At the age of 14, Jane found the Presbyterian church she was attending to be lacking something, but what it was she wasn't exactly sure. As she pondered this feeling she had, she received the missionaries in her home and felt greatly impressed that their message of the restoration of the gospel was true. She quickly introduced her entire family to the gospel. Many joined with her, and they set out for Nauvoo to meet the prophet Joseph.
Jane would later in life migrate on foot to Salt Lake city, but long before that she made a similar journey to make it to Nauvoo. In Buffalo NY, she and her family were forced to continue their journey of more than 800 miles on foot. Their shoes wore out and their feet bled. Jane did not complain however. She told her family to dry their tears and pray that the Lord might heal them so that they could continue their journey. So she offered a powerful prayer and God answered, healing their bloodied feet. Later one of the children fell ill, and once again Jane offered a powerful prayer and the family witnessed a miracle. The child was healed and the family arrived in safety in Nauvoo.
Along the way all their possessions had been lost or stolen, so Jane arrived at last at the prophet's door with nothing to her name. Joseph was so impressed with the faith she and her family had showed that when no work could be found for Jane, he offered her a permanent place in his household. She worked for the Smiths until the end of Joseph's life, and was treated not as a slave or a servant but, as she said, as though she were Emma and Joseph's own daughter. They even offered to have her sealed to them as a daughter. She declined, because she did not fully understand the practice, but it is clear that the Smiths loved and respected her greatly.
In Utah Valley, Jane continued to face trials of poverty. She faced divorce and raised her children alone. But despite having so little she always did her best to serve.
Her greatest trial of faith would be the temple ban on
blacks of African decent. Jane had been offered a sealing to Emma and Joseph
through the law of adoption, but had declined in ignorance of the doctrinal
practice. After Joseph’s death and the implementation of the ban, she
petitioned the first presidency to allow her the sealing Joseph had wished for,
but was denied on multiple occasions, though they did allow her to enter into
the temple and perform baptisms for her ancestors. She died before her dream
of being sealed could be realized, but despite so challenging a trial she
remained faithful her entire life. Never did she waver in her testimony. She
said at the end of her life “My faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is as strong today, nay it is if possible stronger than it
was the day I was first baptized”.
Jane's faith was so strong despite so many obstacles in her way. Today when we are faced with things that seem unfair, we can follow Jane's example and hold on to what we know. She refused to fall away, and she had a firm testimony that despite the temple ban, everything would make sense one day and God loved her just as he loved any other.
Barrett, Ivan J. Heroic Mormon Women. Covenant Communications, 2000.
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