“On April 23rd, I received my appointment to labor in the Manchester conference, and from there to labor in the Oldham district. Here I met Elder Joseph Nelson, but before finding him I had my first little experience of being out in the world. Our president gave me Elder Nelson’s address, so I made for there as soon as I arrived in Oldham. About one mile from the station, and to my surprise, I found that Elder Nelson and the family he was staying with had moved the day before to another part of the town. I could not find out where, so there I was in a town of 200,000 people and knew not where to go, being an entire stranger. I asked the next door neighbor if I could leave my satchel in their house, and I would try to find Elder Nelson. The good lady consented, so I started off I knew not where.
“I walked for about thirty minutes and it began to grow dark. At this point I stood still for a few moments offering up a silent prayer, asking the Lord to direct me where to go. All at once a name and number of a house came to me as if someone spoke to me. – “Go to number 7 Radcliff street, and there you will find whom you are seeking.” At this I turned right about, went back to get my satchel, got in a cab and told the cab driver to take me to the above address. I told him I did not know where the place was but that there was such a place. He said he thought not. I told him there must be. At this he drove off in search of the place. After about forty minutes driving about town, he found the exact address I gave him. I got out and knocked at the door. The lady came and asked me what I wanted. I told her I was looking for a Mormon Elder, or a Latter-day Saint. “Who are you?” I told her, and she said, “Come in, you have come just to the right place; I expect Elder Nelson here in a few moments.” He soon came. This taught that if we rely on the Lord He will never forsake us.”
– Joseph S. Broadbent, 1 November 1896
This reminds me of when I went to Sao Paolo Brazil in the mid 1990s with a BYU group–but on a different flight. The hotel name they gave me was wrong (I found out later it was the name of the hotel on the tour’s next stop–Rio–but Sao Paulo had one of the same name, with n Americans staying there.)
I found myself alone in a city of 25 million people on a Sunday morning, with no idea of where to go, and no immediate help available, and only rudimentary communication skills. (I speak Spanish, but no Portuguese)
Unlike Elder Broadbent, I didn’t get a specific address as a prompting, but I was inspired to remember that Sao Paolo had a temple. I finally figured out where it was, and how to get there, and guard at the gatehouse told me where the English-speaking branch met, and the bus that would take me there. Sure enough, the BYU group was attending Church there, and I was rescued.
Which is a long way of saying, I know by my own experience that the Lord rescues those in dire circulstances, in the 20th Century as well as the 19th.
Clark, what a terrific story. Thanks for writing it out.
Ardis: thank you for the story posted. And Clark, thank you for yours! Being lost is one of the WORST things in life.