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Louise and the Wolves

George and Louise Graehl joined the Church in Geneva Switzerland. Louise was the first woman baptized into the Church in Geneva. They were converted by the power of the Book of Mormon and the doctrines of Christ and determined that they would gather to Zion and join the saints. They sold their prospering confectioners business, at considerable loss. It was hard for Louise to leave the city of her birth and the graves of her family. It was hard to leave dear family members behind. As they journeyed away they said, “O, Babylon, we bid thee farewell. Onboard ship the ferocity of a storm caused the ship to roll and pitch until all were sick. Louise’s little daughter cried out “Stop the boat! Stop the boat!” But the voyage continued on. One morning Louise’s oldest, Eliza came to her “crying like if her little heart would break. Oh, mother, she said, I never will go to the Valleys for I had a dream and I know that I never will reach there.” The family journeyed on and reached St Louis. Then one night around 3:00 am Eliza contracted the dreaded disease cholera. Notwithstanding all their efforts, within twelve hours, she was gone. Louise wrote, “I can’t even try to explain my feelings of sorrow at the loss of this my first born and constant companion! Only mothers who have passed through the same trials can understand and sense it.” And still they went on.

They reached the trailhead for their journey across the plains and discovered they did not have the supplies they needed. Louise’s husband decided they should stay where they were until the supplies could be obtained, but Louise refused saying, “My reason for my refusing to remain was on account of there being so many apostates in that vicinity that I felt that I had not left my native land and comfortable home to cross the ocean and remain outside of Utah away from the main body of the church.”

Angry Louise’s husband gathered his gun and his trunk, bid her goodbye and walked out. “That afternoon was a sad one for me,” Louise said, “For I did not know how I could travel alone with my children.” But that night George came back with the promise of supplies and the journey began. It was a difficult walk fraught with many perils.

Once, for instance, they were caught in a stampede. Their oxen ran crazily across the rough ground, dragging the heavy laden wagon with little effort. The helpless family was bounced and tossed about the wagon in terror. When the team finally stopped, the family was more than glad to walk back to camp. Louise, with a little girl in one arm and a baby in the other, began walking back to camp through the tall prairie grass.

“There were snakes among the grass,” Louise said, “which frightened me very much.”

They made it to camp safely, though they were late for supper.

But somewhere across those open and desolate spaces, George became so ill that he was unable to drive the team or even walk. He was reduced to riding in the wagon with the small children. This left Louise to drive the oxen. She described that it was “a pretty hard job to help driving through a long summer day with a baby in my arms and another at my side crying to be carried too.” Nonetheless, Louise pressed on.

Late one evening just at dusk, Louise’s wagon was lagging behind the rest of the train when suddenly the yoke broke, that device which secured her oxen to the wagon. Well, the oxen promptly ran off to the camp which was about two miles away leaving Louise’s wagon stranded in the middle of the road in the middle of nowhere – just as darkness closed in. And as the darkness gathered around, so did the wolves gather about the wagon.

“I could not light a fire,” Louise said, “for I had no materials, so I sat on the front seat holding my axe in my hands ready to try to defend myself and dear ones from the wolves who were howling around. … I waited until midnight when some brothers came for us. They made a big fire to scare the wolves away and we slept by turn until morning.”

They repaired the yoke and went on. Louise caring for the family and driving the team. Shortly after, they came to a river that had to be crossed. Louise said, “It was just beginning to get dark and our outfit was the last of the company. There was no one to help us as the captain was absent. The last team was crossing. What are you going to do? asked my dear husband from his bed in he rear of the wagon. I am going to drive right over and the Lord will help us, I answered, and I did and crossed over in safety. At camp that evening the Captain inquired who had assisted sister “G” across the river, but no one had even thought of, or seen Sister “G”, which surprised the Captain very much.

You know – my friends, there is something about a young mother out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by howling wolves in the dark of night defending her family with nothing more than an axe that kindles the imagination, humbles me, and inspires me. Further, that same image of a young mother facing storms, braving rivers, and enduring all to come to Zion is indeed humbling.

Truly, we never know what we can do until adversity demands it of us. President Nelson said, “Our faith will always propel us forward. Faith always increases our access to Godly power.”

Sources:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJK-LD2
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/49nelson?lang=eng