Compiled by Dennis B. Horne
Elder
Kimball’s Apostolic calling had several main components: the “long-distance”
telephone call from Pres. J. Reuben Clark Jr. with the call itself; the
mountain-top experience in which Elder Kimball received, after much mental
anguish, spiritual confirmation and assurance; his visit with President McKay;
and his sustaining and ordination. The journal entries below, with a few other
items, describe these. I have underlined what seem to me critical and precious
portions—especially that received on the mountain above Boulder Colorado:
Autobiographical account, “My Call to the Apostleship”:
If I could
only have the assurance that my call had been inspired most of my other worries
would be dissipated. I knew if the Lord had revealed to the Brethren that I was
to be one of His leaders, that He would forgive all my weaknesses and make me
strong. I knew full well that He knew all the imperfections of my life and He
knew my heart. And I knew that I must have this acceptance before I could go
on. . . . Never had I prayed before as I now prayed. What I wanted and felt I
must have was an assurance that I was acceptable to the Lord. I told Him that I
neither wanted nor was worthy of a vision or appearance of angels or any
special manifestation. I wanted only the calm peaceful assurance that my
offering was accepted. Never before had I been tortured as I was now being
tortured. And the assurance did not come.
. . . I
threw myself on the ground and wept and prayed and pleaded with the Lord to let
me know where I stood. I thought of my Father and Mother and my Grandfather,
Heber C. Kimball, and my other relatives that had been passed from the earth
for long years and wondered what part they had, if any, in this call, and if
they approved of me and felt that I would qualify. I wondered if they had
influenced, in any way, the decision that I should be called. I felt strangely
near them, nearer than ever in my life. ...
Again I lay
on the cool earth. The thought came that I might take cold, but what did it
matter now . . . there was one great desire . . . to get a testimony of my
calling, to know that it was not human and inspired by ulterior motives, kindly
as they might be. How I prayed! How I suffered! How I wept! How I struggled! Was
it a dream which came to me? With this new experience came a calm like the
dying wind, the quieting wave after the storm is passed. I got up, walked to
the rocky point and sat on the same ledge. My tears were dry, my soul was at
peace. A calm feeling of assurance came over me . . . doubt and questionings
subdued. It was as though a great burden had been lifted. I sat in tranquil
silence surveying the beautiful valley, thanking the Lord for the satisfaction
and the reassuring answer to my prayers. Long I meditated here in peaceful
quietude, apart, and I felt nearer my Lord than ever at any time in my life. …
I told him
[Pres. McKay] how weak I felt and how impossible it seemed that I could ever
grow to fit into a group of such holy men. I told him that while I had had many
testimonies of the power of God and some sacred and special manifestations,
none of them had been visions or appearances or manifestations of the magnitude
that I had always felt were necessary for one to receive so that he could be a
“Special Witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.” As he unfolded the scriptures to me
I felt that probably all of the Brethren had received special testimonies and
manifestations in different degrees which were sacred to them, but that it was
not absolutely necessary for an Apostle to have seen personages nor to have
heard voices. [Pres. McKay relates story of the doubting Thomas from the New
Testament.]
President McKay asked if I had a
testimony. I told him that every fiber of my being bore testimony to the
divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He gave me a great deal of comfort
and eased my mind and assured me that I was called of God to the work. I told
him of my concern over my relationship to President Clark and he assured me
that it was not known until after the appointment had been made, but after the
choice had been approved by the Council, President Clark had asked of President
Grant and President McKay: “Did you know that Spencer is my kin?” To which they
had replied: “We were not aware of that fact.” So this eased my mind.
It was pretty steep and jagged and difficult to climb but
with the help of an oak cane, I made it to the top where a cross had been
planted. I reached the house after five hours, coming back with the positive
assurance that there was no mistake—that the brethren were inspired—that the
Lord had a work for me to do—that I might overbalance all my weaknesses by the
weight of the good and service I could render—that I was ready to make any
sacrifice necessary—dedicating the balance of my life to the work of the Lord.
. . . I
wrote my diary and rested till 8:30 and went to see President McKay. He was
most gracious. He confirmed the appointment that I was chosen as an Apostle to
fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sylvester Q. Cannon. There is another
[Ezra Taft Benson] to be chosen. This will make me 11 in the present quorum. He
was so kind—I told him of my experience on the mountain. Asked him about
special manifestations to apostles. He assured me that such was not necessary (quoted
John 20:25-31).
It was
pretty steep and jagged and difficult to climb but with the help of an oak cane
I made it to the top where a cross had been planted. I reached the house after
five hours coming back with the positive assurance that there was no mistake— *
that the Brethren were inspired—that the Lord had a work for me to do—that I
might over balance all my weaknesses by the weight of the good and service I
could render—that I was ready to make any sacrifice necessary in dedicating the
balance of my life to the work of the Lord. * [At this point Elder Kimball
inserted a page where he wrote, also in longhand,] “So much of my spiritual
experience I have not related. Some day maybe I can tell it all.
The Spencer W. Kimball biography (by Ed and Andrew
Kimball) has this wording that was approved by President Kimball before
publication:
How I suffered! How I wept! How I struggled! Was it a
dream which came to me? I was weary and I think I went to sleep for a
little. It seemed that in a dream I saw my grandfather and became
conscious of the great work he had done. I cannot say that it was a vision, but
I do know that with this new experience came a calm like the dying wind,
the quieting wave after the storm is passed.
Oscar W. McConkie Jr. Autobiography: when Spencer W. Kimball
was president of the Safford Arizona Stake, he got a telephone call from
President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. calling him to the holy apostleship in 1943. He
move to Salt Lake. He had four children. His next-to-youngest, Andrew Eyring
Kimball, was in high school. Andy and I become close friends. We were in and
out of each other’s houses.
I was a
young man when Elder Kimball told me about his call. He told me about his
worries. Was he apostolic material? Vice for the call was from his cousin
[Pres. Clark]? He did not feel that he measured up to his grandfather. He told
me of his going to the top of a mountain near Safford [Boulder, CO]. He poured
out his soul in prayer. His prayer was answered. He was indeed to be an
apostle. His grandfather and others were there. (p. 95)
Oscar W. McConkie Jr. interview, (by Mark L. McConkie) June
26, 2017:
President Kimball told me about his call from President
Clark and how he didn’t feel like he was apostolic material. He wasn’t like his
grandfather Heber C. Kimball. It very much bothered him. So he determined to go
up and have special prayers. He climbed up a mountain near Safford, Arizona. He
prayed to know whether he should be an apostle. He didn’t tell me everything
that happened on the top of that mountain. But he told me this much: He said,
“When I came down from the mountain, I knew that I was an apostle. My
grandfather himself was there, with others.”
A less-well-substantiated account comes from a narration
left by a Sister missionary whose grandson recorded that President Kimball
shared this following at a missionary meeting where the Holy Spirit was in
extra strong abundance: “This [apostle] revealed an additional and dramatic
detail about how that witness came. President Kimball . . . saw the Lord Jesus
and heard from the mouth of the Savior Himself the soul-cheering affirmation,
‘I have called you to be my witness to the world. Doubt not, but be of good
cheer.’” (https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/5299320 Accessed 7/12/2020)
In the April 1978 General Conference, President Kimball
again adopted the words of another to express his own similar special witness:
“ ‘I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ lives,’ said John Taylor
[George Q. Cannon], my predecessor, ‘for I have seen him.’ I bear this
testimony to you brethren in the name of Jesus Christ.” (The use of President
Taylor’s name was an error, with President Kimball actually meaning President
George Q. Cannon, as he had in the earlier address.) These
testimonies support the account of the sister missionary quoted above.
Journal,
Letter to Bishop and Sister Pierce, Sept. 6, 1943.
You could not have possibly been so shocked as I was. Even after I heard Pres.
Clark telling me over the long distance telephone, I still just knew it
couldn’t be true—that I must still be dreaming. Each morning as I get up I seem
to think it was just an impossible dream from which I will soon awaken. When
there were so many thousands of great men, capable men, strong stalwart men in
the Church and then for them to select me, I tell you I was really puzzled.
When I realize how nearly I have worshipped all the brethren of the Quorum all
these years of my life and then to try to visualize and place myself in that
group frightens me. I have always thought of myself as one of the lowly
ones—the weakest of the weak and I know my limitations and then to think of me
being called! Well, we talk about it but I still can’t realize it. …
Pres. Clark
called me long distance on July 8th just as I came home to lunch.
Since that day I have lost about 18 pounds. I have fasted and prayed and prayed
and prayed. I have slept poorly and after two months just beginning now to be
able to sleep as late as 6:.30 in the morning. Many a night I have hardly slept
at all. …
At Salt
Lake I avoided everybody that I knew until I should have a chance to talk to
Pres. McKay for I had almost convinced myself by that time that I had
misunderstood Brother Clark and that there was a mistake. I was fasting my third
day by the time on the 15th that I contacted the Presidency. They
were so kind and had such a sweet influence. They assured me that I was not to
be a secretary in the P.B.O. [Presiding Bishopric’s Office] or an office boy or
even an Assistant [to the Twelve] and practically took my breath when they
confirmed that I had heard aright and that I was to be number 11 in the Quorum
of the 12. I was almost overcome with my insignificance. They built me up and
assured me that it was a call from the Lord and that all the Quorum was
unanimous and happy about it.
Journal.
Letter to John H., Sept 15, 1943. The great opportunity which is coming is
so much greater that I do not feel it a sacrifice. Though I must confess that
this has been a trying two months for us all. Elder Harold B. Lee, who has just
been here to Conference said he had only one night to walk the floor and go
through the experiences, but I have had about seventy and I still have not had
a really good night of sleep. There are so many adjustments to make and so much
that is new to think about and plan, and the worry about my incapacities and
limitations and all. I am going to be very happy now when I shall be deep in my
new work. …
Don’t
worry. Though I have my weak moments, I am resolute and determined to accept
this call and determined to do my utmost to meet every requirement. I feel so
weak and incapable but I will work hard and pray much for the qualities I need
to make me worthy and able to do the work.
Journal,
Letter to his children, September 15, 1943. I am not complaining but you must
know that this is not easy for Mother [Camilla] and me. If you could have
walked with us down the mental trails of anguish the past two months you would
know what I mean. … I have lost 18 pounds in these two sleepless months. Your
mother and I have gone and are going through an unparalleled experience of our
lives. I am writing this letter at 4:45 a.m. to you. Don’t misunderstand me, I
am not minimizing the glory of this great call. On the contrary it is so great
and glorious that I am finding it so difficult to rise to it. I feel so weak
and helpless and impotent and insignificant. It is so much above and beyond me
that I have felt a thousand times I could not reach it. It has not been easy.
We have realized that we must revolutionize our lives. ...
Journal, September 14, 1943. Had a long talk with Brother
Lee who encouraged me and built me up.
Journal
September 30, 1943. I went to the Church offices and reported. They told me
I would be assigned room 211 and it would be furnished new. I had a brief visit
with Pres. McKay who told me he would in the conducting of the Conference
present us to be sustained at the Friday pm session. I visited Pres. Heber J.
Grant to pay my respects. He drew me to him and kissed me and visited with me
cordially. He was so friendly and human and yet almost divine. Now 61 years of
service for the Church. He is a great man and inspires me with his power. How grateful I am for this association of an
intimate nature with this great Prophet in his declining years.
I called on
Pres. Clark. He was not crowded so much and he talked long and intimately to
me. Mostly regarding my future association with the Church and the brethren and
what would be expected of me. There seemed to be no reserve and he seemed to
place himself on my equal. He also is a great man as also Pres. McKay. I am
electrified with the very presence of these men of power. These Prophets, Seers
and Revelators. A privilege to be on intimate terms with such strong leaders! I
visited with others of the Quorum and did a little work in my temporary office.
Journal,
October 1, 1943. Went to the offices of the Church early for my first
meeting with all the Quorum of the Twelve. Pictures were taken for the papers.
… At 2 pm the first session of the Conference began. I had been in my locked
room for a final prayer before this great experience. Bro. Benson and I sat on
the first row in the audience. … Immediately after the opening exercises the
General Authorities were sustained and with the Twelve Apostles were the names:
11, Spencer W. Kimball: 12, Ezra T. Benson. How weak I felt! How humble I was!
How grateful I was when Pres. McKay said the voting was unanimous. I seemed to
be swimming in a daze. It seemed so unreal and impossible that I—just poor weak
Spencer Kimball could be being sustained as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ
and tears welled in my eyes again as I heard myself sustained as an Apostle, a
Prophet, Seer, and Revelator to the Church.
We were
called to the stand and took our places with the Twelve Apostles. I was next to
Bro. Lee who squeezed my arm in welcome. Thousands of eyes were upon us
appraising, weighing, honoring us. What a sublime moment to feel that here were
the great leaders of the Church upholding accepting and sustaining us. Thousands of them representing
the entire Church.
Mingled
feelings of joy, ecstasy, fears, humility.
After some
other talks I was called on for my maiden talk. How I reached the pulpit I
hardly knew. What a moment. A sea of upturned wondering expectant faces met my
first gaze. I began: My beloved Brethren etc. … I must have taken about 15
minutes. I lost track of time and I poured out my appreciation and gratitude
and bore testimony. As I took my seat I felt I had failed and continue to tell
myself that I had failed as Bro. Benson gave his simple sweet spirited testimony.
The balance of the meeting was a blur except I remember how Bp. Ashton and
others paid tribute to the two new Authorities and their humble testimonies.
Journal, Letter to children, October 6, 1943. The greatest
moment of my life, perhaps, was the instant that 7000 hands were raised to
sustain me as an Apostle. I am looking forward to tomorrow for still a greater
moment when President Grant will place his hands on me and actually ordain me
an Apostle.
Journal,
October 7, 1943. The greatest day. Today I was ordained an Apostle of the
Lord Jesus Christ. The least in the Kingdom. I reached the office early, locked
the door and had my prayers.
At 8 we
attended my first meeting with the Quorum of the Twelve and the Assistants. We
sat in order of seniority and attended to the business. At 10 am we went with
the members of the Quorum of the Twelve to our first meeting with the
Presidency. I went fasting. Since Pres. Grant hardly felt able to go to the
Temple the meeting was held in the office of the First Presidency in the Church
Office Building [now the Church Administration Building]. The First Presidency,
Pres. Grant (Pres. Clark was in Chicago) and Pres. McKay, all the 10 members of
the Council of the Twelve and we two and the Presiding Patriarch with Joseph
Anderson, secretary, were present. The opening prayer was a gem by Richard R.
Lyman. After a brief statement by Pres. McKay I knelt at the feet of Pres.
Heber J. Grant who sat and ordained me an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and
set me apart as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and conferred on me all
the gifts, keys, blessings, powers of the great calling and gave me a beautiful
blessing with promises. The hands of everyone present except Bro. Benson and
Bro. Anderson joined on my head during that blessing. What rapture, what bliss
and joy unspeakable! What a responsibility. What an opportunity. Then I helped
the others in assisting Pres. Grant as he ordained Bro. Ezra T. Benson an
Apostle. What an honor there to help ordain a younger Apostle.
Pres. Grant
sat and talked to us for perhaps an hour charging us with our responsibilities
and blessing us. He then retired and we went to the Temple. [A line and a half
redacted.] and had our meeting. The Sacrament was administered to us and after
the business we were called on for a brief expression. I poured out my
gratitude for the confidence my Brethren had in me; for the great opportunity
of the new work. My love and esteem for them all and my testimony of the
gospel.
The
luncheon in the temple was splendid. The whole period of the entire service was
a sacred benediction to the prayers of ordination. The whole of the services
were quite subdued and inspirational. I told the Brethren in my talk that I had
certainly this day tasted heaven, and that little did I ever dream that such
great privileges and honors would ever come to me. Surely the Lord was pleased
with all the proceedings for His calm sweet spirit was manifested.
Journal,
Letter
to a son, July 12, 1944.
As I write
the date above I am reminded of the hectic day of 1943 which was July 12th.
It was a long interminable day spent in Albuquerque N.M. enroute to Denver and
Boulder to see you and your family. It was a never ending day of conflict in
which it seemed that all the powers of the evil empire were combined to
convince me that I was not qualified, able, worthy, nor sufficiently endowed to
undertake the great work to which I had been called three days earlier by Pres.
Clark on that never-to-be-forgotten telephone call from Salt Lake to Safford. With
a rather well established inferiority complex already, I was not hard to
convince. ... It was another sleepless night at your home that night and maybe
you remember my slipping out very early and spending the morning alone on top
of the mountain above your town where I continued in a battle of anguish, then
near noon finally peace came and an assurance came to me that I had been
called by proper authority by the Lord; that I was, at least in some measure,
acceptable to the Lord for the work; and that if I would remain faithful that I
might be able to make a contribution to the work of the Lord.
8- A year
ago today Pres. Clark called me by phone to announce to me my call to the
apostleship.
11- A year
ago today, July 12 was an endless one spent in Albuquerque N.M. enroute to
Boulder Colo and Salt Lake City. The mental anguish and inward conflicts were
bitter and the day seemed an eternity. See also my letter of this date to
LeVan.
12- I was
remembering all day my experiences of the July 12, 1943 enroute to Denver,
spent in Albuquerque as above.
13- Have
been thinking all day of my experiences of July 13, 1943. . . . I was under
tremendous emotional strain. . . .
14- I am
ever conscious of the anniversary date. My early rising at Boulder, my
ascension to the top of the mountain, my spiritual experiences there,
the peace that came to me there; my flight by plane to Salt Lake and the long
endless evening and night waiting for my appointment with Pres. McKay the next
day.
Pres.
Stayner Richards presided and called on each of us for experiences or testimony
or something and the contributions were excellent. I told among other things
part of my experience on the mountain in Colorado a year ago, after receiving
my call to the Apostleship. And though I consider it a very sacred spiritual
experience which I do not wish to tell often, yet I felt impressed to tell it
here. The men all commented on it and seemed to have been moved by it.
Boulder
Colo. Up at 5 am I began to re-live my unusual experiences at this place
July 14, 1943. As in 1943 I followed my footsteps of that early morning in July
43. Up the hill, past the Sanitarium South and West up over the little
backbone. At the top I nearly stepped on a coiled rattler. I dropped a twig on
him to get him to move to ascertain if he really was a rattler. I think he
sensed I was not an enemy and he slid slowly onto the rocks hardly raising his
tail. On up slowly, resting often up the same ridges, same coves, same rocks
all the time re-living that (now year off) morning in ’43. Finally at the top
of my sacred mountain I found my cross of July ’43 was broken. I found a cross
beam and carried it up the hill (remembering the Savior as he carried his cross
up Calvary) and fixed it the best I could. I found an altar for my prayers,
then lay down on the same slab and slept for a while. It was a beautiful day
and a marvelous view from the cliff rocks and a pleasant morning. The valley
was beautiful and green with the little lake mirrors. I came down and back to
the Hotel at 11am.
8- Two
years ago today came the call to the Apostleship. How well I remember the
details of that day! The call from Pres. Clark, and my movements and thoughts
throughout the day as I was so shaken emotionally and so shocked. Still I could
not believe it.
9- Today
two years ago was a hectic day following my call to the Apostleship of the day
before. How could I ever measure up to the great calling, I kept asking myself?
Sale of business, sale of home, leaving the native land, my friends, all have
some place in my thoughts but I was most completely absorbed with the weakness
of my position, my seeming inability to ever see myself in a position of that
magnitude.
14- 2 yrs
ago today I flew to Salt Lake from Denver, and had my wonderful spiritual
experience on the mountain above Boulder, Colo.
15- It was
two years ago today that my call was made known to the world, that the radio
and papers heralded it afar. It was a difficult day with joy, fear, exultation
and trembling all mixed.
My
mountain. I visited my mountain near Boulder, Colo. This place sacred to me. I
spent some hours on its top.
3rd
Anniversary of MY call. It was three years ago today at noon that I received
the telephone call in Safford Arizona, from Pres. J. Reuben Clark Jr. which
called me to the Apostleship. And here I am in Hawaii spending the entire day
in the Temple of God celebrating that eventful day. How well I remember that
day with its surprise and the shock that came and the tears I shed and the
upset to our program [lives] and the incomparable honor that came to me that
day. ...
It was a
solemn occasion. Elder Cowley and I concluded with testimonies, our wives
having borne theirs with the others. I told very briefly of my call 3 years ago
today. Little did I think 3 years ago today that today I would be visiting the
missions in the Pacific as an Apostle of the Master and spending the day in the
temple of the Lord.
It was five
years ago today—that memorable day—that Pres. Clark for the Presidency called
me to the Apostleship. How well do I remember that fateful day—that awesome day
when a call came to me that was to wholly change my life—it meant selling my
home, giving up my commercial ventures and business, leaving my native land and
my old friends and all I had known to go into a new work for which I felt so
miserably incompetent. But I have gone forward and done my best and have had a
small measure of success, I hope, but a great measure of joy and happiness and delight.
9- Five
years ago today. I remember so well, was a very difficult day. I tried to work
at my office with little success. I could not tell anyone of my call of the day
before. I was most distracted as I contemplated the monumental work before me and
my limitations to take upon me such a great undertaking. I could neither eat
nor sleep nor get my mind on my work. It was an interminable day.
10- That
week, five years ago was such a transformation in my life and living that it is
indelibly impressed on my mind. I remember that 5 yrs ago I left with the
family for El Paso, there to hold meetings with the ward Sat night and Sunday;
there to perform [a marriage]. ... I remember the most solemn conversations of
Eddie, Andrew, Mother and myself during that 250 miles journey, concerning the
uprooting necessitated by a move to Salt Lake, and all the changes that would
take place. The boys did not want to go. Half belligerent, they felt like it
would be asking too much of them to leave friends and conditions to which they
were used.
Six years
ago today was the day of my experience in the Colorado mountains when I fasted,
climbed to the top of the high mountain to ‘be apart alone to pray.’
Caught a
bus to Boulder and through the day, relived many of my experiences of July 15,
1943 when Camilla and I had come to Boulder to visit Spence and Kay and their
one child, Barbara. I asked a young man on the street where to find a cab. He
said he would take me to one, but instead I asked him to take me up to the
institution at the foot of the hill and would pay him the taxi fare. I then climbed
over the first hill and down the little valley as I did nearly 13 years ago and
then climbed the mountain above to the highest peak where I was 13 years ago.
This took most of the morning. I was fasting since yesterday afternoon. This
was a delightful and sacred morning alone in solitude with my thoughts and
prayers. About 1 o’clock I left the top of the mountain and followed down the
easy path and walked all the way back down to the city bus. . . .
This is the
14th anniversary of my call to the Apostleship. What a great day was
that! What a change in my entire life: change in location, change in friends
and close associates, change in work. How glorious have been those 14 years. It
was noon when the telephone call came and brought to me the great privilege and
opportunity and concern; fear of my inabilities and weakness and
limitations—fear that I would never be able to measure up. It has been an
eventful and delightful 14 years packed full of experiences challenging and
satisfying. 14 years of travel from the iron curtain to the Islands in the
Pacific, Hawaii; from Eastern and Western Canada to the Panama Canal; from Main
to California and Seattle, from Pacific to Atlantic numerous times; from Narvik
to Nice and Vienna. Many thousands of missionaries I have interviewed, visited
in their missions, taught and counselled, as well as set apart. Hundreds of
Stake conferences and many mission conferences and thousands of people I have
spoken to and warned and taught; numerous couples and individuals have been in
my office with marital problems, moral troubles, mental difficulties and
aberrations of every kind. It has been a satisfying joy to see many emerge from
the clouds into the sunlight. What a glorious 14 years. . . .
14- It was
14 years ago today that I had the unusual experience on the mountain near
Boulder Colorado . . . and my flight over to Salt Lake City to see the
brethren. . . . Today fourteen years ago I visited with Pres. McKay and Pres.
Grant and was announced to the Church and the world as an appointee as an
Apostle. This was truly one of the great days of my life.
Journal,
May 14, 1964. [Buenos Aires] We
spent the evening in a more delightful experience in testimonies and music and
a very inspiring evening. . . . The testimonies were warm and inspiring. … In
my testimony, I assured them that we shall triumph in our work and never will
all of the Twelve be apostate. The Church must and will go on. I told them some
of our experiences in the Holy Land; my feeling with regard to my position, and
it was not me but the position that was honored. What a world this would be if
all the people were like this group of folks. Camilla’s expression of love for
me was touching. … I told them about my call though not all of the details.
Today is the anniversary of my week
of call to the Ministry in my Apostolic calling. Twenty-three years ago last
Friday was the day the weight of the new responsibility came to me, when
President Clark called me at noon to say that I had been called to be one of
the Twelve Apostles in the Lord’s Church; it had floored me, and I had been
overwhelmed. . . . I had been unable to work or read or sleep or settle down.
It was a terrific shock and an overwhelming responsibility. . . .
Twenty-three
years ago, on that interesting but almost terrifying Wednesday, I got out of
bed real early, slipped quietly out of the house and climbed up my mountain,
... But here on this mountain I found a degree of relief and composure
through some spiritual manifestations and experiences, and in the afternoon
I caught the plane and flew to Salt Lake City. . . .
And then twenty-three
years ago today, which was on Thursday, I went to the Church Offices and met
President David O. McKay, ... President McKay assured me that all was right and
I had been called.
No comments:
Post a Comment