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18-Year Old Sarah Heller Conrad

   << The Whitmer home
 

In 1829 18-year old Sarah Heller Conrad, (also known as "Sally" Conrad), who may have been a cousin of the Whitmers was at the Whitmer home during the translation of the Book of Mormon.  She was an unmarried housekeeper in the Whitmer home during the time Joseph Smith and others were translating the Book of Mormon. Oliver B. Huntington met her at an old folks outing in 1897 and recorded her story in his diary:

"I conversed with one old lady 88 years old who lived with David Whitmer when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were translating the Book of Mormon in upper room of the house, and she, only a girl, saw them come down from the translating room several times, when they looked so exceedingly white and strange that she inquired of Mrs. Whitmer the cause of their unusual appearance, but Mr. Whitmer was unwilling to tell the hired girl, the true cause as it was a sacred holy event connected with a holly sacred work which was opposed and persecuted by nearly every one who heard of it.  The girl felt so strange and unusual [about] the appearance, she finally told Mrs. Whitmer that she would not stay with her until she knew the cause of the strange looks of these men.  Sister Whitmer then told her what the men were doing in the room above and that the power of God was so great in the room that they could hardly endure it; at times angels were in the room in their glory which nearly consumed them.  This satisfied the girl and opened the way to embrace the gospel"  (The Translation of the Book of Mormon: Basic Historical Information, by John W. Welch and Tim Rathbone, FARMS)

 Sarah Conrad Bunnell told the same story to her granddaughter, Pearl Bunnell Newell, who at 86 vividly remembers her grandmother's description:
"And she said they would go up into the attic, and they would stay all day. When they came down, they looked more like heavenly beings than they did just ordinary men." 
(The Era, April 1970) page 21

Note:  "And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him."   Exodus 34:29-35

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...  Conrad's Witness of the Book of Mormon (1.40min)  (Book of Mormon Central, #385)

...  How Can Sally Cinrad's Witness of the Book of Mormon Strengthen Our Faith? #385

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  << Sarah Helen “Sallie” Conrad Bunnell,  BIRTH 1810 DEATH 1903 (aged 92)

The following information is by By Oliver B. Huntington: Sunday, June 13, 1897: 
"I conversed with one old lady 88 years old who lived with David Whitmer when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were translating the Book of Mormon in the upper room of the house, and she, only a girl, saw them come down from [the] translating room several times when they looked so exceedingly white and strange that she inquired of Mrs. Whitmer the cause of their unusual appearance, but Mr. Whitmer was unwilling to tell the hired girl the true cause, as it was a sacred, holy event connected with a holy, sacred work which was opposed and persecuted by nearly everyone who heard of it.
The girl felt so strangely at seeing so strange and unusual appearance, she finally told Mrs. Whitmer that she would not stay with her until she knew the cause of the strange looks of these men.
Sister Whitmer then told her what the men were doing in the room above and that the power of God was so great in the room that they could hardly endure it; at times angels were in the room in their glory, which nearly consumed them.
This satisfied the girl and opened the way to embracing the gospel."
Note: The "hired girl" here referred to was Sally Heller Conrad, who later became the wife of David Edwin Bunnell. 
Sarah "Sallie" Hellen (also recorded Heller) was a daughter of German immigrants and was niece of Mary Conrad, David Whitmer's wife. James Lewis Nielson, great-grandson, recorded the following in his History of Sallie Heller Conrad:

"As a young girl of nineteen she was the housekeeper in the Peter Whitmer home when the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery finished translating the "Book of Mormon." Because of persecution they had to work in secret. Sallie would see the Prophet and Oliver come down out of the attic room after working long hours. She remembers them looking like angels. She was aware that something strange and unusual was taking place. Finally she insisted that Sister David Whitmer, her aunt, tell her the truth. Sister Whitmer had to reveal to Sallie what was taking place. She warned her that if she let the secret out, their lives would be in danger."   (Sarah Hellen "Sallie" Conrad).

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 << Obituary of Sallie H. Bunnell
"...she was firm in her testimony of the divinity of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon." 

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