Elder Ricks's and Elder Reid's Witness of the Banker's Wife's Hidden Testimony

While tracting, Elder Ricks and Elder Reid encountered a wealthy, sophisticated woman in silk who initially spoke dismissively of religion and criticized the Church. Upon learning they were LDS missionaries, she revealed she had been converted and baptized ten years prior but had hidden her testimony due to a marriage promise made to her wealthy banker husband. She expressed deep longing for the Gospel, and the elders left, moved by her anguish and the visible struggle between her worldly life and her secret faith.

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

We were tracting in a city where the people are very wealthy and exclusive. We came to a beautiful residence, and were met at the door by a woman dressed in silk, who looked as though she had never known a care. She spoke to us in a very haughty manner, and when we told her who we were, she said: 'I have no time for such people as you. I have heard of the Mormons, and I do not care to hear anything more.' We were about to turn away, when she said: 'Wait a moment. I know more about the Mormons than you suspect. About ten years ago I attended the Latter-day Saint meetings. I was interested; read all the literature given me, including the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants; talked with the elders; was converted and baptized. I was very happy, and felt that I had found the truth. Then I met my husband. He is a wealthy banker, and he told me that if I married him I must give up my religion. I loved him, and I promised him I would. I have, however, remained true to my husband. Today I have broken my promise, but that was not intentional on my part. I shall tell him about it.' She was weeping bitterly as she spoke, and we felt that she was a woman who was struggling between her love for her husband and her love for the truth. We left her, feeling that we had been in the presence of one who had made a great sacrifice for the sake of her home, but who was still longing for the gospel.