The following vision was seen in 1884 and recorded in The Young Woman’s Journal in the April 1890 edition. Visions are very personal, but they usually have a definite message, which can help others who may hear and listen.

This vision was related by a sister living in Logan, Cache County, Utah:

I dreamed I was sitting in a room, when Sister Abigail Abbott (who had been dead for many years) appeared to me. She was dressed in white and looked most beautiful, although in my dream I realized that she was dead.

She gazed at me most intently for a moment and then asked me if I fully understood the parable of the ‘wise and foolish virgins.’ That there was still something else required of us besides striving to keep the ‘laws of God’, that our labors would be to some extent useless unless we had the ‘wedding garments’ prepared. ‘For’, said she,’ we must have them all ready at a moment’s warning. Suppose the cry went forth, ‘Lo, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him,’ how many in all Israel would have the wedding garment ready? And,’ she added very solemnly, ‘few indeed.’

She then looked me full in the face and said very earnestly, ‘I want you to get yours ready, and tell all your sisters to do the same.’ She then cautioned me not to put them in a drawer with other clothing, but to put them in a little box by themselves in order that they might be handy, placing the last thing needed in the bottom of the little box and the first one on top. She hesitated a few moments and then said, ‘Be sure and get them ready.’

Then for fear I did not fully understand her, she repeated it. Even then she did not feel satisfied and said, ‘In order to impress this more forcibly upon your mind, let us go through the imaginary coming of the Savior.’

During this, the room was filled with a bright, dazzling light, such as I never saw before in my life. It now changed to twilight, and it seemed to me that the cry had gone forth, ‘Lo the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him,’ but I did not hear it. The scene changed and we were in the air and could look down upon the earth and could see the great consternation of the people. Some were running one way and some another; some would grasp their friends and say, ‘Come with us, this is the way.’ Then they would leap over high fences and run in every direction. Some were dressed in their best, while others were only half dressed, and many were dressing as they were running to and fro. I never beheld such consternation before. I also saw a sister who was reputed to be dishonest (but I had doubted it) go forth to meet her Savior dressed in gaudy apparel, bright ribbons and costly jewelry, and I knew her reputation was a just one.

Among all this confusion I saw the Saints of God who had prepared their wedding garments going quietly along, for they made no noise excepting the rustling of their apparel, to meet their Savior.

During all this time neither of us had spoken a word. Then turning to me she said with great earnestness, ‘You see how few are prepared.’ Then as if discerning my thoughts, as I was a poor widow, she said,’ You are wondering where the money will come from for you to buy your wedding garments with, but before the week is out you will have five dollars in gold put in your hand,’ and looking at me again she said, ‘be sure and remember the little box.’ I turned then to ask her a question, as I had not yet spoken to her, and lo, she was gone.

Before the week ended my son came and stayed over night and started away the next morning; he had even got in his wagon to go, but got out and came back into the house, and in shaking hands again with me he put five dollars in gold in my hand. The whole dream flashed before my eyes in a moment, for here was the gold placed in my hands to convince me it was not a dream but a reality, which filled me with such joy and delight that I trembled from head to foot, but I never spoke to my son, I was so overjoyed at receiving the money. I treasured it for some time, keeping it to get the suit, then I was tempted to use it, being so destitute of food and clothing and being almost entirely barefoot, but after using it I was very unhappy and miserable, I could not rest day or night, I felt a reproof because I had used it for another purpose than the one it was intended for. I prayed most earnestly for the Lord to forgive me for what I had done and open the way that I might get the money. The Lord did not trust me with the money again, for a lady came to me and wanted some sewing done, and said she could not pay the money but named such articles as I wanted for the suit. I gladly accepted them and thanked the Lord with joyful feelings, more than I can express, and with such joy and delight I made up and prepared the clothing, and no one but my Heavenly Father knows the joy I felt.

Now I have fulfilled the requirements except the little box. Ever since then I have tried every way to prepare myself by keeping every known law that has been given by ancient and modern prophets, both in keeping the words of wisdom and every known requirement. Since that time the Lord has blessed me abundantly, both spiritually and temporally, so that I may be ready when the cry shall go forth, ‘Lo the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him.’

I have often wondered what it might take to be truly prepared. I would be interested in your thoughts as to the meaning of her vision and what it might mean to us as we await the coming of our Lord and Savior.