Lucy Mack Smith

I wish to give some history of Lucy Mack Smith who was the mother of Joseph Smith Jr. In 1803 Lucy Mack Smith contracted a heavy cold which developed to the a Hectic Fever. All the physicians pronounced her case to be fatal. On one evening a Methodist preacher came to her bedside desiring to have a conversation with her in regard to her death. I recount her story as she gave it from that point: “As he thus sat pondering, I fancied to myself that he was going to ask me if I was prepared to die, and I dreaded to have him speak to me, for then I did not consider myself ready for such and awful event, inasmuch as I knew not the ways of Christ; besides, there appeared to be a dark and lonesome chasm, between myself and the Savior, which I dared not attempt to pass.
I thought I strained my eyes, and by doing so I could discern a faint glimmer of the light that was beyond the gloom which lay immediately before me.
When I was meditating upon death, in this manner, my visitor left, soon after which my husband came to my bed, and took me by the hand, and said, “Oh, Lucy! My wife! My wife! You must die! The doctors have given you up; and all say you cannot live.”
I then looked to the Lord, and begged and pleaded with him to spare my life, in order that I might bring up my children, and be a comfort to my husband. My mind was much agitated during the whole night.
Sometimes I contemplated heaven and heavenly things; then my thoughts would turn upon those of earth-my babes and my companion.
During this night I made a solemn covenant with God, that, if He would let me live, I would endeavor to serve Him according to the best of my abilities.
Shortly after this, I heard voice say to me, “Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Let your heart be comforted; ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
In a few moments my mother came in, and, looking upon me, she said, “Lucy, you are better.”
I replied, as my speech returned just at that instant, “Yes, mother, the Lord will let me live, if I am faithful to the promise which I made to Him, to be a comfort to my mother, my husband, and my children.””
I recount this story because it is the start of a religious movement in the Smith home which led to her, and later her husband, search for the church of Christ. After this experience Lucy Mack Smith became determined to examine the Bible that it might become her guide to life and salvation and “obtain from God that which man could neither give nor take away.”