LDS Witness
Healing / Medical Reversal & Remission

Elder Louis S. Leatham's baptism of Margaret Whythe Riach in the North Sea

Published November 8, 2026 at 9:10 AM

1920s · 1929
Aberdeen, Scotland
Louis S. Leatham·Margaret Whyte Riach·Relief Society sisters

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Millennial Star Research

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While serving as a missionary in Aberdeen, Scotland, in June 1929, Elder Louis S. Leatham baptized Margaret Whyte Riach in the North Sea after city officials denied them access to the public baths. Elder Leatham prayed for divine assistance to perform the ordinance in peace, and reported the wind stopped blowing and the atmosphere warmed up. He promised the 67-year-old woman that no ill would befall her due to the exposure, and she remained in good health for years afterward.

In Their Own Words

“On my way to the baptismal rendezvous, I stopped at the Branch Hall for secret prayer. It was a cold, windy June day in 1929, and there in seclusion I prayed for Divine assistance; that the ceremony would be performed in peace and without mishap. My prayer was answered—the wind stopped blowing, the atmosphere warmed up. I felt that the Lord had indeed mellowed the elements in response to my fervent supplication. ... I was impressed to promise her that no ill would befall her as a result of this exposure. She enjoyed the best of health for years thereafter. — Millennial Star 115:11”

Sources & References

The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), Vol. 115, No. 11 (1953). https://archive.org/details/millennialstar11511eng (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high)

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Filed under

Healing / Medical Reversal & Remission1920sUnited KingdomMillennial Star Miracles

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More accounts involving Louis S. Leatham, Margaret Whyte Riach, Relief Society sisters, plus similar miracle types and stories from the 1920s.

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Questions about this account

Who was involved in this account?
The account involves Louis S. Leatham, Margaret Whyte Riach, Relief Society sisters. Each person named here also has a witness page collecting the other accounts involving them.
When did this account take place?
The account is set in 1929, in the 1920s.
Where did this account take place?
It took place in Aberdeen, Scotland.
What kind of miracle is this?
It is filed as a Healing / Medical Reversal & Remission account reported in United Kingdom.
Where does this account come from?
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), Vol. The full source citation appears in the Sources section below, with links to the original where available.

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