Vienna grew up comfortably in Boston.
She had a second home in Providence, was unmarried, enjoyed a lot of social clout, and earned quite a bit of wealth by her 40s.
She obtained a copy of the “Mormon Bible” and read it, but was pretty indifferent to it.
Until one night, as she prayed, she had a “vision of the Book of Mormon”, and she felt she should ask if it was true scripture.
She immediately received her answer.
She traveled to Ohio to be baptized, and then returned to Boston to help missionaries establish a branch of the church.
About a year later, she said goodbye to Boston for good and headed to Ohio.
She freely gave of all her money to the church, and her giant $1400 contribution directly helped Joseph purchase land for the upcoming Kirtland temple.
And then Vienna was asked to move to Missouri.
“It is meet in mine eyes that she should go up unto the land of Zion, and receive an inheritance…
“That she may settle down in peace inasmuch as she is faithful”. D&C 90:30-31
Peace, rest, and a land of inheritance was being promised to her.
Literally a month later, mobs attacked the printing press in Missouri, scattering manuscript pages and tarring and feathering the Bishop.
Vienna knelt in the night, gathering as many pages of the Book of Commandments as she could.
When the saints finally arrived in Nauvoo and started to build up the great city, Vienna was present when the very first baptisms for the dead were performed.
She received her own endowment in the Nauvoo temple before being forced out yet again.
Where was her peace? Her rest? Her inheritance? Her blessing for consecrating her money to the Lord?
She arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and was given a city lot.
She called that her “inheritance” for the remainder of her 40 years left on earth.
She was a powerful scriptorian, fiercely independent, and self-sufficient. She loved the temple, she loved the prophet, and she had faith in Jesus Christ.
She died at the age of 96 and others said she was “strong and full of faith in the principles of the gospel”.
There is true power in faith, and Vienna Jaques lived that.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
