Warren M Johnson-Faithful through Extreme Adversity

From "The Strength of Sacrifice," William W. Slaughter, April 1997, LDS Ensign

Faithful through Extreme Adversity

Many early Saints sacrificed nearly all they had for the gospel. Their lives stand as an offering to the Lord for the gospel’s sake (see D&C 97:8). Warren Marshall Johnson lived such a life. In 1875, 36-year-old Warren was called to a remote section of the Colorado River, where he and his family ran Lee’s Ferry for 21 years. His life was one of giving and obedience, but perhaps his most poignant sacrifice came between May and July 1891.

Warren tells of the experience in a July 1891 letter to President Wilford Woodruff: “A family residing in Tuba City [Arizona], came here from Richfield, Utah where they spent the winter visiting friends. At Panguitch, they buried a child, and without disinfecting the wagon or themselves, not even stopping to wash the dead child’s clothes, they came to our house, and remained overnight, mingling with my little children, and the consequence was [diphtheria], in four days my oldest boy … was taken violently ill with fever and sore throat.

“We knew nothing of the nature of the disease, but had faith in God, as we are here on a very hard mission, and had tried as hard as we knew how to obey the [commandments]. … But alas in 4 1/2 days he choked to death in my arms. Two more were taken down with the disease. … We fasted sometimes 24 hours and once I fasted 40 hours, but … both my little girls died also. About a week after their death my fifteen year old daughter Melinda was stricken down and we did all we could for her, but she followed the others … and the end is not yet. My oldest girl 19 years old is now prostrate with the disease and we are fasting and praying in her behalf today.” ⁷

Warren’s oldest daughter survived, but the loss of four of his children devastated him. He wrote to a friend in August 1891:

“There are unseen influences around us that are trying to cause me to lose faith in God and to make me feel that there is no use to continue to pray. … You can imagine how I feel, as you know how I have tried to live, and the implicit faith I had in the gospel and the promises of God.

“However … there are other spirits or influences around us that say to me, that God is the Father of the spirits of my children, and that He loves them as well as I do, and that he knows definitely better than I do what is best for them and us. God has said that ‘He would have a tried people in the last days,’ and those who desire to do right will have to pass through greater trials than those who are not trying to reach the highest glory. … I feel well when I look at it in the above light and especially when I think of the influences we have felt when my children died. It did not seem like death, and even when they were breathing their last, we could not feel bad, there was such a heavenly influence in the room. And also the looks of the children after death, almost a smile on their lips. … I know they are happy now, and I hope I shall not give way to the spirits of evil, but that I might live so that bye and bye I can go and dwell with [my children]. I can assure you, however, that it is the hardest trial of my life, but I set out for salvation and am determined that it is through the help of my Heavenly Father that I hold fast to the iron rod, no matter what troubles come upon me I have not yet slackened in the performance of any of my duties.” ⁸

The blessings to Warren Johnson and others who are willing to offer their all are clear: “I would that ye should come unto Christ … and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and prayer, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved” (Omni 1:26).

Warren M Johnson-Spiritual Healing

From "He Healeth the Broken Heart," President James E. Faust, July 2005 LDS Ensign

Somehow, some way, we must find the healing influence that brings solace to the soul. Where is this balm? Where is the compensating relief so desperately needed to help us survive the world’s pressures? The offsetting comfort in large measure can come through increased communion with the Spirit of God. This can bring spiritual healing.

Spiritual healing is illustrated in the story of Warren M. Johnson, pioneer ferryman at Lee’s Ferry, Arizona. As a young man, Warren Johnson came west seeking his fortune in gold in the summer of 1866. He became very ill, and his companions left him under a tree in the yard of a family in Bountiful, Utah. One of the daughters found him and reported there was a dead man out in the yard. Although he was a complete stranger, this kind family took him in and nursed him back to health. They taught him the gospel and he was baptized. He eventually ended up as the ferryman at Lee’s Ferry.

In 1891 the Warren Johnson family suffered a great tragedy. Within a period of a short time, they lost four children to diphtheria. All four were buried in a row next to each other. In a letter to President Wilford Woodruff, dated July 29, 1891, Warren told the story:

“Dear Brother,

“In May 1891 a family residing in Tuba City, came here from Richfield Utah, where they had spent the winter visiting friends. At Panguitch they buried a child, and without disinfecting the wagon or themselves, not even stopping to wash the dead child’s clothes, they came to our house, and remained overnight, mingling with my little children. …

“We knew nothing of the nature of the disease, but had faith in God, as we were here on a very hard mission, and had tried as hard as we knew how to obey the Word of Wisdom, and attend to the other duties of our religion, such as paying tithing, family prayers etc. etc., that our children would be spared. But alas, in 4 1/2 days [the oldest boy] choked to death in my arms. Two more were taken down with the disease and we fasted and prayed as much as we thought it wisdom, as we had many duties to perform here. We fasted some 24 hours and once I fasted 40 hours, but all of no avail for both my little girls died also. About a week after their death my fifteen year old daughter Melinda was stricken down and we did all we could for her but she followed the others, and three of my dear girls and one boy [have] been taken from us, and the end is not yet. My oldest girl 19 years old is now prostrate with the disease, and we are fasting and praying in her behalf. … What have we done that the Lord has left us, and what can we do to gain his favor again[?]

“Yours in the gospel

“Warren M. Johnson” ⁴

In a subsequent letter to his friend Warren Foote, Brother Johnson testified that he had found a spiritual peace:

“I can assure you however, that it is the hardest [trial] of my life, but I set out for salvation, and am determined through the help of my Heavenly Father to hold fast to the iron rod, no matter what trials may come upon me. I have not yet slackened in the performance of my duties, and hope and trust that I shall have the faith and prayers of my brethren that I may live so as to receive the blessings, you having authority, have placed on my head.”

Meltiar and Orin Hatch in the Mormon Battalion

BROTHERLY LOVE

Among the Mormon refugees who were moving through Southern Iowa when Capt. Allen visited them for the purpose of enlisting volunteers for the U.S. Army, was the family of Ira Steams Hatch. This family consisted of the father, a widower (the mother having died at Nauvoo), six sons ranging in age from twenty-one to six years, and one daughter age fourteen. They had a considerable number of sheep, cattle and horses for which they must care and feed. Although the call for volunteers at this particular time was most inconvenient and quite a sacrifice, the family decided to furnish two of the enlistees, the eldest son, Meletiah, age twenty-one and recently married and Orin, a husky lad of sixteen years and two months, who through his size was able to pass muster. Deprived of the assistance of these young men, the family was obliged to delay their journey to the valley at that time.
Those who have read the story of the march of the Mormon Battalion know of its hardships and well understand how one so young as Orin found the journey almost too much to bear. The arduous and constant march, the difficult tasks they were called to do, along with the Scurvy, which was so prevalent among them, left him very weak. The time came that he was so weak that it was impossible for him to stand on his feet and then his brother, Meletiah, and another good associate, one on each side of him, assisted him on the march so that he might not be left on the trail. Finally, his condition became so serious that the attention necessary for his care was detaining the Company and the Commanding Officer gave orders for Orin to be left by the side of the trail to die. The Company moved on without him, but that night after camp had been made, Orin's brother, Meletiah, and another faithful friend returned and carried him into the camp and attended to his needs as best they could. The next day he was left again by the wayside to die, but as before, after encampment was made, his brother and friend returned to his side and brought him again to the camp. For several days this drama was staged until the Commanding Officer, seeing the determination of Orin's companions to save him, offered his horse so that Orin might be strapped upon its back and carried along with the Company.
Orin survived and was among those who raised the flag at San Diego, California when the Battalion arrived there.
After receiving their discharge, these two brothers remained in California until gold was discovered, taking part in reclaiming a quantity of the precious, metal. They left for the Great Salt Lake Valley where they arrived in July 1848, where they took up a portion of land at what is now known as Woods Cross, Davis County, Utah. Later that summer they returned to the Missouri River and assisted their father and the rest of the family, along with their livestock to the valley, arriving in October 1849.
After filling appointments along with others to colonize at Green River, Wyoming, Carson Valley, Nevada, and Northern Arizona, Orin made his permanent home in Woods Cross, Utah, where he became the father of twenty-one children. These were Men and women of high caliber who with their posterity have been stalwarts in establishing communities and filling Church appointments throughout the Intermountain region.
Meletiah remained a short while in Woods Cross, Utah, and then chose to settle in Panquitch, Utah. His children and their descendents have made enviable records for themselves in mostly the southern part of the State.

Submitted by Edith F. Hatch
Camp Eutaw

Edited by Jason Hatch
July 2001