The Record of Eliza Arretta's Baptism

Mary B. Crandal was distressed because she could not find a record of her daughter Eliza Arretta's baptism. She received comfort through a series of shared dreams involving her son and a boarder, Nettie. Later, Bishop Packard, Brother Whitehead, and Sister Brindle confirmed that Eliza had indeed been baptized, and the record was eventually located when Brother Huntington discovered it had been filed under 'Arletta Eliza' rather than 'Eliza Arretta'.

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

I had a young lady boarding with me, so one morning just before I put breakfast on the table I saw her looking at me very earnestly. At last she said: 'I had a strange dream last night.' My son spoke up and said: 'So did I.' I looked at them both and said: 'I know what you were dreaming about, for I had a dream, too.' We all three had dreamed of my daughter, Eliza Arretta, who had been dead some time. In my dream I saw her, and she looked so happy and bright, and she told me she was baptized. I felt so comforted, for I had been very much distressed because I could not find a record of her baptism. I went to Bishop Packard and told him my dream. He said, 'Sister Crandal, you surely never neglected her baptism. Can't you think of some circumstance that will bring it to your memory?' I told him I could not. He then told me to go to Brother Whitehead and Sister Brindle, who were living in the ward at the time she would have been baptized. I went to them, and they both said they remembered her being baptized, and that she was confirmed at the same time. I then went to Brother Oliver B. Huntington, who was the clerk at that time, and told him my trouble. He said he would look for the record. He looked for a long time, but could not find it. I felt so disappointed. I went home and prayed to the Lord to help me find it. I felt that if I could only find that record I would be so happy. I went back to Brother Huntington and told him I had prayed about it, and I felt sure it could be found. He said he would look again. He looked through all the books, and at last he came to me with a smile on his face and said, 'Thank God, I have found it.' Her name was Eliza Arretta, and it had been written Arletta Eliza, and that was why he could not find it before.