The First Sister Missionaries Preach in Oldham

Lucy Jane (Jennie) Brimhall made history as one of the first two single women called to serve as full-time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Set apart on April 1, 1898, she and her companion, Amanda Inez Knight, traveled to the British Mission. Their service was marked by profound faith and courage in the face of public scrutiny. One notable event occurred on a Saturday night on the crowded streets of Oldham, England. Brimhall and Knight, accompanied by a group of elders, stood on a street corner singing hymns and offering prayers. A large crowd gathered to listen. A fellow missionary, Brother McMurrin, boldly announced to the crowd that the "real live Mormon women" would be speaking the following day. Though the prospect of addressing such a large and potentially hostile crowd was daunting—Knight recorded feeling a "sickly feeling" of nervousness—the two sisters relied on the Lord for strength. The next day, they spoke in a hall packed with approximately 800 people. Despite their initial fears, Brimhall and Knight delivered powerful, unwavering witnesses of the restored gospel and the divine mission of Joseph Smith. Missionary Joseph S. Broadbent later wrote to the Deseret Evening News, reporting that during their testimonies, the audience was so captivated and silent that "a pin could be heard drop" ([Facing Mobs and Making History: Remarkable Accounts from the First Sister Missionary in the Church - LDS Living](https://www.ldsliving.com/facing-mobs-and-making-history-remarkable-accounts-from-the-first-sister-missionary-in-the-church/s/88719)). Their pioneering efforts and spiritual conviction helped transform the Manchester conference from one of the weakest in England into a leading area for the Church, demonstrating the profound impact of the first sister missionaries.