Recording and Remembering

byChristine Cox

Director, Customer ServicesChurch History Department

We doubt not the Lord nor His goodness,We’ve proved Him in days that are past . . .

be still and know that I am God.”

“. . . all flesh is in my hands;

Doctrine & Covenants 101:16

“If we pay close attention to the uses of the word remember in the holy scriptures, we will recognize that remembering in the way God intends is a fundamental and saving principle of the gospel . . . Calls to action: to listen, to see, to do, to obey, to repent.”

“ Remember and Perish Not,” Ensign, May 2007

Marlin K. Jensen Church Historian & Recorder

April 2007

Remember

“The challenge to remember has always been the hardest for those who are blessed abundantly . . . It can also be hard to remember Him when our lives go badly. When we struggle, as so many do, in grinding poverty or when our enemies prevail against us or when sickness is not healed, the enemy of our souls can send his evil message that there is no God or that if He exists He does not care about us. Then it can be hard for the Holy Ghost to bring to our remembrance the lifetime of blessings the Lord has given us from our infancy and in the midst of our distress.”

Henry B. Eyring, “O Remember, Remember,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 67-68

“. . . the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened . . .” (John 14:25-26)

EMMELINEBIRTH/CHILDHOOD

- Born in Petersham, Massachusetts, Feb. 29, 1828- Youngest of seven children- Her mother joined the Church in 1841 she joined soon after

EDUCATION - Began life in humble circumstances- Graduated from a “select” girls’ school at the age of 15

MARRIAGE - At 15, married James Harvey Harris in an arranged marriage which ended when her husband deserted her in 1844

- 2nd marriage--a plural wife to Newell K. Whitney who died and left her a widow with two children

- Became the 7th plural wife of Daniel H. Wells, a prominent church and civic leader

CHILDREN Raised five daughters

TRIALS Experienced:- Hardships of mobs, pioneer life, and emigrating to Utah- The death of a child & husband- Desertion by a husband- Over 30 years supporting herself and daughters- Grief when some of her children fell away from the Church

OCCUPATION School teacher, writer, editor, mother

CONTRIBUTIONS - Publisher: Editor of Woman’s Exponent, published poetry & essays- Participated in Mormon politics and women’s suffrage- Advanced women’s status defending the Church before Congress & the President

- Was the 5th General Relief Society President & former Secretary - The first woman to receive honorary Doctor of Literature from BYU

RECORDS Poetry, essays, literature, song, diary of 47 volumes

Emmeline Blanche Woodward Wells

1828-1921

Sept. 30, [1874]

“Oh how miserable I am in regard to som(sic) of my children, almost heart-broken;every nerve in my whole system is unstrung. All the anguish a mother can feel in seeing her children do wrong I feel tonight, my heart is bleeding almost. Misery and darkness and I have no one to go to for comfort or shelter no strong arm to lean upon no bosom bared for me, no protection or comfort in my husband . . . O my poor aching heart. Where shall it restits burden, only on the Lord, only to Him can I look every other avenue seems closed against me. O help me Father in heaven to overcome and resist temptation in every form or shape.”

Kenneth W. Godfrey, ed. Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900, 298

Strength in trials . . .

get bust picture in capitol rotunda

“Her ambitions were high, her purposes lofty”Susa Young Gates, “President Emmeline B. Wells,” Improvement Era, June 1921, 719

“[She] was promised by Eliza R. Snow that she would “live to do a work that has never been

done by any woman, since the Creation.”

Wells, Emmeline B. “The Mission of Saving Grain,” Relief Society Magazine, Feb 1915, 47

“A Fine Soul Who Served Us”

“Writing had become for her a “solace in times of trouble and sorrow, something to turn to for

relief, and in a way a pasttime.”

Julie Wardell, “Emmeline B. Wells,” Friend, Feb 1985, 15

“In the Prophet Joseph Smith, I believed I recognized the great spiritual power that brought joy and comfort to the Saints . . . He was beyond my comprehension. The power of God rested upon him to such a degree that on many occasions he seemed transfigured. His expression was mild and almost childlike in repose; and when addressing the people, who loved him it seemed to adoration, the glory of his countenance was beyond description. At other times the great power of his manner, more than of his voice (which was sublimely eloquent to me) seemed to shake the place on which we stood and penetrate the inmost soul of his hearers, . . . I always listened spell bound to his every utterance—the chosen of God in this last dispensation.”

“Joseph Smith the Prophet,” Young Woman’s Journal, Dec. 1905, 556

Spiritual Power . . .

MAUD “Miss B”BIRTH/CHILDHOOD

- Born in May 2, 1867, East Worcester, New York- Oldest of two children - Parents were refined, cultured, and well educated

EDUCATION -Well educated and attended the following schools:1. National School of Elocution and Oratory in Philadelphia where she

graduated with honors2. Lyceum School of Acting in New York3. Also studied in Chicago, London, and Paris

MARRIAGE Never married, but was engaged to George Karcher

TRIALS - After coming to Utah, she joined the Church, which brought disgrace to her family—they were bitter all their lives

- Speech/drama were low on the list of respectable academic practices

OCCUPATION - Instructor at several schools including: Harvard, Ingleside School for Girls, & University of Utah

- Skilled public reader- Producer/director of stage productions

CONTRIBUTIONS - First woman to hold professional rank at University of Utah- Taught at Brigham Young Academy; founder of one college, two departments, and the first college drama club in the United States

- ‘First Lady’ of theater and physical education in Utah- Producer/director of over 300 plays- President of Utah School of Deaf and Blind- Published five books- Advocate of woman’s rights and education- First woman chaplain of a state senate- Served on the General Board of the YWMIA

RECORDS Letters, articles, correspondence, recordings, scrapbooks

Maud May Babcock1867-1954

[Maud] “wanted to improve their [women’s] health . . . Improve their looks” Improvement—physically, mentally, and spiritually

“She was not beyond paying tuition for a student who could not afford it”

Utah governor “Herbert Maw, credited her with encouraging him to find confidence in public by casting the shy Herbert in the role of Thesus the King in A Midsummer Night’s Dream .”

“My greatest accomplishment is the devotion of my students”

Colleen Whitley, Worth Their Salt: Notable but Often Unnoted Women of Utah, 1996, 149, 153, 157

ELLEN

BIRTH/CHILDHOOD

- Born Feb. 16, 1868 in Santaquin, Utah, to Swedish emigrants- Family settled Snowflake, Arizona- Youngest of eight children- As a child lived in a cabin with a dirt floor and spun wool into yarn to help earn money for her family

EDUCATION What schooling she obtained was in a building which had been a stable

MARRIAGE - At the age of 18, she married her childhood sweetheart, Silas Smith, in the St. George Temple

- Was the first wife in a polygamous marriage

CHILDREN Mother of nine children, three died early

TRIALS - Death of children- Because of anti-polygamy laws, she was separated from her husband for many years and had to provide for her children

OCCUPATION - Raised honey bees- Ran a notions shop- Set up a photography business

CONTRIBUTIONS - Through photography created a social portrait of the Snowflake, Arizona community

- Became an officiator in the temple for 13 yrs

RECORDS Photography, oral history, poetry

Ellen Johanna Larson Smith

1868-1965

Keep a record . . .

Captured life and humanity in ways we rarely see during this

time period

Listen to the Spirit . . .

She used her own creativity

Be inspired and inspire others . . .

Find joy and fulfillment . . .

She broke traditional boundaries in photography

MINERVABIRTH/CHILDHOOD

- Born Aug. 28, 1888, in Ogden Utah - Second of nine children- Daughter of pioneer emigrants

EDUCATION - Began formal training at 14- Studied art in San Francisco, Chicago, and New York

MARRIAGE - Married Herman A. Teichert (a non-member) - Was a rancher and homesteaded in Idaho’s Snake River bottomlands

CHILDREN Mother of five children, her family came first

TRIALS - Struggled for the basic necessities of life- Hardships were part of life “rewards come from hard work and . . . provides an impetus toward greater creativity”

- Her art was relatively obscure- She wanted the Church to publish her art, but they were not interested

OCCUPATION Rancher, artist, mother

CONTRIBUTIONS - Completed a Book of Mormon art series- Narrated stories and ideas through nearly 1,000 pieces of art Topics include: the West, the role of women, and religion

- Painted murals in the Manti Temple- Published two books

RECORDS Art, books, personal history

Minerva KohlheppTeichert

1888-1976

“I was sinking so fast when I thot of prayer. I thot of my years of study and so I had done nothing with my art education. Suddenly I was keenly sensitive. I promised the Lord if I’d finished my work and he’d give me some more, I’d gladly do it.

With this covenant in my heart I began to live.” Jan Pinborough, “ Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert,” Ensign, April 1989, 38

In a testimony meeting in the Harlem Ward, she was listening to a sister speak on the joys of marriage and motherhood. “I thot of all the men I had met in my search for getting gold,” wrote Minerva later. At that moment, she realized that “back on the Idaho desert, herding his cattle and branding his calves was a man more nearly meant for me than anyone else in the world.”

Jan Pinborough, “ Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert,” Ensign, April 1989, 37

Inspiration comes through the Holy Ghost by unexpected angels

“Once, Minerva met a young woman who was considered the ‘ugly duckling’ of her family. Minerva told her, “Why, you are one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen” and told her she wanted to paint her. That girl blossomed because someone had recognized her beauty.”

Jan Pinborough, “ Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert,” Ensign, April 1989, 39

We become angels for others when we are in tune with the Spirit

”My greatest joy in living was having to get along under difficulties. What joy I took in building the windowseat and playbox and my own cabinets. Yes, and making over my New York suits and dresses for the little boys’ clothes.”

Nancy Webb, “Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert,” Southwest Art, Nov. 1989, 94

“Two compelling forces in our mother’s life—her art and her service—were closely intertwined.Women pictured rendering service . . . areprominent subjects in her many paintings”

Nancy Webb, “Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert,” Southwest Art, Nov. 1989, 171

“She paints with great intelligence”[Robert Henri, Art Instructor in New York.]

Nancy Webb, “Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert,” Southwest Art, Nov. 1989, 92

“’Has anyone ever painted that great Mormon story of yours? . . . Good heavens, girl, what a chance. You do it. You’re the one . . . That’s your birthright. You feel it. You’ll do it well.’ I felt that I had been commissioned.”

[Robert Henri, Art Instructor in New York]Nancy Webb, “Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert,”

Southwest Art, Nov. 1989, p. 94

Profile Record Type Angels in her life

Her ‘angelic’ role

Emmeline

•Pioneer •Well educated•Deserted, Widow,

Single mother• Wife of a

prominent man

•Poetry •Essays •Literature•Song•Diary

•Prophet—Joseph Smith

•Eliza R. Snow

•An impact on all women

•Advocate for Woman’s Suffrage

•Inspirational writings

Maud

•Convert•Well educated•Never married

•Letters•Articles•Correspondence •Recordings•Scrapbooks

•Susa Young Gates (her student)

•Influenced many:‘Herbert Maw, governor of Utah’

•Championed women’s rights & education

Ellen

•Little education•Supported her children alone

•Temple officiator

•Photography•Oral history•Poetry

•Someone who gave her a camera

•Documented the social life of Snowflake, Arizona

• Temple officiator –13 yrs

Minerva

•Well educated •Rancher•Married a non-member

•Family first

•Art•Books•Personal history

•Sister in a testimony meeting

•Art instructor

•‘Ugly duckling’•All members•Documented the history of the Church through art

REMEMBER

No trials are unique—the Lord is in chargeWe will be inspired by others and we will inspire others through the Holy GhostBy recording trials and blessings, we can find strength and comfort while building faith and testimonyThere is no “one way” to keep a record

“If you live up to your privileges, the angelscannot be restrained from being your

associates.”History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol. 4, 605

Joseph Smithto the Relief Society

April 1842

“My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness. It

will build our testimonies. You may not keep a journal . . . But you and they will be blessed as

you remember what the Lord has done.” “O Remember, Remember,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 67

Henry B. Eyringto all Church members

October 2007