Prophecies

Mrs. Bean's Prophecy and Dream of Parley P. Pratt's Arrival

Published October 17, 2026 at 8:16 AM

1840s · 1840
Bethel, Oxford County, Maine
Todd Morgan

Contributed by

Todd Morgan

Beaumont, CA, 92223

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The day before Parley P. Pratt and his family arrived in Bethel, Maine, his wife's sister, Mrs. Bean, prophesied to her husband that they would arrive that evening. Despite her husband's disbelief, she prepared the bedding and room for them. Parley and his family did indeed knock on the door that night, fulfilling her prophecy. Additionally, Mrs. Bean had previously experienced a dream where Parley gave her a 'key' to the Bible. Upon their meeting, Parley presented her with his book, 'Voice of Warning,' which she and her husband interpreted as the key to the scriptures promised in her dream, leading them to rejoice and commit to the gospel.

In Their Own Words

“The day before our arrival my wife's sister, a Mrs. Bean, prophesied to her husband that Brother Pratt and family would arrive there the next evening, and she actually changed the bedding and prepared the best room for our reception, as if she had received notice of our coming. At this her husband and friends laughed in derision; "for," said they, "our brother-in-law is in England and his family in New York; how, then, will he be here to-night?" But she still persisted, and made ready the room and all things for our reception, assuring them that I would arrive that night with my family. Night came, the deep shades of evening gathered around, a dark and gloomy night set in, and still no signs of us. They still laughed her to scorn for her superstition, and she still persisted in her anticipations of our momentary arrival. At length, as they were about to retire to rest, we knocked at the door and were joyfully received. Mrs. Bean had a dream a few days previous to our arrival, in which she dreamed that I came to her and gave her a key to the Bible. As she related the dream to me, I presented her with my "Voice of Warning." It seemed to her and her husband as they read it as if it was indeed a key to the doctrine and prophecies of the Holy Scriptures.”

— Mrs. Bean, quoted in Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ed. Parley P. Pratt Jr. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1874), chapter XXXVIII

Sources & References

Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ed. Parley P. Pratt Jr. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1874), chapter XXXVIII - via Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44896 (account extracted verbatim from the public-domain text; research confidence: high)

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