Autobiography of Mary Elizabeth Porter Steiner

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MARY ELIZABETH PORTER STEINER

(Born 9 Sep 1872 in Porterville, UT.)

My spirit was in the spirit world with the sons and daughters of God when the Grand council in Heaven took place.

The Savior said to those who were with Him, "We will go down, for there is space there; and we will take of these materials and will make an earth whereon the spirits of Heaven shall dwell and take upon them mortal bodies and tabernacles in the flesh; giving them their free agency, that they may go on to perfection. Therefore, we will prove them herewith to see if they will keep all the commandments of the Lord, their God, and should they fall we will prepare a way that they may come back into our presence and they that keep their first estate shall be added upon. And they that keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever."

When the plan was presented, one of God's most beloved and chosen spirits from the beginning, came forth and said, "Send me, and Thy will be done, the glory be Thine forever."

Then another came forth. The Son of the Morning, and said, "Send me, I will redeem all mankind that not one soul shall be lost. And surely I will do it. Wherefore, give me Thine honor."

The Father said, "I will send the first, because thou hast tried to destroy the agency of man which I have given them." And with great power the Lord said unto him, "Thou shalt be cast down."

And he became Satan. He also called Lucifer and the Devil, who sought to put strife into the hearts of men.

At these words of the Father, Satan became very angry, and taking one-third of the Hosts of Heaven with him, left the spirit world. Those fallen spirits can never receive a body, worlds without end.

After Satan and his followers were cast down, then came peace and calm. There was great rejoicing in Heaven.

I am more thankful every day that through obedience to the laws of Heaven, I was able to keep my first estate, and that my spirit was held in reserve, to come forth in the last dispensation when the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored in its fullness on the earth, and that I was born of goodly parents.

My father, WARRINER AHAS PORTER, was born 20 May 1848 in Florence, NB. at the time of the Mormon Pioneers were encamped for the winter at what was then known as "Winter Quarters." My mother, MARY MALINDA NORWOOD, was born 1 Nov 1851 at Salt Lake City, UT.

In the due time of the Lord, I, MARY ELIZABETH PORTER STEINER, was born 9 Sep 1872, at Porterville, Morgan, UT. Having been born of noble parents, I was taught the gospel from my youth. It has been a bulwark to my life, and protected me from many evil snares. I was taught to pray at my mother's knee and I grew up with great faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. At times during my life I have had many striking incidents that were faith-promoting, in answer to prayer, which I shall relate later.

I have heard my mother relate many times of a narrow escape I had when I was just beginning to walk. I fell into a boiler of very hot water. My grandmother Norwood at once slipped her hand under me, lifting me out of my watery grave. Her hand and arm were badly burned. It was a long time before I was able to get around again.

My earliest recollection was at the age of three. I saw an enormous eagle. Although it was dead, the incident was impressed upon my childish mind.

When I was four years old, in 1876, my parents moved to southern Utah, and located in Orderville, Kane County. At the age of six I began going to school. My father had taught me to step-dance. More than once, during school hours, I stood by my seat and danced a few steps, which amused the other children and also the teacher, although she never let on that she saw me. In later years we laughed about it together, but at the same time I soon decided of my own accord that the school room was not the place to step-dance!

The happiest time of my girlhood was between the ages of nine and thirteen. We lived in the United Order. It was wonderful to see a whole community working together unitedly. No poor--no rich--no depression. All sharing alike. We were all greatly blessed. We children had our work to do as well as the grownups. Among other minor duties, we had to pick berries of all kinds.

I was always on hand for innocent fun. I remember one beautiful moonlight night we girls were playing in the yard near our home. We all wanted to do something that would be remembered. At that time there was a young man sleeping out of doors, by our grainery. He wore, as was the style in those days, a little goatee on the end of his chin. We decided to slip up and give it a little pull while he was asleep. As usual, it fell to my lot to do the mischievous act. When the girls were safely hidden on the other side of the grainery, I slipped up to the head of his bed and gave the little goatee a quick little jerk, then vanished into the shadows. We had a lot of fun at his expense. Poor fellow! We often laughed about it afterward, and said he thought it was a snake.

While living in Orderville, I grew from girlhood to womanhood and was blessed with a strong, healthy body. I entered into many activities, such as playing ball, running races and dancing. I took great pride in my behavior in the ballroom. I especially enjoyed horseback riding. After I was married, my husband always kept a riding pony for me and I spent many an enjoyable hour in the saddle. I loved to sing, and for many years took part in all the community entertainments. Dramatics, also, was a great joy to me. I loved to play all parts, as well as directing many plays. But with all of my outside work and play, I always found time for home duties.

I tried to always be kind and pleasant wherever I was. In this way I gained many friends and young men admirers. My greatest trial was the fear of letting the young men down in a way that I might lose their friendship. As a rule, I was successful in maintaining their respect and confidence. But, after all, I could only decide on one!

When I was seventeen I went to Old Mexico with my father and family. We traveled all the way by team and were three months making the journey. It was a long-to-be-remembered trip. I spent my evenings and spare time doing fancy-work. The Indians would gather around our campfire and seemed interested in my work.

One night, when we were camped on the north side of the Big Colorado River, we looked across to the other side through field glasses and saw some people around a campfire. We learned later that it was my future husband and his people camping there for the night, and they were headed for the same destination in Old Mexico.

Along our way, just as we reached the Little Colorado River, our happy moments were saddened by the death of my eldest brother, Eugene, age 21. He had never been very strong and the hardships of the trip were too much for him. My father, being a carpenter, obtained lumber from an Indian Post, and soon had a suitable casket made. We had his Temple clothes with us, and by the next evening we were ready to proceed on our journey. We traveled all night with the body and reached St. Joseph, Arizona by noon the following day. Fortunately the weather turned cold and the remains were preserved perfectly. The funeral services were held at my Uncle Samuel Porter's home, in St. Joseph, Arizona, where he was buried among our own people.

We reached our destination in Mexico and located in an unsettled part of the country known as Pacheco, Chihuahua, Mexico in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Soon after reaching there, my father took sick with chills and fever. We struggled along, going through all the hardships of the pioneer nature. I, being the eldest daughter of the family, felt that it was necessary to get some work. I found work in a family of five, doing all the housework, as the mother was ill. For these services I received the small sum of one dollar per week. Later I received a better job thirty miles from home, receiving five dollars per week. I remained at this place for one year. By this time my father had regained his health and I enjoyed staying home again, spending a great deal of time working in the Church. IN 1890 I was chosen to act as Secretary of the Primary, also Secretary of the Sunday School in Colonia Pacheco, Mexico.

About this time I met and fell in love with a young man named WALTER HERMAN STEINER (NAEGLE) who was then living with and was raised by John C. Naegle and his wife, Pauline. A very happy courtship followed. Upon one occasion, Walter had taken me to my destination, a place where I was working, one mile from town. He was returning to his home, and upon passing by our place, my father heard footsteps. He thought it was some horses that had been troubling him and hid himself ready to spring forth at the right moment. But, lo and behold! Just as he was about to strike the imaginary foe, wielding an enormous stick, he discovered it was my good friend, Walter. Fortunately, no harm was done. This little episode brought many a hearty laugh in after years.

At the end of two years we were married, 1 Jan 1892, at Pacheco Ward. We had a grand wedding reception. There were three hundred guests seated at the wedding feast. In regards to my marriage, I believe I have had an experience that many women do not have. I have been married twice, changed my name twice, married the same man both times, yet have never been divorced. This is how it happened. When my husband, Walter Herman Steiner, was 3 1/2 years of age, he came to America from Switzerland and was raised in a family by the name of Naegle, using that name instead of his own. We were married by Bishop Jesse N. Smith, under the name of Naegle. Two years later, when Apostles Teasdale and John Henry Smith were at Pacheco attending a Ward Conference, Apostle Teasdale, who had the sealing power, married us again, this time under the name of Steiner. In 1905, on 4 Oct, we went to Salt Lake City. UT and received our endowments in the Salt Lake Temple and had our 13 year old son, Walter, sealed to us.

While there, I attended a Relief Society Conference. I had always had a great desire to hear the "speaking in Tongues." During one of the sessions in which there was the bearing of testimonies, a lady arose and began to sing with a familiar tune in an unknown tongue. There were three verses in the song. After she had finished, another lady rose and gave the interpretation, singing the same tune and giving the same gestures. This was the first time I had ever heard the "speaking in Tongues." I had never before attended a Testimony Meeting where a greater flow of the spirit of the Lord was made manifest. I have heard the "speaking in Tongues" three times since, at testimony meetings held in the Logan Temple.

Earlier in life, while on the Freight Road in 1901, our five month old son, Karl Anthony, died. The night he was buried I wrote the following verse:

IN MEMORY OF

KARL ANTHONY STEINER

Born 17 Sep 1900 Died 1 Feb 1901

A precious one from, earth hath flown,

To dwell in realms above;

Where one and all unite in hand,

And live in peace and love.

The little dark-eyed treasure,

The one we loved so well,

Fulfilled his little mission

Then was called with God to dwell.

His mission was but short and sweet

Here on this well-planned earth,

Our home, while he was here with us

Was filled with joyous mirth.

But now there is a vacant place

There is none on earth can fill;

But we as humble parents,

Acknowledge it as God's will.

He has snatched our little darling

From the ties which binds the heart.

Although it is a trial

From our loved ones we must part.

We know his spirit is happy,

Mingling with the blest,

While his small, sweet form is lying

In quietude of rest.

Oh, Father, we sincerely ask

For strength this blow to bear!

This is one of the greatest trials,

Wherein we all must share.

We thank thee, dearest Father

For these treasures thou hast given,

And when we pass from this earth-made home

May our souls rejoice in Heaven.

A few days after the death of our son I received a visit from one of the three Nephites. During the noon hour a tall light-complexioned man of about 70 years of age suddenly appeared at my tent door, and asked for something to eat. I gave him a chair and hurriedly prepared lunch. After eating a light meal he arose and placing his hand on my shoulder, said, "You and yours shall be blessed." I did not realize that he was one of the three Nephites, until I felt his touch on my arm, which sent a thrill through my whole being. He then disappeared as suddenly as he had come. I followed him immediately but he was nowhere to be seen.

A few weeks later, I was taken with severe pains in my shoulders accompanied with dizzy spells. I was all alone at the time and did not know what to do, so I offered up a prayer to my Heavenly Father, asking Him to direct me as to what I should do. Suddenly I heard a voice say very distinctly, "Take Swamp Root!" I happened to have a full bottle on hand and after the same voice had spoken three times, I began using it and the pain left me at once and has never returned in the 38 years since.

At one time I was out on the freight road with my husband. We were camped in a small valley called, "Calavassa Flats". The tent in which we lived was very comfortable. A wall of lumber about 3 1/2 feet high was attached to the lower half of the tent. I remember how I enjoyed bathing in a small river nearby. We found some very dangerous whirl holes. One day, when a crowd of us women were in bathing, I happened to get too close to one of these treacherous holes and felt myself slipping. I could swim a little at that time, but not good enough for such a dangerous place. I cried for help but could not be heard. I prayed to my Heavenly Father while working myself back and I was soon out of danger. I felt very grateful that my life was spared.