Mary Wells Whitney's encounter with a mysterious visitor

“The incident happened many years ago, at our home in Salt Lake City. My husband was away, and the only other members of the family in the house besides myself were three of our little boys. It was early spring and I was busy house-cleaning. Hearing the door bell ring, I went to the door, opened it, and there stood an elderly man, with white hair and beard, neatly dressed, straight as an arrow, and altogether respectable in appearance and respectful in manner. He asked me if I could help him. I told him I had no money, but if he needed food I would gladly give him some. He answered: 'I would be very grateful.' The unusual answer somewhat surprised me, but being very much occupied at the time, I paid but little attention. I showed him down into the kitchen, on the basement floor, spread what I had before him, and left him sitting at the table. The little boys were playing there at the time, and I told them to stay with the stranger and wait on him, while I returned to my work on the floor above. After awhile I heard the clatter of feet running up the stairs; and here came the boys, all breathless and excited, the oldest exclaiming: 'Mama, I bet that was one of the three Nephites.' 'What makes you think so?' I inquired. Here spoke up the second boy, who had had the toothache, when the visitor arrived : ' I was holding my hand to my face, and he said, Son, what is troubling you? I said, I've got the toothache, and then he said, It will ache no more. And it stopped aching right then, and has not ached since.' The boys also told me that when the stranger departed, he said : 'Peace be unto you and your house.' They likewise related how they rushed out after him, and looked up and down the street, and through the back yard, but could not see him anywhere. My youngest son said: 'Mama, I even looked into the furnace room, and he wasn't there.' I do not think I am over-credulous in regard to such things, but the impression made upon my mind by that venerable stranger and his pleasing address, coupled with the excitement of the boys and their expressed conviction as to who he was, caused me to marvel. I have never been able to entirely banish the thought that possibly the boys were right. — Millennial Star 83:50”