Wilford Woodruff Journal 1: His Patriarchal Blessing Promised He Would Heal the Sick, Raise the Dead, and Waft from Continent to Continent (Jan 3, 1837)

On January 3, 1837, President Zebedee Coltrin ordained Wilford Woodruff a member of the First Quorum of Seventy and pronounced what Woodruff himself recorded as the most extensive prophetic blessing given to him in his life.

Woodruff wrote it out in full in his journal:

'That my enemies may confine me in prisons and chains and that I would rend the prisons and chains in twain in the name of Jesus Christ and that the Lord would give me great power, knowledge, and wisdom and faith so that I should heal the sick, cause the blind to see, the lame to leap as an hart, the deaf to hear, stop the mouths of lions and raise the dead to life and waft myself (as did Philip) from river to river, from sea to sea and from continent to continent for the purpose of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.'

The blessing continued: 'And that I should stand before kings and princes and that they would send for me to receive wisdom, knowledge and instruction at my mouth because they considered me wiser than themselves, in like manner as the Egyptians sought wisdom at the hand of Joseph. And that God would give me a multiplicity of blessings that I should preach to the nations of the earth and to the inhabitants upon the islands of the sea.'

The blessing also promised: 'And that I should then return to stand upon Mount Zion in the flesh even in Jackson County, Missouri, at the coming of Christ and that I should be caught up to meet him in the clouds of heaven.'

Woodruff added that he was promised to 'visit Kolob and preach to the Spirits in prison.'

The fulfillments of these promises across his 91 years were extensive: he healed the sick, cast out devils, raised the near-dead (including his wife Phoebe), preached in England and throughout the United States, was ordained an apostle and then President of the Church, stood before governmental leaders, dedicated the Salt Lake Temple, and preserved the history of the entire Restoration in 31 volumes of journals.

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

Jan. 3, 1837: President Z. Coltrin ordained me a member of the first Seventy and pronounced great blessings upon my head by the Spirit of prophecy and revelation. He said that my enemies might confine me in prisons and chains, but that I should rend the prisons and chains in twain in the name of Jesus Christ; that the Lord would give me great power, knowledge, wisdom, and faith, so that I should heal the sick, cause the blind to see, the lame to leap as an hart, the deaf to hear, stop the mouths of lions, and raise the dead to life; that I should waft myself (as did Philip) from river to river, from sea to sea, and from continent to continent, for the purpose of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ; that I should stand before kings and princes, and that they would send for me to receive wisdom, knowledge, and instruction at my mouth, because they would consider me wiser than themselves, in like manner as the Egyptians sought wisdom at the hand of Joseph; that I should preach to the nations of the earth and to the inhabitants upon the islands of the sea; that I should return to stand upon Mount Zion in the flesh, even in Jackson County, Missouri, at the coming of Christ, and that I should be caught up to meet him in the clouds of heaven. These and many other blessings were pronounced upon my head.