A Lift to Remember - 9/10/06

The lift that enables Joseph to get out of his bed and into his chair each day has been attached to the ceiling with poles on each side of the bed (exerting tension against floor and ceiling). This week Dad installed the ceiling mounts manufactured by Chuck Todd, a stake member and friend of the family. The poles can still be used when we travel and take the lift elsewhere. The solid metal mounts screw to the ceiling joists with lag bolts. Dad volunteered to test out their strength (If they'd hold him, Joseph would be a breeze). Chuck did such a good job. It's awesome to have great people with great skill and great friendship as well.

Remembering Who They Were and Learning Who We Are -- Part IV.

Joseph's GGGrandfather on his mother's side was a great friend to the Prophet Joseph and a great example as well. Here is an excerpt from his history:

Samuel Walker West was born March 30, 1804 in Dixon County, Tennessee. He was the youngest son in a family of eleven children.

When he was fourteen years old, he and his brother went out after wood. When they returned home, their mother met them with dreadful words, “Your father is dead.” Samuel rushed to where his father lay, threw his arms about him and called,” Father! Father!”

Then his father came back to life and said, “Sam, why have you done this, if you had only known how hard it was to come back you never would have done what you did. It is the will of the Lord, I shall go and you will have to submit to it. My work on this earth is finished.”

And he also said, “Do not join any of these churches for none of them are right. The true gospel will soon be restored to the earth and I want you all to join it.” “How are we to know the true church?” asked the mother of the family.

“When you see two men always traveling together carrying a bag and an umbrella, preaching from the Bible, but always having another book, a new book with them, you will know it is the true church.” was his answer. . . .

As soon as they learned of the Mormon Church, he, his mother, and brother John, were all of the family who joined the Church. They were baptized by David W. Patten.

Samuel W. West and his wife had a beautiful home in Benton County, Tennessee. They were very hospitable. While laboring in that locality, the Mormon Elders made their home with them.

Elders David W. Patten and Wilford Woodruff always stayed there. Samuel loaned his big fine horse to Elder Woodruff to ride while he was visiting people in the neighborhood. Some of the enemy of the church gave poison to he horse in its food. Elder Woodruff wrote in his journal as follows: “A mob got to us and poisoned our horses, so that the one I rode, belonging to Brother Samuel West, died a few days after. This horse had carried be thousands of miles, while I was preaching the Gospel. Brother West did not complain, but said, ‘The horse died in the work of the Lord.’”

In 1842 Samuel West moved his family to Nauvoo, where they bought an acre lot and built a fine brick house on it.

Samuel and the Prophet Joseph Smith were very dear friends. On one occasion the Prophet called a meeting for the purpose of raising some money. Due to sickness in the family, Samuel did not go to the meeting. It was useless, no money could be raised. After the closing of the meeting, the Prophet remarked, “I have got to have this much money, and the Lord knows I have to have it. So when I leave this building the Lord will have to guide me to where I will get it.”

Outside he turned around and started out, where he did not know. He walked to Samuel West’s home, but he hesitated to enter the house. Samuel saw him at the gate and went out. The Prophet told him he had to have some money. Samuel said he had some, and asked how much was needed. The Prophet said, “Two hundred dollars,” and they went in the house. Samuel got the money and gave it to the Prophet. Then Joseph Smith said, “I will get this money as soon as possible and pay you back.” Samuel said, “I do not want it back. All I have is for the up-building of God’s Church on the earth.”

The Prophet started to go, but turned in the doorway and said, “I want to leave a blessing with you.” And with his right hand upraised he said. “I promise you in the name of Israel’s God that neither you nor your posterity after you shall ever lack for bread and not be able to get it.”

With the saints, Samuel and his family left Nauvoo during the general exodus. . . .

Between Christmas 1872 and New Years he had a siege of pneumonia and was apparently dead for about an hour, but came back after seeing Joseph and Hyrum Smith, David W. Patten, his mother and others. He said his life was not finished; he didn’t know whether it would be days, months or years that he would live, but he know he would go to the first sickness he had after that. He died two months later.

From The Dora Woods and Larkin Richard Shaffer Family, 1991, pp. 105-107.

What a lift to remember the greatness of common people who lived their lives with purpose, commitment, and righteous principles.