At this time I was shown that the Lord had been trying us for our good, and to prepare us to labor for others; that He had been stirring up our nest, lest we should settle down at ease. Our work was to labor for souls; if we had been prospered, home would be so pleasant that we would be unwilling to leave it; trials had been permitted to come upon us to prepare us for the still greater conflicts that we would meet in our travels. We soon received letters from brethren in different states inviting us to visit them; but we had no means to take us out of the state. Our reply was that the way was not open before us. I thought that it would be impossible for me to travel with my child. We did not wish to be dependent, and were careful to live within our means. We were resolved to suffer rather than get in debt. I allowed myself and child one pint of milk each day. One morning before my husband went to his work, he left me nine cents to buy milk for three mornings. It was a study with me whether to buy the milk for myself and babe or get an apron for him. I gave up the milk, and purchased the cloth for an apron to cover the bare arms of my child. {1T 83.1}

Jeg blev stærkt mindet om omvendelser på dødslejet. Nogle tjener sig selv og Satan hele deres liv, og når sygdom tynger dem, og en frygtelig usikkerhed står for dem, viser (82) de sorg over synd, og de siger måske, at de er villige til at dø, og deres venner får sig selv til at tro, at de virkelig har omvendt sig og er egnede til himmelen. Men hvis disse personer skulle komme sig, ville de som altid være oprørske. Jeg mindes Ordsp. 1, 27-28: "Når det, I frygter, kommer som uvejr, når eders ulykke kommer som storm, når trængsel og nød kommer over jer. Da svarer jeg ej, når de kalder, de søger mig uden at finde."