Margaret Saves the Day

By Michele Hill

(Based on a true story)

The ship was sinking! What could Margaret do?

Margaret (12 years old) is on a ship during the mid-1800s. She is holding a white wool blanket and taking it to the captain of the ship for him to stuff in the holes in the side of the ship.

Margaret stood on the deck and looked out at the blue ocean around her. The ship rocked up and down on giant waves.

Margaret’s family had sold almost all they had to sail to the United States. The trip would take six weeks. Margaret was sad to leave their home in Wales. But she was excited about her new home too.

A few months before, Margaret’s family had met missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Margaret and her parents were baptized. And now they were going to join the other Saints in Zion.

The trip had been hard so far. Margaret’s mother was ill. And her father was sick from years of working in the coal mines. So Margaret took care of them. She took care of her little brother and baby sister too. It was a big job. But Margaret didn’t complain.

Sometimes the boat rocked so much on the water that Margaret’s stomach felt sick. Other times she was afraid. When she was scared, she squeezed her eyes shut and asked Heavenly Father for help.

One day Margaret heard shouting. “There’s a leak in the ship! We’re sinking!”

Everyone panicked. The captain told everyone to find buckets. People scooped buckets of water to dump over the side of the ship.

Margaret wanted to help. She knelt by her bed and prayed as hard as she could. “Please Heavenly Father, help me think of some way to help.”

A young woman named Margaret smiles as she folds her hands in prayer.

A peaceful feeling filled Margaret’s heart. She knew Heavenly Father was watching over her. He would help them.

Then she had an idea.

She pulled two white wool blankets off her bed and ran to find the captain. “Here,” she said. “Put these in the hole to stop the leak.”

The captain liked Margaret’s idea. He stuffed the blankets into the hole. Then he poured a big bucket of hot tar over them. When the tar cooled, the leak was sealed!

“Thank you for giving up your blankets,” said the captain. “Your quick thinking saved the day.”

Margaret smiled. She knew Heavenly Father had answered her prayers. Her pioneer journey was just starting, and she knew He would help her each step of the way.

The first missionaries came to Wales in 1840.

A village in Wales has the longest town name in the world.

There are more sheep in Wales than people!

Margaret Griffiths was 11 years old when she was baptized.

When Margaret grew up, she married and had eight children.

She served as a Relief Society president for 26 years.

Page from the August 2022 Friend Magazine.