He The Physician, I The Nurse

Third Place in the 2021 Book of Mormon Central Art Contest – Church History Division.

Amanda Smith is a wonderful example of faith in the midst of trial. On October 30th, 1838, at a Mormon settlement in Haun’s Mill, a mob armed with guns attacked the saints. After the mob left, Amanda B. Smith found that many of her family had been killed, but little Alma had survived a gunshot wound that had blown away his hip. Amanda received guidance after prayer and made a poultice that began to build up the bone.

“Prayer was our only source of comfort, our Heavenly Father our only helper. None but he could save and deliver us.”

After only five weeks Alma Smith arose from his bed, “entirely recovered—a flexible gristle having grown in place of the missing joint and socket.”

The “Mormon Miracle” became quite well known in the area. A team of doctors came to examine the boy and hear the story. They asked Amanda who performed such amazing surgery. She replied, “Jesus Christ.” One said, “Not the Savior of the World?” Amanda responded, “Yes, the same sir. He was the physician and I was the nurse.”

This artist grew up in the Eastern US and attended art schools from a young age through college.  But for all of those years she had only painted secular topics, feeling she was not talented enough to do justice to religious themes. In February of 2000, the artist had a severe case of Bells Palsy, and upon returning from the hospital, was given a blessing in which she was told that she needed to use her art to benefit the church. After much prayer and study, she began a series about women and ideals in the gospel with a goal of changing the perspective of stories so the viewer could see things with a new light... and perhaps not take these stories for granted.  Each painting is prayerfully researched and inspired with the idea that the painter is only the vessel, and the painting the message that our Heavenly Father wishes to share.