Marie Madeleine Cardon Guild (1834-1814) was one of the earliest Italian converts to come to Utah. Though she is not as widely known as some pioneer women, her autobiography offers a window into the international nature of early Latter-day Saint history and the sacrifices made by converts who left everything behind to gather with the Saints.

Follow her story from a Waldensian girl who had a dream to a courageous young woman who faced an angry mob. Marie lived her faith boldly and we can learn a thing or two from her about living the gospel boldly in our own day.

For more information about Marie, check out our show notes: www.herstoricallatterdaysaints.com

Camilla Kimball wasn’t interested in pretending that life as a prophet’s wife was picture-perfect. She was candid, down-to-earth, and refreshingly real about the joys and challenges that came with her life.

And there were plenty of challenges. As a child, Camilla and her family became refugees during the Mexican Revolution. As an adult, she faced significant health problems while raising a family and supporting her husband, Spencer W. Kimball, through his own serious health struggles and eventual calling as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

But Camilla’s story is also full of remarkable moments. She pursued education, witnessed a baptism at a time when women rarely did so, and even participated in a healing blessing for her husband.

In this episode, we’re talking about the hardships, the unusual experiences, the humor, and the honesty that made Camilla Kimball so compelling. She showed that you could be a faithful Latter-day Saint woman—and even the wife of a prophet—without pretending life was easy or that you had everything figured out.

Camilla Kimball was faithful. She was fascinating. And above all, she was REAL.

For more information about Camilla's life including pictures, sources, and more, check out our website: www.herstoricallatterdaysaints.com

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Desideria Quintanar de Yáñez (1814–1893) was one of the earliest Latter-day Saint converts in central Mexico and a remarkable woman whose faith helped establish the Church in a new land. Born in Nopala de Villagrán, a small agricultural community northwest of Mexico City, Desideria spent nearly her entire life in the same region. Raised Catholic and later drawn to Protestantism, Desideria was already searching for spiritual truth when a remarkable dream changed the course of her life. On April 22, 1880, she was baptized by Melitón González Trejo, becoming one of the first women baptized after the opening of the Mexican Mission.

Desideria's story reminds us that the Restoration spread not only through missionaries but through individuals prepared by revelation. Her life stands as a powerful witness that God speaks to His children across cultures, languages, and borders.

For more information about Desideria, check out https://www.herstoricallatterdaysaints.com/podcast/desideria

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