Oscar O. Stoddard — Healing of Brother Christiansen's Dislocated Shoulder (1860)

While serving as a captain of an immigrant company, John Erik Forsgren administered to a man named Brother Christiansen who had suffered a dislocated shoulder. After anointing him with oil and praying for the muscles and sinews to relax so the joint could return to its place, Forsgren promised the man that if he had faith, he would wake up the next morning healed. The man expressed belief, and the following morning the shoulder was restored to its proper place.

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

I was then informed of the circumstance and went to him and found him with his arm in a sling. . . . “In the evening, just after prayers and as we were preparing for bed, he sent for me to come to and administer to him. I complied and anointed his shoulder as well as his head with consecrated oil, and in confirming the anointing with my hands upon his head, I prayed for the muscles and sinews to relax that the joint may have room to get to its place. “After I got through administering to him I said, ‘Brother Christiansen, go to bed and to sleep and if you will have faith you shall wake up in the morning with your shoulder in its place,’ and he said, ‘I believe you, Captain,’ after which I went to bed.