To the Rescue

Ephraim Hanks, Handcart Rescuer

This post starts with a story about the Reed family and many others like them who lived in England in 1855.  Elizabeth Reed, my third great grandmother, and her family invited American missionaries in their London home for dinner.  The message that was shared changed their lives and they felt a desire to emigrate to Utah and gather with the other members of the church.

They came by ship to New York and train and wagon to Sioux City, Iowa.  From there they were organized into companies, outfitted with handcarts (oversized wheel barrows) that they pushed and pulled over the 1000 mile track to the Salt Lake Basin.  Tragedy hit this company as early snows threatened to destroy them while crossing the high mountain plains in Wyoming.  Knowing their plight, President Brigham Young, the prophet of our church, sent out young men with supplies to “bring them in.”  One of the rescuers was my second great grandfather, Ephraim Hanks. In a series of miraculous events he arrived with fresh buffalo meat to share and was part of a great rescue to the destitute and starved emigrants.

I listened to an audio book depicting the history of my church today while going for a run.  The chapter covered this period of time.  It made me think of those who make sure that the less fortunate have food to eat during this crisis that we are experiencing.  Yesterday I spoke with a patient who continues to work at the St. Vincent center downtown that feeds and clothes the homeless and poor.  The guests aren’t coming into the center as before but they are all given food through a window.   She and her husband are two of the most giving and happiest people that I know. She promises that she is taking precautions.

One of my responsibilities in my church is to oversee our Bishop’s Storehouse.  Each week, people come to receive food after talking to the bishop of their congregation.  For those that live too far away, the food orders are delivered by truck.  The storehouse is a sacred place filled with workers who are filled with love and devotion.  Most of them are retired and over 60 years old.  Though they are at increased risk for serious disease should they get the virus, their faith is palpable and commendable.  There have been procedural changes to limit exposure to the virus. The number of people in a given area is limited, food orders are brought to the patrons’ cars, surfaces are cleaned every hour and masks are worn throughout their service.  Demand right now is higher than average and they need some assistance.

Being tasked with finding helpers for them, I turned to a group of 18-25 year olds who have recently returned from being full time missionaries for the church. Their tenure had been cut short in most cases due to the virus. As I called them today, without reservation, they were eager and anxious to help.  In their mind there was no difference between offering help to those needing spiritual nourishment versus those that just need a good meal.  They live the counsel given by the ancient prophet King Benjamin who taught his people, “and now for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins, I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally.”  

Likewise, I have seen my fellow health care workers over and over again, step up and say, “send me.”  I think of the ER doctors, the doctors on the COVID floor and the ICU doctors and all that they work with.  I couldn’t be more proud to be part of their ranks.  I realized this morning on my run that my desire to help comes to me naturally from Grandpa Eph. My father was a rescuer of souls his whole life.  It is in my blood. It is part of who I am. We are all in this together.