Happy Birthday Hephzibah

Hephzibah Gardiner Hodgkinson was born on May 7, 1854 in Gloucestershire, England.   We have learned a little bit about her here.  You probably think I love her so much because she is wearing an apron.  I do and because she was true and faithful.   Her history is full of testimony and service.  On her 90th birthday she wrote the following:

"I have had thirteen children,  and today I have forty-seven living grandchildren and forty-six great grandchildren.  I am ninety years old today, 7 May 1944, and it is seventy years ago today since I left the native land of my birth.  I have always kept the Word of Wisdom and I think that is the reason I have lived so long. 

This is to my children:  I am proud of having had ten of my children singing in the choir at one time.  I haven't much of this world's goods, but I leave you my testimony of the Gospel and I hope you will all live it as I have tried to live it.  It is worth more than silver or gold or all the world's wealth.  I have a strong testimony that God lives and I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.  I know that we will be rewarded according to our works and I hope that you live to enjoy the same testimony.  I thank the Lord for my parentage and that they were honest enough to accept the truth when they heard it.  I know the Gospel is true and it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for I have had many manifestations of the power of God.  This is my testimony to you.  With all my love,  Mother."

Her daughter wrote that her mother lived with her son John for several winters, but loved to be in her own home during the summer.  She died at John's on Christmas morning 25 December 1948 at the age of ninety-four.  She was four feet eleven inches tall and always kept herself prim and neat.