A woman's dream of her death and the Celestial City
Published October 5, 2026 at 1:34 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
A thirty-year-old lady in Great Salt Lake City, who had been sick, dreamed she died, left her body, was greeted by a female attendant, and was guided to a marble building. There, a Director at a desk examined a book, showed her the Celestial City, and revealed she was among the privileged who would go there. She experienced profound emotions, witnessed other spirits, and felt the return to her body upon waking, feeling as if she had recovered from severe illness.
Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 29, No. 24, 15 June 1867, p. 379):
A lady in this city, about thirty years of age, who had been sick for some time, dreamed that she died, and that her spirit left her body. She was met by a female attendant, who conducted her to a large and beautiful building, constructed of white marble. She was ushered into the presence of a Director, who sat at a desk, and who examined a book which he had before him. He then showed her the Celestial City, and told her that she was one of the privileged ones who would go there. She felt a thrill of joy and happiness which she could not describe, and saw many other spirits. She then felt her spirit return to her body, and she awoke, feeling as though she had recovered from her severe illness.
In Their Own Words
“I dreamed I was at home sick, and sitting in an arm chair, surrounded by my husband, mother, children, and friends. I was told, or rather felt, I was going to die; and after confiding the care of my children especially to my mother—she agreeing in accordance with my urgent solicitations to come and live with us—and bidding good-bye and pressing the hands of those present, I felt sensibly the first approach of death, by a feeling of coldness and numbness commencing at my feet and thence to my body, until it reached the region of my heart; whereupon I became insensible, and felt as though I was approaching the confines of another world, and involuntarily dropped back in the chair. ... I found myself standing by the body from which I had just emerged, in a stooping posture, experiencing a sort of crampness in the breast and back, together with a feeling of general exhaustion. ... My anxiety was soon relieved by watching his countenance, which soon assumed a pleasant look. He rose and revealed a tall form, with a heavenly countenance abounding with masculine beauty. His eyes were grey, and beaming with expression. Taking me by the hand, he said, “Sister, you are one of the privileged few who are to go to that celestial city,” (pointing to the city I had seen) and having read my thoughts, added, “but you are not satisfied with yourself, are you?” I replied, “No, sir, I am not.” — Millennial Star 29:24”
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 15 June 1867 (Vol. 29, No. 24). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1867-06-15_29_24 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Complete account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 29, No. 24, 15 June 1867, p. 379 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1867-06-15_29_24
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