William C. Staines Receives Gift of Prophecy Through Spirit

William C. Staines, a young convert to the Church in England, documented a remarkable spiritual experience. After fasting and praying for the spiritual gifts, he recorded: 'I commenced that evening and continued two days and three nights. The third morning while I was pruning raspberry canes and alone in the garden, I commenced to experience a very happy feeling, and the spirit of prophecy rested upon me. I prophesied about the Church in that place, and also of the troubles that the Saints in Zion would encounter by mobs and so forth.' At first, an evil spirit attempted to deceive him, suggesting he had not joined the true Church. However, when Staines spoke to Apostle Lorenzo Snow, Snow prophesied: 'Some time when in meeting the same spirit would come upon me, and I would repeat the very words I had spoken in the garden.' Two Sundays later, this prophecy was fulfilled exactly. Staines recorded: 'This strengthened my faith so much that I have never doubted the truth of the Latter-day work since.'