Healing of Elsa (Mrs. John) Johnson’s Stiff Arm by Joseph Smith
Published October 15, 2026 at 6:00 AM
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Young Woman's Journal Research
In about 1831, Elsa (Mrs. John) Johnson, whose arm had been stiff and unusable for a long time, traveled with her husband, John Johnson, from Hyrum to Kirtland seeking healing from Joseph Smith. Witnesses including N. K. (Newel K.) Whitney and Philo Dibble recounted that Joseph took her hand, prayed silently or mentally, pronounced her arm whole in the name of Jesus Christ, and left. She immediately straightened and moved the arm, saying it was as good as the other; it remained sound.
Amos S. Hayden, in his history of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, provides additional details regarding the context of the visit. He notes that the party, which included Ezra Booth, visited Joseph Smith partly out of curiosity, and that Mrs. Johnson was at the time unable to lift her hand to her head. Following the healing, while the onlookers were struck by the 'infinite presumption' of Joseph Smith, the sudden shock appeared to 'electrify' the arm. Mrs. Johnson was able to lift it with ease, and upon returning home the following day, she was reportedly able to perform her washing without pain or difficulty. Furthermore, Philo Dibble clarifies that when the question was raised regarding whether the arm would remain healed, Joseph Smith responded, 'It is as good as the other, and as liable to accident as the other.'
In Their Own Words
“During the interview the conversation turned on the subject of supernatural gifts, such as were conferred in the days of the apostles. Some one said, ‘Here is Mrs. Johnson with a lame arm; has God given any power to men now on earth to cure her?’ A few moments later, when the conversation had turned in another direction, Smith arose, and walking across the room, and taking Mrs. Johnson by the hand, said in the most solemn and impressive manner: ‘Woman, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command thee to be whole,’ and immediately left the room. — Amos S. Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, 1875”
Sources & References
The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 2 no. 5 (February 1891). L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University digital collections. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/YWJ/id/9780 (account extracted verbatim from the collection's page-level OCR; research confidence: high) Full first-person account: Juvenile Instructor, vol. 27, no. 10 (May 15, 1892), pp. 30… The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 2 no. 9 (June 1891). L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University digital collections. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/YWJ/id/9780 (account extracted verbatim from the collection's page-level OCR; research confidence: high) Fuller account: Talking Scripture, Joseph Smith heals Elsa Johnson's arm https://www.ldssc… Additional sources (periodical research): Amos S. Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve (Cincinnati: Chase and Hall, 1875), 250-251. https://archive.org/details/earlyhistoryofdi00hayd/page/250/mode/2up Philo Dibble, Early Scenes in Church History (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1882), 74-75. http://www.olivercowdery.com/smithhome/1880s-1890s/1882Erly.htm
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