Zerah Pulsipher Visits Wife in Vision After Her Death

After the death of his first wife Polly (or Mary Randell), Zerah Pulsipher experienced profound grief regarding her spiritual condition. As he recorded: 'After the death of my wife (Polly or Mary Randell) I had some anxiety about her state and condition, consequently in answer to my desires in a few weeks she came to me in vision and appearing natural looked pleasant as she ever did and sat by my side and assisted me in singing a hymn - beginning thus: "That glorious day is drawing nigh when Zions Light Shall Shine."' This heavenly visitation provided immense comfort to the grieving widower. Zerah observed: 'This she did with a seeming composure. This vision took away all the anxiety of my mind concerning her in as much as she seemed to enjoy herself well. This hymn which she introduced and sang with me applied to the great work of the last dispensation of the fullness of times.' Zerah noted the prophetic significance of this visitation: 'This transpired about ten years before Joseph Smith had discovered the first revelation of the work of the last days.' He concluded: 'My mind became calm as respecting her condition in the spirit world.' This miraculous visitation from beyond the veil reassured Zerah of his wife's wellbeing and became a testimony to him of the reality of the spirit world and continuing relationships after death.

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

However, when I was about twenty-one I married a very agreeable companion, lived with her about one year when she died leaving one child which we named Harriett. After the death of my wife (Polly or Mary Randell) I had some anxiety about her state and condition, consequently in answer to my desires in a few weeks she came to me in vision and appearing natural looked pleasant as she ever did and sat by my side and assisted me in singing a hymn – beginning thus: "That glorious day is drawing nigh when Zions Light Shall Shine." This she did with a seeming composure. This vision took away all the anxiety of my mind concerning her in as much as she seemed to enjoy herself well. This hymn which she introduced and sang with me applied to the great work of the last dispensation of the fullness of times. This transpired about ten years before Joseph Smith had discovered the first revelation of the work of the last days. My mind became calm as respecting her condition in the spirit world.