Orson Hyde — Fed by an Angel, Prophecy of Rain, and Dedication of Jerusalem

Orson Hyde (1805–1878) was an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles whose life was marked by a remarkable series of miraculous experiences spanning decades.

**Fed by an Angel (circa 1834):** During a mission to raise funds and volunteers for Zion's Camp, Hyde traveled across the eastern states, often without food. On one occasion, he walked an entire day without eating anything, fell asleep exhausted, and awoke amidst a sudden light. An angel appeared, surrounded in glory, and handed him fruit the likes of which he had never before seen — more delicious than anything he had ever tasted. The angel also promised him the gift of prophecy and that his words would be fulfilled.

**Prophecy of Rain (circa 1848):** Decades later, during a severe drought that ravaged the Kanesville, Iowa area where Hyde presided, he stood before a congregation of suffering Saints and asked them publicly: 'Have I ever prophesied and it failed to come to pass?' The people enthusiastically responded, 'No!' He then declared: 'I prophesy in the name of Jehovah that we will have rain and our crops will be saved.' The meeting was held outdoors under a clear sky. By the closing remarks, rain had begun to fall. It came in torrents. That season's harvest was bountiful.

**Dedication of Jerusalem for the Gathering of Israel (1841):** In January 1840, Hyde dreamed of a missionary journey through London, Amsterdam, and Constantinople, ending in Jerusalem. Inspired, he proposed the mission at conference. Joseph Smith commissioned him to go. Hyde traveled alone across the Atlantic, through Europe, preaching to Jewish communities along the way. On October 24, 1841 — before sunrise — he exited Jerusalem, crossed the Kidron Valley, climbed the Mount of Olives, and offered a dedicatory prayer for the gathering of Judah's scattered remnants and the children of Abraham. He then built a stone altar to mark the occasion. The dedication was viewed as fulfillment of prophetic promises and the beginning of the restoration of Israel to the Holy Land.