Lua Getsinger
Louise Aurora Getsinger (1 November 1871 – 2 May 1916), known as Lua, was one of the first Western members of the Baháʼí Faith, recognized as joining the religion on May 21, 1897, just two years after Thornton Chase. Born into the rural countryside of western New York state and initially with a heterodox understanding of the teachings of the religion, by her fervor she corrected many understandings and grew to become a prominent disciple of Abdu'l-Bahá with an international reputation, being named “Herald of the Covenant” and "Mother of the believers" by Abdu'l-Bahá, head of the religion 1892-1921, and “mother teacher of the American Bahá‘í Community, herald of the dawn of the Day of the Covenant" by Shoghi Effendi in 1942, head of the religion 1921–1957. Nevertheless, she faced trials of reputation among the Bahá'ís in America during a period of time when rumors were spread if a woman traveled with a man other than her husband which she did as she took part in promotional tours across multiple regions of America, into Canada and Mexico, and it became such that her husband grew doubtful, their relationship changed, and he sought a divorce. She was defended by the leadership