-- Apr 8, 1838
[Patriarchal Blessings] Patriarchal Blessing of Alexander S. Standley given by Joseph Smith, Sr. on April 8, 1838... Thou shalt have power to remove mountains, if expedient, thou shalt raise the dead, prophesy, speak in tongues, and proclaim the gospel, and thousands and tens of thousands shall obey the mandate-of-Heaven throu[gh] thy ministry and be stars of rejoicing in the days of the Lord Jesus.
Thou shalt have power over the elements, water shall not stay thee, prisons shall not hold thee, and some will think thee to be God, and seek to worship thee, and no power shall be kept from thee. Thou shalt have power to head the sick, to open the eyes of the blind, and to unstop the ears of the deaf, to cause the lame to walk and the tongue of the dumb to sing. ... (1)
-- Thurs. [August] 23 [1838]
[Samuel D. Tyler] I was running a wheel-barow this forenoon & Elders Snow & Jackson were filling it for me; the sun beat hot upon me and my sore legs (See p. 21 for they have not yet got well for it is the pleasure of the Lord in this thing to try my faith, & perhaps the faith of others,) became painful. I had sat down on the run. Elder G. Snow observing that I was in pain & without my speaking a word he laid his hand upon my legs & spake in an unknown tongue perhaps 15 or twenty words; he then said Amen. Is the pain gone, said he? At that moment I first perceived that I was entirely free of the pain for the Lord had taken it from me & I noticed it not before he asked me, for my mind had soared above pain & I was thinking of the words spoken. Now the interpretation I did not know, because I have not the gift of interpetation. But I believe that he meekly entreated the Lord for me & the Lord heard & answered him. (2)
-- During 1838
(Eliza R. Snow) When the Snow family moved to Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Missouri, the thirty-one-year-old teacher became friends with Zina Diantha Huntington (later Young). The two exercised the gift of tongues jointly throughout their livesâ€"one would speak in tongues, the other interpret. (3)
-- January 29, 1839
[Lorenzo Brown] On the 29th of the same month they returned bringing with them one of the Tribe, William Clute He was baptised the 31st and on the 4th of February was ordained an Elder and shortly after returned hom(e) with instructions to preach to his Tribe. He has not been since heard of
Our meetings were good. We were blessed spiritually with the gift of Tongues Through which and the interpretation we learned many things There were several Hymns given one of which was given through myself and interpreted by Sister Esther Crowely who had the gift the most perfect of any person I ever knew. These lines I cannot withold the impulse to subjoin as I then thought and still think them good. They were given several times until they were committed to memory
Come every Saint and hearken now
Did you not make a solemn vow
When the Saviors name ye took on you
With all your sins to bid adieu
In the eyes of all who did you see
Your covenant was to follow me
Thro vile report as well as good
To live by faith and every word
Think on the covenant you did mak(e)
Your secret prayers do not forsake
For when my saints neglect to pray
Their faith grows weaker every day
Advantage Satan then will take
And saints their covenant soon will break
Hear what neglect will bring Saint to
T'will bring them down to pain and wo
If the mysteries of Heaven they've known
Alas forever they're undone
A lake of fire compared to
There they must dwell in pain & wo (4)
Endnotes:
1 - Patriarchal Blessing, typescript, Marquardt Papers
2 - Journal of Samuel D. Tyler
3 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
4 - Journal of Lorenzo Brown: 1823-1900
LDS History Chronology: Speaking in Tongues
Mormon History Timeline: the gift of Tongues
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
