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The Conversion of Luman Andros Shurtliff

Luman Andros Shurtliff was born March 13, 1807, the fifth and youngest child of Noah and Lydia Brown Shurtliff. While still a lad, Luman developed a love of God. He would say of himeslf, “Secretly I was a Christian as far as I knew, but kept it entirely to myself, yet went by myself and prayed continually, hoping the time would come soon when I could join some church and have young people for my brothers and sisters.” When he and his brothers would go out to the sugar camp to harvest maple sap, Luman walk in his brother Selah’s tracks in the snow and no other, “Because he was a Christian” and acted like it. If Selah was there, Luman felt safe.

Then beginning in 1832, Luman became aware of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there in Ohio. One night he experienced a dream that only a farmer could appreciate. He said,

I dreamed. I thought I was standing in the northeast corner of my room. It was as light as day but not daylight. I could see plain and clear. I stood facing the east. I stooped forward and had a large-sized hog by the nose and was examining it. It was a white hog but dirty. One ear was close to the head. There was off one inch from the head and the tail was also gone. The hair was long and very rough looking. It had a well-built frame but was very poor. When I was through looking at this hog I looked a little to the northeast and there stood another white hog, perfect in every part. Its beauty exceeded in every part any hog I ever saw. This hog stood, its head up and looking toward Kirtland. In the morning when we awoke, I told Eunice ( his wife) I had dreamed a rather singular dream and this dream seemed to show that the Book of Mormon was quite inferior to the Bible. I told her of my dream. “Why,” said Eunice, “I should think it was the Bible that was inferior.” As quick as though the scene changed and the two hogs represented the two books. The Bible, poor, lean, disfigured, and robbed by translators of many of its precious parts. The Book of Mormon, white and pure from the hand of the Almighty and perfect in all its parts like all the work of God. In a short time, I began to think it was a dream, and could I rest my salvation on a dream? I should be ashamed to have people know I had left my religion and embraced another because I had dreamed about a couple of hogs. And so the devil reasoned with me until I became so confused, I concluded to wait and see what further evidence I could get before I joined the Mormons.

The dreams and encounters with the Church continued but Luman remained troubled and unconvinced. Then in August 1836, Luman determined he would journey to Kirtland, “The seat of Mormonism” he called it, to see if he “could find out the truth or falsity of this doctrine from there.” There he found no peace, his mind was darkened with doubts, his body shook with torment of soul. “I would be standing on some eminence weeping like a whipped child and I knew no reason why” He wandered about the city “like a man of little sense.” He went to David Whitmer, the Witness, who bore his testimony and listened while Luman shared his doubts and fears.

I could not say that I believed that Joseph Smith, Jr. was a true prophet of God for I did not. Neither did I believe the Book of Mormon to be a revelation from God for I did not. Then facing him I said, “Now you know what I believe and what I do not believe, and if you think I am a fit subject for baptism, I am ready to go to the water; if not, I intend to start home tomorrow and never trouble my head any more about Mormonism.” Mr. Whitmer was silent a few seconds and then replied, “I will go to the water and baptize you or get one of my quorum to do it.” On the way to the river, he called on Sylvester Smith and at sunset Sunday, August 21, 1836, I was baptized a member of the Church. David Whitmer confirmed me.

As Luman started home he took stock. Did he now believe? What would he tell his neighbors and friends when he got back?

Did I believe the Book of Mormon? No. No more than I did four years ago. Do I believe that Joseph Smith, Jr. is a prophet of God? No, I do not. At this I was shocked at my situation and began to call on the Lord in earnest. While I was praying, something came on my head resembling cold water and passed gradually down through my whole system, removing all pain (He had for some time been crippled and in great pain) and made me a sound man from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. As soon as this was passed, I heard a sweet melodious voice about me say, “Joseph Smith, Jr. is a prophet of the Most High God, raised up for the restoration of Israel in these last days, and the Book of Mormon which you hold under your arm is true and brought forth for the restoration of the scattered remnants of Jacob.”

Now, by the power of the Holy Ghost, Luman Andros Shurtliff was converted and true and faithful would prove it the rest of his days.

Source: http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/LShurtliff.html