Back From The Dead?

[pmccombs1]

Are there any stories of the priesthood actually raising someone from the dead (since the time of the restoration)? It seems that I heard something like this in a recent Conference talk, but can't find it.

[thesometimesaint]

I seem to recall some but don't remember enough to give more info.

[T-Shirt]

I seem to recall WIllford Woodruff raising his wife from the dead. In addition, Matthew Cowley spoke of raising the dead while serving among the Polynesians. I, also, remember a fireside, many years ago, where a man told of a young girl who had been run over and crushed by a large dump truck being blessed and returned to life, completely whole.

Edited September 19, 2012 by T-Shirt

[Kevin Christensen]

Matthew Cowley, a talk called Miracles goes into a story from Samoah or Tonga, as I recall. As he tells the story, the revived man's first words were "Call the Elders, I don't feel very well.:" It's not a recent talk, of course.

Kevin Christensen

Pittsburgh, PA

[ChristKnight]

I assume this is for your debate over at CAF? . In the book "All Things Restored" by Matthew Brown, there's a section in the "The Restoration of Spiritual Gifts" chapter called "Raising the Dead". It discusses Joseph Smith raising William D. Huntington from the dead in Nauvoo, President Heber J. Grant's brother, Hyrum, being raised from the dead by Hyrum's son and son-in-law, and and that of Mary Ellen Jensen, a 15 year old girl, raised from the dead by President Lorenzo Snow (who was told in his patriarchal blessing that "the dead shall rise and come forth at thy bidding".

[pmccombs1]

I assume this is for your debate over at CAF? . In the book "All Things Restored" by Matthew Brown, there's a section in the "The Restoration of Spiritual Gifts" chapter called "Raising the Dead". It discusses Joseph Smith raising William D. Huntington from the dead in Nauvoo, President Heber J. Grant's brother, Hyrum, being raised from the dead by Hyrum's son and son-in-law, and and that of Mary Ellen Jensen, a 15 year old girl, raised from the dead by President Lorenzo Snow (who was told in his patriarchal blessing that "the dead shall rise and come forth at thy bidding".

Yes! I tried looking it up online, and I came up empty. So I thought maybe I shot off my mouth prematurely.

[cinepro]

Lorenzo Snow Raises Ella Jensen from the Dead

]

Using the Priesthood to Comfort: A Miracle

In March 1891, during the time Elder Snow was holding a stake conference in Brigham City, a fifteen-year-old girl named Ella Jensen passed away. She had suffered with scarlet fever for over a week. She knew she was going to die and said good-bye to her family. She could hear her parents and others weeping, which troubled her greatly. Her spirit entered the spirit world and remained there several hours.

While Elder Snow was speaking in conference, a note was handed to him, telling of Ella’s death. He excused himself from the meeting, saying “it was a call to visit some people who were in deep sorrow” (Romney, The Life of Lorenzo Snow, p. 413). Taking Elder Rudger Clawson with him, he accompanied Ella’s father to the Jensen home. They went to the bedroom where the girl lay dead. President Snow asked President Clawson to anoint her, and then blessed her himself, using a “‘very extraordinary expression, in a commanding tone of voice: “Come back, Ella, come back. Your work upon the earth is not yet completed.”’ …

“‘… More than an hour later, after President Snow administered to her, … she opened her eyes. She looked about the room, and [asked,] “Where is he?” [Her parents asked,] “Who?” “Why, Brother Snow,” she replied, “he called me back”’” (Romney, The Life of Lorenzo Snow, pp. 413–15).

"Lesson 17: Lorenzo Snow Served God and His Fellowmen," The Presidents of the Church: Teacher’s Manual, (1996)

Oddly, this account from the New Testament manual gives her age as 19:

Share the following with the students to illustrate the fact that the same priesthood power Jesus gave His Apostles exists today.

In this incident, Ella Jensen, President Lorenzo Snow’s nineteen-year-old niece, had just died of scarlet fever. Ella’s parents sent for President Snow, who came together with Rudger Clawson, Ella’s stake president and later President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. President Clawson relates:

“As we entered the home we met Sister Jensen, who was very much agitated and alarmed. We came to Ella’s bedside. …

”Turning to me President Snow said: ‘Brother Clawson, will you anoint her,’ which I did. We then laid our hands upon her head and the anointing was confirmed by President Snow, who blessed her and among other things, used this very extraordinary expression, in a commanding tone of voice, ‘Come back, Ella, come back. Your work upon the earth is not yet completed, come back.’”

Ella’s father, Jacob Jensen, continues the account:

“After President Snow had finished the blessing, he turned to my wife and me and said; ‘Now do not mourn or grieve any more. It will be all right. Brother Clawson and I are busy and must go. …’

“Ella remained in this condition for more than an hour after President Snow administered to her, or more than three hours in all after she died. We were sitting there watching by the bedside, her mother and myself, when all at once she opened her eyes. She looked about the room, saw us sitting there, but still looked for someone else, and the first thing she said was: ‘Where is he? Where is he?’ We asked, ‘Who? Where is who?’ ‘Why, Brother Snow,’ she replied. ‘He called me back.’” (in LeRoi C. Snow, “Raised from the Dead,” Improvement Era, Sept. 1929, 885–86).

Ella recovered from her illness, served in the Church, married Henry Wright, and eventually had eight children.

Edited September 19, 2012 by cinepro

[pmccombs1]

Thanks, everyone, for the input. I had claimed on a Catholic forum that the LDS have miracles, just like the Catholics, including raising people from the dead. I based that on recollection of a talk that impressed me, I thought maybe from a recent conference. Anyway, a lot of these kinds of experiences we tend not to talk about.

[JAHS]

If you can get a hold of the book "Life Everlasting" by Duane Crowther, you will find some stories in there. Another book called "The Message" by an LDS member, Lance Richardson tells of his expereince of dying and coming back to relate his experience. Also the book "Return from Tomorrow" by George G. Ritchie.

According to Elder Dallin H. Oaks:

"The miracle of raising someone from the dead is so exceptional and so sacred that those who have been privileged to see it should never speak of it publicly unless the Spirit specifically induces them to do so." (Ensign 2001) He then goes on to relate two such incidences from LDS published literature.

<a href="http://www.lds.org/ensign/2001/06/miracles?lang=eng&query=raise+dead+(name%3a"Dallin+H.+Oaks">http://www.lds.org/ensign/2001/06/miracles?lang=eng&query=raise+dead+(name%3a"Dallin+H.+Oaks")

When asked if the "Mormons" could raise the dead, the Prophet Joseph Smith replied, "No, but God can raise the dead, through man as an instrument" (TPJS, p. 120).

Edited September 19, 2012 by JAHS

[Avatar4321]

Are there any stories of the priesthood actually raising someone from the dead (since the time of the restoration)? It seems that I heard something like this in a recent Conference talk, but can't find it.

Read the new Lorenzo Snow manual. The life and ministry of Lorenzo Snow mentions one account.

In fact, i think there is another account in one of the following chapters of President Snow being healed... Not sure if he was fully dead. He may have only been mostly dead.

[KevinG]

I had a priesthood blessing last week to raise my job search from the dead. I am trying to garner enough faith to make it work.

[Calm]

John H. Groberg

[Alan]

A friend of mine served a building mission in the north of England when he was younger. He said that one of the other building workers (a member of the church) fell from the scaffolding and was found to be dead. One of the priesthhod suggested they should administer to the dead man. They did and he came back to life.

Interestingly, the raised man became less-active in the church almost immediately after this miracle and never returned to the church.

[Storm Rider]

I just visited that site this past week and saw your name and participation. For an individual that struggles with faith I felt you were doing an admirable job. It still remains a place where vipers congregate, but I was gratified to see that true Catholics, those where one can quickly see that they strive to follow the Spirit and be servants of God, are found. However, those others make it so distasteful I respect anyone that can stay there for several months and not be banned. If you remain peaceful, but are too effective in responding to ugliness, the Mods tend to toss you quickly. Good luck.

Cowley is the only story that I recall; however, as what has already been stated, healings of all kinds are sacred matters and are not for public dissemination. I respect the Catholic Church for their efforts to verify miracles before providing any form of direct support. These types of signs are not a sure foundation upon which to build a testimony.

[mfbukowski]

I assume this is for your debate over at CAF? . In the book "All Things Restored" by Matthew Brown, there's a section in the "The Restoration of Spiritual Gifts" chapter called "Raising the Dead". It discusses Joseph Smith raising William D. Huntington from the dead in Nauvoo, President Heber J. Grant's brother, Hyrum, being raised from the dead by Hyrum's son and son-in-law, and and that of Mary Ellen Jensen, a 15 year old girl, raised from the dead by President Lorenzo Snow (who was told in his patriarchal blessing that "the dead shall rise and come forth at thy bidding".

Good to see you!

[wenglund]

Are there any stories of the priesthood actually raising someone from the dead (since the time of the restoration)? It seems that I heard something like this in a recent Conference talk, but can't find it.

Haven't all of us believers in the gospel of Christ essentially been raised from spiritual death as emblemed in baptism--which to me is a far greater miracle than being raised physically from the dead?

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[blackstrap]

Even as little as 50 years ago,bringing someone back from the dead was a rare occurance. Today it is done daily.Now if someone has been pronounced dead and left for 3 days and then brought back,well that is still highly unusual.

[Stargazer]

Read the new Lorenzo Snow manual. The life and ministry of Lorenzo Snow mentions one account.

In fact, i think there is another account in one of the following chapters of President Snow being healed... Not sure if he was fully dead. He may have only been mostly dead.

Well, if he was fully dead, then the only thing left to do would be to search his pockets for loose change.

[Stargazer]

A friend of mine served a building mission in the north of England when he was younger. He said that one of the other building workers (a member of the church) fell from the scaffolding and was found to be dead. One of the priesthhod suggested they should administer to the dead man. They did and he came back to life.

Interestingly, the raised man became less-active in the church almost immediately after this miracle and never returned to the church.

We had something similar happen in the Cheltenham Branch (now Ward) in Gloucestershire. We had a fairly new convert who was blind in one eye. He asked for a priesthood blessing for his eye, got one, and his eye was then able to see. So he never came back to church again. This was back in 1970ish.

[MormonMason]

Well, if he was fully dead, then the only thing left to do would be to search his pockets for loose change.

Holy shades of The Princess Bride!

[Kenngo1969]

A friend of mine served a building mission in the north of England when he was younger. He said that one of the other building workers (a member of the church) fell from the scaffolding and was found to be dead. One of the priesthhod suggested they should administer to the dead man. They did and he came back to life.

Interestingly, the raised man became less-active in the church almost immediately after this miracle and never returned to the church.

Just goes to show that faith produces miracles, miracles generally don't produce [lasting] faith. God won't take away our moral agency.

[Kenngo1969]

Read the new Lorenzo Snow manual. The life and ministry of Lorenzo Snow mentions one account.

In fact, i think there is another account in one of the following chapters of President Snow being healed... Not sure if he was fully dead. He may have only been mostly dead.

And as Miracle Max tells us in The Princess Bride, "There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead!"

Edited September 23, 2012 by Kenngo1969

[Calm]

I just read an episode happening in Zion's Camp though I can't remember the individual's name. If you are still interested in examples, I can look it up.

[ERayR]

And as Miracle Max tells us in The Princess Bride, "There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead!"

Yes but if you have been mostly dead all day it is much harder.

[Avatar4321]

Well, if he was fully dead, then the only thing left to do would be to search his pockets for loose change.

Is that the only thing? We do have to remember that miracle max didn't have the Melchesidek Priesthood... that we know of:)