fast to their faith and received divine help in remarkable ways. In honor of Pioneer Day, here are five miraculous experiences recorded by pioneers.
Brigham Young Surrounded by Rays of Light
“Handcart Pioneers,” by Sam Lawlor. | ChurchofJesusChrist.orgWhile crossing the plains of Wyoming, Samuel Taylor Orton ran low on food and became too weak to pull his handcart. When he asked the Lord to let him die, he heard a voice say, “Sam, are you here?”
Astonished, Samuel turned but found no one around him. The unexpected voice gave him the strength to continue his journey.
Later, while contemplating what awaited him in Salt Lake City, Samuel made a personal request of the Lord. He recalled, “If the Father and the Son did appear to the Prophet Joseph Smith and reveal the gospel unto him, and Brigham Young was his lawful successor, I wanted to see the halo of light around his head, like there was around the head of the Savior on nearly all of the pictures we see.”
The Sunday after Samuel arrived in Salt Lake City, he attended a Church service and saw Brigham Young enter the room. As Samuel looked at him, rays of light appeared around his head, and he knew his request had been granted.
A Pile of Dry Bread
When Mons and Elna Larson traveled west with a pioneer company in 1859, they found themselves in danger of starvation. Their provisions were disappearing quickly, and each person received only one pint of flour per day.
One evening during that troubled time, Elna felt inspired to walk toward a tree she saw in the distance. When she reached it, she was astonished to find a pile of dry bread beneath its branches.
Elna carried the bread back to camp and shared it with the company. Together with fish Mons caught, the unexpected food sustained them until help arrived.
Two Biscuits Feed a Family
Ann J. Rowley, a member of the Willie Handcart Company, recorded an experience that reminded her of the Savior feeding thousands with only a few loaves and fishes. As night approached, she had no food to give her family.
“Night was coming and there was no food for the evening meal. I asked God’s help as I always did.
“I got on my knees, remembering two hard sea biscuits that were still in my trunk . . . left over from the sea voyage, they were not large, and were so hard, they couldn’t be broken. Surely, that was not enough to feed 8 people, but 5 loaves and 2 fishes were not enough to feed 5000 people either, but through a miracle, Jesus had done it.
“So, with God’s help, nothing is impossible. I found the biscuits and put them in a dutch oven and covered them with water and asked for God’s blessing, then I put the lid on the pan and set it on the coals.
“When I took off the lid a little later, I found the pan filled with food. I kneeled with my family and thanked God for his goodness.”
Rowley’s two hard biscuits became enough food to satisfy her entire family. In a moment of desperate need, her faith helped her recognize that nothing was impossible with God.
Crossing Deep Water
Luella M. Atkin recorded the following account from her grandfather, William Atkin, who traveled with the 1859 Rowley Handcart Company. William and his wife became separated from their company and eventually reached the swollen Green River alone.
“[Your grandma and I] traveled on until dark and again camped alone. Although we were in Indian country and nearly every white man we met was an avowed enemy of the Mormon people, yet we were not afraid, but laid down and took sweet rest.
“In the morning we started out early and on arriving at the Green River, we found that our company had crossed it the night before and they were gone out of sight. Your grandma and I looked at the river and I said to her, ‘We cannot cross this river alone.’
“She replied, ‘No, but the Lord will help us over.’ At these words my heart seemed to leap for joy and I said, ‘Yes, He surely will.’
“We then knelt down and in all humility told our Heavenly Father that we were doing all in our power to keep His commandments and to gather to Zion; and now we had come to this river and could not cross it alone. We knew He could help us and we now relied on Him to assist us over.
“Your grandma and I then pulled our cart into the river, which was swollen; we could see the deep water just ahead of us, but every step we took the deep water was still one step ahead of us, and we landed on the western bank without even wetting the axletree of our cart. Our hearts were full of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for thus again answering our prayers.”
The couple entered the river after doing everything within their power and placing their trust in God. Although they could see the deep water ahead, it remained beyond them until they reached the opposite bank safely.
A Dislocated Shoulder Is Healed
“Handcart Pioneers Arrive in Salt Lake,” by Clark Kelley Price. | ChurchofJesusChrist.orgOscar O. Stoddard, captain of the Stoddard Company, recorded another experience of divine help on the pioneer trail. The incident began when a group of travelers frightened Danish pioneers sleeping in a tent.
“At the first camp this (the west) side of Quaking Asp Ridge, a few teams from the valley passed us and camped a short distance east of us. They came back and spent the evening with us, enjoying themselves as young folks will, till between ten and eleven o’clock, when they started for their camp and feeling jolly, hurrahed, fired off pistols, shouted, etc.
“The Danish Saints, having gone to bed in a tent and all asleep, being suddenly aroused by the uproar, were frightened, and someone shouted ‘Indians,’ which created a panic, and a rush was made for the tent door to get outside. Brother Christiansen, their chaplain, a small man, lying at the tent door, started to go with the rest, but the rush was too soon and powerful for him, and he was trampled underfoot. . . .
“He found himself free, but with a shoulder out of joint, with the knuckle below the socket. The next morning, one of the brethren, by using his knee as a lever, tried to pull his arm out and pry the shoulder in place.
“After three or four unsuccessful attempts, he begged him to stop as he could stand the pulling no longer. I was then informed of the circumstance and went to him and found him with his arm in a sling. . . .
“In the evening, just after prayers and as we were preparing for bed, he sent for me to come to and administer to him. I complied and anointed his shoulder as well as his head with consecrated oil, and in confirming the anointing with my hands upon his head, I prayed for the muscles and sinews to relax that the joint may have room to get to its place.
“After I got through administering to him I said, ‘Brother Christiansen, go to bed and to sleep and if you will have faith you shall wake up in the morning with your shoulder in its place,’ and he said, ‘I believe you, Captain,’ after which I went to bed. The first thing I heard in the morning, the Danish interpreter called me and said, ‘Captain Christiansen’s shoulder is in its place as you told him last night it would be.’
“And so it was.”
Despite repeated attempts, the pioneers had been unable to return Brother Christiansen’s shoulder to its proper place. After Captain Stoddard administered to him and promised healing through faith, Brother Christiansen awoke with his shoulder restored.
Find Miracles in Your Family’s Story
This Pioneer Day, turn your heart to those who came before and explore their experiences throug Family Search or The Church of Jesus Christ’s historical database. Their stories might help you recognize God’s hand more clearly in your own life.
What miracles or answers to prayer have you discovered in your family’s history? Share with us in the comments below!
Sources:
This article was originally published July 22, 2022 and has been updated.
After serving a mission to Samara, Russia, Tyler graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in Creative Writing. Tyler is the author of Away From The Sun, a short collection of his written works. He lives in Provo with his drop-dead gorgeous wife, enjoys playing basketball, playing the banjo, studying history, and collecting Pokemon cards. Follow Tyler on Instagram @therealtylerbnelson
