A Season of Joy

In the preface, Gerald Lund reveals several interesting facts. The two most common questions asked of Bookcraft during the publication of this series was, "When will the next volume be ready?" and "What color will the cover be?" Due to a bad copy/paste this cover is actually maroon.

End sheet maps continue to be an enriching addition to each volume and Robert Barrett continues to produce all of the black and white illustrations. The watercolor cover illustrations were done by Lester Lee as well as the maps.

Christmas Day, 1994, I unwrapped this anticipated volume and carried it around with me the entire day like a newborn baby, showing it off to everyone. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Would Will be reunited with his family? What had the rest of the Steed clan and the Prophet Joseph Smith been up to since we last saw them? The series had truly hit its stride.

Chapter 1: Will contemplates his situation, indentured servitude, trapped aboard a merchant packet ship, en route to Savannah, Georgia. He thinks about how dumb he was to run away but cheers himself with the possibility he can slip away at this next stop and find his mother and sisters. In Quincy, Illinois, the saints stagger in from the west looking for shelter. The entire Steed clan is crammed into one tiny log cabin. Mary Ann and Benjamin tell the grand kids stories about what life was like when THEY were children. As the ship docks at Savannah the captain, anticipating Will's escape, puts him back in solitary confinement. No shore leave for him. Will is devastated. He just turned fifteen but that birthday wish to be reunited with his family won't be coming true. Will has also discovered he likes the sea and is a natural sailor.

Chapter 2: Caroline is now aware of eleven-year-old Olivia's crush on Matthew who only has eyes for Jennifer Jo McIntire (she is seventeen according to Characters of Note). Caroline and Joshua cry together and worry over their son. Heber C. Kimball and others of the twelve talk about their recent visit to Joseph in Liberty Jail where conditions aren't fit for animals but Joseph prophesied that they will soon be delivered. Back on the packet ship, the tough but fair captain tells Will he'll be put in the locker again when they reach New York City but promises to mail the letter he confiscated that Will tried to send to his family once they get to Liverpool. He paid $200 dollars for two years of servitude and intends to hold Will to that contract. He also compliments Will, telling him he has the makings of a fine seaman.

Chapter 3: Just like in the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 22, when the enslaved Nephites slipped wine to their Lamanite captors and successfully escaped; Joseph, Hyrum and others watch the guards drink themselves to sleep as they are being transferred to another jail in Davis county for the impending trial. They slip away from the camp that night and return to their families. Back at the Steed cabin, the newly widowed Jessica listens while the other Steed women talk about how much they miss their husbands who are away helping the last of the poor saints to Quincy. Unable to stand the irony any longer, she bolts from the scene, sobbing. Jessica sits by the river and mourns for her lost husband who will never be returning to her. Mary Ann is waiting with open arms to welcome her back that evening.

Chapter 4: In Kirtland, Ohio, Melissa really wants to be with her family out west in Illinois. Carl is open to the idea of moving. Mother Smith prophesies that her sons will return tomorrow and they do. There's a joyful, tearful reunion. The next day, many saints, including the Steeds, line up outside the Smith home to welcome Brother Joseph back after four months of incarceration. Today is April 22, 1839. On the ship, Will is a good sailor. Both the captain and his crew mates are impressed with him.

Chapter 5: Nathan will go to St. Louis to visit Joshua and Caroline, see if they've heard anything from Will but first, Nathan gets to join Brigham Young and the rest of the twelve in Far West where, despite the danger, they will be meeting to leave on a great and important mission to England as commanded by the Lord in a revelation given one year ago to Joseph to begin gathering in Zion which will someday be in Missouri.

Chapter 6: A great General Conference is held, the first in the church since all this mob violence started. Everyone rejoices to have their prophet returned to them and Joseph preaches a wonderful sermon about how all they suffered was not in vain but has made them a stronger people. The work will go forward. Yes! Amen!

Chapter 7: Though he still uses a cane to aid in walking, Joshua is doing well as he makes his way down a St. Louis street, gradually becoming aware that someone is following him. It's only Nathan. He wants them to come join the family in Quincy. Caroline loves the idea of being closer to the celestial Steed family. Will is summoned to the captain's cabin who drops the bomb: not only is Will trapped on this ship for the next two years, they will be sailing from Liverpool to China! The voyage will take no less than eighteen months. They won't be returning to America for awhile, which means Will's family reunion is indefinitely postponed. The good news is, the captain would like to promote Will to boatswain or "bosun" one day, if he'll apprentice himself to him. He could have a real career at sea and maybe become captain of his own ship one day. Think about it.

Chapter 8: It is day 3 of General Conference. Joseph takes Derek and Matthew aside. They are to accompany the twelve on their mission to England. Matthew hopes Jennifer Jo won't "Dear John" him while he's away. They kiss and promise to wait for each other. Nathan returns with Joshua and Caroline. Joshua isn't too thrilled with the idea but has agreed to move his family to Illinois so they can be closer to rest of the family. Caroline couldn't be happier.

Chapter 9: It's July 1, 1839. Swampland is being drained and lots planned for the future city of Nauvoo, located just north of Quincy on a secluded bend of the Mississippi. Caroline receives a letter from the Montagues in Savannah. Will's letter has been forwarded to her. He is alive! They won't be seeing him until next year when he returns from China but he's all right. Rebecca gives birth to her and Derek's first child, Christopher.

Chapter 10: Joshua and family will live in Quincy until Nauvoo is more developed. The Steeds move into their crude log cabins but everyone is coming down with malaria. Nathan's family is hit particularity hard. Little Nathan is almost four and very sick. Nathan and Benjamin give the boy a blessing but he succombs and dies. Baby Elizabeth continues to suffer. Lydia takes it hard.

Chapter 11: Jenny and Kathryn lose their mother to the fever. Benjamin is so sick he calls the family together to bestow his deathbed blessings. Mary Ann recounts The Dream for the first time, here. This significant dream will be mentioned in later volumes, so take note. During some of the darkest hours in Far West, Mary Ann dreamt she was walking along a vast, open plain; the landscape of which is glorious and beautiful. In the distance ahead lies a shining celestial city. One by one, Mary Ann's children, sans Joshua, join her on this road leading to the city. Spouses who are members of the church such as Lydia, Jessica and Derek are included in this "Pilgrim's Progress" but nonmembers, such as Carl and Caroline are also missing. The point of this dream is that Mary Ann didn't see Benjamin but knew that he was already in the city, awaiting his family. Everyone is heartsick that Benjamin is so nigh unto death. Even Joshua regrets he failed to be the son he knew Benjamin wanted him to be. Benjamin bears his testimony of the gospel to him. Ben's last request to Nathan is to take Lydia and the children back to Palmyra to see her parents because nothing is more important than family.

Chapter 12: Malaria has now reached epidemic levels and many saints are on their deathbeds. The good news is, Parley P. Pratt has been released from prison and Nathan is especially glad to see him. Suddenly, a commotion in the streets reaches them. It's a miracle! Joseph, just as sick as everyone else, has made a complete recovery and is going from home to home; literally raising people from their sickbeds. Nathan leads him to Benjamin. In a daze, Joshua witnesses this New Testament miracle. Joseph invites Joshua to come along as he heals Nathan's baby and speaks words of comfort to Sister Lydia still mourning the death of her youngest son. Joseph crosses the river to raise a man from death's door who leaps up from his sickbed while Joshua can only watch in awe. He returns to the Steed cabin that night, not sure what to believe after observing this "Day of God's Power."

Chapter 13: Joshua tells Caroline of all he saw and agrees maybe they should move to Nauvoo. It's time for Derek and Matthew to leave with the some of the twelve apostles on their mission. Despite the miraculous day of healing, many are still too weak to travel and can hardly move from their beds. Lydia and Nathan pack for their trip East. Maybe they'll stop in Kirtland and surprise Melissa. Joshua buys a piano for Oliva to play since she's been taking lessons and is quite proficient. In Palmyra, Lydia and Nathan are stunned at the warm welcome from Lydia's parents from whom they parted with some tension after the last visit.

Chapter 14: Matthew is also the only one well enough to travel while his other companions are just too sick but they are not discouraged as they drag themselves into the wagon. As his family stands weeping at the gate of the house, Heber C. Kimball suggests they rise up and give a cheer which fans of the movie The Other Side of Heaven might recognize: "Hurrah for Isreal!" It works and his wife and family manage feeble smiles and wish them "God speed" in return as the wagon starts. As fall settles over Nauvoo, the building boom is picking up speed. Jessica is teaching school and is overwhelmed by all the students while Joshua is doing very well with his freight business. Joseph wants Ben to be a city planner and help oversee construction of the new temple. Joseph also comes to the Steed family store where Caroline and Jennifer Jo love to work. Caroline asks him about a recent sermon he preached last Sunday on forgiveness. Joseph helps her see the importance of forgiving as Christ did; Caroline feels the spirit.

Chapter 15: Derek and Mattew meet up, travel together with other members of the twelve to Kirtland and give Melissa the shock of her life when they appear, unannounced, on her doorstep. Carl welcomes them in and later overhears Brigham and Heber discussing their financial situation and the miraculous appearance of money in their depleted purse. It's a miracle and Carl can't sleep after what he just heard. He's a religious man and takes his family to a non-denominational Christian church every Sunday and reads his Bible but such things just don't happen anymore.

Chapter 16: Nathan's son, Joshua, is eight years old and recently baptized. He isn't dissuaded by Lydia's father who tries to tell the boy that Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon aren't true and boldly bears his testimony to his astonished Grandfather before walking away. Lydia is furious when Nathan repeats what he overheard, but Nathan is proud of their son. Meanwhile, Carl is impressed with these Mormon missionaries and Melissa nearly cries at the softening of his heart, they may relocate with the Nauvoo Saints yet! Derek and his party travel ahead of Matthew's, now on a ship heading to England. Today is New Year's Day; happy 1840.

Chapter 17: Mary Ann writes words of encouragement to Melissa about men who struggle with accepting Mormonism, (she used to be married to one, after all) and tells her not to give up on Carl. It is also New Years Day on the other side of the world, in China, where Will buys gifts for the family and experiences some culture shock. In New York City, Matthew and his company meet up with Parley Pratt and his wife, Mary Ann (Who? He lost his first wife in Volume 3. Lund failed to mention that Parley remarried two months later) who rejoice about the doctrine of celestial marriage recently revealed to Joseph. Over in Palmyra, Nathan finds his wife singing happily as she brushes out her hair preparing for bed and they have a mushy love exchange. So glad they decided to make this trip. Derek and his party arrive in Liverpool, England on January 11, 1840.

Chapter 18: Arrival in Preston, England where Jenny Pottsworth and her mother still reside. Recognizing Derek, they scream and run to meet him. Jenny has grown into a beautiful young woman, she is almost fifteen. Back in Palmyra, Lydia's father dies. They attend the funeral and begin making plans to go home, to the dismay of Grandma McBride. Caroline gives birth to a baby boy, Charles.

Chapter 19: Missionary work goes well in England with lots of baptisms. The Americans joke with Derek about local colloquialisms and those funny dialects that they find so hard to understand while Derek could say the same thing about them. At a large meeting, Derek bears his testimony for the first time and many English investigators, including a constable sent to arrest these men after their meeting, are now requesting baptism.

Chapter 20: Nathan and Lydia stop and visit Melissa in Kirtland on the way home. They invite her to move to Nauvoo and while Carl is willing, his father is against it. A family intervention by the two Steeds softens his heart. Melissa is thrilled they will be joining Nathan and Lydia on the return trip. Matthew, Brigham Young, and their party arrive in England.

Chapter 21: In central England, south of Preston, Derek and the saints are persecuted with rocks thrown at them while they perform baptisms. News arrives that the second group of the twelve apostles are here and Derek and Matthew have a nice reunion. Jenny and her Mom want to immigrate to Nauvoo with the other saints. The Steeds have their own family reunion as Nathan, Lydia, Carl and Melissa see the rest of the Steeds waiting at the river boat dock to welcome them home. Joseph Smith is even here and Carl is friendly to him.

Chapter 22: Entire Steed clan, including Carl and Joshua, attend the funeral of a prominent member where Joseph preaches the doctrine on baptisms for the dead for the first time. Caroline really wants to be baptized but Joshua is against it. There is growing tension in their marriage.

Chapter 23: Matthew writes to Jennifer. Will arrives in Liverpool, back from China, unaware he is about to cross paths with extended family members as the captain informs him they will be taking another kind of cargo back to America: Mormon passengers! Oblivious to the presence of Matthew and Derek, still bitter about the Mormons whom he still believes responsible for the death of his stepfather, he avoids the Mormons as much as possible until the ship sets sail but is unable to avoid Jenny Pottsworth, the most beautiful English girl he's ever seen! When Jenny learns his name, she bursts into tears, "I know the whole story and your father is alive!"

Chapter 24: Still sore over Will's earlier rudeness towards all Mormons, Jenny is coolly polite to him. Her mom and the ship's captain already see the chemistry between the two youngsters. A dying Father Smith leaves a powerful priesthood blessing on his family. Ben takes Caroline aside to cheer her up about Joshua's stubbornness over allowing her to join the church. Ben used to be the same way but Joshua will come around and she'll have his permission to be baptized, wait and see.

Chapter 25: It's October 1840 and a new convert has the Nauvoo saints all "a-twitter." His name is John C. Bennett (dun-dun-DUN!). Carl wants to open a brick kiln. Joshua and Nathan will go North to the pine forests of Wisconsin to cut logs to float down the Mississippi to sell in the spring and provide needed lumber for the church. On the ship, Will and Jenny call a truce and agree to be friends, for now.

Chapter 26: Nathan and Joseph talk about the Liberty Jail experience. Nathan has observed how much Joseph has changed; becoming a great orator, leader and prophet. With the arrival of the English saints, half of Nauvoo has turned out to welcome them, including the Steeds. Peter is ecstatic to see Jenny who is enthusiastically welcomed, along with her mother, into the Steed clan. Jenny and her mom start to cry, knowing what's about to happen for Joshua and Caroline. Everyone turns, as one, to see a young man running down the gangplank. It's Will!

Chapter 27: November, 1840. Will, Joshua and Carl are scouting/camping in Wisconsin preparing the lumber mill operation. They watch, amused, as Nathan bathes in the freezing river. Will gasps seeing his bare back exposed and inquires about the scars. He never knew the story from Volume 2 when Joshua had his own brother whipped. Back in Nauvoo, the Steeds decide to celebrate the new fad or holiday everyone is calling Thanksgiving. The men are back from their scouting trip and everyone cries as the entire clan goes around the huge table, expressing what they're most thankful for. That night, Jennifer Jo comforts her heartbroken sister because Kathryn has been making eyes at Peter to no avail and now has to compete with that blond English bombshell, Jenny Pottsworth.

Chapter 28: The two newest arrivals propose they celebrate a real Ye Olde Dickens Christmas. The Steeds have no idea what they're talking about but love the idea of organizing caroling groups, making wassail (sans brandy) and decking the halls. Will walks Jenny back to her small cabin (provided by Joshua) where she lives with her mother but they can't be an official couple because Jenny only dates Mormon boys.

Chapter 29: Nathan talks with Carl about the church and Joshua and Will's hesitancy to join. It's the Steed Family Christmas Eve Special. Joseph brings his family to the party. Everyone makes stockings and the children act out the traditional Luke 2 Christmas Story complete with homemade costumes.

Chapter 30: To Peter's utter embarrassment, Jenny shares the poem he wrote for her aloud during Jessica's class. Will and Kathryn are so upset, both flee the classroom. That night, Jessica takes her two "adopted" daughters aside to talk about the worth of a girl in the eyes of others. Take Jessica for example. She was an ugly, introverted, illiterate nobody with absolutely no self esteem, until she met John Griffth, got married, had children, and became a beautiful, cherished woman and it will happen for them too, if they just keep waiting patiently and try not to let the blonde, popular, queen bee cheerleaders of the world who get their pick of all the eligible men, intimidate them because a woman can only feel beautiful and cherished unless she has a man in her life (That's supposed to make Kathryn feel better?). Jenny invites Will to dinner who anticipates an intimate candlelit table for two. He arrives not realizing Peter was also included. Angry and offended, believing he was deliberately mislead, Will storms out the door.

Chapter 31: As the only woman confident in her own secure relationship, Jennifer Jo takes Jenny aside for a heart-to-heart. The misunderstanding is cleared up. Jenny is not interested in Peter romantically, they're just friends and Kathryn is free to date him while Jenny figures out her growing attraction to Will. Jennifer Jo and Jenny are now friends. Will wants to go back to sea, maybe find a boat to England where he can meet Matthew and Derek and travel back with them. Jenny gives Will a copy of the Book of Mormon and Will promises to read and pray about it during his trip.

Chapter 32: In England, Will is welcomed by all and encouraged to find out for himself if Mormonism is true. On April 6, 1841 the Steeds attend general conference and the laying of the cornerstone for the new temple.

Chapter 33: Traveling back to America with the English saints, a big storm blows in. Rough sea. Will observes the prayer offered to calm the sea and as morning breaks, it comes to pass. Will talks to Brigham Young and hears his conversion story. On July 1st, Steeds gather at Ma and Pa's to spend time together in various activities, a tradition they just started. Lydia had a baby boy, Josiah. Men appear on the street. It's all the Steed men, safely returned from England! Everyone hugs and cries. Matthew proposes to Jennifer Jo in front of the entire family and she accepts. Later, Will goes to see Jenny.

Chapter 34: Will and Jenny talk and kiss. Will asks for her patience while he makes up his mind about the church. Matthew and Brigham Young resume their plans to go into a furniture-making business together.

Chapter 35: For the third time, Joseph Smith officiates at a Steed wedding. Matthew Steed and Jennifer Jo McIntire are married on July 24, 1841. Joshua and Caroline provided the new clothes for them to wear. Jennifer Jo's dress is ivory white with lace. All the younger girls wear new dresses and stand in the wedding line as bridesmaids and flower girls. The entire city of Nauvoo attends the ceremony which is held in the large outdoor grove used for Sunday worship services. Joseph stresses the importance of marriage between a man and a woman, which is pleasing to the Lord (wonder what Joseph would think, 173 years later, as such doctrine is being turned on its head!).
Mary Ann sure cries a lot. With all the Steed children now happily married off, she and Benjamin observe their posterity running around at the reception party while adults mingle and chat happily. What more could they ask for?

The End