Sister Augusta Harper had been nursing in the Hanchett home, where all the family , except Ray Mc, 3 months old, was in bed with the influenza. I remember a lot of it very clearly being ten years old at the time (2 November 1918). Aunt Gustie, as we all called her, has related this experience to Brose so he could make a written record of it. This is her account as she recalls it.
On Saturday afternoon, 1 November, 1918, Father objected to the doctor's treatment and changed doctors and then there seemed to be a queer change come over him. He seemed to have a vision and he saw exactly what was going to happen to him. He told Aunt Gusti that if the Lord couldn't save him, no one could.
All afternoon the nurse kept hovering over his bedside listening carefully to the things he wanted her to tell the family. Mother had been particularly bad for several days. He told Aunt Gustie that th Lord was no respector of persons and that he may decide to tak him, and that if he did he wanted ther to tell all he had told her He related a business proposition that proved to be exactly as he said and every few minutes he would say "Tomorrow you will work harder than you ever did in your life, but if you will stay with me I won't die."
The Elders, Charles Ferrin, Hyrum Crockett and Charles Rogers stayed until about 12:00 o'clock that night. Father said to them, "If you are here tomorrow and I am unable to tell you what to do, you know what to do, administer to me." He insisted that Aunt Gustie go to bed and get some sleep and get ready for tomorrow.
Uncle Bert Hoops sat up until 3:00 and then wanted to go to bed, but in the meantime Aunt Gustie had gotten up and instructed Uncle Bert not to go because she had a feeling that she needed the Priesthood present after all my father had told her.
Aunt Gustie remained at his bedside until sunrise and then went to the neighbors (Maud Allred) on an errand and she decided upon invitation to sit down and eat a bit of breakfast as she hadn't eaten, but as she sat down, something urged her to go back immediately. She ran all the way back and go there just in time to prevent him for falling off the bed. His eyes were bulging, he was uncouscious and his body was drawn and rigid.
The Elders were called, but as I remember, before they got there, Brother John F. Nash and another Elder came by on their way down the valley visiting the sick. In the meantime, Aunt Gustie worked with him constantly and brought him back three different times.
After the thrid time he was given up for dea by everyone except Aunt Gustie. This was when Brother Nash and his companion arrived. They adminstered to him, Brother Nash being mouth, and he was promised that he would live and yet fulfill a great work here upon the earth.
Before this, those who were present had told her there was no use trying to bring him back any longer, as she was worn out and he was gone. BUt still she could hear his words of the day before, "If you say with me, I will not die."
So with doubled effort, she kept on. She rubbed his face with alcohol and accidentally got some in his eye, and father batted his eye. She breathed a sigh of relief then because she knew he was coming back, so she kept on working.
A long time afterward, Father came to and asked for my mother. She was very sick in the adjoining room, but they carried her in. The first thing he said to her was, "Hello, Rip Van Winkle, have you been alseep too?"
Father was in bed for forty two days. Aunt Gustie says she knows she was inspired to do the things for him which she did and that it was through the inspiration of the Lord that he was returned again and allowed to live.
Brother Crockett said afterward that he didn't realize what he had said and wondered about it. My Father lived for thirty seven years after that experience. He served as a counselor to Bishop Charles Ferrin in the Pima Ward and as Bishop of the Thatcher Ward. He raised five other children, one by my mother and four by his second wife after my Mother passed away. My fFther had been bothered by ulcers of the stomach for several years before this happeneing. Although, in his later life he had some trouble with his stomach he never seemed to have such serious trouble as before.
This experience has always been a great testimony to me and I have heard my Father related it many times.
Written by Vessa Hanchett McGrath
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