Heber C. Kimball Made Whole
Published August 17, 2026 at 5:15 PM

Contributed by
Todd Morgan
Beaumont, CA, 92223
While I was in the Kirtland Temple, June 4, 1837, the Prophet Joseph came to me and said, "Brother Heber, the Spirit of the Lord has whispered to me, saying: 'Let my servant, Heber, go to England and proclaim my gospel, and open the door of salvation to that nation.'"
A short time previous to starting, I was laid prostrate on my bed from a stitch in my back, which suddenly seized me while chopping and drawing wood for my family. I could not stir a limb without calling out from the severeness of the pain.
Joseph, hearing of it, came to see me, bringing Oliver Cowdery and Bishop Partridge with him. They prayed for and blessed me, Joseph being mouth, beseeching God to raise me up. The Prophet then took me by the right hand and said, "Brother Heber, I take you by the right hand in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood vested in me I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to arise, and be thou made whole."
I arose from my bed, put on my clothes and felt no more of the pain afterwards.10
Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):
A short time previous to starting, I was laid prostrate on my bed from a stitch in my back, which suddenly seized me while chopping and drawing wood for my family. I could not stir a limb without calling out from the severeness of the pain. Joseph, hearing of it, came to see me, bringing Oliver Cowdery and Bishop Partridge with him. They prayed for and blessed me, Joseph being mouth, beseeching God to raise me up. The Prophet then took me by the right hand and said, 'Brother Heber, I take you by the right hand in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood vested in me I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to arise, and be thou made whole.' I arose from my bed, put on my clothes and felt no more of the pain afterwards.
In Their Own Words
“A short time previous to starting, I was laid prostrate on my bed from a stitch in my back, which suddenly seized me while chopping and drawing wood for my family. I could not stir a limb without calling out from the severeness of the pain. Joseph, hearing of it, came to see me, bringing Oliver Cowdery and Bishop Partridge with him. They prayed for and blessed me, Joseph being mouth, beseeching God to raise me up. The Prophet then took me by the right hand and said, 'Brother Heber, I take you by the right hand in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood vested in me I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to arise, and be thou made whole.' I arose from my bed, put on my clothes and felt no more of the pain afterwards.”
— Heber C. Kimball, Life of Heber C. Kimball, an Apostle
Sources & References
Heber C. Kimball, Woman’s Exponent IX (Aug. 1, 1880), p. 39 and subsequent installments; digitized archive: https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/WomansExp; reproduced with the quote in “Joseph Smith Miracles,” Joseph Smith Foundation: https://josephsmithfoundation.org/joseph-smith-miracles/; Hyrum L. and Helen M. Andrus, They Knew the Prophet, 37 Fuller account: Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, an Apostle: The Father and Founder of the British Mission (Salt Lake City: Kimball Family, 1888), 113. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35333 Full first-person account: Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, an Apostle: The Father and Founder of the British Mission (Salt Lake City: Kimball Family, 1888), 113. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/35333/pg35333-images.html
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