A testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon by Glen J Nielson

In the winter of 1928-29, while I was serving in the Eastern States mission, our District president asked my companion and I to make a trip on foot to the Catskill Mountains in South Eastern New York State- It was the first part of February

We made our way to the mount to a little place called “Sleepy Holly” it was here where Washington Irving’s Fictitious character Rip Van Winkle was to have had that deep slumber for 20 years.

At a little store there, we purchased boots to make the climb the snow covered mountain this took about all the money we were  permitted to carry. We were sent out without money but the law said we must carry some money about $500.00

When we reached the top of the mountain and walked about a mile, we found our family. The man was in the sheep business, just a small number. We visited with them and stayed over night, but we found they were not much interested in the restoration or the Church.

The next morning, we left hem to return to our head-quarters in the city of Albany New York State. I have read of Wilford Woodruff freeing his ears as he walked 40 miles while in the Fox Islands doing missionary work.- but I couldn’t think of anything colder than this as we made our return trip toward Albany. My companion froze his ears in this bitter cold weather. Now as we walked along that lonely road, no traffic, no houses. I thought to myself, “Why would our district president send us out in such bitter cold weather for nothing, as these people were not interested in the restored church. And we could clearly see now that we could lose our lives. We could freeze to death!

But then finally , toward evening, we saw a farm house in some pines, about ¾ of a mile off the road upon which we were traveling and we walked to this place and found that it was a dairy farm. The Man and the woman were working together feeding the cows. I asked them if we might stay with them for the night. I told them that we were ministers of the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The man said nothing. And my heart sank, but the woman spoke up and said. “yes you may stay with us tonight, and we were very much relieved and happy.

She was indeed very kind to us. but her husband wouldn’t even talk or visit. She gave a very nice meal and a bed where in we rested well all night and in the morning she served a wonderful breakfast and we talked again of the restored church and I gave her a Book of Mormon. Then she had her son drive us in their car to Albany.

It was about two or three weeks later I received a letter and $5.00 from her. In her letter she said she had read the book of Mormon and believed it was true. She was so very happy she wanted to help us by sending the $5.00. And I then thought of the words of the Lord in the D& C speaking of the missionaries of this dispensation when he sid “Thy who take you in and feed you and give you money, they are my disciples.

The cold and hardships of that trip to the Catskill Mountains and back were all forgotten in the joy of this very find lady reading the Book of Mormon and becoming converted by the power of the Holy Ghost as is promised in that book by the great prophet Moroni.

Moroni Chapter 10:4,5

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God the Eternal Father in the Name of Christ if these things are not true, and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart with real intent having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost.