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20 x 30, Oil on Panel

This painting tells the story of my ancestor Lumon Andros Shurtliff, who wrestled for months over whether the restored gospel was true. Even after praying and receiving dreams that pointed toward its truth, he still carried doubt. Eventually he chose to act anyway — he walked to Kirtland and asked to be baptized, openly admitting he still had questions. On the long walk home, with a crippled leg, he prayed for reassurance, and felt what he described as cold water flowing from his head to his feet. His leg was healed, and he heard a witness of the Restoration he never forgot. The words around the painting are that testimony. The pig, horse, and grapevines come from the three dreams he received during his season of searching. I love this story because it reminds me that faith often comes before understanding — that acting in faith, even with unanswered questions, is still faith.