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| Uncle Dick Richard Gibbons, about the time he returned from his mission |
The following is an inspiring story from the Biography of Richard Gibbons: Arizona Pioneer, Rancher, Lawman. Known as "Uncle Dick" to the family, Richard Gibbons (1858-1942) was the younger brother of my great-great grandfather, Andrew Smith Gibbons (1825-1886).
Following his mission, Richard returned to Arizona and sheep ranching. On a warm summer’s evening in late July 1890, as Richard was bedding down his sheep, he was attacked and bitten by a skunk. There was no doubt in his mind that the animal was rabid, and he knew that the dreaded disease of hydrophobia could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to show itself.
Unable to provide him with the newly developed anti-rabies serum, local doctors advised Richard to go to the Pasteur Institute in New York City. He caught the next train to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he could make arrangements to travel east. Watching the countryside race by the train’s window, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into the face of Jesse N. Smith, president of the St. Joseph Arizona Stake. President Smith was on his way to Albuquerque to conduct personal business and to meet some visitors coming to the St. Joseph Stake conference.
In Albuquerque, Richard inquired about the schedule of trains going to New York City. He found that he would have a three-day layover if he was going to catch the fastest train to New York. There was nothing for him to do but check into his hotel and wait.
That evening while Richard and President Smith were dining, President Smith received a telegram from Salt Lake City informing him that the scheduled conference visitors had been delayed, but that someone else would be arriving in their place. No mention was made of who the substitute visitors would be.
President Smith and Richard retired to their own rooms, but sleep would not come to Richard. He was uneasy about the trip to New York City. His mother and brothers had encouraged him to go wherever needed to take the treatments. Still, he felt the answer to his problem lay closer to home. He knelt by his bed and prayed for an answer to his problem. Putting his trust completely in Heavenly Father, he retired with a feeling of calm reassurance.
The next morning, both men went to the train depot—President Smith to check the incoming train from Salt Lake City, Richard to purchase his ticket to New York. The ticket window was closed, so Richard went with President Smith to meet the conference visitors. As they approached the train, they were amazed to see Presidents Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith, the First Presidency of the Church, climbing down the steps of the train.
An informal meeting was held in President Woodruff’s room. Many items were discussed, among them Dick’s reason for being in Albuquerque. Richard expressed his mixed feelings about traveling to New York. Each man advised him to go on to the Institute for treatments. The meeting adjourned in time for lunch, but all were invited back to President Woodruff’s room at 2:30 in the afternoon.
Richard went again to the train station to purchase his ticket to New York City, but was informed that he had just missed the ticket agent and that the window would be closed until ten o’clock the next morning. Angry and disappointed, Richard went back to his hotel room and knelt in prayer. He felt once again the calm, peaceful reassurance that his answer was not in New York City.
Around 2:30, he was back in President Woodruff’s room meeting with the others. Richard’s skunk bite was mentioned again, and he related his difficulty in obtaining a ticket to New York. He also described the feeling that had come over him as he had knelt in prayer in his room. He later recorded the following in his journal:
President Joseph F. Smith looked at me and said, "Brother Gibbons, I promise you that you will be all right if you can put this problem from your mind and not worry about it at all. The Lord will bless you and it won’t be necessary for you to travel to the east." This advice suited me fine, and I asked the brethren for a blessing.
August 15, 1890—I got up this morning feeling quite refreshed and good.
Richard returned home that same day and was never bothered again with the skunk bite, nor did it ever trouble his mind.
Source:Biography of Richard Gibbons: Arizona Pioneer, Rancher, Lawman, typescript in the files of Daniel Bay Gibbons
Cool story!
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