Gospel topic
Salt Lake Temple: Dedication and Birth of Joseph Temple Bennett
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The Contributor
President Joseph F. Smith
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I will share one vignette about my great-great-grandmother Amanda Paulie Savage Cook. As an eleven-year-old girl who's mother had died shortly after she was born, she walked across the plains with her father. She later married Phineas Walcock Cook and they were pioneers in the Bear Lake Valley. Over the years she developed midwife skills. She delivered numerous babies in a time and era where there were few doctors. A significant event for Amanda was the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple in April 1893. President Wilford Woodruff and the First Presidency had encouraged faithful Latter-day Saints to obtain a "temple dedication pass." These passes allowed the saints to enter the temple on a specific date to attend the dedication. Her session was Friday night, April 7th, 1893. While standing in line to get into the temple, Amanda conversed with a young pregnant women, Emma Bennett of Provo, Utah. Emma confided in Amanda that she had taken a chance in attending the session given that she was nine months pregnant. Amanda assured her that she would help her if needed. President Woodruff offered the prayer of dedication. The choir sang the hymn The Spirit of God and the congregation joined in the sacred Hosanna shout. It was an amazing spiritual session. Amanda was delighted to be in attendance. Near the close of the service Emma signaled to Amanda that her time had come. Amanda immediately helped Emma to a side room where she laid on the floor and was fast in labor. Another woman exclaimed, "She can't have a baby here!" Amanda replied politely but firmly, "She can and she will because she can't be moved." The baby was successfully delivered and a week later he was blessed and named Joseph Temple Bennett by President Joseph F. Smith.
Elder Quentin L. Cook
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