The Signboard and Small Things

One of the most miraculous stories of the rescue of the handcart companies in 1856 was how Captain Willie and Joseph Elder were able to find the rescuers.  On the morning of October 20th, they left their company, who were completely out of food, and set out on mules to try to find the rescuers.  The advance party had already reached them and told them the wagons with food were not far off, but a massive snow storm had stopped the rescuers.  They had hunkered down a few miles off the trail in some willow trees trying to wait out the storm about 25 miles from the campsite of the Willie company at the last crossing of the Sweetwater.  They were expecting that this advance party would be coming back soon (though unbeknownst to them the advanced party hadn't even reached the Martin Company yet).  Harvey Cluff, one of the rescuers, recounted what he did that day as they waited: "I volunteered to take a signboard and place it at a conspicuous place at the main road. This was designed to direct the express party who was expected to return about this time, so they would not miss us. In facing the northern blast up hill, I found it quite difficult to keep from freezing. I had only been back to camp a short time when two men rode up from Willie's handcart company.  The signboard had done the work of salvation."  He reflected on what would have happened if the signboard had not been placed there: "Had Captain Willie and his fellow traveler from his company continued on the road, they certainly would have perished as they would have reached the Sweetwater where the storm first struck us. [They said] the handcart company was then 25 miles from our camp. As they [Willie and Elder] had traveled that distance without food for themselves or horses and no bedding, they must have perished. I have always regarded this act of mine as the means of their salvation" (Andrew D. Olsen, The Price We Paid, pp 138-9).  Because of the sign, Captain Willie found the rescuers and urged them on at all costs the next day for the salvation of his company who were literally starving.  Harvey Cluff's willingness to follow the inspiration of the Spirit and to travel several miles in the cold to put up that sign turned to the salvation of the whole Willie Company. 

This experience of course reminds us of Alma's famous counsel to his son Helaman: "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls" (Alma 37:6-7).  In this case physical salvation literally came because of that small sign placed on the road just before Captain Willie arrived there.  As Nephi put it, "And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things" (1 Nephi 16:29).  In our dispensation the Lord encouraged us with similar words: "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great" (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33).  We cannot do a great work, but the Lord can by the small things we do under His inspiration.  From Liberty Jail the Prophet Joseph described this principle another way: “You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:16-17).  If we will do the small things the Lord requires, listening to the still small voice, we can then stand still and see His salvation worked through His power.