Faith promoting experiences of Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, copied from tapes of his daughter Jennie May Woodbury Lee, my mother. These experiences are absolutely true, and very sacred. Please respect them as such. This is a book length copy, as shared by my Grandfather, Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, my mother's father. Now you can read them for yourselves, and share them with your children and grandchildren. Your friend and brother. Jim Lee
C O N T E N T S OF SECTION 2
Patriarchal Blessings in the Spirit World 2
Vilda Perkins' Testimony 2
Monroe Trip 3
Evil Spirits 4
Sees the celestial Kingdom 5
Vilda and Aunt Rose Prayed for 5
Nephi Bickley 5
Grandmother Bickley's Passing 6
Normal Pregnancy Promised 6
Miracle Baby 6
Sister Gray 7
Crippled Lady Healed 7
Car stopped Going to Delta 8
Mother Healed of Diabetes 8
Word of Wisdom 9
Two Babies 11
Girl Healed at Fish Lake 11
Two Girls from Delta 12
Personal Testimony of Being Healed 12
Blinded by Welding 12
Woman Healed of Cancer 13
Clara Stewart's Testimony 14
Deaf Woman from Maryland 15
Deaf Girl from Idaho 16
Mother Healed of Asthma 16
Sees into Celestial Kingdom 17
Healed of Double Pneumonia 18
Baptisms in the Manti Temple 18
Baptisms in the Manti Temple for John Reeves 19
An Answer to Prayer 19
Cancer Cured 21
My Arthritis Healed 21
Ordained Patriarch 22
Seven-Year-Old Girl Healed of Deafness 22
Social Security 23
Satan Rebuked 25
Francis Woodbury's Testimony 26
Gatherings in the Spirit world 26
William Pratt 27
Connie's Family 28
Frances Anderson Healed 28
Blaine Nelson Lee 29
A Heavenly Manifestation 30
A Child's Spiritual Experience 31
PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD
One day while I was in bed in the L.D.S. Hospital, in 1954, or 5, a man and his wife, Moses Edwards and Minnie, who had been dead about 14 years, came to me. He had been superintendent and I his counselor in Manderfield in the Sunday school, when we lived there in 1914. They were both wonderful people and he was ordained a Patriarch before he died. When he came into the room, I said, "Hello, Brother Edwards, how are you?" I Said, "I'm better, thank you. I've come with a message for you,' he said. No matter how much you suffer with pain in your body or what also comes to discourage you, if you'll continue to trust in the Lord and be humble and prayerful, your blessings will be magnified more than they ever were before and you will not become discouraged, your testimony as to the truthfulness of the gospel will become stronger. You'll always look on the bright side of life. My request to bring this message to you was not granted at first. Knowing you as I did in mortal life, my desire to bring this message, that you might be prepared for the things which you will be confronted with was granted. The Lord is well pleased with the mission you have performed thus far in life and it is not complete yet."
"I'm glad to know that. What are you doing, Brother Edwards? I said, "I'm working with the Priesthood some, but my main work is giving Patriarchal Blessings." "Why do you give Patriarchal Blessings in the Spirit World?" He said, "In mortal life we give blessings to people to be an inspiration and guide to them, so that they will know the blessings that are in store for them. Many people on earth lived good, pure, honest lives, but were guilty of the sin of omission, and those are the ones I'm giving blessings to there, so that when their loved ones do their work in the Temple for them, and they atone for the sin of omission, that they will be privileged to enjoy those blessings."
I said, "I'm glad to know that. When I have given blessings to boys and girls whose father was a Patriarch, it was revealed to me that he was giving blessings in the Spirit World, but I didn't know what for."
I said, "Sister Edwards, what are you doing?" "I'm President of the Relief Society and enjoying my work immensely. Everyone has got to hear the gospel and there is a great need of teachers." "I'm glad to hear that, as you both were wonderful Latter-day Saints on earth." I said. Brother Edwards said, "We must go now, but remember what I've told you. No matter how much pain you suffer in your body or other things that come to discourage you, if you continue faithful and are humble and prayerful, your blessings will be magnified greater than ever before. Your testimony of the gospel will become stronger and you will never become discouraged.
While they were there, I conversed with them, as I had done in mortal life. I never heard a sound until after they departed, and then I heard the men talking in the room, the same as before. No one heard the conversation which I had with them. This has been a source of great comfort and strength to me during my wonderful wife's illness.
VILDA PERKINS' TESTIMONY
I had a terrible pain in my side and went to see the Doctor. He told me my right ovary was encased in a water cyst and I should go immediately to be operated on before it broke. It was serious! I told him I'd have to think about it. I left the doctor's office and went over to Daddy and got a blessing and went home. The next morning I couldn't get out of bed. I was so sick and had such terrible pain. Sherm called the doctor and told him. He said, "That's just what I told her yesterday would happen. That's what I expected. It's ruptured and she's got to be operated on right now to save her life. Bring her right into the hospital." Upon arriving, he put me on the examination table to see what damage had been done. He said, after examining me, there is not a sign of a cyst. You don't need an operation. You can go home." When I got home, I phoned Daddy and asked him what had happened. Why had I had that terrible pain? He said that it had dissolved and that was when I had that terrible pain. Dr. Bird wasn't satisfied and sent me to Salt Lake to a specialist. He could find nothing wrong with me. I had been healed. (Told to me, Jennie Lee, March 20, 1962, by Vilda Perkins.)
MONROE TRIP
A man living at Monroe was going down the lane one day and met a man who stopped him and told him to go back or he would die. He said that he didn't know the man, but went back. He described the man he had met to his son, who lived by me. He told his father it was me, at least from the description. His son-in-law called me and asked if I could come over to administer to him as he was very sick. (As I type this, I think it must have been a vision or dream the man had while he was sick ). I told him there was no need for me to come over there. He said he'd see how he got along and call me again. In another week he called me again and said "Grandpa's still calling for you." So I told him I'd come if I could get over there.
I left here at 7 o'clock a.m. I went over a hill on the way and the car stopped. I was out of gas. Had been all day getting there. A man was there working on the road and he got his team and pulled me up and got gas from some people. I had to dig the mud out from under the fenders so the front wheels would turn. There were no oiled roads then. Had to get more gas when I got to Joetown., I got to Monroe at 1 a.m. The son-in-law took me into the room where the man was and said, "Have you ever seen this man before?" "Yes, he's the man who met me in the lane and told me to go back and saved my life."
This was Saturday. The next morning I went to the Bishop's home and met with the bishopric.They went to sunday school and when they came home, we administered to the man. He got some relief. I told his son-in-law there wasn't a unity of faith; there was someone in the group that was opposed to the procedure. He said the counselor to the President of the Stake was opposed to what they'd done. I said, "Why did you have him come with the others then?"
The man told his children, "You have got to get together or I won't live." Some had faith and some didn't. As we knelt around the bed and each child prayed, you could tell which had faith and which didn't. He hadn't been able to lie down in bed and rest. Had to sit up all the time. He did get relief in that way. He told his children at different times, "If you don't get together in faith, I'll die. Brother Woodbury has the power to heal me, but you won't let him. Don't blame him if I die."
I was there a week and the children would not get together in faith. He was still active when I left, but died afterward.
While I was in Monroe, a man by the name of Workman came to me to go to his home. He had a very sick girl and his wife was also ill. The doctor had given his daughter up and said she couldn't live. She was lying on the bed suffering, although she didn't seem to know anything. She'd give a gasp for breath and wait a little while and give another gasp for breath. We administered to her, her father and I. She was breathing normally and was fast asleep when we took our hands off her head.
Then we administered to her mother. Two days after I was going by the place. I thought I'd go in and see how they were. I saw some children playing on the lawn. I knocked at the door. The mother opened the door and I went in. She was dressed, apparently all right. I saw the bed was empty where the girl had been. I said, "What became of the girl that was so sick? She answered, "Didn't you see her out there playing on the lawn with those children?" I said, "I saw some children playing out on the lawn, but didn't know she was one of them." Her mother said when she had woke up she said, "Mother, I'm healed. I'm all right. I'm hungry. I want something to eat. I want my clothes and get dressed."
The mother said she gave her something to eat, but told her not to get up. She slept good that night and in the morning she got up and dressed herself and ate her breakfast, and seemed to be as well as she ever was.
I was called into another home to administer to a small child. His head was growing, but not his body. We administered to him and I was inspired to promise him that because of the great mission the Lord had sent him here to perform, his body would develop perfectly and he would be a normal child in every way. This would come to him because of the great faith of his parents and the mission the Lord had for him to perform on the earth.
I saw him in the Manti Temple two years later. They had the child with them. He was normal in every way and you couldn't tell he ever had been any other way. The last I heard from them, the child was growing perfect in every part of his body. His parents rejoiced and praised the Lord.
One night I came to the place where I was staying, Brother Lundgreen's. He said, "Brother Woodbury, a young lady came here today. She was about sixteen and had a breaking out, or rash, all over her body. All efforts of medical science had failed to bring her relief. They itched so badly, she didn't get much rest day or night. She said if she could just touch that man's clothing, she'd be healed. He went on to say, "She's coming here tonight to be administered to." I went to my room and plead with the Lord to bless me with the gift of healing, that Brother Lundgreen's and my faith would be united, that it would be revealed to me if she was to be healed, and that her faith would become stronger.
She came and we administered to her. There was a great outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. He anointed and I did the sealing, and promised her, as it had been revealed to me, that because of her great mission, the Lord had for her to perform on the earth and her great faith, she would be healed and her skin would become as smooth as it had been when she was born into the world. There would be no scars on her face or any part of her body. At the proper time she would meet a young man who was created for her and they'd be married in the temple of the Lord and she would give birth to children who would be strong, healthy, perfect minds and bodies, and bring her and her father great joy.
I never saw the girl again, but Brother Lundgreen wrote to me and said the next day after we administered to her, a great change had taken place in the condition of the girl. She had no more itching, and each day she recovered more rapidly. She had never had any more trouble. Her great faith had brought her the blessings, and was a great testimony to her and her folks, Brother Lundgreen and myself. The last time I heard from Brother Lundgreen he said she had got married and had one child, and you couldn't tell she ever had a rash on any part of her body. This is the only instance in my life I ever had a person say if they could just touch my clothing, they'd be healed of their afflictions.
EVIL SPIRITS
One morning at four o'clock, Vera Bishop called me to come to their home to administer to Heber. The evil spirits were bothering him, until he couldn't get any sleep. I went and administered to him and he got relief for a while, but they came back.
She called to come again and administer to him, which I did, and rebuked the evil spirits. They immediately left, but came back again later. The third time she called me to come, something told me to get his brother, Clark Bishop, to come and help administer to him. Clark came and helped and rebuked them and he has never been bothered with them since, he or his home.
SEES THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM
While I was in the L.D.S. Hospital in 1954, I was very weak. One day I saw a real bright light, brighter than noonday. In the light I saw people, men and women, dressed in light clothing. Everyone was so happy, but all busy. A voice said to me, "This is the Celestial Kingdom, the highest degree of glory. This is the reward to those who in mortal life complied with the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in the Temple of the Lord, and kept those covenants sacred, and if you and your wife continue as faithful as you have been, it shall be your privilege and joy to dwell together in the Celestial Kingdom, in the highest degree of glory, with your loved ones and the Father and Son forever."
When this scene closed, the curtain dropped and what I saw before me was heart rending. I saw men and women, all dressed in dark clothing. Contention and strife existed there. They were searching for something they couldn't find. A voice said to me, "This is what is spoken of in the Bible as Hell, or the bottomless pit.
This is the reward of those who in mortal life disobeyed the laws of God, and the laws of the land, and created appetites and took things into their bodies which were contrary to the teachings of the Lord and detrimental to their physical health. In mortal life they could get things to satisfy this appetite and craving. Here they cannot get anything to satisfy it. In this condition they'll remain for the 1000 years during the Millennium, before their bodies are resurrected from the grave."
I was happy when this scene closed. I sure feel sorry for people in that condition. I hope and pray that myself or any of my loved ones will never be in that group. That they'll all be worthy to enjoy the blessings of the Celestial Kingdom.
VILDA AND AUNT ROSE PRAYED FOR
In 1924 Vilda had pneumonia. She got so bad, and a lot had died of it. A family had sent to Salt Lake for a trained nurse, but the person died before she got there. Mother hired her to come and take care of Vilda, who was very critical. She got so thin mother was afraid to touch her almost for fear she'd hurt her. All of a sudden a change came over her and she got better and recovered. Mother could not explain it. Daddy was in the L.D.S. Hospital at the time for an operation. Mother received a letter, saying that he had been impressed to pray for Vilda and Aunt Rose, but didn't know why because he hadn't been informed of her illness. The voice came to him three times, telling him to pray for Vilda and his sister, Rose. The next day he received letters from Aunt Rose's folks, also mother, asking him to pray for them. They both recovered.
NEPHI BICKLEY
When Nephi bickley, a son of mother's brother, William G. Bickley, Jr., was still living in Beaver, he got TB in his leg. The doctors said they would have to amputate his leg to save his life. They called for Daddy and Patriarch Elias Blackburn to administer to him. They told him not to ever allow anyone to amputate his leg. Also, that he had a great mission on earth and needed his leg, and would be healed without an operation, which he did. He has worked on the railroad all these years and is now retired. This was a good many years ago.
GRANDMOTHER BICKLEY'S PASSING
After grandmother Bickley had a stroke in 1919, she suffered so much for about a month. She couldn't see or talk, but could hear. One side was paralyzed. They had dedicated her to the Lord four times, but she got no relief. Daddy went to see her and Bessie asked her if she wanted him to administer to her. She said, "Oh, yes!" and rubbed her good hand across her forehead.
They administered to her and told her her loved ones were waiting for her, and it was time for her to go. She didn't suffer any more, but passed peacefully away. She had just been waiting for the girls to come and be reconciled to her going and to be administered to.
NORMAL PREGNANCY PROMISED
Ladd Cropper's wife was sick in bed, expecting a baby. They came to get me to administer to her. The doctor said if she kept her baby, she'd have to stay in bed all the time. I was inspired to tell her the Lord was pleased with her for honoring the duty of motherhood and that was a very choice spirit she was carrying. She'd be able to nourish it and it would develop perfectly. She would be able to carry it to its full time and not have to lie in bed but be able to do the work in her home and in the church. When she was confined, it wouldn't be a lingering labor. Her body would not be injured in any way. She'd give birth to a child with a strong, healthy, perfect mind and body that would bring her mother and father great joy. The day would come when she'd be a great leader in the church. This blessing was given to her on October 24, 1954.
When this blessing was given to her, she had to lie in bed, but she was soon up taking care of her family and her duties in the church a few days after the blessing was given. She never had any more trouble with sickness until the baby was born in the spring of 1955. She gave birth to a 10-pound baby girl. Her confinement was very brief, and got a fine, beautiful baby girl with a strong, healthy, perfect body. I went to the hospital on October 20. Ladd came to see me and told me what a beautiful baby they had in their home.
I said, "There are four fours connected with that baby. Her mother was administered to on the 24th day of October, 1954. She is your 4th child, and you were the 134th person I administered to that year."
A MIRACLE BABY
Among the sympathy cards which came after Mother's passing, was one from Shirley Bunker Armstrong. It said, "I do appreciate you so much. Our 'Miracle Baby,' Becky, is such a blessing to us. I don't have much time to get sick any more. Father told me the doctors told her she couldn't have any more children. She came for a blessing and was promised she would have another child. "This was Becky," he said. That's what happened to a woman in Oak City."
SISTER GRAY
One morning I told mother, "I've got to go to Delta. She asked, "What for?" I said. "I don't know what for, but I've got to go to Delta." So we went over to Delta and stopped at Bessie's mother's sister's place. "I'm glad you've come," she said, "I'm just going over to Sister Gray's. She's awful sick. Would you like to come along with me?"
The thought came to me, "That's what I came over here for." Sister Gray had lived in Beaver when we did, and my wife and her sister, Bessie, were well acquainted with her.
When we got to the door, her daughter answered it. Bessie said, "How's your mother?" "She's unconscious and very sick. The doctor says if she lives, she'll never walk again. She said this morning, 'There's a man coming from another ward today, and if you'll have him administer to me, I'll be healed.'" She asked her what ward he was coming from and who he was, but she said she didn't know either, but "if you will have him administer to me, I'll be healed."
I said "If that's your desire, we'll administer to her." Her husband was an Elder. As we stood by the bed, it looked like every breath would be her last. He anointed her and I sealed the anointing. There was a great outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord there. I was inspired to promise her that because of her great faith and the mission she had to perform on the earth, she would be healed and walk as well as she ever did.
When we took our hands off her head, she was breathing perfectly normal. She said, While you had your hands on my head, I felt that disease go out of my body. I haven't a pain anywhere."
We visited a little while and then went home. A few days later we went to Delta and we saw a woman walking along the sidewalk slowly. I said, "That looks like Sister Gray," and said to her, "I'm glad to see you walking." She said, "I have to go slowly, but I'm thankful the Lord has answered your prayer and that I'm able to walk and feel well in every part of my body."
That's the last time I saw her because her daughter and husband moved to Ely and she went with them, where she died a few years later, but enjoyed good health and her death, as I remember was quite sudden. She did not have a lingering illness. She was 65 at the time of the administration. I think she was about 75 when she died.
Anyone who may read this testimony, I bear testimony that it is true, and hope it will be a help to someone else and that they will rely on the Lord and know what He can do for them, when they have faith.
CRIPPLED LADY HEALED
One time Sister Matilda Hales came to our house. She was 78 years old and had to walk with crutches. Her son brought her for me to administer to her. I was inspired and promised her in her blessing that she would be healed from her rheumatic condition and be able to discard her crutches and not use them any more.
This blessing would come to her because of her great faith. She had done quite a lot of temple work. I told her she had ancestors that had had the gospel taught them in the Spirit world and were converted and they were waiting for their work to be done in the Temple, and she would receive records from sources unknown to her at that time and be able to go into the Temple and do their work; that she would never be troubled with lameness any more.
After the blessing we talked for a while. Then she got up and took her crutches and put them under her arm and walked out to the car and never used them again, and did a great deal of temple work after that.
CAR STOPPED GOING TO DELTA
Many times I've been inspired to go places and many times there's been sickness there. One night I was going to Delta. 'Twas after dark. I was nearing a farm house and a voice said, "Stop here. Help's needed." It came a second time, and a third time, but I didn't stop, and went by. I got almost 100 yards from the place and my car stopped. I couldn't get it to go. I walked back to the house and Leonard Broderick and wife were living there.
When I knocked at the door, Sister Broderick opened the door and said, "I'm happy you've come, Brother Woodbury. we've got a very sick boy. I've been praying that the Lord would send somebody to help his father administer to him." I said. "I didn't know you had a sick boy, but my car stopped on me and I came for help so I could go on."
She said, "The Lord sent you. He stopped your car in answer to my prayer". The boy was in bed suffering greatly. His father and I administered to him' and when we finished, he was fast asleep, free from pain.
His father said, "Now I'll go help you start your car." When we got there, I got into the car, stepped on the starter. It started at once. It had never done that before or since as long as I owned it. I felt it was done in answer to prayer. Brother and Sister Broderick do, also. His recovery from his sickness was rapid. He is now a strong, healthy young man. His father and mother came to our Golden Wedding open house and spoke about it.
MOTHER HEALED OF DIABETES
In 1939, my dear wife, Agnes Woodbury, had a breaking out on her body, and had been suffering for some time with it. She went to Salt Lake for an examination to see what was the cause of it. The doctor she went to said, "I think you have diabetes. I'll send you to Dr. Richards, who is a specialist." She went to him and he examined her and he said, "You have one of the very worst cases of sugar diabetes, and will have to go to the hospital." She said, "I can't go to the hospital. I haven't come prepared for it." He said, "Will you go if I make arrangements for it"? She said, "Yes."
She went to the hospital. They put her on a diet and they gave her insulin. That was in November, 1939. They kept her there until the 16th of December; then she came home.
When she left the hospital, Dr. Richards said, "Mrs. Woodbury, diabetes is a very bad disease and you have one of the very worst forms there is, and you will never get off from insulin or never get off from your diet. You'll have to stay on that always, the rest of your life."
She came home, but hadn't been able to use the insulin on the train. She was injecting it into her leg and she said, "Just think. I've got to use this all the rest of my life!" The inspiration came to me and I said, "No you won't dear, and you won't have to use it very long." She was using 60 units of insulin a day, and her diet was so strict we had to have some gram scales to weigh everything she ate. She sat here at night and figured what she could eat the next day.
On the 23rd of January I went to the Manti Temple and put her name on the list and went in the prayer circle. She couldn't go. When I came home that night, she was quite sick. I administered to her and told her to start off insulin in the morning and told her she could cut down a little each day and eventually eliminate it entirely. she'd tried to do this before, but every time it would test sugar, so she had to continue.
The next morning she cut out five units of insulin. Each day she reduced the amount and on the 23rd of February we both went to the Temple. That day, the 23rd of February, she used 5 units instead of 60. So we both went to the Temple and put our names on the prayer list again and went in the prayer circle, and that was the 23rd of February, 1940. We returned home and she's never had a drop of insulin from that day to this.
She was healed. That summer we went to Idaho to see our granddaughter Verla Kofoed. She couldn't stay on her diet, so she went off that. On the way home, we stopped at the hospital and she went to see Doctor Richards. He said, "How are you getting along with your insulin, Sister Woodbury?" She answered, "I'm not taking insulin, or on my diet either" "Do you mean to tell me that you're not taking insulin?" She said, "No." He said, "I must test you to see if you are cured of that disease which is impossible for medical science to control." He made a test of her and said, "You haven't a trace of sugar diabetes". He told the other doctors and they made the test and they all found that she was relieved of the condition.
Now she will soon be 81 years old. She has never had a touch of sugar diabetes from that day to this, and she eats most anything that other people eat.
This is another testimony to show how the Lord does bless and answer the prayers in behalf of His choice servants and handmaidens who have faith in the Priesthood when He has a great work for them to do.
I was ordained a Patriarch on the 22nd of September, 1940, and during our period of giving blessings, her health was so perfect, she wrote over 7,000 pages of Patriarchal blessings until her sickness. She had a stroke and hasn't been able to do anything in that line of work since.
In that glorious Patriarchal work and during that period, we not only had people from our own ward and stake, but we had them come from many stakes and wards in the State of Utah, and from 13 other states besides Utah, into our home for blessings and administrations. They all rejoiced and many of them write letters now of appreciation for the blessings that they received. This testimony is given to show the blessings that come to the people who have faith in the Priesthood and the ordinances of the Gospel.
(This testimony was given by C. R. Woodbury at Hinckley, on our tape recorder on his 81st birthday, January 31, 1957.)
WORD OF WISDOM
This testimony is given to show how a person is blessed by observing the Word of Wisdom and his life preserved.
A young man in our ward, Brother Terry, was in World War II. He came home on a furlough and had the privilege of going through the temples, 3 of them, with his father and mother. He came here. He was going to be sent overseas. He was quite concerned about it. I had given him his Patriarchal blessing and he said he would like to have a special blessing if I felt like giving it to him. So he came, fasting and praying, and I gave him a blessing and promised him, "That though you may not be privileged to wear the garments that were placed on you in the temple, as long as you keep the covenants sacred, you'll enjoy the same protection and blessings.
You shall see your companions shot down by your side and your body shall not be injured, and you'll be preserved. You'll perform a great missionary work there." and I said, "Should the water ever become in a condition that you have to drink, and pronounced by medical science unfit to drink, and poisonous, if you will not partake of the things that are forbidden of the Lord, He will make the water sweet to your taste, if you will drink it, and it will not injure you in any way. And your companions will marvel when they see you drink that water. That blessing will come to you by not partaking of those things, but observing the Word of Wisdom, and that water will be sweeter to your taste than any water you ever drank."
When he returned from the war, he came and bore his testimony to me. He said, "Twice our division went into action. One time there was five came back, myself and four others. Another time there were three of us return. The rest were slain." And he said, "One time the water became contaminated that we had to drink and medical science said, 'You mustn't drink that water, and any that do will mean death for them,' but I trusted in the Lord and the blessing which you gave me which I knew was through revelation, and I drank that water. I never tasted better water in my life than that was. It quenched my thirst. It tasted sweet to me. My companions expected to see me die by drinking that, but my health was not injured in any way at all and I was permitted to continue my work there that I was asked to do in the service of my country, and also the missionary work.
I had a chance to explain the gospel to many of them there and those boys who at that time saw what had happened and wondered how that could be. I told them and explained to them the value of the Word of Wisdom and the blessings that come to them by complying with it, and that was the reason that water didn't affect me. I trusted in the Lord and the covenants I'd made and the promises the Lord had made by observing the Word of Wisdom." He said, "It had caused many of them to begin investigating the Gospel of Jesus Christ and made them want to know more about it. I don't know how many accepted the Gospel.
I left and came home, but many of them were studying the scriptures and studying literature I'd given them that explained the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and its principles as taught to the world for their salvation."
This testimony is given to show how the Lord does honor those who observe the Word of Wisdom and keep His commandments.
This boy, after he came home, has married a wonderful wife in the temple of the Lord and now is performing a great work in the Church and Kingdom of God, and his wife is also. They are raising a family and they are happy. He still has a testimony of how his life was preserved through keeping the commandments of the Lord. He feels that his life was preserved that those people who saw him drink that water and not affect him, that that was to be, that they, too, would become interested in the gospel of Jesus Christ and understand the principles of it.
So he bore his testimony, and thought that was why his life was preserved and he was sure that was why the water didn't affect him at all and he was grateful to the Lord for that blessing and the many people who are investigating the Gospel because of being there in his presence and seeing how his life was preserved.
(Taped by Jennie Lee on his 81st birthday, Jan. 31, 1957, at Hinckley).
TWO BABIES
There were two babies born in the Delta hospital twelve hours apart. They were both baby boys. They both weighed the same and were the same complexion.
A year afterwards one of the women got the idea that the babies had been changed in the hospital and she had gotten the wrong one. She went to the other woman and told her she thought the babies had been changed in the hospital and she had gotten the wrong one, and that she would have to give up her baby. The other woman said she would not give that baby up and she knew it was hers so she came to me and asked me to give her a blessing.
In the blessing I was inspired to tell her that the babies were not changed in the hospital, as the one she gave birth to was her own flesh and blood and had requested the privilege of being born in her home in the Spirit World, which request was granted. Had you gotten the other baby, you would never have been satisfied. The one you have will grow and bring you and its father great joy and happiness, and some day become a great leader in the Church. So let your mind be at ease, knowing that you have the right baby, that the Lord will be displeased if you should make the change.
The other woman made the same request and I gave her a blessing. They both accepted what was told them, as revealed to me.
GIRL HEALED AT FISH LAKE
In 1925 I went to Fish Lake with the Boy Scouts. We were eating supper one evening and word came that a girl had fallen out of a swing and they thought her back was broken. A voice said to me, "Go where that injured girl is. They need help."
I excused myself and went through the cabins and trees until I found the place where she was. I said to the woman, "Is this where the girl is that was hurt?" She said, "Yes." She was lying on the bed unconscious.
I said, "How did it happen?" She said, "She was swinging and the rope broke. She fell and lit on a stump on the small of her back. We think her back is broken. "
I said, "Are you L.D.S.?" She answered, "Yes, but I'm not acquainted here. I've been praying that the Lord would send somebody that had the authority to administer to her."
I said, "I'm thankful that I have the authority to administer to her. If that is your desire and faith, I'll administer to her." She said, "I've sent for a doctor at Monroe, but I have more faith in the Priesthood."
The girl was lying there. She would give a gasp for breath and lay there still 'till she gave another gasp for breath. When I started to administer to her, she began to breathe normal. I promised her, because of her great faith, and the faith of her mother, and the mission she had to perform on the earth, any broken bones in her back would be restored normal and that no medical help would be necessary. Other things I told her, she had a great mission to perform on this earth and her life would be preserved to fulfill her mission. when I took my hands off her head, she opened her eyes and said, "Mother, while he had his hands on my head, it felt like bones going back together in my back. I feel good only my back is sore and it pains me."
The doctor came and examined her. They told him what had happened and he said, "I can't understand how she could fall as she did and not have a broken bone or a bone out of place in her back at the present time."
They went to Monroe that night and I never saw them again. We stopped at a service station in Monroe on our way home and inquired what they knew about the girl. As I remember, her father was President of the Stake. They told us, "You'd never know she'd met with an accident at all."
This is another answer to prayer by my heeding that still small voice to go where help was needed.
TWO GIRLS FROM DELTA
Two girls came over from Delta to get their blessings. One girls was very easy to give the blessing to. The other was very difficult. When they went over to Delta later, the girl's mother told them that her daughter had been tampering with tea and coffee and when she came back home after getting her blessing, she said she would never tamper with it again.
PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF BEING HEALED
In 1924 I was taken to the L.D.S. Hospital and nine doctors gave me three days to live. I went in on Friday and was supposed to die on Sunday, but I was at that time teacher of the Deacons' class in Hinckley Ward. Sunday morning about 10 o'clock the pain left me and a heavenly feeling came over me that I couldn't account for.
The doctor came and he marveled at the change in my condition. I didn't know what had happened until my companion, Brother Christensen, who was my assistant teacher, wrote me a letter of Tuesday, stating that the boys held a special prayer for me, that Sunday morning, and Rollo Dutson led in prayer and the others all repeated in concert. Although I knew nothing of the prayer being offered, I received the benefit of it. I lived to return home and bear testimony to those boys of how their prayers were answered.
Many of those boys are now active in the Church. The President of our Stake, June Black, was there, and Emerald Moody in the High Priests Presidency of the Stake, Ormis Dutson, Milo Moody, a doctor at Payson and many others in that class that morning are now leaders in the Church, and I am grateful that this came to me.
This testimony is given to show how the Lord hears and answers prayers which are offered, although the individual is far away. Their prayers are answered and their health restored. That's the purpose of this testimony. To show what the Lord can do through the faith that is exercised in behalf of those who are ill.
(This is signed by Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury of the Hinckley Ward of the Deseret Stake.)
BLINDED BY WELDING
A few years ago I looked out the window and saw a man coming up the walk with a boy leading him. He came to the door and I said, "Brother Memmott, what's the trouble? What's the matter with you?" He said, "I was acetylene welding without colored glasses and it blinded me. I can't see anything. My eyes have pained me all night and I couldn't sleep. I feel that if you will administer to me, I'll be healed and my sight restored."
I told him all right, if that was the faith he had, I would do so. His boy, who was an Elder and was just home from the service, assisted me. I was inspired and promised him his sight would be restored perfect and never hinder him from finishing his mission.
When we took our hands off his head, he wept with joy, and he could see some. He told his boy, "Now I want you to go up to school." So the boy drove the car up to school and the father drove the car home, which was a distance of about 2 1/2 miles. His testimony to me a short time ago was that his eyes have never bothered him from that time to this. This happened about five years ago.
In 1956, this same man, Brother Memmott, from Sugarville, came to our home. His wife and boy were with him. He said, "I've been to the doctor and he says I have a very bad case of sugar diabetes, and I've quit working. He gave me a prescription to go to the drug store and get filled and told me to come back there and he'd tell me how to use them, but I didn't go to the drug store at all. I came to you, as my faith is that you can heal me as you did when I was blind and had my sight restored. The same boy was with him that helped administer to him before.
So I administered to him, and was inspired by the Lord and promised him that if he'd use wisdom in the food he ate, he would never have to take insulin in his life. He'd be able to work and provide for his family, and it would never hinder him at all. He'd continue on in his daily labors, both his temporal and spiritual work. And he would live to fulfill the mission the Lord had for him to perform, which was a great one, with a future that he knew not of at that time. Again he wept with joy and went home happy.
Since then I've conversed with him a number of times, and the last time I saw him was in Sugarville in December, 1956. His testimony then was how the Lord had blessed him and the prayer was answered. He said, "I never went back and had that prescription filled, or have never taken any insulin. I went back to work after that and I've been working ever since." The doctor asked his daughter why her father hadn't come back for the medicine and she said, "Well, father had faith to be healed without it." The doctor said, "What is the matter? Is your father out of his mind? His case of diabetes is one of the very worst there is and he may drop dead on the street." "Well," she told him, "his faith is that he'd be healed, and that's the reason he never came back."
That's the testimony of this man and today he's well and healthy and has no symptoms of diabetes. This blessing came to him because of his great faith, along with that of his family.
(Another testimony given by Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury that happened in his home. There are just as great miracles performed today as there ever was if we have sufficient faith.)
WOMAN HEALED OF CANCER
In 1953 a woman came to our home, very discouraged, seeking a blessing from the Lord. She said, "I've been to the doctor and he says I have a very bad cancer. An operation must be performed. I don't know who will take care of my children. I have a family of little children with no one to look after them and we haven't the means to pay for an operation. I know the Lord can heal me, if it's His will, although I have an appointment to return to Salt Lake for the operation. I'd like to have a blessing and I know the Lord can heal me if it's His will to do it."
I told her, "All right. If that's your faith, I'll unite my faith with yours and trust in the Lord." So I told the Lord her condition. That her great desire was to raise her family, to look after them, and that if she was separated from them there was no one to look after them. I told Him she hadn't the means with which to pay for the operation, and she had great faith. She knew that He could heal her. For that purpose she had come to our home. I prayed to please reveal unto me the blessings that I should promise her, that You have for her. I know any promises that I might make myself would not be fulfilled, but the things You reveal to me will be; so please reveal to me the things you want her to know, to give her courage and strength to carry on, so she can have her life preserved and have the remainder of her family.
She was happy and rejoiced; I told her, "When you go back to the doctor, he'll find no trace of cancer in your body. He'll not even find a trace of cancer in your blood."
She came back home, and this is a testimony that she bore to me of how the Lord had blessed her, and how grateful she was. she never was operated on for it at all. She was healed. Today she is a well, healthy woman.
CLARA STEWART'S TESTIMONY
Two weeks ago, a man and his wife, George L. Stewart and Clara Stewart came into our home, very discouraged. Her lung began to bleed in the night and she was very much concerned. Five years ago she had T.B. in her foot and lung and was healed through the faith she had in the Priesthood, but she was very much concerned because of the bleeding in her lung.
She came, seeking a blessing from the Lord, under my hands. Her husband and I administered to her. She was fearful of cancer or T.B., that it might develop. I felt to promise her, through the inspiration of the Lord, that there'd never be any T.B. develop in her body again, or a cancerous condition. When she went to the doctor, he would find that there was no condition such as that in her body.
She had always lived a pure life, the mother of 11 children, and the Lord had a great mission for her yet to perform upon the earth, and she would be healed of that affliction and it would never hinder her. She's been a great leader in the Sunday School, in music, and many positions in the Church.
They rejoiced when they left, and I told her because of her faith, I was inspired to remind her of the woman who had been afflicted for twelve years. She had such great faith in the Savior that if she could touch the hem of His garment, she would be healed. She touched his garment and the Savior said, "Who touched me?" His disciples marveled that he would ask such a question in that throng of people. His answer was, "I felt the virtue go out of my body." the woman, feeling that she had done wrong, knelt at his feet. He, in His great mercy and love, took her by the hand and said, "Woman, thy faith has made thee whole." she was healed and the servants of God being clothed on with the same Priesthood that the Savior held; I say unto you, "Sister Stewart, your faith shall make thee whole; your life will be preserved and you shall return home to fill your mission."
They left happy and went to Salt Lake. She wrote to one of her boys in the service and told him a miracle had been performed. The bleeding ceased, but it started again for some unknown reason, two days afterward, in the night. They went to Salt Lake and she told the man at the L.D.S. Hospital her condition, and she was told, "Well, I don't think we can do anything for you. We'll have to send you to the sanitarium at Ogden," thinking perhaps that she had T.B. They took X-ray pictures and there was no trace of T.B. or cancer, either one. They could hardly tell just what caused the bleeding. It was very small, but there was nothing of a serious nature, as I had promised her that there was nothing in her body but what the doctors could control, and her health restored perfect, and she would return to continue her mission in the Church. That made her happy and they rejoiced together, to think that she had no T.B. or cancer in her body. the bleeding stopped and she's now home doing her work and coming to Church. They both rejoice and praise the Lord for the blessings that have come to them.
DEAF WOMAN FROM MARYLAND
On the 17th of July, Sister Cropper brought a lady down to be administered to. She and her husband were converts to the Church, (Jennie, one of Sister Cropper's children, had been the missionary that converted them). They had come from Maryland to go through the temples and visit the Croppers. The Croppers had told them of me. They came fasting. Sister Cropper had asked if it would be possible to have the blessing written. "Well," I said, "You come. I'll pray about it and you come prepared to write it. If it's all right, you can write it." So when they came, I said, "It's all right. You can write it."
She was the best lip reader I ever say. You could sit clear across the room from her and converse with her as long as she could look right at you. If you were to one side of her, then she couldn't. If she could look direct at you, you wouldn't know she was deaf. She could tell everything you said.
Her husband anointed her, and I said, "Sister Steele, you're going to hear things I tell you today." She said, "I hope so." So I administered to her, and I promised her her hearing would be restored as needs required. It wouldn't be restored at once, but she had a great work to do in the Church, teaching the Gospel. She had a great temple work to do, and I said, "You're greatly concerned about going through the temple, but as you go through the temple, because of your great faith, by the power of the Holy ghost, you will know and understand everything that's said and done." Other things I was inspired to tell her.
She broke down and cried while we were administering to her. When we took our hands off her head, she said, "Brother Woodbury, I heard many things you said." She just cried. That's the first sound she'd heard for 38 years, because of her faith. So she kept hearing sounds. She said, when she read her blessing, "The Lord knew what was for my good. If my ears had been unstopped and I'd heard all those sounds at once, I believe I'd lost my mind. I never could have stood it." Each day she heard something.
The next day, I went over to the temple with them. The others went over, too. In the morning they gave her a book to look at. In the afternoon they used them for witnesses. They came in the prayer circle.She had to help her husband. she could understand everything so perfectly and I couldn't see but that she did as perfectly as anyone else. When they got out of the temple, there was a missionary and his wife who had been to Maryland. They invited the couple to go to Richfield with them. Another missionary called from Salt Lake. He said, "Have the Steeles come yet?" They said, "Yes". She went over to the phone and held a conversation with him over the phone to Salt Lake from Richfield . . . The first time she had heard anything over the phone. They brought their recommends for the Salt Lake, Manti, Logan and Idaho falls Temples.
I promised her in her blessing that she would be able to go through the temples as she had planned. I didn't know how many temples she had planned to go through. I told her, "Every temple you have planned to go through while here in Utah and in the West, you shall be granted the privilege." They had come 4,100 miles out here.
When they got to Salt Lake, the temple was closed, but they hadn't been on the grounds ten minutes when a man came and said, "You can go through the temple." Of course, they weren't working there (no sessions in progress), but the guide took them through and showed them everything. Then they went through the Logan temple and the Idaho Falls Temple.
They got back home safe and they are rejoicing. I administered to him, too. His health was poor. He's now in the Sunday School Superintendency and she's teaching the Gospel Doctrine Class.
The last letter I got from her she said, "I can't be grateful enough to the Lord. Now I can go to church and hear the beautiful singing and music." That's her picture there on the dresser with my missionary pictures.
(Recorded by Jennie Lee, January 31, 1957)
DEAF GIRL FROM IDAHO
Another couple came from Salt Lake. They wanted to bring their girl down that was born deaf. I told them--of course, I tell all of them that write to me that it's not necessary to come to me, because there's the same Priesthood everywhere and better men than I am everywhere--"You can have her administered to." They wanted to bring her down. They came fasting. That girl was 14 years old and born deaf. While we were administering to her (her mother was President of the Relief Society and her father very active in the Church), the telephone rang three times. When we got through administering to her, she said, "Mother, I heard bells ringing." She had never heard a sound since she was born. I'm sure that girl's got her hearing from the blessings of the Lord.
The last letter I got from her at Christmas she said, "We're sure our girl's hearing is going to be made so she can hear, as she hears ringing in her ears all the time now. That shows that life's coming back into the nerves, I think." I haven't heard from them since.
MOTHER HEALED OF ASTHMA
Mother used to have asthma. She used to cough so hard all the time. She was in the primary and she would start up there and she'd have to stop and catch hold of the fence and rest, and she'd go out here to the clothes line and catch hold of the clothes line and just stand there and cough and try to get her breath.
I took her up to Salt Lake and had tests to see what caused it and they said, "There's only one thing to do and that is a change of altitude."
I said. "What would you recommend, higher or lower?" They said, "You'd have to experiment." I said, "We can't do that," and through the blessings of the Lord she was healed. She coughed so hard one night she tore a ligament loose. She came out of that room and fell on the floor. She said, "I've torn a kidney loose." She was in so much pain. I worked with her. I got her on the couch and as soon as I could, I phoned the doctor at Delta. He came over and said, "You haven't torn a kidney loose but you have injured the ligaments. You'll have to be quiet."
She was in so much pain she couldn't move. I consecrated a bottle of olive oil and stayed close by and every time she'd go to cough, I'd give her a teaspoonful of oil. Three days that lasted, and she was healed, and has never had a touch of asthma from that day to this. (The oil was consecrated especially for her.)
SEES INTO THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM
I was privileged, while in the hospital, of seeing into the Celestial Kingdom. that's something that I'm thankful that I went through what I did, and the Lord has blessed me.
One night I lay there, I saw the most beautiful picture I ever beheld in my life. People were going to and fro, dressed in light clothing. Everyone seemed to be so happy. A voice said, "This is the Celestial Kingdom, the highest degree of glory. This is the reward that awaits those who in mortal life complied with the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in the temples of the Lord, and kept those covenants sacred. This is the reward that awaits you and your wife when your mission is finished on this earth if you continue keeping the commandments of the Lord and the covenants sacred that you have made, as you have done.
The brightness of that, the sun doesn't compare with. So glorious, so heavenly, I hated to see it close.
That closed like a curtain dropped; the scene I beheld then, I was glad to get rid of. I saw (there was enough light to see) people. They were in dark clothing, but they were going to and fro. Contention and strife were among them, like they were searching for something they couldn't find.
The voice said, "This is what is spoken of in the Bible as the bottomless pit, where there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. This is the reward that awaits those who in mortal life disobeyed the commandments of the Lord and the laws of the land. They created appetites and took things into their bodies which were detrimental to them when their bodies were laid in Mother Earth, the appetite they had created went with the spirit. In mortal life they could get those things to satisfy that appetite and that craving, but there it's not to be found. Here they'll remain in that condition till the thousand years are ended in the Millennium before their bodies are resurrected from the grave. This is their reward, and they shall remain here in torment because of the life they lived in mortality."
Men and women, they were there, going to and fro, and that was what they were searching for, but the appetite couldn't be satisfied. I was happy when it closed.
That was the reverse. The Celestial Kingdom and the bottomless pit of the Telestial Kingdom. There they remain.
A man said to me one day, "Brother Woodbury, I'll be glad to get rid of this stinking body of mine." I said, "Who made it that way? When your spirit took possession of that body, it was pure and clean. Because of the things you've taken into it that defiled it and made it what you call 'a stinking body.' Now, if you think when that body's laid away in Mother Earth, you're going to get rid of that appetite, you've acquired here, you've got another guess coming. You'll have to overcome it sometime; but remember how much quicker you could overcome it with your body than you can without." He said, "I've never thought about it, my good friend. I'm bearing my testimony to you that it's like that, because I've been permitted to see and know and understand."
It's just like when a person goes, the Priesthood he holds goes with him into the Spirit World.
HEALED OF DOUBLE PNEUMONIA
A number of years ago a neighbor lady, Sister Jetta Theobald, was very sick with double pneumonia. The doctors said she couldn't live. They came for me when we came out of meeting Sunday night to see if I'd come and help administer to her. So I came there, and she lay, it looked like, at the point of death. The nurse had come that morning. They didn't expect her to live till night. She expected to take the train back to Salt Lake. We administered to her on Sunday night. There was a great outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord there. Her husband, her son, ward teacher and myself administered to her. I felt inspired to promise her that she should be healed, that the pneumonia would depart, and that the doctors would marvel at her rapid recovery. She had a great mission yet to perform on the earth. Because of the great faith that was exercised by her husband and her loved ones, she would be healed.
She went to sleep and was resting when we left, peaceful. That happened on Sunday night and Wednesday when the doctor came, her pneumonia was all cleared, although she had it in both lungs very bad. He couldn't believe it possible. It was Doctor Bird. she recovered and after she got well, she said to me, "Brother Woodbury, when you came into the house, another man came with you." I said, "No, there was no one came with me. I came alone." She said, "Yes, there was. There was another man came, I didn't see anyone else, only you and him. He came and laid hands along with you on my head. I knew when he did that, that I would be healed. After the Administration was over, he didn't stay. He had other things to do."
I said, "No, there was no one came with me." "Yes, there was. My testimony to you is that that was one of the Three Nephites."
I said, "No, I'm not good enough for that. . . to have that experience." But she says, "I don't care. That's my testimony to you that I know that's one of the Three Nephites that came and helped you administer to me and my life was preserved." She did live quite a while and completed her mission on the earth.
Dr. Bird, the doctor who said she couldn't live, has told her lots of times, "Sister Theobald, as far as medical science is concerned, you are supposed to be in the cemetery, but through the blessings of the Lord and the power of the Priesthood, your life was preserved to continue your mission. so give Him, the Lord, the praise and the glory for the blessing that came to you, that your life was preserved and prolonged on the earth."
After she recovered, and was put in as President of the Relief Society, she lived and did a great work for many years before she passed away.
That shows that the personages are permitted to come and assist when it is necessary. This is the testimony that she bore to me and I bear it to the world.
(This is the testimony of Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury of the Hinckley ward and the Deseret Stake. Recorded January 31, 1957).
BAPTISMS IN THE MANTI TEMPLE
I would now like to relate an experience that happened to me in Manti Temple as I witnessed 300 baptisms one day. As a name was called out for baptism, a voice said to me, "This person has had the Gospel taught them and is converted and is ready for baptism." Another name would be called out, "This person's never heard the Gospel yet." Another name would be called, "This person's heard the Gospel and is not converted." I sat there in that condition and witnessed 300 baptisms. I knew everyone of them that had accepted it and those that didn't...25 out of the 300 weren't ready for it. They weren't converted and ready for the work. The rest of them, the other 275 were prepared and rejoiced that their work was being done.
This is the testimony that I have to show people that the departed spirits know and appreciate when their work is done in the Temple, so they can enjoy the blessings of the Gospel.
This is my testimony to the world that they do know and understand and are privileged to enjoy the blessings of the Gospel when we do work for them in the Temples of the Lord, which is our great responsibility.
BAPTISMS IN THE MANTI TEMPLE FOR JOHN REEVES
I might relate another instance that happened in the Manti Temple. A man by the name of John Reeves said, "I've some names to do the baptisms for, and I'm not able to get clothing large enough for me to do the baptisms for them. Will you be baptized for them?" I said, "I will be happy to, Brother Reeves." I had just got over a severe sick spell. Brother Reeves told me afterward, "When I saw you going down into the waters so pale, I was sorry I asked you to be baptized for them." "If you'll show me that list of names," I said, "I can tell you who accepted it and who didn't. There were 3 on this list that weren't prepared for it, and the other 11 were." He answered and said, "Well, I'm grateful then, that you were baptized for them."
I was also baptized for 16 of my own names and the same condition existed. they didn't all accept it, but the majority of them did. So that was a glorious day for me that day. Every time I went down into the waters of baptism and came up, I felt stronger. After being baptized 30 times, I was much stronger than when I went into the water for the first baptism.
This is another testimony that I bear to the world that they know and understand when the work is done for them in the Temple, whether being baptized or sealed for them, couples sealed together and their children sealed to them. They understand and appreciate it.
AN ANSWER TO PRAYER
When my grandson, Elder Keith LeRoy Bunker, was taken ill in the mission field and brought to the L.d.S. Hospital in s.L.C. by his companion, elder Wilde, and the doctor told his parents there was no cure for the disease, he asked them to come and get me to administer to him, which they did.
On Sept., 24th, 1947, Robert D. Young, myself and his father administered to him and he received some relief. I prayed to the Lord to know why such a pure young man as he was should be stricken in the mission field and be sent home, but received no answer, and when special fast and prayer meetings were held in his ward, also in the mission field, where he had made so many friends, and his name was sent to the temples, and still he grew weaker.
On Sept. 28th, his father and I administered to him again, but received no assurance that he should live. He did receive relief, for which we were thankful. I prayed not only once, but many times, and asked the Lord to make it known to me, if I was worthy, why a young man like Keith who had always lived a pure, clean life and was such a comfort to his parents and an inspiration to every one and was so anxious that everyone should hear the Gospel and understand and know the blessings it would bring, if lived for, and when he had been called by a prophet, George Albert Smith, to go into the mission field and was doing so much good and enjoying his work, had to come home, and medical science did all they could, as well as his loving parents did, and had everything done possible.
On the 10th of November, I prayed and asked the Lord why I had not received an answer to my prayers, if I had done something wrong that was hindering me from receiving an answer about my grandson, who was so pure, to please forgive me so I would be worthy to know and could let his parents know at the proper time. It was revealed to me that his grandmother Bunker had made the request, which had been granted by the Prophet Joseph Smith, for Keith to come and help her in her work and preach the Gospel in the Spirit World, as she had a great many ancestors who had not heard the Gospel, and some for whom the work had been done in the temple had not accepted it.
I asked if there was not someone else that could do that work and let Keith stay here as he was my only descendant to be called on a mission in mortality. The answer was, "You have other grandchildren and she has also who are worthy and will be called to fill missions in mortality, but Keith is the only one that can fill the mission here, as it has to be someone that is prepared and can explain the Gospel, that when her sons and daughters get the records of her ancestors, which they will, if they work together in faith and prayer, from sources unknown to them now, they'll receive many names and when their work is done in the temple, they will understand and accept it.
Money will be required but it will bring them the greatest reward of any money they can spend, the blessing of eternal life to many of their ancestors, which is the greatest gift of God." It was also made known to me that any blessings which had been pronounced upon Keith's head, even in his patriarchal blessing that he had not received in mortality, would be enjoyed by him in the Millennium, because of his worthiness and he would lose nothing.
I was not to make this known to his parents until after he had passed away, then it would bring them comfort, and they would know his mission was finished on earth, and that he will continue his mission with his grandmother, a far greater one than he could perform here. Then his parents will say, "The Lord's will has been done," and he will not be hindered by sickness, or sorrow, unless some of his loved ones lose the faith and the records are not procured.
This was revealed to me from the Lord on the 10th day of November 1947, and I bear testimony that it is true, the Lord being my helper-- Charles R. Woodbury, grandfather of Keith and Patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of Hinckley Ward, Deseret Stake.
Additional Information by Zola W. Bunker, December 1971.
Keith was the son of Clifton LaMond and Zola Woodbury Bunker. On January 5, 1947, he left for his mission to the Northwestern States and served with Elder Max Bagley until June in Washougal, Washington. Then was sent to Canada. He was a faithful missionary and made friends wherever he went. He became ill with leukemia and was brought to the hospital September 13, 1947. He was never told that he had leukemia and was anxious to get well, so he could go back and finish his mission. He had great faith that he would get well and so did his parents right to the very end. They were with him as he peacefully passed away November 23, 1947.
The Grandmother Bunker spoken of in the above article, was Ellen Oberg Bunker, who was born in Sweden on Jan. 1, 1868, to John Albert and Annie Holmstrom Oberg. They joined the Church in Sweden and came to Utah in 1872 and settled in Richfield. Ellen got her first Swedish records in 1928 from Ella Heckshire, when she sent $10.00 to Sweden. Ellen passed away February 2, 1931. The next records we got were in 1942 when the family sent $100 from ellen's estate. After I returned from my mission in December 1962, I wrote to Ella Heckshire for more records; she had passed away and Henning Aschen had taken over her work. In 1963 new lines were found which opened up the way for hundreds of names and more are being found each year. The temple work is being done as fast as we get the names. I feel that with Ellen, Keith and LaMond working together in the Spirit World, we will be able to get all the names that can be found anywhere in Sweden.
My husband, Clifton LaMond also filled a mission to the Northwestern States in 1929-30, when Keith was a baby and Ellen took care of Keith and older brother Boyd, while I worked to help support my husband. My husband passed away on October 23, 1955. My father, Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, told me that Keith needed his father Clifton LaMond to be his missionary companion in the Spirit World to help preach the Gospel to their ancestors.
(Note: This article was not recorded on tape.)
Many times when I have been administering to someone, and their father was dead, he has come and stood by my side and helped me administer to them.
CANCER CURED
A neighbor over here, Sarah Morris, was working in Salt Lake. She went to a doctor. She had a pain in her chest. He told her she had cancer developed in there and an operation would be necessary to remove it. She came over and asked her mother if she thought I would administer to her if she came over. The girl came down and I went over and administered to her. Her mother laid hands on with me and I sealed the anointing. I told her the diagnosis made by the doctor, "When you return, he'll marvel at the changed condition. There'll be no cancer in your body, and there never will be. He will acknowledge that he made a mistake in the diagnosis. He'll say, 'Something happened that I don't understand.' I said she'd be healed, no operation will ever be necessary.
MY ARTHRITIS HEALED
In the fall of 1951 I was stricken with arthritis. All winter long I suffered pain and misery. I went to doctors, but no relief. I was administered to and I got relief from that, but still I couldn't milk my cow, do my chores and could hardly walk.
So in the spring of 1952, Doctor Lyman gave me a blood transfusion. One transfusion was effective. He gave me another one that must not have been the right type of blood, because it nearly cost me my life.
He brought me home from his office, and that night my daughter stayed here. I could hardly get my breath all night long. He said that transfusion affected my heart. In the morning my daughter took me to the Fillmore Hospital. The doctor didn't expect to see me live till I got there, from the condition I was in. He ran out of oxygen before we got there. As soon as we got there, he gave me oxygen, put me in an oxygen tent and I began to recover. I was under the tent 24 hours. Then he removed it. I didn't have to have any more oxygen. I still suffered greatly, but what the doctors did didn't seem to relieve me. I got greater relief from the administrations than the medicine.
On the 12th day of April, 1952, I lay there in bed and I heard my father talking to a man, and it was revealed to me that it was Robert Slaughter, the man I gave the first Patriarchal Blessing to. He'd asked permission from my parents, which has been granted, to come for me when my mission was finished on the earth. I heard my father and him talking as I lay there. He said, "I've come to take your boy now." Father said, "No, his mission isn't finished on earth yet. You can't take him now. He's going to be healed at once of this affliction he had. When his mission's finished you can come for him, but he can't go now."
I heard no more. They departed. No more voices. I began to move my arms. No pain' my legs, no pain. I raised my arms up over my head and I told the nurse, "That's the first time I've been able to do that for six months." Father promised Brother Slaughter that I would be healed at once and finish my mission, and it was fulfilled. My arthritis left me that day, the 4th of April, 1952, and it has never returned since. I am very thankful. Father told him, "My son will live and many people will receive blessings under his hands before he departs this life." This has been literally fulfilled.
Since that time, this is the 31at of August, 1957, I have administered to and given blessings to over a thousand people, for which I am very grateful. I hope that when my mission is finished, that I'll be worthy to go and meet the many people that I've worked with on this earth, as well as all my loved ones.
ORDAINED PATRIARCH
Robert Slaughter got the first Patriarchal blessing I gave after I was ordained a Patriarch. He and I had worked together. We rented the church farm and ran it together. He's been dead quite a few years. Six months before I was ordained a Patriarch, he asked me to give him the first one. We were talking one day and he said he never had his Patriarchal Blessing. He only lived about two blocks from Patriarch Willis E. Robinson. I said, "You live that close to him and never had your Patriarchal Blessing?" He said, "I've been waiting for you to give it to me." I said, "You're going to be ordained a Patriarch, and I speak for the first blessing you give." That was in the fall of 1939.
At September conference, 1940, they called me into the office and introduced me to elder Sylvester Q. cannon. He said, "How would you like to be ordained a Patriarch?" I said, "That is the greatest honor that could come to me." So he said, "When you come back this afternoon, bring a piece of paper with your full name, date of birth, names of parents and offices you hold in the church, and we'll see. There's nothing sure about it so don't depend on it, but we'll see."
In the afternoon they read off the officers to be sustained and my name wasn't on the list. So I thought I wasn't to be; but when they had finished, they read my name alone and I was sustained. Leslie Wright was ordained a High Priest the same day. He came to me and said he wanted the first Patriarchal Blessing I gave. I said, "There's somebody ahead of you. If he'll give his consent, it will be all right." I asked Brother Slaughter and he said, "No, I won't relinquish that right to anybody.".
I was ordained a Patriarch September 22, 1940. He received the first one on November 3rd, and Leslie Wright on November 8th, the first and second I gave. (Told me March 26, 1962)
SEVEN-YEAR OLD GIRL HEALED OF DEAFNESS
I'm relating an instance that happened to a little 7-year-old girl three or four years ago, she was taken out of school because of her hearing. Her mother and grandmother had great
faith. Her father did, also. He was trying to overcome appetites for things that would hinder him from going to the temple, to prepare himself so they could go to the temple, but they hadn't been yet.
The grandmother and the mother brought the little girl into our home to see if I'd administer to her. Told them, "Yes." The little girl, if you looked right at her and talked loud, could hear, but if you were to one side of her, or back of her she couldn't hear a thing. When she'd sat in the chair to be administered to, her mother said, "She won't hear anything you say, Brother Woodbury." I said, "Yes, she'll hear what I say today." I anointed her and sealed the anointing. When I took my hands off her head, I said, "Did you hear what I said today?" She said, "Yes". Pretty soon she got up and went and sat down by her mother on the couch and her mother started whispering to her. She said, "She can hear what I'm saying, whispering to her now."
They went home to Delta, rejoicing, thankful to the Lord for blessing the little girl. Shortly after that I was in Delta and somebody called out, ":Hello, Brother Woodbury," I went over there and the little girl had her head out of the window of a car. I said, "Who are you?" "I'm the little girl that you administered to and heavenly Father answered the prayer. I came over there and I was deaf. And now He answered the prayer and I can hear." I said, "How are you now?" She said, "Oh, I'm fine. I went to school the next and now I go to Primary and Sunday School, too, just like all the rest of the boys and girls, cause Heavenly father answered the prayer in my behalf. I'm so grateful that Mama took me over there to your place, so I can hear now and be like other children." Her hearing's perfect to this day.
(Taped by Jennie Lee, August 1947)
SOCIAL SECURITY
My nephew, Wallace Woodbury, suggested, "Why don't you apply for Social Security?" I said, "Well, I don't think I could get it." He said, "Well, it wouldn't hurt to try." I went and met with the Social Security people. They said, "You'll have to have an attorney fix up the papers and write to the manager of the Insurance Company to see if they've ever paid anything or not. Then when I come again in February, we'll see."
So I got Brother Liason and he figured up for three months, three years, and I gave him a check for back payment. I hadn't paid anything, It was $98. I wrote the manager of the company. I knew my contract was strictly commission basis. He hadn't paid anything. He said, "I don't think it will do any good to apply for Social security. Others have tried and failed. They've never been able to get it under your contract, under your condition, the contract you have." That did not discourage me any. I kept praying about it, told the Lord my condition, how badly I needed it to help take care of the expenses of my wife. I said, "I'll have that much more to pay tithing on, as well as to meet my expenses. If it's right that we should get it, please don't let anything hinder me, but open the way so we will get it."
When the Social Security man came in February,, he said, "You should have included another year, 1952," So I gave him another check for $31.00 People that I talked with said, "I think he'll start the payment in the month you first applied for it, in February." So it went on, and in April I got a notice, "Your claim has been approved and your monthly allowance will be $51.70. the first check you receive will be $700.00". "I've got it in my book there. Then he wrote to mother and said, "Your monthly payment will be $24.90, and your first check will be $360.00."
Well, I'd kept praying about it all the time, so instead of dating it back to February, 1956, they dated it back 14 months. Paid us the back payments. Almost a thousand dollars they paid us. I asked Brother Liason, "Has that ever happened to anybody else you've fixed up the papers for?" He said, "No, not a soul, They've dated it back some, but not like that." "Well," I said, "I think that has come in answer to prayer."
Well, it cost me $129.00, and deducted that from what we got, and that's my tithing on what we got, $95.95. That's the tithing check I paid on that. See what a big help that was to us. This year I got a letter from the Social Security to meet with them. They said, "You haven't been getting as much money as you should have. You should have been getting $7.00 a month more than what you have." That means $3.50 for mother and $7.00 for me. Well, I got a letter from them in July that said our allowance had been increased, and mine would $58 something. I've got it down there, Mother's would be $29.00. When they sent us our check that time, they dated that clear back, too... The $10.50 we hadn't been getting. The check we got then was over $300.00.
If it hadn't been for that, I don't know how in the world I'd ever have paid it. My insurance business wouldn't anywhere near pay it. Since Mother took sick, it has cost between $4 and $5 thousand dollars. It's paid up till the first of September. I've sure been grateful for that.
Mother worried a lot. I said, "Well, the Lord's blessed us; we haven't had to cash in our bonds yet, and we haven't had to touch our savings, and I have $465.00 paid up insurance. And with mother -- when President Morris was the Bishop, I told him i had paid up insurance to take care of me, What would he recommend for my wife? He said, "Government bonds." So we have bonds we can cash to take care of expenses for her. Our house is clear and we don't owe anything.
With all the money it's cost for her sickness, I could have done a lot with it. We don't understand these things. The glorious work we had. Many hundreds of people coming in here for blessings, and so much joy comes into their lives, as well as our own. It had to all stop, the Patriarchal work. Of course, the other hasn't --administering to the sick. Only yesterday a person at the rest home heard me talking in the other room. She said, "Brother Woodbury, I'm awful sick. I'm, just awful sick." I said, "I don't know where Brother McClellan is. We could administer to you." She went back and laid down on her bed. Pretty soon she hobbled back in there and said, "Brother Woodbury, I feel just like I was going to lose my mind." She was just shaking like a leaf. She has sugar diabetes and has palsy, too. "Well," I said, "I can't find Brother McClellan. You come here and sit down in this chair, and if I can find some oil, I'll administer to you.,
So she sat down. I couldn't find the oil so I said, "Well, I'll administer to you without it. I can't find it. There's no one here to find it for me." So I administered to her, resealed the previous anointing and promised her that she would have rest, and peace of mind, and rebuked the power of the destroyer. She went back and said, "Oh, thank you." She got up and I helped her back into her room, got her into bed and in five minutes she was fast asleep. She was one of the patients there.
Sister McClellan says, "I'm always happy to see you come, You bring such a peaceful spirit with you. I remember one time when I went there, she said, "Brother Woodbury, you've come when I need you. Two of my patients, I've been working with all night and I'm at my wit's end.
I don't know what to do for them. I've done everything I could. I can't quiet either one of them down. I've done everything." I said, "Why did you wait for me? Brother McClellan is a High Priest. He could administer to them. Well, I know he can, but I think the Lord's had you come today 'cause we needed you so bad."
She asked them if they'd like to be administered to and they said, "Yes." So her husband helped me administer to them. We administered to the woman with diabetes first, and it wasn't ten minutes till she was fast asleep. When we administered to the other woman, I don't know if it was ten minutes. I don't think it was that long before she was fast asleep. They were in the same room. She'd been up with them all night. I told her, "You shouldn't wait for me. Your husband holds the same Priesthood . He could administer to them."
SATAN REBUKED
This is Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury of the Deseret Stake. I'm relating an instance that happened in our home on August 28. My nephew that I hadn't seen for many years, his wife, and little six-year-old boy came to our home. They said they'd had their boy to Salt Lake. He had some blood disease the doctors couldn't correct. They live in Beaver and they came this way to see if I'd administer to him.
I told them, "Yes". They were a fine couple. His father was a High Priest. We administered to the little boy first. He rallied and seemed to get relief at once. Though only a child, he was happy. I felt he had a great mission to perform on the earth, and that that condition of his blood would be eliminated entirely. I rebuked that condition by the authority of the Priesthood. I felt that Satan realized the mission that boy was sent to this earth to perform, and we rebuked that power, that it would not bother him any more. The little fellow seemed to be happy, and we sealed the blessing of health and strength on him.
After we had administered to the boy, his mother said she would like to be administered to also. She was so depressed. She had a fear of death. So we administered to her, and when we started to her husband anointed her. When I started to seal the anointing, (I'd said only a few words) she said, "I don't know whether I want to be administered to or not". I felt it was Satan that was trying to discourage her and hinder her from receiving the blessing. I rebuked the power of Satan and commanded him to leave, and not trouble her anymore. In place of that power that caused her to be depressed and fearful, that that power should leave, and she would enjoy the Spirit of the Lord, day and night.
After we finished blessing her, pronouncing on her the blessing of health and strength, promised her that her health would be restored perfect; she would live to raise her family to maturity. It would be a great comfort to them, and they'd be leaders in the church. The Lord had a great mission for her to perform, teaching the youth of Zion. She would live and have health and strength and would live and complete her mission on the earth.
She rejoiced exceedingly and felt relieved. That depressed feeling left her and she was very thankful to the Lord for the privilege of coming to our home and receiving a blessing at the hands of her husband and myself. That's the first instance in my life where I've attempted to administer to anyone, when they made the statement that they didn't know whether they wanted to be administered to or not. It was only the power of Satan He knew what would happen if she received a blessing, that she'd hinder him in his work as she had done in the past.
That young couple left here on their way home to Beaver, happy and they praised the Lord for the blessings that came to them and also to their son.
(Recorded by Jennie Lee in August, 1957)
FRANCIS WOODBURY'S TESTIMONY
This is Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury of Hinckley, Utah. I am giving a faith promoting instance about my oldest son, Francis Woodbury. He was born in 1900, and we moved to Hinckley in 1917. He went to Idaho to work. While there he took down with flu pneumonia. He met a girl there that he fell in love with. Being under age, he had to phone to get our consent to get married. His mother gave her consent, after his pleading. After they were married, he took seriously ill. They sent word to his mother and I that if I wanted to see him alive, I must come at once. The doctors said there was no hope for his recovery.
So I got on the train. It seemed to me like the train would never get there. At that time they lived in Burley, Idaho. When I arrived there, he lay on the bed. To look at him was like looking at a corpse. I spoke to him and he opened his eyes. I said, "Son, I've come to give you a blessing." He said, "Oh, thank you," and then he swooned away. I administered to him and when I got done, he was breathing perfectly before that, it seemed like every breath would be his last one, but he was breathing normal and perfect when I got done administering to him.
Shortly after that the doctor came. He came in and looked at him, greatly surprised. He said."I fully expected to come and find that man dead! I didn't think there was a chance in the world for him to live. There's some power beyond man that has brought the change in his body that I can't understand.:
He began to recover from that day. Three days form that time his pneumonia was all cleared up and he was healed entirely. He has never had a touch of it from that day to this. That was in 1919. He lives in California at the present time. He has two daughters. One lives in Arizona and one in Idaho. One of them has eight children and the other one has three. He has a grandson in the mission field, our great grandson, who is performing a wonderful work.
This testimony I give to you, all who may hear it of my descendants. Recorded on the recorder of my wonderful daughter, Jennie Lee. This is a testimony which my son will always remember I don't know what he's doing in the church at the present time because he lives in California. He's a holder of the Holy Priesthood. He's an elder in the Church and Kingdom of God, and I hope he will remember how his life was preserved to complete his mission on the earth. And I bear this testimony that it is true, and what I experienced in his recovery from that sickness.
This is being recorded in our home in Hinckley of March 17, 1962
GATHERINGS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD
This is Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, going to bear testimony to tell of a brief experience I had, showing that gatherings are held in the Spirit world before people come to this earth.
I passed by a man one time, John Lovell, of Oak City. My wonderful wife and I called to see him at one time. He was ill, and said, "Brother Woodbury, I'd like to ask a favor of you. When I pass away, will you come and talk at my funeral? If you think of anything good about me, tell the people. I don't know what I've done on earth. I've tried to keep the commandments of God, and have a wonderful family, but I'd like you to speak at my funeral."
I said, "All right, Brother Lovell. If the Lord spares my life, and that's your desire for me to do that, I'll be willing to grant your request." When he passed away, his daughter, sister Gene Gardner, came and said, Brother Woodbury, father's passed away. Will you go and comply with his request?"
I said, "Yes". She said, "I'll take you and your wife up." We went up to Oak City to the funeral.
When I stood up to start talking (At the time Eddie G. Dutson was leading the choir, they had quite a large choir), I stood there and it was revealed to me, and I said, "Brother Dutson, you are fulfilling a promise you made in the Spirit World. When Brother Lovell left the Spirit world, you were chorister there. Many of these men and women in your choir today were there with you, and you promised there that when Brother Lovell's mission was finished on the earth, you would lead the choir again for him when he departed this life.
Brother Dutson, you're fulfilling today the promise you made in the Spirit life, so Brother Lovell's rejoicing. He and his family all rejoice, and you shall rejoice, and the members of your choir, to think that you had the privilege of singing for that wonderful man's services when he left the Spirit World and came and completed a wonderful mission on the earth, and now that same privilege has come to you again, to sing songs to comfort his family. You're free now. You've filled the promise you made and I bear testimony to you people in this congregation that this is the case, that people come together, services are held, speakers speak to wish God's speed as they come to earth, and choirs sing songs."
This was revealed to me and I bear testimony that it is true. Not only in the case of Brother Lovell, but others. As they depart to come to this earth, to help them, notwithstanding that they have no recollection of any thing that transpired in the Spirit World, to come to this earth to be proven and tested and tried and to work out their salvation.
I bear testimony to you that this is true, as it was revealed to me in the case of Brother Lovell. I have also seen Jonathan B. Pratt, who was the Bishop of the Hinckley Ward when we moved here. After he passed away, I saw him in vision. He was standing in a pulpit and the building was full of people. A voice said to me, "This is Jonathan B. Pratt, presiding as a Bishop in the spirit World, and these people in this building are members of his ward." And I saw Brother Pratt as he was Bishop when he came, and I saw him as plain as i ever did in my life.
WILLIAM PRATT
I have a testimony to bear about Brother Pratt. His son, William, was seriously ill. The doctors had very little hope for his recovery, I was called in to administer to him. There was no other Elder there too accompany me. As I anointed him and sealed the anointing, I said, "Brother Pratt, though there's no mortal man on this earth to assist me in sealing this anointing, your wonderful father, who filled such a great mission on this earth, is here standing by my side with his hands on your head, assisting me in sealing this anointing. Though his body was laid in Mother Earth, the Priesthood he honored on earth went with the spirit, and he is now officiating as a Bishop in the Spirit world, and he is here today with me in sealing this anointing.
Your recovery will be rapid, even beyond the expectation of the doctor. You have a great mission to perform on this earth, and because of your great faith and that of your wife, you shall be healed perfectly and become a great leader in the Church and Kingdom of God and fill a mission on this earth. If you should become discouraged at times, if you will offer a prayer to your Father in Heaven, you shall feel the presence of your father come to you and give you strength to perform any duty that you shall be called on to perform in the Church and Kingdom of God."
Now, I bear this testimony, that it is true, added to the other. I don't recall just what year this happened to Brother William Pratt, but I remember it's about 4 or 5 years ago, but today he';s well and happy. He has three grandsons in the missionfield. He's a group leader in his High Priest's quorum in the Hinckley Ward, and is performing a wonderful work. He and his wife are performing a great work in the church together. His life was preserved for a purpose.
So I bear testimony that I know those of our loved ones are aware of what we're doing. Brother Pratt is not the only one that I have felt the presence of as the departed loved ones assisted me. One woman I administered to told me her husband was there. She said, "I could have put my hand out and touched him. I know he was standing there by my side." So I bear testimony that these things are true, that our loved ones who have departed this life know what we are doing, and we'll get strength from it if we'll pray for it as needed.
So again I bear this testimony on the 17th of March, 1962.
By Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, who is past his 86th birthday, for which I am very grateful and I hope and pray that this testimony, that whoever hears it, it will strengthen their testimony and give them inspiration and comfort especially those whose loved ones have been taken from them and gone into the Spirit World. This record is made on the tape recorder of my wonderful daughter, Jennie Lee.
CONNIE'S FAMILY
Cloyd and Connie Theobald, Vilda's daughter and husband had two healthy, beautiful daughters. In July 1960, Connie had a baby boy, and he had the RH blood factor. They had such a time with him and had to change his blood twice. Vilda called Daddy and asked him to pray for the baby and we felt like the Lord truly blessed us in letting him live and bringing so much joy to all of us.
In the fall of 1961 she found she was expecting again and the doctors had said they could expect the same trouble. So Cloyd brought her down to have her grandfather -- who she and Cloyd had so much faith in -- give her a blessing. In April 1962, about 6 weeks before the baby was due (They have to be about 6 weeks early to be able to change the blood), she went to the doctor and he said the antibodies were building up and they would have to bring the baby. Cloyd stayed at the hospital until the baby was born. They left the cord long so they could change the blood, if necessary.
Cloyd went to the blood lab with the blood and stayed till they had it checked. He had faith that it would be normal. When they had tested it they told him it was normal. He was so thankful for the goodness of the Lord to them, for his blessings, as was Connie when she was told. When Cloyd told the doctor of the lab report, he could not believe it, The baby is a beautiful, healthy, normal baby boy. We are all so thankful that the Lord saw fit to bless our family with a wonderful father and grandfather who had the gift of healing. (Told by Vilda W. Perkins, October 1963.)
FRANCES ANDERSON HEALED
(Told by Frances Anderson) Uncle Parley and Aunt Maggie Elder took me over to Hinckley on the afternoon of April 7th to see Patriarch Woodbury. We had fasted until noon that day and had stopped to see an Uncle T. George Theobald, who lived a few doors north of the Woodbury home. Brother Woodbury had been very ill and in a weakened condition; and it was doubtful if he could give me a blessing. Sister Woodbury said the Patriarch was quite ill, but could see me for a few minutes.
At that time I have been having cramps and diarrhea for eight days, and nothing could stop it. When I entered the room and shook his hand the cramps left me and I felt grand. He sat and talked to me for a while, telling me faith promoting stories.
BLAINE NELSON LEE
(Told by Jennie W. Lee) When my father, Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, gave our oldest son, Blaine Nelson Lee, his health and comfort blessing on January 1, 1943, before he went into the Army, he told him many wonderful things, which all came true -- that he would never have to go in the front lines, to handle weapons to destroy human life, but he would go to save lives, as Nephi of Old. He would be in the engineering field and learn to build bridges, and be an instructor and leader of men. If he would never be ashamed to admit he was a Mormon, he would be honored and respected and have great positions and go in peace and return in safety. He would be sealed to his true companion for time and eternity and be able to finish his mission on the earth.
After he finished he said, "Well, Blaine, I know you better than I have ever known you before. Everything I have told you has been shown me in a panorama on the wall.
Therefore, when he and his father James Horald were both hit by a pickup while they were changing a tire on our truck, at night, along the highway near Emmett, Idaho, on July 16, 1948, and were both taken to the hospital and all possible was done for Blaine, but he still passed away on Sunday, July 18, 1948, I really did not believe he was dead. I called my father in Hinckley, Utah, and told him. He said to get them to leave his body there for one hour and if his spirit was meant to return into his body, that would be sufficient time, at the end of one hour to let them take him away.
So I waited an hour but nothing happened so we finally said, "Thy will be done." and accepted it and let them take him away. Blaine had come back from the service as a lieutenant and having married Thelma Marie Woods in the Salt Lake Temple on November 3, 1943, they had three small children at the time of the accident. They were homesteading on the desert near Emmett, Idaho, being active in the Church and had so much to live for. My father arrived early on the morning of July 21, 1948, and after he had rested a little, he gave Thelma, Blaine's wife, a health, comfort and inspirational blessing. Among other things he said, "The angels rejoice because we said 'Thy will be done.' If we had insisted he would have lived. But would never have been normal."
He told her that Blaine's grandmother Lee had asked for Blaine as soon as he was born, to help her in her genealogy and missionary work for her people, but was told she could not have him, till he had been sealed to his true companion for time and all eternity -- til he had posterity to carry on his name and had finished his mission on the earth. At that time she would be able to come for him. He also told her many other lovely things about Blaine's life in the Spirit World and here.
We knew then that Blaine's mission on the earth was completed. We all got together and read his health and comfort blessing and Patriarchal Blessing and could see that he had finished his mission on the earth, and were happy that he was free from all pain and sorrow and suffering and had an important mission go perform in the Spirit World, and had gone to his great reward. We were all indeed thankful for that blessing.
my husband Jim was in another room in the hospital and about the time Blaine passed away, he felt the presence of his mother who had passed away Sept. 22, 1921. He did not see her but knew that she was there. He knew she had come for Blaine. When Bishop Dewey told him the next morning that Blaine had passed away, he said he knew it. His mother had come for Blaine, as he had felt her presence.
The funeral was lovely. He looked so peaceful and at rest in his beautiful temple robes.
Excerpts from the funeral of Blaine Nelson Lee, July 21, 1948
Bishop J. Raymond Dewey conducted. His sister Jennie Lee sang "Bless This house." Bishop Dewey told how he had become an Eagle Scout in the work he loved, how he advanced from a Private to a Lieutenant--the youngest on record -- being only 22. How he performed the work of a commission captain with 250 men under his command at one time. How he loved and respected his men as he would have them treat him. Though not in the Army long enough to become a captain, he remained a lieutenant while doing the work of a company commander. He not only believed in God, but lived every day so he would be worthy to meet Him. Lieutenant Lee was able to take orders as well as to give them and have them obeyed instantly. He received an honorable discharge at 23.
Having three small children and having been married to Thelma Marie Woods in the Salt Lake Temple, he could now give all of his love and devotion to them. They had a wonderful married life -- never a harsh word spoken -- only love and kindness shown.
Harvey Harris told of how he had accomplished more in his short span of 24 years than most people do in 80 -- of courage unlimited to break in virgin soil and homesteading new land, never having farmed before and in succeeding in three short months in breaking up and planting 45 acres of row crops while providing a living for his family, making a comfortable place for them to live out on the desert. He made the desert blossom as a rose. He commented on his marvelous life he'd never been known to speak unkindly of anyone, and always spoke the truth and of his clean life in the service of the Lord and his country. "The greatest tribute I can pay to any man is to say that he was honest.
Archie Griffin sang, "I Walked today Where Jesus Walked:. The casket was blanketed by the American flag, which he loved. He was laid to rest in the Riverside Cemetery, Emmett, Idaho, among the soldiers who had loved and died for their country. His grave was dedicated by his grandfather, Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, which was a wonderful sermon.
They had three children at the time of his death -- Andrea Marie, Blaine Nelson Lee, Jr., and Grant Nolan. Roland Loren was born shortly afterwards Blaine and Grant have both filled missions for the Church, and Blaine was on the General Sunday School Board at 23. They are all outstanding and leaders wherever they are and have all four graduated from the BYU and have all four been married in the temple of the Lord. We are proud of them and know that their father Blaine Sr. is proud of them. They are all living so they will be worthy to meet their father in the Spirit World.
A HEAVENLY MANIFESTATION
(Told by Thelma Marie (Mrs. Blaine) Lee, July 29, 1949.
Before retiring on the night of July 26, 1929, I was thinking of Mom Lee's words in a recent letter, that she thought it was wonderful that Blaine, Jr., had had such a dream and that she had never been able to dream. I thought how wonderful it would be to have something like he had, but I had never desired it before.
I retired quite late and was lying there wide awake, too afraid to sleep, when something seemed to say, "Go to sleep; everything will be all right." That was the last I remember. Suddenly I heard a noise at the head of my bed, and looking up I saw my husband, Blaine, standing with another person. I lay on my stomach and my head was raised. I said, "Blaine." My little sister, Beatrice, seemed to be there and she affirmed my statement, and said, "Yes, it is Blaine." I said, "What do you want?" And he answered in the most wonderful, natural, clear, sweet, but oh, so penetrating voice, "I want Blaine to fill a mission."
Then he paused and the most magnificent feeling swept all around me and started at my feet and swept upwards, and I knew by it that he wanted to know if I understood him. I answered, "Yes." Then he said again in the same natural, clear, sweet, but such a penetrating voice that I could never put it into words, "I want Blaine to fill a mission." He was so definite! He wasn't asking me, but telling me! Then the person with him said, "I will depart and report unto the Father." And the two of them left toward the left of me as I lay on my stomach and as they did so there was the most marvelous rustling, and I knew by it that it was a synonym of wings on the other person, showing me that it was a ministering angel.
Then I stood up and repeated it to my aunt as it had happened, from the beginning to the end. That was to fix it clearly in my mind, I am sure. Then I awakened and my heart was pounding and my body weak. I was so afraid to go to sleep for fear it would happen again and my natural body could not stand it.
It was an added testimony to me. When Blaine had blessed Blaine, Jr., he said that he had a great mission to fill. Then he came back and sat down and said, "Thelm', I didn't say those words, they were just put there." That was the first time it had happened. I have often wondered if he was to go out into the field, or if his mission was to be in his everyday living. So it was an answer to me. I also had a fear of not living to raise my children. This showed me that I would. And many times I have set aside change for a missionary fund for the children, but found reasons to use it from time to time. So this showed me that I was definitely to set aside funds for that purpose. Spirits, upon permission granted, are often visitors to us mortals, and I know that Blaine had asked permission to visit me, by the accompanying angel's voice, "I will depart and report unto the Father."
A CHILD'S SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE
(Told by Mrs. Thelma Marie Lee)
Blaine, Jr., awakened on about the morning of May 16., 1949, and said "Mommy, I saw Daddy come out of Heaven last night." He said, " Didn't you see him, Andrea?" I explained it was his "dream" and that no one saw it but him and asked him about it. He said, "Those people up there gave Daddy different clothes to wear. Everyone had on white nightgowns and there were two Jesus's there. One of them had a little lamb, and they were in their bare feet. There were other people in a different part of the sky singing."Then he said his Daddy came out of the sky and had on his army Khaki clothes and drove his car past our house.
He had never dreamed before as far as I have determined. I am sure that it, too, was a Heavenly manifestation. He just turned three April 3rd, 1949, so is too young to make up a story. And the fact that he saw him change to earthly clothes before coming to earth, strengthened his testimony. Also that there were other people in a different part of the sky singing. These undoubtedly were angels. Now, two and a half months later, he still talks of when he saw his daddy.
Added by Jennie Lee, December 1971:
Blaine Jr. went two years to the B.Y.U. and then went on a mission for two years and returned to the B.Y.U. to get his degree. He was in ROTC and this year (May 1971) was commissioned a lieutenant. He is going in the service in January.
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