Andrew P. Schow — Deliverance During the San Juan Scouting Expedition

In December 1879, Andrew P. Schow and Reuben Collett were dispatched from the settlement of Escalante to locate the San Juan Mission pioneers (the Hole-in-the-Rock company), who were overdue and feared to be in grave danger. While traversing the high, rugged plateaus near Fifty-Mile Mountain, Schow and Collett were caught in a fierce winter blizzard with sub-zero temperatures. Lost in the blinding snow and facing death from exposure, the men sought divine help through prayer. They were miraculously guided through the storm to find the pioneer company, providing the essential communication and encouragement that allowed the mission to proceed. Their survival and successful navigation through the impassable terrain were regarded by the community and Church leaders as a direct act of divine preservation.