Saga of the Sanpitch Volume 17, 1985 - Sanpete County

Could words express the flood of delight that poured over the good man's whole being, to know God
had so richly blessed him? None but those who have passed through similar experiences. To this day Brother
Farnworth is melted to happy tears whenever he relates his vision and its quick fulfillment.
At once he began the joyful work, bringing his daughters over to help him, and hundreds of that vast
multitude have already received the blessed temple gifts at the hands of their faithful descendants. His own
work of course has been for the males. Hence his seeing only men. He is still daily at work in the temple
carrying out the glorious mission given him.
Some may say, "Well, 1 have done for all those whose names I can get." To such I would say, be not so
satisfied, but, like the brother whose experience was related to me by President Joseph F. Smith, keep on after
you are all through, He said that there was one brother who would get a few of his names and do all he could,
then would sorrowfully say, "Well, I guess this will be the last." But faith, energy, and perseverance would
bring a few more„ Another time, months perhaps, would elapse, and behold he had a few more. Then another
rest, more again. And so on until his list was swelled into great proportions. Verily, we as Saints shall have the
desire of our hearts granted; and if it is a knowledge of our forefathers we shall have it if we live, pray, and
work for it. Try it, my young friends and great shall be your reward and your blessings. Amen.
Source: THE YOUNG WOMAN'S JOURNAL, Y.L.M.I Associations, Vol, 1, Salt Lake City, Utah, April 1890, No, 7, pp. 213-215.
THE RATTLESNAKE STORY
Toward the close of a bright spring day in 1851, while the families were still living in their warm dugouts
in the south side of the gray hill, they were aroused from their haven of temporary security by an
ominous warning. The hill, which had provided protection against the bitter blasts of winter, suddenly
assumed a threatening aspect.
Throughout the hours of this eventful day, the rays of the warm spring sun penetrated the rocky
surface of the hill. As the last of the warm rays were cut by the western mountains, the unsuspecting pioneers
were startled by weird hissings that seemed to come from the bowels of the earth. Horror was on the faces of
the women, and in the eyes of little children there was fear-- pathetic and helpless. Alert and ready to protect
their families, the men prepared quickly to meet a foe, which had appeared unexpectedly in great numbers.
From the cracks and crevices in the rocky hill, from holes in the ground and from caves under slabs of
stone crawled hundreds of long, gaunt, spotted-backed rattlesnakes, hungry and eager to strike. Hissing
weirdly, and with rattlers in constant motion, they bared their poison fangs and moved in a fearful wreathing
mass into the little settlement for the kill. Hideous as an octopus, this army of snakes, released by the heat of
the spring sun from the comatose state, alert and eager to strike, hunted out their human enemies and
engaged them in one of the strangest battles recorded in history.
The life-and-death struggle which ensued continued through the darkness of several nights, lighted
here and there by flickering pine-knot torches, for the snakes retreated into their holes at dawn, and then
returned to the attack at dusk. With the weapons at hand the settlers fought the loathsome invaders. The
night rang with shouts of caution and encouragement as the defenders struck death blows with stones, clubs,
knives and guns, while the attacking reptiles, poison hidden under their flashing fangs, hissed as they coiled
and struck.
In the darkness, snakes crawled everywhere. On the south slope of the gray hill they lay in coils on the
paths; they crawled under the woodpiles, into the dwarfed under-brush and under wagon boxes. Into the dugouts,
hissing, they moved, where they coiled in wood-boxes, tool-boxes, cupboards and beds. To seek out
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