Dan Jones
Daniel Webster Jones enlisted with the Missouri volunteers in the war with Mexico in 1847. In 1850, he joined a group of men driving sheep through the Salt Lake Valley to California. After a near fatal accident, he was left by his group with a Mormon settlement near Utah Lake. He decided he liked the people and the things they believed and he was baptized on January 27, 1851.
Dan was present at General Conference in 1856 and volunteered to go out on the rescue of the handcart companies. They encountered the Willie handcart company first and found them in a condition that would stir the hardest hearts. They were starving and that morning they buried 9 bodies that passed away during the night. After finding the other companies and finding it difficult to travel with their belongings, Dan was chosen to stay behind with two other men and guard and watch over the emigrants items until they could return in the spring and get them. They were left with little rations at Devil's Gate. At one time in their hardships, they had nothing to eat but cattle hides. Dan prayed to know how to prepare the raw hides to make them edible. Finally, he was impressed how to fix the hides and he and his company prayed and gave thanks for the meal. They lived on the raw hide for about 6 weeks.
Dan was a man of faith that loved his God and was willing to go out on the Lord's errand and aid in the rescue. When called upon to stay behind, he did not murmur and fulfilled his duty. He stayed faithful the entire time and his testimony grew with many chances to pray for answers to their prayers.
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