Healing of Wilford Woodruff from illness through prayer
Published October 5, 2026 at 5:14 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
During a trip to Sanpete, Utah, in May 1878, Elder Wilford Woodruff, who had been recovering from a severe cold, became ill with an affection of the lungs due to a sudden shift in weather and a severe cold wind and snowstorm. He was unable to attend the scheduled meeting in Ephraim, and President Taylor had to fill the appointment himself while Woodruff sought rest.
Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 40, No. 24, 17 June 1878):
Elder Wilford Woodruff, who had been recovering from a severe cold, became ill with an affection of the lungs due to a sudden shift in weather and a severe cold wind and snowstorm. He was unable to attend the scheduled meeting in Ephraim, and President Taylor had to fill the appointment himself while Woodruff sought rest.
In Their Own Words
“Elder Woodruff, who had been slowly recovering from a severe cold, of long standing, became quite ill, experiencing much discomfort from an affection of the lungs, caused through this very severe change of weather, for which he was not prepared. President Taylor, having telegraphed an appointment for a meeting at this place, filled it himself, the other members of his party seeking that rest which, under the circumstances, they much needed. — Millennial Star 40:24”
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 17 June 1878 (Vol. 40, No. 24). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1878-06-17_40_24 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Complete account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 40, No. 24, 17 June 1878 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1878-06-17_40_24
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