George Stoddard's Healing and Conversion
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George Evan Stoddard, son of George Earl Stoddard, Jr., son of George Earl Stoddard, son of George Eckersley Stoddard
During the early days in Baker when Grandfather Stoddard was managing the Oregon Lumber Company, he, with Grant Geddes had started a Sunday School and Church organization in South Baker. It was thus possible for me to take the children to regular Church services. Much to my deep regret, I could not get Father to go with us, but even from the day we were married, yes, for some time before when I knew that we would be companions, I hoped and prayed that he would come back into the Church. My own father promised me hat if I would do my duty and live the gospel, that in due course my husband would also become active and interested. So, perhaps you older boys who tramped the trail to South Baker for many years through sunshine or rain and snow to do what your mother thought was the only thing left to do to help your father understand the beauties of the Gospel and if possible to sometime take our children to the Lord’s house for the Temple marriage so that our children would be sealed to us. It was my greatest ambition for me—that our family be united, not only for this life but the eternities which lie ahead. John, Jeanette and Howard had been added to our family. Earl, the oldest, was only thirteen years old when Howard was born [on November 1, 1901], so I was extremely anxious that the ordinances be performed that would bind us together. However, your father appeared to take no interest in religious matters.
One Wednesday evening he returned unexpectedly on the train from Sumpter Valley, feeling very ill. We hurriedly called a doctor but he seemed unable to determine the cause of his sickness and he steadily became worse and suffered intense pain. After all efforts to obtain relief had failed, I asked him if he would like to have the Elders come and administer to him. He told me that the pain had become unbearable; that if I had faith in the Elders to call them. The Elders came, prayed for your father and that night he rested for the first time in several days. The next morning was Sunday and the first quarterly conference was being held in Baker. Elders Seymour Young and Reynolds had come from Salt Lake City and were staying across the street at the home of Bishop Charles W. Nibley. Before Church services that morning they came to the home and a prayer was being said for him at Church. He awakened and called me saying, “Mother, I am not going to die but will get better. I have just dreamed that the brethren are praying for me in Church and I have been promised a complete recovery.” Within a few hours he was greatly improved and two days later returned to his work. From that time, your father had implicit confidence in his testimony of the Gospel.
Early in December we left with our seven little children to go to Salt Lake City and have the marriage and sealing ordinances performed in the Temple [January 22, 1902, in the Logan Temple]. When we were in the sealing room with out little family, we wept for joy after experiencing the promise that our family would be united for all eternity. We were blessed on the trip and, although it was bitterly cold, none of the children suffered from cold or illness from the long journey. The first night after arriving back in Baker, your father gathered the family around and offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the great light and happiness which had come into his life.
During the next few months your father became active in the Church. A conference was held in March to dedicate a new meeting house which had been built in La Grande. Two members of the Quorum of the Twelve were present from Salt Lake City and F.S. Bramwell was presiding as Stake President. Entirely unexpected and without any previous intimation, your father was asked to become the new Bishop of the La Grande Ward. At that time, C.W. Nibley and L.M. Jordan were counselors to President Bramwell in the Union Stake Presidency. Your father simply stated that after having received the testimony which had come to him—that he could not refuse and was sustained as the new Bishop.
Source: Ellen Eckersley Stoddard, "A Brief Sketch of My Life by Ellen Izatt Stoddard, Wife of George Eckersley Stoddard," undated typescript, nine pages, in the possession of George Evan Stoddard.
