Today, we learned about the conversion stories of the ancestors that we are representing. For 4 out of the 5, we don’t have very much information… just a sentence or two. But we had more detailed information for Charles Alfred Harper so we re-enacted that story. 🙂
Charles was a Quaker but his wife, Lavina, heard and accepted the restored gospel and was baptized in 1840 and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This caused Charles to become angry, because he did not like the Mormons (a nickname many enemies gave the church members). He told Lavina that he was ashamed of her. He stated that he would not walk down the same street with a Mormon, even if it was his own wife. So, for one year, wherever they went, Lavina would walk down one side of the street, and Charles would walk nonchalantly down the other side.
Then one day in 1841 he walked away from home, saying that he would return soon. Lavina started her washing and it was not very long before she heard him coming home singing, seeming to be very happy. She looked up and saw that his clothes were dripping wet and she said to him, “So you were baptized today. I knew you would be without me asking you.” He replied, “Yes, I did it today, and I am the happiest man alive.”
I am so happy to have a few of the details to this story. I love how this shows some signs of Lavina’s patience (and I’m sure a prayerful heart) and also Charles’ stubbornness and will to make the choice for himself. 🙂
