Miracle on the Mormon Trail

As I read through the pages of Heritage of Faith: The Lineage of Anna Carver Olsen, it's hard to decide where to start in my new venture of family history blogging. Yes, it would be easy to start at the beginning with my grandmother, Anna Carver Olsen. My aunt, Marilyn Olsen Reed, loving and painstakingly researched and put together Heritage of Faith and sadly passed away just months after finishing it. In the past 7 years, since her passing, I have taken the book out a time or two to look at the section on my grandmother, Anna. I had the blessing of living with my Grandma Olsen for a couple of years when I was in my 20's and I've named my daughter after her. I knew my grandmother well and I also knew quite well the histories of her parents. But, in looking through the book, I haven't gone much beyond reading about the Honorable Judge John A. Carver or his wife LaVerne and her role as secretary to her blind husband. A couple of months ago, my sister told me of a story she read about John Carver, John A. Carver's grandfather. So, during this last LDS General Conference, I pulled the book out to read John Carver's story. Since then, I've been drawn to one particular event in his life. I'm not sure if it's the miracle of the event or the epilogue that I imagine would have followed such an event, but I've chosen it as my first entry for this family history blog. John Carver was born in 1822 in Clifford, Herefordshire, England. In his 20's, he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and eventually emigrated to America by ship and later by wagon to the Salt Lake Valley. Between June 1853 and September 1853, he and his wife, Mary Ann made their 1300 mile trek from Six-Mile Grove, Iowa to Salt Lake City. This is from page 132, Heritage of Faith: The Lineage of Anna Carver Olsen. "

Along the trail, John Carver found George Lina Farrel, who was originally from Dorstone [the same area in England where John was from] lying on the roadside having been left to die. George had contracted a disease in New York and his wagon train left him lying along the wagon path to die knowing there was no cure. When John found George, he immediately spread himself over the man (hand to hand, foot to foot). When John arose, he commanded by the power of the Holy Priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ that George should arise and walk. George did walk and survived the illness; he came west with the wagon train settling in Smithfield, Utah, and later spoke at John Carver's funeral."

Two things strike me about this event. One, the absolute miracle of healing that took place on that trail. Two, I can't help but wonder what it was like when George met up with his wagon train, assuming that he did. At this point we don't know anything about George other than he was left to die. If he met up with people from his original wagon train, what was their reaction? Astonishment at his being brought back from the brink? Even though I can't help but wonder at the epilogue of this story, I am still in awe and wonder at this miracle of healing through the Holy Priesthood. That man was touched by the healing power of the Savior through John Carver. The faith and spirituality of this man must habe been just absolutely amazing. How easy would it have been to just pass this poor soul on the trail, shake his head in pity and move on? He acted not just as a Good Samaritan to comfort this man but to have the faith in the Priesthood and the healing power of Jesus Christ to heal this man. Just one paragraph in a chapter about the faith in one man's life resonates over 160 years later. The faith of this ancestor and the legacy of faith passed from him to his children, on down to my grandmother and to me.