Adella W. Eardley and Elizabeth Howard's Inspiration for Testimony

Sister Adella W. Eardley, serving on an M.I.A. trip, felt weak and incapable of speaking. She and Sister Elizabeth Howard prayed aloud in their room for help. Sister Howard promised her in the name of the Lord that she would be able to speak effectively. Following these prayers, they held Sunday meetings where they bore testimonies that the congregation found so impressive they requested the sisters to continue visiting the stake.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

On our arrival the stake officer who met us, said, Where are Sister Wells and Sister Young? She was plainly disappointed, and said apologetically, We don’t know you people. Well, Sister Howard said, you’ll get acquainted. I felt awfully weak anyway, and when we were alone I started to cry. Sister Howard said, I promise you in the name of the Lord you shall say things Sister Wells could not say better. The Saturday morning meeting was not for us. At noon we went to our room and prayed aloud in turn. I can’t speak, I said. Yes, you must! said Sister Howard. After the Saturday afternoon meeting Sister Howard said, You did pretty well, and we’ll both do better tomorrow. Sunday we had excellent meetings. Sunday evening the bishops and others said they had never heard such splendid testimonies as we bore. And almost the whole congregation came and wanted us to go around the stake. In our own room we knelt down and thanked the Lord for His help.