“In the extremity of my agony I cried unto the Lord, O Thou who hearest the prayers of the widow and fatherless, what shall I do? Thou knowest my inexperience, Thou seest my poor wounded boy, what shall I do? Heavenly Father, direct me! And I was directed just as by a voice speaking to me... I had obeyed the voice which directed me, and having done this, prayed again to the Lord to be instructed further; and was answered as distinctly as though a physician had been standing by speaking to me. A slippery elm tree was near by, and I was told to make a poultice of the roots of the slippery elm and fill the wound with it.” — Amanda Barnes Smith¹

Amanda Barnes Smith’s faith and resourcefulness were put to the test after the Hawn’s Mill massacre on October 30, 1838. Her son Alma’s hip joint had been entirely shot away in the attack. Amanda, unable to find medical help, prayed for divine guidance. She felt directed by a heavenly voice to make a lye solution from ashes to clean the wound and then to prepare a poultice from slippery elm roots. Following these instructions, she treated Alma’s wound and, despite the severity of the injury, he eventually made a full recovery.²

1. The Woman's Exponent, 1 March 1881, vol. 9 no. 23

2. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 30, 353-355; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 32, 378-379; “Amanda Barnes Smith,” churchofjesuschrist.org; The Woman's Exponent, 1 March 1881, vol. 9 no. 23