----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Francis Harper
wbfrmsup@iowatelecom.net


High Priest Francis Harper Message for 5/10/2019

Dear Ones,

Others who qualified as mothers in Israel were the mothers of the two thousand young men who volunteered to serve in the Nephite army under the leadership of Helaman who wrote of them: “Now they had never fought, yet they did not fear death: and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers, then they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, that God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying, we do not doubt our mothers knew.

After the enemy “surrendered themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had fought with me, fearing lest there be many of them slain. But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never was men known to have fought with such miraculous strength” (Alma 26:56-57, 65-66).

More recently, Lucy Mack Smith (1776-1855) mother of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Emma Hale Smith, (1805-1879) wife of the prophet, were certainly worthy to be numbered with the mothers in Israel. Upon one occasion, Joseph Smith Jr., paid this tribute to his mother, “O my mother, how often have your prayers been the means of assisting us when the shadow of death encompassed us” (Lucy Smith, Joseph Smith the Prophet and his Progenitors, p. 247). During his forced absence from his wife and home during the trouble of 1842, Joseph paid a touching and fitting tribute to his beloved wife: “. . . many were the reverberations of my mind when I contemplated for a moment the many scenes we had been called to pass through, the fatigues and the toils the sorrows and sufferings, and the joys and consolations, from time to time, which had strewed our paths and crowned our board. Oh what a comingling of thought filled my mind for the moment, again she is here, even in this seventh trouble; undaunted, firm, and unwavering; unchangeable, affectionate Emma” (Church History, Volume 1, page 120).

Emma continued to live in Nauvoo, Illinois, after her husband’s martyrdom on June 27, 1844, until her own death on April 30, 1879. “Three of her sons were living at the time of her death. All three were busily engaged in the work of the Reorganization. Some referred to them as the three pillars of the church; Joseph III, Alexander and David. Judging by the fruit Emma produced without the presence of their father, or a congregation of Saints to influence them, she had proven herself to be a “Mother in Israel.”

On February 25, 1996, during the Sunday School worship, I read the story of Hannah, who wept because she was unable to bear a child. As I completed the reading of Hannah’s story, I noticed our daughter Terri (Ronk) and her husband, Alan, were also weeping. At age 42 she had been unable to have a child. She, too, had asked the Lord for a child of her own. I hoped that I had not offended them. I prayed that their prayers would soon be answered.

Within a short time (the doctors thought in about two weeks), Terri, like Hannah, had conceived. The timing of the reading of Hannah’s story and Terri’s conception was more than a coincidence. The message once again was clear, as in the days of old, God had heard a mother’s prayer and had given her the desire of her heart.

On November 8, 1996, Whitney Yvonne Ronk was born, We received a call very early that morning, asking that we come to the hospital. As we drove from our driveway, we noticed there was a crescent moon in the east. It was lying on its back, with the ends turned up like a smile on a happy face. Directly above the moon was the “bright and morning star.” I thanked God for this beautiful, celestial sign that he had indeed intervened and had given us another precious child to hold. I recalled the words, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last . . . I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:13, 16).

Whitney graduated with honors from Graceland University on April 28, 2019.

My Love to All,
High Priest Francis Harper

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Mothers in Israel

I have often heard the words spoken: “she’s a mother in Israel.” It’s an honorary title reserved for women who have proven to be good mothers, not only of their own children but of every child they have known. Nearly every congregation has one or more women who are worthy to be called a mother in Israel.

Perhaps the origin of the title is found in 2 Samuel 20:19 when a wise woman saved a city by negotiating with the enemy: she said: “I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel; thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel’ why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” Even women without children of their own can be a mother in Israel.

There have been many women throughout history who have earned the honorary title of a mother in Israel. We owe them a great debt of gratitude. As we honor our mothers and grandmothers and thank the Lord for them, we should also remember to thank Him for all the mothers in Israel who have left us a great legacy of spiritual wisdom and faith.

Sarah, wife of Abraham miraculously conceived and gave birth to Isaac at age 90. It was promised that she would be the mother of nations and kings, (Genesis 17:22 IV; 17:16 KJV).

Rebekah, wife of Isaac, was promised she would be blessed of thousands of millions (Genesis 24: 65 IV; 24: 60 KJV). She was the mother of Jacob, and of Jacob came the twelve tribes of Israel.

Rachel, wife of Jacob, was the mother of Joseph whose branches ran over the wall to America. (Genesis 49:22; Deuteronomy 33:13-17).

The mother of Moses was of the tribe of Levi; the priestly tribe. Although Moses eventually became the son of Pharaoh’s daughter he was nurtured during his early childhood by his own mother. Certainly the mother of Moses deserves the title of a mother in Israel for her participation in rearing a great prophet of God, who delivered the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt and leading them to their promised land.



Hannah, mother of Samuel, had been unable to have a child. “And she was in bitterness of soul.” As she prayed unto the Lord, in the temple she wept and vowed a vow, and said, “O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine hand-maid, and remember me, and wilt give unto thine hand-maid a man child, then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:10-11).

Eli, the priest in the temple, accused Hannah of being drunken. Hannah said, “No, my Lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. And Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition (1 Samuel 1:15-17).

After returning to their home Elkanah knew his wife, and the Lord remembered her. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son, and called his name Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19-20).

Hannah kept the covenant she had made with the Lord. When her son was weaned “she brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh; . . . and they brought the child to Eli. And she said . . . For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him; Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there” (1 Samuel 1:24-28).

Without a doubt the greatest mothers in Israel were Elizabeth and Mary, the mothers of John the Baptist and Jesus. The accounts of the miraculous births of their baby boys are recorded in Luke 1 and 2.