Ensign April 2007 Volume 37 Number 4 ;;;CONTENTS FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE 4 Enriching Your Marriage PRESIDENT JAMES E. FAUST There are no simple, easy answers to the challenging and complex questions of happiness in marriage, but several key practices can contribute to enriching a husband-wife relationship. VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE 53 Caring for the Poor and Needy FEATURE ARTICLES 9 Mother, Come Home SHAUNA BIRD DUNN The job offer was everything I had ever hoped for--but I have learned that I am happiest when I follow the Lord's plan for my life rather than my own agenda. 14 Gospel Classics: The Sacrament--and the Sacrifice ELDER DAVID B. HAIGHT Our most valuable worship experience in the sacrament meeting is the sacred ordinance of the sacrament, for it provides the opportunity to focus our minds and hearts upon the Savior and His sacrifice. 22 He Will Give You Rest DENNIS L. McDANIEL I felt Susie's remorse and desire to change, and I desperately wanted to help her. At that moment, the answer came clearly. 24 The Great Tabernacle: A Building of Purpose and Spirit Although seeing the Tabernacle on Temple Square is impressive, knowing its history gives us an appreciation we cannot get by merely visiting. 32 They Lived What They Believed ARIEL A. TORAYA My friend was persistent in inviting me to Church activities. I felt I couldn't keep refusing him, but could I fit in among the Latter-day Saints? 34 Three Messages to Young Adults ELDER EARL C. TINGEY Being active in the Church, preparing well for your future, and being sealed to a spouse for time and all eternity can help you discover the joy that is the promise of the gospel. 40 Sealed on Earth, Sealed in Heaven The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offers something no other religion can offer--the sealing of families together through the power of the priesthood in holy temples. 44 Branching Out on Your Family Tree GEORGE D. DURRANT When we perform temple ordinances for our own family members--including those who aren't our direct ancestors--the time we spend will have deeper meaning in our lives. 48 Sunbeam Smiles CONSTANCE PALMER LEWIS Those eight wonderful Sunbeam smiles brightened every Sunday for me. Then I realized that their smiles could bless others too. 54 The Letter I Didn't Receive NAME WITHHELD My roommate showed me that the greatest gift we can give someone who is suffering isn't advice--it's sharing the pain and making it easier to carry. 56 The Extraordinary Life of Parley P. Pratt MATTHEW J. GROW A farmer, a preacher, an author, a traveler, a merchant, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Parley P. Pratt exhibited devotion to the Savior throughout his life. 62 The Example of One ELDER BRUCE C. HAFEN The gospel was everything to Wendy Knaupp, so my missionary experience with her means everything to me. 65 Lessons from a Clogged Sink HEIDI CAMP How often do we put off personal repentance because we worry about what others will think? 68 Confirming the Call A. WAYNE BAKER I struggled to find out who should serve as our secretary, and finally the answer came. There was no mistake--this was the man the Lord wanted. DEPARTMENTS LESSONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT 19 The Joy of Repentance ELDER CRAIG C. CHRISTENSEN When we understand that being filled with joy involves being filled with the Holy Ghost, we realize that true happiness comes from repenting of our sins and living worthy of the Spirit. 50 Quiet Stirrings of the Heart BISHOP H. DAVID BURTON I have had many experiences that have strengthened my faith, some of them dramatic. But most often faith comes as the Spirit speaks to our spirits. 70 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES Powerful hymn lyrics, preparation from the Holy Ghost, and a surprise phone call. 74 RANDOM SAMPLER Staying prepared, involving children who spend time in two households, and sharing relatives' stories in family home evening. 76 NEWS OF THE CHURCH DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? The Ensign welcomes submissions that show the gospel of Jesus Christ at work in the lives of Latter-day Saints. This month we invite you to share what you have learned about the spiritual and physical benefits of living the Word of Wisdom. How have you been blessed by eating right, exercising, and taking care of your body? Please label submissions "Word of Wisdom" and send them by May15 to ensign@ldschurch.org or Ensign Editorial, 50 E. North Temple Street, Room 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. Include your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and ward and stake (or branch and district). Writers' guidelines: Information about publication criteria is located online. From www.lds.org, select "Gospel Library," then "Magazines,"then "Ensign."Under "Resources," click on Ensign Magazine Writers' Guidelines. Due to the volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt. Authors whose work is selected for publication will be notified. If you would like your manuscript, photos, art, or other material returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. USING THIS ISSUE Expanding family history research. After reading about descendancy research (p. 44), visit www.familysearch.org and click on the Search tab. Resources listed in the left navigation pane of this page are useful in ancestry research; they also provide information to help find descendants in other branches of your family. Teaching through living. Several articles in this month's issue deal with the power of example. In the last paragraph on page 64, Elder Bruce L. Hafen pleads with members to intro-duce someone to the Church. Prayerfully consider ways you might share your beliefs with someone you know, keeping in mind the power of example. Carrying others' burdens. Read "The Letter I Didn't Receive" (p. 54), and reflect on a time you have been genuinely comforted by someone who was willing to share your pain. Consider various ways to "mourn with those that mourn" when you encounter someone who is suffering (Mosiah 18:9). ON THE COVER Front: Why Weepest Thou, by Simon Dewey, may not be copied. Back: Photograph by Matthew Reier. MESSAGES COMING IN MAY Addresses from the 177th Annual General Conference GOSPEL TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE Atonement, 14, 22, 65, 71, 72 Callings, 68 Children, 48, 74 Church History, 24, 56 Compassion, 53, 54 Conversion, 32, 62, 70 Courage, 56 Education, 34 Example, 32 Faith, 50, 56 Family History, 44, 75 Family Home Evening, 75 Fast Offerings, 53 Friendship, 32 General Conference, 74 Holy Ghost, 19, 71, 72, 73 Hymns, 70 Inspiration, 9, 68 Jesus Christ, 14, 19 Marriage, 4, 34 Missionary Work, 62 Motherhood, 9 Obedience, 9, 50, 56 Parenthood, 4 Prayer, 68, 73 Preparedness, 74 Primary, 48 Prophets, 24, 50 Repentance, 19, 22, 65 Resurrection, 71, 72 Sacrament, 14 Service, 48, 53 Tabernacle, 24 Temples, 40, 44 Visiting Teaching, 53 Young Adults, 34 ENSIGN APRIL 2007 VOLUME 37 • NUMBER 4 AN OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS The First Presidency: Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust Quorum of the Twelve: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Joseph B. Wirthlin, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar Editor: Jay E. Jensen Advisers: Gary J. Coleman, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, Gerald N. Lund, W. Douglas Shumway Managing Director: David L. Frischknecht Editorial Director: Victor D. Cave Senior Editor: Larry Hiller Graphics Director: Allan R. Loyborg Managing Editor: Don L. Searle Assistant Managing Editor: LaRene Porter Gaunt Senior Editors: Linda Stahle Cooper, Michael R. Morris, Judith M. Paller Assistant Editor: Melissa Merrill Editorial Staff: Susan Barrett, Ryan Carr, Monica L. Dickinson, Jenifer L. Greenwood, R. Val Johnson, Adam C. Olson Editorial Intern: Erin Marie Pitcher Senior Secretary: Christy Banz Publications Assistant: Sally J. Odekirk Marketing Manager: Larry Hiller Managing Art Director: M. M. Kawasaki Art Director: J. Scott Knudsen Senior Designers: C. Kimball Bott, Colleen Hinckley Design and Production Staff: Cali R. Arroyo, Collette Nebeker Aune, Thomas S. Child, Eric P. Johnsen, Jane Ann Peters, Randall J. Pixton, Scott Van Kampen Printing Director: Craig K. Sedgwick Distribution Director: Randy J. Benson © 2007 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The Ensign (ISSN 0884-1136) is published monthly by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 E. North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah. To subscribe: By phone, call 1-800-537-5971 to order using Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, or American Express. Online,go to ldscatalog.com. By mail,send $10 U.S. check or money order to Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368. To change address: Send both old and new address information to Distribution Services at the above address. Please allow 60 days for changes to take effect. The Ensign can be found on the Internet at www.lds.org, under Gospel Library. Text and visual material in the Ensign may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Visual material may not be copied if restrictions are indicated in the credit line with the artwork. Copyright questions should be addressed to Intellectual Property Office, 50 E. North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3011; e-mail: cor-intellectualproperty@ldschurch.org. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. Canada Post Information: Publication Agreement #40017431 ;;;First Presidency Message Enriching Your Marriage BY PRESIDENT JAMES E. FAUST Second Counselor in the First Presidency Marriage is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful, and the divine. Many years ago when I was practicing law, I was consulted by a woman who wanted a divorce from her husband on grounds that, in my opinion, seemed justified. After the divorce was concluded, I did not see her again for many years. In a chance meeting with her on the street, I noticed that the years of loneliness and discouragement were evident in her once-beautiful face. After we passed a few pleasantries, she was quick to say that life had not been rich and rewarding for her and that she was tired of facing the struggle alone. Then she startled me by disclosing, "Bad as it was, if I had to do it over again and had known then what I do now, I would not have sought the divorce. This is worse." Statistically, it is difficult to avoid divorce. Experts project that about half of the women in the United States will have a marriage dissolve sometime in their lives. Divorce is also increasing in many other countries. Unless the present rate of ever-increasing divorces diminishes, even more marriages will come to a tragic end. Divorce can be justified only in the rarest of circumstances. In my opinion, "just cause" for divorce should be nothing less serious than a prolonged and apparently irredeemable relationship that destroys a person's dignity as a human being. Divorce often tears people's lives apart and shears family happiness. Frequently in a divorce the parties lose much more than they gain. The traumatic experience one goes through in divorce seems little understood and is perhaps not well enough appreciated. Certainly, much more sympathy and understanding need to be extended to those who have experienced this great tragedy and whose lives cannot be reversed. Yet for those who are divorced, there is still much to be hoped for and expected in terms of fulfillment and happiness in life, particularly in the forgetting of self and in the rendering of service to others. Difficult Questions Why is happiness in marriage so fragile and fleeting for so many yet so abundant for others? Why does the resulting train of heartache and suffering have to be so long and have so many innocent people on board? What are the missing enriching ingredients in so many marriages that began with such happiness and so many high hopes? I have long pondered these difficult questions. Having spent almost a lifetime dealing with human experiences, I am somewhat familiar with the problems of unhappy marriages, of divorce, and of heartbroken families. I can also speak of great happiness because, thanks to my beloved Ruth, I have found in marriage the richest fulfillment of human existence. Reasons for Divorce There are no simple, easy answers to the challenging and complex questions of happiness in marriage. Among the many supposed reasons for divorce are the serious problems of selfishness, immaturity, lack of commitment, inadequate communication, and unfaithfulness. In my experience there is another reason for failure of marriage that seems not so obvious but that precedes and laces through all of the others. It is the lack of a constant enrichment in marriage, an absence of that something extra which makes it precious, special, and wonderful, and without which it becomes drudgery or difficult or even dull. Enriching a Marriage You might wonder, "How can a marriage be constantly enriched?" We build our marriages with endless friendship, confidence, and integrity and also by ministering to and sustaining each other in our difficulties. Adam, speaking of Eve, said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh" (Genesis 2:23). There are a few simple, relevant questions that each person, whether married or contemplating marriage, should honestly ask in an effort to become "one flesh." They are: First, am I able to think of the interest of my marriage and spouse first before I think of my own desires? Second, how deep is my commitment to my companion, aside from any other interests? Third, is he or she my best friend? Fourth, do I have respect for the dignity of my spouse as a person of worth and value? Fifth, do we quarrel over money? Money itself seems neither to make a couple happy, nor the lack of it, necessarily, to make them unhappy. A quarrel over money is often a symbol of selfishness. Sixth, is there a spiritually sanctifying bond between us? Building Bridges of Enrichment Several key practices can contribute to enriching a marriage. Prayer. Marriage relationships can be enriched by better communication. One important way is to pray together. This will resolve many of the differences, if there are any, between the couple before going to sleep. I do not mean to overemphasize differences, but they are real and do make things interesting. I believe our differences are the little pinches of salt that can make the marriage seem more flavorful. We communicate in a thousand ways, such as a smile, a brush of the hair, a gentle touch. We should remember each day to say, "I love you." The husband should say to his wife, "You're beautiful." Some other important words for both husband and wife to say, when appropriate, are, "I'm sorry." Listening is also an excellent form of communication. Trust. Complete trust in each other is one of the greatest enriching factors in marriage. Nothing devastates the core of mutual trust necessary to maintain a fulfilling relationship like infidelity. There is never any justification for adultery. Despite this destructive experience, occasionally marriages are saved and families preserved. To do so requires the aggrieved party to be capable of giving unreserved love great enough to forgive and forget. It requires the errant party to want desperately to repent and actually forsake evil. Our loyalty to our eternal companion should not be merely physical, but mental and spiritual as well. Since there are no harmless flirtations and there is no place for jealousy after marriage, it is best to avoid the very appearance of evil by shunning any questionable contact with another to whom we are not married. Virtue. Virtue is the strong glue that holds it all together. Said the Lord, "Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else" (D&C 42:22). Divine presence. Of all that can bless marriages, there is one special enriching ingredient that above all else will help join a man and a woman together in a very real, sacred, spiritual sense. It is the presence of the divine in marriage. Shakespeare, speaking through Queen Isabel in King Henry the Fifth, said, "God, the best maker of all marriages, / Combine your hearts in one" (act 5, scene 2, lines 67-68). God is also the best keeper of marriages. There are many things that go into enriching a marriage, but some of them seem to be of the husk of the relationship. Having the companionship and enjoying the fruits of a holy and divine presence become the kernel of great happiness in marriage. Spiritual oneness is the anchor. Slow leaks in the sanctifying dimension of marriage often cause marriages to become flat tires. I believe that divorces are increasing because in many cases the union lacks that sanctifying benediction that flows from keeping the commandments of God. Marriages can die from a lack of spiritual nourishment. Tithing. I learned in serving almost 20 years as bishop and as stake president that an excellent insurance against divorce is the payment of tithing. Payment of tithing seems to facilitate keeping the spiritual battery charged in order to make it through the times when the spiritual generator has been idle or is not working. There is no great or majestic music that constantly produces the harmony of a great love. The most perfect music is a welding of two voices into one spiritual song. Marriage is the way provided by God for the fulfillment of the greatest of human needs, based upon mutual respect, maturity, selflessness, decency, commitment, and honesty. Happiness in marriage and parenthood can exceed a thousand times any other happiness. Parenthood. The soul of the marriage is greatly enriched and the spiritual growing process is greatly strengthened when a couple become parents. For couples who can have children, parenthood should bring the greatest of all happiness. Men grow because as fathers they must take care of their families. Women blossom because as mothers they must forget themselves. We understand best the full meaning of love when we become parents. However, if children do not come, couples who are nevertheless prepared to receive them with love will be honored and blessed by the Lord for their faithfulness. Our homes should be among the most hallowed of all earthly sanctuaries. In the enriching of marriage, the big things are the little things. There must be constant appreciation for each other and thoughtful demonstration of gratitude. A couple must encourage and help each other grow. Marriage is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful, and the divine. The Savior has said, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). May the presence of God be found enriching and blessing all marriages and homes, especially those of His Saints, as part of His eternal plan. IDEAS FOR HOME TEACHERS After prayerfully studying this message, share it using a method that encourages the participation of those you teach. Following are some examples: 1. Roll two different colors of clay into balls. Explain that each color represents a marriage partner. Roll the two balls into one ball. Ask a family member to try to separate the two colors. Discuss President Faust's six questions one should ask when married or contemplating marriage. Testify of the importance of being unified in marriage. 2. Invite the family to stand in a circle. Have each person represent a key practice of enriching marriage. As you discuss the practice they represent, have them link arms or hold hands with the person at their side. Explain that the link would be broken if one family member was removed from the circle. Testify of the importance of keeping marriages strong. 3. Bring a saltshaker. Explain how salt enhances the flavor of food. Read the sentence where President Faust compares differences in marriage to pinches of salt, and discuss how differences can enhance marriage. If teaching a married couple, ask what they have done to increase their appreciation of one another. ;;;Mother, COME HOME BY SHAUNA BIRD DUNN The job opportunity was everything I had trained and planned and hoped for during the past 15 years. How could I pass it up? When I was a teenager, I decided that when I grew up I wanted to be the leader of a large corporation. I planned the rest of my education based on that decision. I took foreign language and advanced-placement classes in high school and majored in marketing and economics in college, all to strengthen my résumé and progress along the path toward corporate leadership. I had my life mapped out. After my mission, I would graduate with a law degree and a master's degree in administration, work for several years, get married--not before age 30 at the earliest--and then, after a couple of years, I would maybe consider having a child. Right in the middle of my graduate studies, the Spirit strongly told me I should marry the young man I was dating. Luckily, I listened--Brent was too good to pass up! He was worried about my attitude toward having children, but he followed the promptings he received to marry me anyway. While waiting outside the Salt Lake Temple for Brent and me to come out, my sister asked my mother, "Do you think they'll have any kids?" My mother responded, "I think Shauna will have one, just to say she did it." An Unexpected Decision Shortly after we were married, Brent and I both felt strongly impressed that there was a child who needed to come to our family right away. I don't think I have ever seen Brent more surprised than he was when I told him, "I think Heavenly Father wants us to try to have a baby soon." His response was, "I felt the same way, but I was too afraid of your reaction to bring it up." Less than a year later, we welcomed our son Malachi into our family. I still dreamed of being a corporate leader. My husband was supportive and helpful. We promised each other to live by the Spirit and follow those promptings. As we talked about our life plans with each other and with our Heavenly Father, it seemed to us that my goals were acceptable to the Lord. A Long-Sought Opportunity Fast forward a couple of years. As I was finishing graduate school, I interviewed with a large international company for a position in their prestigious two-year training program. This program seemed to be the fast track to corporate leadership, my dream come true. The compensation package was amazing--about four times as much as anything else I had been considering. The competition was fierce, so being offered a position would be extremely gratifying. The company had an even more enticing compensation and reward package to encourage graduates of the program to stay with them. If I were accepted, it seemed that once I completed the program I could design my own future. I envisioned someday wearing power suits to my penthouse office, dazzling my co-workers and employees with my expertise, and cashing paychecks that truly reflected my value. After my third fly-back interview, I received a telephone call from corporate headquarters. They were offering me the position. There were so many reasons to accept this job. The money could be used to pay off my pending student loan debt. The recruiters' views of my university might be tainted by a refusal. And mostly, this position seemed to be everything I had trained and planned and worked for during the past 15 years. I figured that after completing the program I could work part-time while our children were young and then return to full-time work when I was ready to more actively pursue my dream of corporate leadership. I could have it all! But just as the elation and excitement at being offered the position began swelling within me, a different feeling emerged: the sinking feeling that this was not what Heavenly Father wanted me to do. Brent was supportive. He prayed and counseled with me, and he promised to support me in whatever decision I reached through prayer and counsel with the Lord. I prayed that night and told Heavenly Father the unbelievable benefits of this position. But still the Spirit let me know that I should refuse it. I called back and turned down the offer. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I felt I was giving up my chance to make something of my life--that I was giving up my well-earned reward for four grueling years of graduate study, giving up my chance to be fulfilled in this life, giving up my dreams. Even though I knew it was the right decision, it was really, really hard. A New Direction Brent and I prayed to know what to do next. A job fell into my lap, and I ended up working with a company I enjoyed, with flexible hours. It wasn't quite the high-powered career I had envisioned, but it paid the bills. Brent stayed home with Malachi and worked on his fledgling business on the side while I worked full time. While this decision may not be right for everyone, we had prayed about this new direction for our lives, and it was right for us. We promised the Lord we would try to stay close to the Spirit and always make prayerful decisions about our lives. As a result of these prayerful decisions, we welcomed our daughter Sophia into our family. After four years with this company, I felt that I was not supposed to work outside the home anymore. After another long night of counseling with my husband and with the Lord, I told the company owner I would be leaving. This decision took a leap of faith because we still had bills to pay, including student loans, and we had recently welcomed another daughter, Aerie, to our family. But I had learned that I am happiest when I follow the Lord's plan for my life rather than my own personal plans. Three years after this difficult decision to leave my job, our daughter Aerie asked me, "Mom, if someone said you could have ten thousand million diamonds or your Aerie, what would you choose?" I told her, "I would choose my Aerie." She went on, "If someone said you could have ten million hundred dollars or your Aerie, what would you choose?" Again I told her, "I would choose my Aerie." She jumped up and down, crying with glee, "I knew you would say that! I just knew you would say that!" It hit me then that I had chosen my Aerie. Had I taken the position with the large international company, I probably would not have her in my life. And she is truly a joy, as are our four other children. "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" Just after this experience with Aerie, I had a tender moment in Relief Society. I had always sung the hymn "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" with thoughts of missionary service. This time as we sang the hymn, my heart was filled as I applied the words to my own situation: It may not be on the mountain height Or over the stormy sea, It may not be at the battle's front My Lord will have need of me. But if, by a still, small voice he calls To paths that I do not know, I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine: I'll go where you want me to go. There's surely somewhere a lowly place In earth's harvest fields so wide Where I may labor through life's short day For Jesus, the Crucified. So trusting my all to thy tender care, And knowing thou lovest me, I'll do thy will with a heart sincere: I'll be what you want me to be.1 Over the past seven years since I made the decision to be home full-time with my children, I have stayed up many nights to comfort a sick or frightened child instead of staying up preparing a presentation for the board of directors; worn clothes covered in peanut butter smears instead of power suits; cleaned my home each day instead of enjoying a penthouse view from my office; bandaged "owies" and encouraged piano practice instead of handing out performance reviews; and enjoyed hugs and kisses instead of stock options as my compensation plan. In doing so, I have come to realize that a mother's work is the Lord's work. As a mother, I am not just a co-creator with God when children grow within my body; I am a co-creator with Him as I help these children learn to walk their own path and become the people He wants them to be. I find it telling that God experiences great joy in His role as a parent. He says in Moses 1:39, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." That is my work and my glory too--to do those things that will help my children along the path to immortality and eternal life. Powerful Lessons Motherhood isn't easy, but it is worth it. Many times I have looked around and said to myself, "For this I went to college?" and then I think of the promise made to mothers by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been."2 I'm grateful for my calling as a mother. I'm grateful for each of our five children, who teach me daily about purity, trust, and love, and about becoming more like the Savior. They help me understand how powerfully Heavenly Father loves me because I am His child. I am grateful for my testimony of the Savior and His sacrifice for me, for it is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that hearts can be changed--that my heart could be changed. I'm grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which led me to make significant changes in my attitude and desires to more fully follow the Lord's plan for my life. I am indebted to the Lord for sending His Spirit to guide my life in the way He wants it to go, for lifting me in the difficult times, for giving me glimpses of the joy that comes from submitting to Him and seeking to assist in His work and His glory. ? NOTES 1. Hymns, no. 270. 2. "Because She Is a Mother," Ensign, May 1997, 36. "May I say to mothers collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are doing terrifically well. The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. He knows that your giving birth to a child does not immediately propel you into the circle of the omniscient. If you and your husband will strive to love God and live the gospel yourselves; if you will plead for that guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit promised to the faithful; if you will go to the temple to both make and claim the promises of the most sacred covenants a woman or man can make in this world; if you will show others, including your children, the same caring, compassionate, forgiving heart you want heaven to show you; if you try your best to be the best parent you can be, you will have done all that a human being can do and all that God expects you to do." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Because She Is a Mother," Ensign, May 1997, 36. ;;;Gospel Classics: The Sacrament--and the Sacrifice David B. Haight was born on September 2, 1906, in Oakley, Idaho, to Hector C. and Clara Tuttle Haight. He married Ruby Olson in the Salt Lake Temple on September 4, 1930. Prior to his call as a General Authority, he had a successful career in retail sales; served as mayor of Palo Alto, California; and presided over the Scottish Mission. He was ordained an Apostle on January 8, 1976. He died on July 31, 2004, at age 97. BY ELDER DAVID B. HAIGHT (1906-2004) Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles I witness to you that He is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, Savior to all, Redeemer of all mankind, Bestower of infinite love, mercy, and forgiveness, the Light and Life of the World. Six months ago at the April general conference, I was excused from speaking as I was convalescing from a serious operation. My life has been spared, and I now have the pleasant opportunity of acknowledging the blessings, comfort, and ready aid of my Brethren in the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve and other wonderful associates and friends to whom I owe so much and who surrounded my dear wife, Ruby, and my family with their time, attention, and prayers. . . . The evening of my health crisis, I knew something very serious had happened to me. Events happened so swiftly--the pain striking with such intensity, my dear Ruby phoning the doctor and our family, and I on my knees leaning over the bathtub for support and some comfort and hoped relief from the pain. I was pleading to my Heavenly Father to spare my life a while longer to give me a little more time to do His work, if it was His will. While still praying, I began to lose consciousness. The siren of the paramedic truck was the last that I remembered before unconsciousness overtook me, which would last for the next several days. The terrible pain and commotion of people ceased. I was now in a calm, peaceful setting; all was serene and quiet. I was conscious of two persons in the distance on a hillside, one standing on a higher level than the other. Detailed features were not discernible. The person on the higher level was pointing to something I could not see. I heard no voices but was conscious of being in a holy presence and atmosphere. During the hours and days that followed, there was impressed again and again upon my mind the eternal mission and exalted position of the Son of Man. I witness to you that He is Jesus the Christ; the Son of God; Savior to all; Redeemer of all mankind; Bestower of infinite love, mercy, and forgiveness; the Light and Life of the World. I knew this truth before--I had never doubted nor wondered. But now I knew, because of the impressions of the Spirit upon my heart and soul, these divine truths in a most unusual way. I was shown a panoramic view of His earthly ministry: His baptism, His teaching, His healing the sick and lame, the mock trial, His Crucifixion, His Resurrection and Ascension. There followed scenes of His earthly ministry to my mind in impressive detail, confirming scriptural eyewitness accounts. I was being taught, and the eyes of my understanding were opened by the Holy Spirit of God so as to behold many things. The first scene was of the Savior and His Apostles in the upper chamber on the eve of His betrayal. Following the Passover supper, He instructed and prepared the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for His dearest friends as a remembrance of His coming sacrifice. It was so impressively portrayed to me--the overwhelming love of the Savior for each. I witnessed His thoughtful concern for significant details--the washing of the dusty feet of each Apostle, His breaking and blessing of the loaf of dark bread and blessing of the wine, then His dreadful disclosure that one would betray Him. He explained Judas's departure and told the others of the events soon to take place. Then followed the Savior's solemn discourse when He said to the Eleven: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Our Savior prayed to His Father and acknowledged the Father as the source of His authority and power--even to the extending of eternal life to all who are worthy. He prayed, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Jesus then reverently added: "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:3-5). He pled not only for the disciples called out from the world who had been true to their testimony of Him, "but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). When they had sung a hymn, Jesus and the Eleven went out to the Mount of Olives. There, in the garden, in some manner beyond our comprehension, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world. His agony in the garden, Luke tells us, was so intense "his sweat was as . . . great drops of blood falling . . . to the ground" (Luke 22:44). He suffered an agony and a burden the like of which no human person would be able to bear. In that hour of anguish our Savior overcame all the power of Satan. The glorified Lord revealed to Joseph Smith this admonition to all mankind: "Therefore I command you to repent. . . . "For . . . I, God, . . . suffered . . . for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; . . . "Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, . . . "Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments" (D&C 19:15-16, 18, 20). During those days of unconsciousness, I was given, by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, a more perfect knowledge of His mission. I was also given a more complete understanding of what it means to exercise, in His name, the authority to unlock the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven for the salvation of all who are faithful. My soul was taught over and over again the events of the betrayal, the mock trial, the scourging of the flesh of even one of the Godhead. I witnessed His struggling up the hill in His weakened condition carrying the cross and His being stretched upon it as it lay on the ground, that the crude spikes could be driven with a mallet into His hands and wrists and feet to secure His body as it hung on the cross for public display. Crucifixion--the horrible and painful death which He suffered--was chosen from the beginning. By that excruciating death, He descended below all things, as is recorded, that through His Resurrection He would ascend above all things (see D&C 88:6). Jesus Christ died in the literal sense in which we will all die. His body lay in the tomb. The immortal spirit of Jesus, chosen as the Savior of mankind, went to those myriads of spirits who had departed mortal life with varying degrees of righteousness to God's laws. He taught them the "glorious tidings of redemption from the bondage of death, and of possible salvation . . . [that was] part of [our] Savior's foreappointed and unique service to the human family."1 I cannot begin to convey to you the deep impact that these scenes have confirmed upon my soul. I sense their eternal meaning and realize that "nothing in the entire plan of salvation compares in any way in importance with that most transcendent of all events, the atoning sacrifice of our Lord. It is the most important single thing that has ever occurred in the entire history of created things; it is the rock foundation upon which the gospel and all other things rest,"2 as has been declared. Father Lehi taught his son Jacob and us today: "Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. "Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. "Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved" (2 Nephi 2:6-9). Our most valuable worship experience in the sacrament meeting is the sacred ordinance of the sacrament, for it provides the opportunity to focus our minds and hearts upon the Savior and His sacrifice. The Apostle Paul warned the early Saints against eating this bread and drinking this cup of the Lord unworthily (see 1 Corinthians 11:27-30). Our Savior Himself instructed the Nephites, "Whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily [brings] damnation to his soul" (3 Nephi 18:29). Worthy partakers of the sacrament are in harmony with the Lord and put themselves under covenant with Him to always remember His sacrifice for the sins of the world, to take upon them the name of Christ, and to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments. The Savior covenants that we who do so shall have His Spirit to be with us and that, if faithful to the end, we may inherit eternal life. Our Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that "there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation" (D&C 6:13), which plan includes the ordinance of the sacrament as a continuous reminder of the Savior's atoning sacrifice. He gave instructions that "it is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus" (D&C 20:75). Immortality comes to us all as a free gift by the grace of God alone, without works of righteousness. Eternal life, however, is the reward for obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel. I testify to all of you that our Heavenly Father does answer our righteous pleadings. The added knowledge which has come to me has made a great impact upon my life. The gift of the Holy Ghost is a priceless possession and opens the door to our ongoing knowledge of God and eternal joy. ? From an October 1989 general conference address; capitalization and punctuation modernized. NOTES 1. James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 6th ed. (1922), 671. 2. Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (1966), 60. ;;;LESSONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT The Joy of Repentance BY ELDER CRAIG C. CHRISTENSEN Of the Seventy True happiness comes from repenting of our sins and living worthy of the Spirit. Throughout His mortal ministry, the Savior showed great love for each son and daughter of God--especially those who had fallen. In the parables of the lost sheep, the lost piece of silver, and the prodigal son, the Lord emphasized the importance of reaching out to those who stray or are lost and the joy that is felt when they return (see Luke 15). For example, He said, "Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7). I wish to focus on the great joy that comes to those who repent and the feelings of joy we receive as we help others through the repentance process. "Men Are, That They Might Have Joy" Joy is much deeper than simply passing moments of contentment or feelings of happiness. Real joy, or "everlasting joy" (2 Nephi 8:11), comes from experiencing the power of the Atonement through sincere repentance and from a spiritual confirmation that we can be redeemed from sin through the Lord Jesus Christ and inherit eternal life. The prophet Lehi taught that Heavenly Father's plan for each of us is that we "might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25) and that the only sure way to find everlasting joy is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Although we cannot receive a fulness of joy in this life (see D&C 93:33-34), we can receive daily manifestations of joy as we live the gospel. Mormon taught the pattern for finding joy when he said of the faithful Nephites, "They did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God" (Helaman 3:35). Filled with Joy through the Holy Ghost In many scriptures the prophets speak of feeling joy and feeling the Holy Ghost in similar terms. For example, in the book of Acts we learn that "the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 13:52). And the Lord promises those who follow Him, "I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy" (D&C 11:13). When we understand that being filled with joy involves being filled with the Holy Ghost, we realize that true happiness comes from repenting of our sins and living worthy of the Spirit. In addition, when feeling the Spirit, we can find great joy in knowing that we are being sanctified before God. The joy that comes from repentance is evident on many levels. First is the joy and comfort that come to the heart of a repentant soul as the burden of sin is lifted. Second are the deep feelings of joy and love that come to those who help others work through the repentance process. And finally there are the joyful feelings of a loving Savior as He sees us follow His admonitions and rely upon the healing power of His atoning sacrifice. As we apply the Atonement in our lives, we must reflect on the Savior and His infinite gift to us, exercise faith in Him, and seek a spiritual confirmation that He can and will redeem us from all our sins and infirmities. Thus, we will feel the joy and peace that can be manifested to us only by His Holy Spirit. Our experience will be like that of the people of Zarahemla: "The Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come" (Mosiah 4:3). "That I Might Bring Souls unto Repentance" After we have felt the joy that comes through the blessings of the Atonement, we can also find great joy in inviting others to come unto Christ. While teaching his son Helaman, Alma said: "I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. "Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors" (Alma 36:24-25). The Savior Himself taught: "If it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! "And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me . . . , how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" (D&C 18:15-16). "How Great Is His Joy in the Soul That Repenteth" Finally, I cannot help but imagine the sense of fulfillment the Savior must feel each time we repent of our sins and apply His atoning sacrifice in our lives. Surely John echoed the Savior's feelings when he declared, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 1:4). Christ, speaking of Himself, said, "How great is his joy in the soul that repenteth" (D&C 18:13). After teaching the Nephites about His Atonement and what they needed to do to stand spotless before Him, Jesus expressed His feelings to them by saying: "My joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you . . . ; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost. . . . In them I have fulness of joy" (3 Nephi 27:30-31). I testify that we too can find joy in this life and a fulness of joy in the life hereafter by "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2; emphasis added). ? THE JOY OF A REPENTANT SOUL We can learn much about the joy that follows true repentance by studying the experiences of the Apostle Paul and Alma the Younger, although our experiences may not be as dramatic (see Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-31; Mosiah 27:8-31; Alma 36:5-24). Paul and Alma were men of influence who went about persecuting the Saints. In the midst of their destructive actions, both men received heavenly visitors. An angel of the Lord appeared to Alma, while Jesus Himself spoke to Paul, asking, "Why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4). Both men fell to the earth as a result of what they saw and heard. Alma was struck dumb, and Paul became blind. More important, both men recovered from their wicked and fallen state in a similar way. Paul simply asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). He immediately turned his life to the Savior and followed the Lord's instructions with exactness. Alma describes his repentance: "As I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. "Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. "And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!" (Alma 36:17-20; emphasis added). --Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Seventy ;;;He Will Give You Rest My heart hurt with hers. I wanted so much to help her because I felt that her remorse and her desire to do right were sincere. BY DENNIS L. McDANIEL I was serving as a missionary when I met Susie (name has been changed). She and her family had been taught the gospel by two missionaries who worked in the mission office with me. They had received all the lessons and had accepted the invitation to be baptized and confirmed. It was my privilege to interview this wonderful family of four: mother, father, younger brother, and Susie. I had completed the baptismal interviews for the other three family members and had found them wonderfully prepared and excited to be part of the Lord's kingdom. But when Susie walked in, she seemed quiet and somewhat hesitant to meet with me. I began asking questions about what she had been taught. She knew the story of the Prophet Joseph Smith and believed it; she had read the Book of Mormon and knew it to be true; and she accepted the Church as the only true and living Church on the earth and wanted to be part of it. I asked Susie about her willingness to live the law of tithing, the Word of Wisdom, and other commandments. She said she understood these and was willing to live them for the rest of her life. Indeed, the interview was much like those I had had with the rest of her family. Then I asked, "Can you tell me what the law of chastity is?" Her countenance immediately changed. I quickly recognized this must be why she seemed hesitant to meet with me. Before I could say anything, she covered her face with both hands, put her face and hands in her lap, and began to sob uncontrollably. We sat without speaking for several minutes. I was unsure of what to say, and Susie could not stop sobbing. I prayed for the Lord's help and asked Susie what was wrong. She finally lifted her face and told me that several weeks before meeting the missionaries she and her boyfriend had done things the missionaries had taught her were wrong according to the Lord's law. She had already told her boyfriend what she had learned and had told him she would no longer be involved in such a relationship. She had even suggested to him that he meet with the missionaries and hear what she now knew was true. Still, the guilt for having engaged in these acts weighed down her soul. My heart hurt with hers. I wanted so much to help her because I felt that her remorse and her desire to do right and be baptized were sincere. At that moment, the answer to my prayer came clearly. I asked her, "Susie, would you like to be free of the guilt and pain of this sin?" Once again her hands covered her face, and her head bowed. She uttered only one word: "Yes." Her tears came even more freely, and I consoled her by talking about the Atonement and how she could apply it to her life. I explained that one purpose of baptism and confirmation is to heal the souls of those who are sincere in repentance, and without question I found her to be sincere. We completed the interview with a prayer. The Spirit of the Lord was clearly present, more powerfully than I had ever before felt in an interview. My companion and I arrived at the chapel shortly before the baptism. There was no time to speak to Susie or her family prior to the service. After the singing and the talks, they were baptized--first her mother, then her father, then her brother, and finally Susie. She walked down into the font, and her smile told the story--the healing balm of the Master was working in her heart. As she came out of the water, tears were in her eyes and mine. Her smile was even bigger than before, and her countenance was radiant. I understood at that moment why the Savior taught, "Come unto me, all ye that . . . are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). We spoke only briefly after the service. I welcomed the family as new members of the Lord's kingdom. As I shook Susie's hand, I wanted to tell her how much this experience had meant to me. I had repented in my life and felt the power of the Atonement, but I was grateful to have felt it more powerfully than ever before because of my association with her. Joining the Church is a challenge in and of itself. Joining under such personally strained circumstances had to be an even greater challenge for Susie, as it is for many new members. But the Atonement of Jesus Christ made the challenge surmountable and led this wonderful daughter of God to conversion and a healing of the soul. It also taught an impressionable young missionary an important lesson about applying the Atonement in his own life. ? ;;;THE GREAT TABERNACLE: A BUILDING OF PURPOSE AND SPIRIT The history surrounding the Tabernacle on Temple Square is an inspiration to us, as well as an example of sacrifice and the joy that follows as we help build the kingdom of God. The story of the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, is much like the story of the Latter-day Saint people. The Tabernacle was built under less than favorable circumstances through great sacrifice. Understanding the Tabernacle's history can help Church members understand more of their own Church history and appreciate the marvel that is the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Although a visit to the Tabernacle is impressive, knowing how it came to be will allow us to appreciate it in a way we could not by just walking inside. When President Brigham Young (1801-77) and the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, they wasted no time in beginning to make the desert blossom. The prophet chose a site for the temple and planned the rest of the city around this site. One of the Saints' foremost needs was a place to gather, and that need was fulfilled when they built a bowery on the temple site only a week after they arrived in the valley. That first bowery was replaced by a second, and the second by an adobe tabernacle (later known as the Old Adobe Tabernacle). These earlier structures gave the pioneer builders experience and confidence when the time came to build "the Great Tabernacle," as did their previous experiences in building the Kirtland Temple in Ohio and the Nauvoo Temple in Illinois. A Grand Design In a press conference at the start of the Tabernacle's recent renovation, President Gordon B. Hinckley commented: "I absolutely marvel at President Young's boldness in going forward with this project. Way out here in this then-remote wilderness, without steel, with their bare hands, very little in the way of resources, they determined to construct a building to accommodate their needs for assembly and to dream of such a building as this--unique and different from anything that I've seen anywhere in this world."1 In both form and function the Tabernacle points to the gathering of Zion in the latter days. Its design reflects the centrality of the prophet's guidance to the Church. The Restoration of the gospel meant that living prophets were again on the earth, and for the Saints to hear the prophets, a large gathering place was necessary. It needed to have good acoustics. It needed good sight lines. And it needed to be comfortable and easily accessible so the Saints could be instructed. The design of the Tabernacle also evidenced the Church's hierarchy. The original tiered seating and pulpits of the rostrum reflected the leadership of the Brethren who were seated there. Even the placement of the Tabernacle, directly on axis with the Salt Lake Temple, shows its importance--its joint centrality and connectedness with the temple. The Saints were not simply a religious congregation; they were a covenant people. A Building with Purpose For many years the main use of the Taber-nacle was for weekly sacrament meetings. The Saints renewed their covenants each week under the roof of the tabernacle until the 1890s. Over its many years of use, the Tabernacle has served not only as a place for worship but also as a venue for cultural and community events. The Tabernacle Choir has had its home in the Tabernacle for more than 130 years. The building housed general conferences for nearly 140 years. In its lifespan, the Tabernacle has seen funerals of Church leaders, missionary calls, pageants, programs, concerts, and civic meetings. "What a remarkable and useful building it has been," President Hinckley said. "What great purposes it has served. I know of no other structure like it in all the world."2 A Spirit of Its Own If you visit the Tabernacle, you will likely hear a tour guide explain its roof--how it spans 150 feet (46m) with no supports, how it consists of a latticework of timbers and plaster strengthened by horse and cow hair and occupies 10 feet (3m) of space between the ceiling and roof covering. You might also hear that it is an architectural masterpiece. The Saints who built the Tabernacle had few resources, not even steel for the girders. All the building materials were locally acquired, including 1,500,000 board feet (457 km) of timber. Sacrifice was a less tangible raw material that aided in its construction. The Saints were not well off, so the Tabernacle was built using donations. For both the Salt Lake Temple and the Tabernacle, Latter-day Saint artisans from Europe produced hand-grained, hand-marbleized woodwork using methods that are no longer commonplace. The many uses of the building, the people who built it, the very materials it is made of all contribute to the spirit of the Tabernacle. "A building develops a personality of its own," says President Hinckley. "The Spirit of the Lord has been in this structure. It is sacred unto us."3 The Tabernacle Exhibit What the tour guides at the Tabernacle don't tell you is how much the building has changed over its history. Though its structure remains the same, its appearance has changed markedly. You can see these changes and learn much more about the history of the Tabernacle in a current exhibit, which runs through January 2009, at the Museum of Church History and Art. The most recent renovations to the Tabernacle are part of its ever-changing character. It has been seismically updated, and access and seating have been improved, among other changes. "When all is said and done, it will be modern in its strength and capacity but old and beautiful and original and natural in its appearance," President Hinckley promised at the start of the renovation.4 A History of Strength Like the Tabernacle's history, the history of the Latter-day Saints is full of change and growth, of adapting to meet current and future needs. President Hinckley has said: "In imagination I can see Brigham Young standing here and looking up at the men putting together the timbers, and saying, ‘Build it strong, boys. Build it strong!' "Our bodies, . . . our minds, are the tabernacles of our spirits. He who is the Father of those spirits would have us build strength and virtue into these personal tabernacles. Only in such strength is there safety and growth and happiness. If there is one great ringing message I take from the builders of this structure it is this--Be strong!"5 The Tabernacle is a building of great purpose and spirit, and, like the Saints who built it, it is strong. It has withstood the tests of time. ? NOTES 1. Tabernacle renovation press briefing, Oct. 1, 2004, newsroom.lds.org. 2. "Good-bye to This Wonderful Old Tabernacle," Ensign, Nov. 1999, 90. 3. "Good-bye to This Wonderful Old Tabernacle," Ensign, Nov. 1999, 91. 4. Tabernacle renovation press briefing, Oct. 1, 2004, newsroom.lds.org. 5. "Building Your Tabernacle," Ensign, Nov. 1992, 51. Based on historical research by Richard Oman, curator for the Tabernacle exhibit at the Museum of Church History and Art. The Tabernacle Organ It has been run by a team of five men pumping bellows. It has been run by a waterwheel in the basement. And now it is run by electricity. No matter what its source of power, the Tabernacle organ has always been considered one of the greatest organs in the world. Joseph Harris Ridges built the organ at the request of President Brigham Young. Timber for the wood pipes came from Pine Valley, 300 miles south of Salt Lake City. The metal pipes came from Boston, Massachusetts. Ridges's early organ looked much different than the present version. It was five times smaller and had only two keyboards. Over its history, the organ has been added to and updated several times. It now has 11,623 pipes, 206 ranks of voices, and 5 keyboards. Daily recitals were given in the Tabernacle for nearly 100 years, until 2005, when the Tabernacle was closed for renovation. ? BUILT IN THE WILDERNESS "To me it is a miracle building. I think of the skill of those who designed it and know that there must have been great inspiration behind that skill. I think of faith as I reflect on the time and circumstance of its construction. It is truly a tabernacle, built in the wilderness from which the voice of the servants of the Lord should go forth to the world." President Gordon B. Hinckley, "Building Your Tabernacle," Ensign, Nov. 1992, 51. Above: This early photo shows the Tabernacle under construction. The building was to be 150 feet (46m) wide, 250 feet (76m) long, and 64 feet (20m) tall. It has served as a central meeting place for Latter-day Saints for nearly 150 years. Construction began in 1863. General conference was held in the partially completed building in October 1867, and it was dedicated in October 1875. Below left: President Heber J. Grant speaks from the pulpit in the Tabernacle, circa 1930. Below center: President David O. McKay with then Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, the day he was called as an Apostle, September 30, 1961. Below right: The Old Adobe Tabernacle after the construction of the Temple Square wall. Notice the decorative elements following the slope of the gable. The first meeting place on Temple Square was the bowery, a simple pole structure with open sides and roofed with willow branches. This 1862 photo shows a later bowery, behind the Old Adobe Tabernacle. This bowery was enlarged as needed to accommodate the increasing number of Saints. The first conference in the Salt Lake Valley, August 22, 1847, was held in the original 40-by-28-foot (12 x 8.5m) bowery located on the southwest corner of Temple Square. All the Presidents of the Church from Brigham Young to Gordon B. Hinckley have spoken from the pulpit of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle and its predecessor buildings have always served as a place for the Saints to gather to hear the word of the Lord. The completed Tabernacle, circa 1870. The Tabernacle as it appeared circa 1940, with an oxidized tin roof. Organ with 1915 extension (above) and without extensions in 1904 (right). Timeline: 1847 A week after the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, they built a bowery where they gathered to hear the prophet and take the sacrament. 1849 A second bowery replaced the first. It was sturdier, with walls and a shingled roof. Canvas awnings were later added to house larger audiences. 1851-52 An adobe tabernacle was constructed in the southwest corner of Temple Square. It protected audiences from the weather, unlike the previous boweries. 1854 Seats were set up north of the adobe tabernacle to provide room for thousands more. The next year the seats were covered with a bowery. Spring 1863 Construction began on "the Great Tabernacle." October 1867 General conference was held for the first time in the Tabernacle. 1869-70 A balcony was built to provide additional seating in the Tabernacle. July 4, 1873 The Tabernacle Choir performed inside the building for the first time. October 1875 Construction on the Tabernacle was completed, and it was dedicated in general conference. July 15, 1929 The Tabernacle Choir's weekly radio program, Music and the Spoken Word, was broadcast from the Tabernacle for the first time. 1947 For the centennial of the arrival of the pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley, a new aluminum roof replaced the shingles of the Tabernacle. 1970 The Tabernacle became a National Historic Landmark. 1971 The Tabernacle was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, an honor given to other structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Panama Canal. October 1999 General conference was held for the last time in the Tabernacle, which had a seating capacity of about 6,000. Conferences were moved to the Conference Center, which has a seating capacity of 21,000. 2005 The Tabernacle was closed for renovation. April 2007 The Tabernacle reopened. Right: Architectural drawing of the great arched wood trusses bearing on one of the 44 stone piers, which are three feet (.9m) wide and nine feet (2.7m) deep. Massive wood sleepers rest atop the 20-foot (6m) stone piers, transferring their load to the stone piers below. Above: The trusses were framed and put together on the ground and temporarily pinned. When everything was properly fitted and marked, the timbers were taken apart and raised plank by plank and put into place over scaffolding erected for that purpose. Above: The Tabernacle during the summer of 1867. Right: The pews and interior balcony were finished in 1870. Note the star and word Utah on the organ pipes. Above right: The Tabernacle organ was draped in black for the August 1877 funeral of President Brigham Young. The garlands from the ceiling were still in place after the 30-year celebration of the pioneers' July 1847 entry into the valley. Above: Detail showing the orientation of the wedges. The wedge, driven into the peg, expanded the peg to ensure a tight fit. The wedge was driven so that it expanded in the direction of the grain to avoid splitting the trusses at the end. Contrary to legend, some metal bolts were used in the construction of the Tabernacle. Left: A celebration in the Tabernacle after 1884 featuring handcarts and flags. Above left: Richard L. Evans speaks from the pulpit for Music and the Spoken Word, circa 1930. Above: Workers atop the building completing construction of the roof on the west end of the Tabernacle. Above center: President David O. McKay at the pulpit with Elder Spencer W. Kimball in the background. Right: Exterior view of the Tabernacle dome and the spires of the Salt Lake Temple. Left: Tabernacle interior at the 1978 general conference with the newly rebuilt rostrum area. Note the increased number of lights above the Tabernacle Choir. Center left: In 2006 new steel "sister" trusses were installed adjacent to the existing wood lattice trusses. This will preserve the historic arch while providing the level of safety desired for gravity and seismic loads. Above: An aerial view of the new aluminum roof being installed in 2006. ;;;THEY LIVED What They Believed BY ARIEL ARON TORAYA I wasn't sure if true happiness was really attainable--until I met a group of young Latter-day Saints. I was born into a Christian home with two loving parents. They were good people who taught me many virtues, including optimism, hard work, honesty, and kindness. I grew up knowing there was a God but had little idea who He was. I knew He wanted me to be good, but I often fell prey to my weaknesses. Whenever I reflected on where my life was going, I had to admit I wasn't really happy about the results. I wasn't sure being truly happy was even possible. Fellowshipping with the Saints Then I moved to Utah, where I felt as if I were jumping back in time. I had come from a big city, and now I could see fields and cows from my kitchen window. Struggling to fit in with the people in my new area, I wondered why I had moved to such a quiet place. After a year or two I grew to love the beauty of the land, and the stress of my previous nonstop life slipped from my shoulders. But inside I was still unfulfilled. Then one of my neighbors, Daniel, began inviting me to Latter-day Saint single adult activities. I always declined, but he was persistent. Finally I felt I wasn't being a good friend in always turning him down, so I accepted his invitation to attend a dance, dinner, and campout. I went with some trepidation, wondering how I would fit in with a large group of Latter-day Saints. I also feared they might bombard me with their ideas. The young adults I met that night were very friendly. Not only were they fun; they were also true followers of their religion. There was no drinking, smoking, or drugs. Nor was there the contention, slandering, and coarse language I had often found in other social settings. Instead, I found singles enjoying each other's company in a spirit of love and friendship. The following morning as Daniel and I were driving home from the campout, I felt impressed to ask him about these wonderful people I had met. I asked if these people were representative of Latter-day Saints as a whole. He asked if I would like to see what other Latter-day Saints were like. I accepted. A Different Lifestyle That Sunday I attended sacrament meeting, Sunday School, and priesthood meeting with Daniel, and the friends I had made at the activity openly welcomed me. I had previously attended a few sacrament meetings but had never felt the spirit of it until that Sunday as I mingled with those young singles. Already in life I had seen so much of what the world had to offer young adults--drinking, drugs, coarse language and behavior, sexual impropriety, gambling, pornography, and other wicked practices. I had never seen and felt a testimony so moving as that of these singles, who were determined to live the standards of their faith. Coming to Know the Truth Many years earlier I had had a Latter-day Saint friend who tried to share truths about our Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I remember how closed my heart was to the gospel then. I had doubted that anybody had the authority to speak to me for God. Now, however, I read the Book of Mormon and prayed to know whether it was true. I placed hope and faith in my Eternal Father that He would fulfill His promise to answer my prayer. There was no angelic visitation, but my conversion was equally powerful. I cannot doubt the sure witness given by the Spirit of the Lord. Many people feel as I once felt about the gospel. I know the key to my conversion was a testimony provided not by the words of the Lord alone but by those who had faith enough to live by those words. Their actions were a key to my conversion. ? ;;;Three Messages to Young Adults BY ELDER EARL C. TINGEY Of the Presidency of the Seventy If you will put the things of God first, you will make good decisions. Nothing else counts if you do not qualify to return to live with Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. My young adult friends, you live in a time of great promise. Never in the history of the world have there been so many opportunities for choice and success. I have three messages for you as you make your way in the world: be an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, prepare today for life tomorrow, and be willing to accept the responsibilities of marriage. Be Active in the Church As you secure a quality education, commence employment, and look forward to marriage, you should always keep in mind your Church activity. Young single adults are a highly mobile group. You change addresses and telephone numbers often. As Church leaders, we are saddened when we lose contact with you. When this occurs, we can't be in touch with you to invite you to accept a Church calling and to share in all the blessings of Church membership. One of our greatest concerns is that many of our young adults have not established themselves in a unit where they have a bishop and their bishop knows who they are. Every member of the Church should be known by and be accountable to a bishop or branch president. This relationship will provide you with an opportunity to participate in priesthood ordinances, have interviews, secure temple recommends when appropriate, and receive callings in the Church. There should be a clear line to someone holding priesthood keys. If you have two bishops, you have no bishop. If your membership record is not in the ward where you attend and you are not in a position to accept a calling, you may quickly find yourself becoming lost to your leaders. A Church calling is one of the most wonderful blessings you can enjoy at your stage of life. You have so much to contribute to the ward or branch where you live. Your talents and skills are necessary to a growing Church. If you are a returned missionary, you can influence other members with your enthusiasm and your testimony. A calling is also important if you have not yet served a mission. If you have not established yourself in a ward or branch and are not known by your bishop or branch president, will you accept my personal challenge to immediately correct that matter? Become accountable to your priesthood leaders. Sisters, get to know the members of the Relief Society in your area. Become involved in the Relief Society organization. Young men, be worthy to assume the increased responsibilities and enter into the sacred covenants that are part of progressing from the Aaronic Priesthood to the Melchizedek Priesthood. Establish yourself in your local elders quorum, and become an active participant. If you are established in a ward or branch, I challenge you to think of friends or associates in the gospel who have become lost to their priesthood leaders. Encourage these friends to reestablish themselves in the gospel and to become participating members of the Church. Prepare Today for Life Tomorrow The second message I bring you is to make wise decisions in preparation for your future. I have associated with thousands of college-age students. I can honestly say that what you decide to do with respect to your education, employment, preparation for marriage, and Church activity at this time of your life will set the pattern for your future. If you will put the things of God first, you will make good decisions. It is so easy to make a decision that seems attractive at the time but that, in the aggregate, will lead you away from the kingdom of God. Nothing else in eternity counts if you do not qualify today to return to live with Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. In the scriptures we find several statements that may be of help to you. Jesus Christ said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). On another occasion He said, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 10:39). Do you understand that losing your life in the service of others allows you to find your true identity as a child of God? The alternative--being self-centered and not serving God or others--results in losing your life in an eternal sense. As you prepare for your future, your service and association in the environment of the Church are most important. Secure a Good Education We encourage you to get a good education and to acquire the skills necessary to successfully obtain employment, rear a family, and be a contributing member of society. Education and vocational training can be expensive. Learn how to save money and wisely use what funds are available to you. This will help minimize the debt you may have when you complete your education. If you are securing an education while married, it will require that you and your spouse exercise good decision-making skills as you sacrifice to care for your family. You will need to ensure that the needs of your family, your employment, and your education are not jeopardized. Single or married, those of you who are employed should develop a good work ethic. Be productive; magnify your employment skills. Be loyal to your employer. Seek opportunities for advancement and for additional responsibility. Pay your tithes and offerings. Save some of your income, and develop the habit of thrift and self-reliance. Know the True Value of Money One of the great challenges at this stage of your life is to know how to make decisions with respect to spending money. President Brigham Young taught: "If you wish to get rich, save what you get. A fool can earn money; but it takes a wise man to save and dispose of it to his own advantage."1 So many enticing and interesting products are available in our society. They provide pleasure and relaxation. They are intriguing, and they seem necessary. Yet the Savior said: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). Be careful that you do not unwisely surround yourself with physical, temporal playthings that may not be necessary at this stage of your life. Do not feel that you must immediately provide for yourself what your parents had when you left their home. In most cases it took your parents decades to acquire the conveniences of a modern home, and it is simply not practical to seek to acquire them now as you begin your new family home. I can personally testify that some of the sweetest memories my wife and I have are of when our growing family was living in a small apartment as I was completing law school. We had few of life's luxuries. But we didn't know we were poor because we had each other and the blessings of the gospel. These blessings completely overshadowed our lack of physical possessions. Be Willing to Accept the Responsibilities of Marriage The third message I would like to discuss with you--and it connects with the previous two messages--is to be willing to accept the responsibilities of marriage. The Brethren of the Church have a deep and abiding concern that our young single adults know the doctrine of the Church on marriage. The doctrine of the Church with respect to the eternal family is clear. Let me quote from the Doctrine and Covenants: "Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world. "Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory" (D&C 132:15-16). In simple, plain language, marriage for time and all eternity is essential for exaltation. Challenges That May Delay Marriage With this scripture in mind, let me mention some of the factors that may delay marriage. 1. To some, there may seem to be less encouragement for returned missionaries to get married. If that is your understanding, it is a false assumption. All returned missionaries should be encouraged when they return home to remain active in the Church, secure an education, acquire employment skills, and move in the direction of finding an eternal companion. 2. Some young men feel they cannot meet the expectations of some young women. The phrase "high maintenance" is often used to describe those who give the impression they need more than the other can provide. Proper communication can address that uncertainty. 3. An emphasis on education or career may put marriage in a lesser role. Marriage, education, and career can go together. A career without family, where family is possible, is a tragedy. 4. Do not let your life be simply an existence that is fun or selfish. Life is more than an amusement park. Do not be hooked on obtaining possessions. Accept responsibility. 5. A negative perception of marriage as the result of media reports or the experiences of family or friends may deter one from marriage. Some say, "Why get married when there are so many divorces?" The existence of divorce does not mean you cannot have a happy and successful marriage. Don't let the actions of others make your decisions. Determine that your marriage will not be a failure. 6. Some put off marriage for financial reasons. Postponing marriage until money is sufficient to sustain a stylish living is not wise. So much of life together--struggling, adjusting, and learning to cope with life's challenges--is lost when that happens. These and many other concerns may delay marriage. It is not my intent to answer each of these objections to your personal satisfaction. I simply declare the doctrine of the Church with respect to marriage, and I encourage you to have the faith sufficient to move forward in this most important decision of your life. Fear If I could choose one word that best describes most of the reasons for delaying marriage, it would be fear--fear of the future, fear of failure, and so on. It is not unusual to have fear. Fear can be overcome by preparation and faith. When the Apostles of old feared that a great storm would sink their ship, Christ "arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:39-40). The Apostle Paul taught, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). I can honestly say that in my generation, when the opportunity to marry the right person came, the challenges of continuing one's education became secondary to the all-important decision to marry the right person. Many of you young adults have already made that decision and are moving forward with your lives, even though you do not have all the conveniences you might otherwise have. But you are moving forward in accordance with an eternal plan and under a divine pattern that this Church offers all members. Family Some time ago, Sister Tingey and I, who have 4 children and now 21 grandchildren, had a "granddaughter sleepover." Five of our granddaughters, ages 6 to 14, came to our home. In addition to being cousins, they are the closest of friends. We ate a wonderful meal prepared by Sister Tingey. Then the granddaughters did some crafts, also prepared by Sister Tingey. Afterward we played their favorite games, and then they presented a little talent show for Grandma and Grandpa. In the course of the talent show, they sang several favorite Primary songs adapted to grandparents, including the following: I'm so glad when [Grandpa] comes home, Glad as I can be; Clap my hands and shout for joy, Then climb upon his knee, Put my arms around his neck, Hug him tight like this, Pat his cheeks, then give him what? A great big kiss.2 Five granddaughters were on my lap as they sang this song, arms around my neck, patting my cheeks and giving me great big kisses. This is what it's all about. This is family. This is the gospel. This completely overshadows all physical possessions and things that cost money. Unless you understand what your future can hold with respect to family, it will be difficult for you to make wise decisions affecting your future. Family is everything. It overshadows all other relationships and decisions. Not All Will Marry Now, I know that not all who wish to marry will do so in this life. The Lord's plan provides for that. The wonderful story of Ruth in the Old Testament is a story of a woman who lost her husband and then chose not to pursue only her own individual goals. Ruth was single, but she remained devoted to family and to God. When her mother-in-law, Naomi, encouraged her to move forward with her life, Ruth uttered a great faith-promoting statement: "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16). As you will remember, later in life Ruth met Boaz, and they were married and became a link in the chain of the ancestry of Jesus Christ. All the blessings promised to faithful followers of the Lord were hers. The family is the heart and soul of the gospel. Through the family we progress into the eternities. An eternal marriage and family are worth any struggles. Please ponder these thoughts I have shared with you. Pray about them. Know that your Heavenly Father will bless you and will help you replace fear with faith if you call upon Him. I humbly bear my witness and testimony that being active in the Church, preparing well for your future, and being sealed to a spouse for time and all eternity can help you discover the joy that is the promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ? From a Church Educational System fireside address given at the Ogden Utah Institute of Religion on May 2, 2004. NOTES 1. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young (1997), 229. 2. "Daddy's Homecoming," Children's Songbook, 210. Sealed on Earth, Sealed in Heaven On April 3, 1836, in the newly dedicated temple in Kirtland, Ohio, the Lord Jehovah appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Then Moses, Elias, and Elijah each appeared and committed the keys of vital and eternal works to earthly leaders once more. Elijah's appearance was in fulfillment of the prophecy made in Malachi 4:5-6: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." The keys and power of the priesthood Elijah restored on that day in the Kirtland Temple are described in Doctrine and Covenants 132:46: "And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens." These sealing ordinances, which bind families together for eternity, can be performed only in holy temples by those having the proper priesthood authority. The art on these pages celebrates the joy of family history work and temple ordinances that seal generations of families together eternally. Circle of Life, by Keith Mallett, of California. Infant daughter, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother make up four generations of this "circle of life." Right: Mountain of the Lord's House, by Don Busath, of Utah. This artistic treatment of the photograph of the Salt Lake Temple captures the temple's grandeur as a holy place where sacred ordinances are performed, including the sealing of families for "time and all eternity." Right: A Family Home Evening, by Bruce Clovis Smith, of Missouri. The love and family unity Latter-day Saints seek through the sealing ordinances of the temple begin in a Christ-centered home. Left: Genealogy, by Theodore Gorka, of South Carolina. "Let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation" (D&C 128:24). Right: Tree of Life, by Ada Redd Rigby, of Utah. This intricate cut-paper picture captures the beauty and joy that can come to families as they reach back through their family tree and seal generations of families together. Far right: Genealogy, by Randi Helen Austenaa, of Norway. This woven fabric tapestry symbolically combines family history, represented by the pedigree chart, and temple work together. This work won a Purchase Award in the Seventh International Art Competition sponsored by the Museum of Church History and Art. Right: Think Temple, Think Family! by Richard H. Olagunju, of Nigeria. This carved wood relief sculpture shows an African family going to the temple. ;;;BRANCHING OUT ON YOUR FAMILY TREE BY GEORGE D. DURRANT Feel like you are at a dead end searching your family tree? Then give descendancy research a try. I remember, as a grandfather, having a picture taken of our family. Like other grandparents, I did not want a single descendant left out. What a task it was to arrange everyone's schedule so we could all be in the same place at the same time. But it was worth it. I think that is how most families feel. Grandparents love their children and grandchildren. They want to spend eternity with them. So why wouldn't our ancestors feel the same way about their posterity? I think they would. As Latter-day Saints, we have the priesthood power to provide temple ordinances that can seal families together forever. So just as my grandparents didn't want to leave even one of their children or grandchildren out of the family portrait, they wouldn't want to leave even one of them out of their eternal family. Yet as we reach back through time on our pedigree, we sometimes provide the saving ordinances for only one child of each couple on our pedigree chart--the child who is our direct ancestor. We seal that child to his or her parents, but we forget about the rest of the children in that family. We leave our ancestral families like an incomplete family portrait with many empty spaces. Tracking Descendants Providing temple ordinances for relatives other than our direct ancestors is not a new direction. This article is simply a reminder that in addition to providing ordinances for our direct ancestors, we can also provide ordinances for the descendants of our direct ancestors. We should, however, be sensitive to the feelings of others and obtain permission from the closest living relative when submitting the names of deceased persons who were born within the last 95 years. President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, wrote on July 14, 1994: "Members of the Church as individuals and families are responsible to identify their own direct-line ancestral families and see that temple ordinances are performed for them. They may also do family history research and temple work for their deceased relatives who are collaterally related (not their direct lines)."1 A Few Simple Steps So how do you get started if you want to provide ordinances for an entire ancestral family? 1. Choose a name from your pedigree chart. You may want to begin by choosing someone from within the first five generations. (See "Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit," by Sam Lower, above.) For example: John Hall. 2. Create a family group record for that ancestor. For example: John Hall with his wife, Jane, and their children, Elizabeth, William, and Sarah. 3. Then create a family group record for each child of that ancestor. For example: Elizabeth, with her husband and their children; William, with his wife and their children; and Sarah, with her husband and their children. 4. Now you have a descendancy that includes a set of grandparents (John and Jane Hall) with their children (Elizabeth, William, and Sarah) and grandchildren (the children of Elizabeth, William, and Sarah). 5. As you search the records where your ancestor lived, gather any information you find on the entire ancestral family. With the technology available today, you will be able to search more effectively than ever before. 6. Broaden your search to other areas where family members lived, if needed. 7. Provide temple ordinances for individuals as they are uniquely identified. 8. You can repeat this pattern by choosing another name on your pedigree chart. Blessings and Clues So why would anyone want to do family history for an ancestral family? 1. Some people feel that their family history has all been done. By choosing an ancestor on our pedigree chart and identifying the ancestor's children and grandchildren, we will have the opportunity to experience the joy of doing family history work and providing temple ordinances for more of our own family members. 2. Records become scarcer as we research ancestors who lived in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. When we do research in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, we have more records available and, as a result, have more opportunity for success. 3. Since the families of the children and grandchildren often lived in the same area as grandparents, we can find the needed information with little extra work. This is an efficient use of research time. 4. Clues to ancestors are found in the records of their descendants. When you gather records of the descendants of an ancestor, you will have a better chance of finding clues of that ancestor than if you just search the records of one child or grandchild. 5. Meeting living cousins can be a blessing. All of you will learn more family stories and discover other family photos. You may also find out more about your common ancestors. Rejoicing in Posterity Attending the temple and doing vicarious work for a person who never had these temple ordinances in life is spiritually satisfying, but when we do this work for our own family members, the satisfaction is magnified. By seeking the descendants of a direct line ancestor, all of whom have a kinship relationship to us, our time spent in doing their temple work will have deeper meaning in our lives. Perhaps you have already been approaching your family history in this broader way. If so, you already know the joy of seeing things through the eyes of your ancestors. You recognize that they would want to have their children and grandchildren with them eternally, just as we do. You may have even broadened your research to include great-grandchildren and beyond. The more of the members of an ancestral family for whom you are able to do temple work, the greater the joy and rejoicing your ancestors will be able to have in their posterity. ? NOTE 1. Letter to General Authorities; Regional Representatives [now Area Authorities]; Temple Presidents; Stake, Mission, and District Presidents; Bishops; and Branch Presidents. PICKING THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT BY SAM LOWER My great-great-grandparents were born about 1800. Climbing that far up my family tree was fairly easy for me. Climbing higher up the family tree will be harder. So I thought about branching out. Have you? The fruit that is easiest to pick is in the lower branches of our family tree, among the descendants of our great-great grandparents. Our success rate in the lower branches will be greater than in the higher branches. For example, if we have an average of five children per family and come down five generations, we can expect to find 12,496 people. Printing a descendancy chart will show you where to look for family members on the lower, more accessible branches of your family tree. By picking the low-hanging fruit, we will be able to identify more family members, provide temple ordinances for them, and seal their families together for eternity. Sample Descendancy of Our 16 Great-Great-Grandparents 19TH CENTURY 16 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS OF 16 GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS 5 CHILDREN PER FAMILY X 16 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS = 80 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS 5 CHILDREN PER FAMILY X 80 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS= 400 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS 5 CHILDREN PER FAMILY X 400 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS= 2,000 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS 5 CHILDREN PER FAMILY X 2,000 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS= 10,000 FAMILY GROUP RECORDS 16 + 80 + 400 + 2,000 + 10,000 = 12,496 TOTAL FAMILY GROUP RECORDS 21ST CENTURY HELPS FOR HOME EVENING Most Ensign articles can be used for family home evening discussions, personal reflection, or teaching the gospel in a variety of settings. 1. Cut several long strips of paper, and write on each strip the name of a person from your immediate or extended family. Join the strips as if they were links in a chain. Read the section "Rejoicing in Posterity." Explain that if one link is missing, the chain is incomplete. Testify of the blessings that come from uniting families through priesthood covenants. 2. See who in the family can name the most relatives. Use pictures if possible. Review the "Simple Steps" on getting started in family history. Assign family members one ancestor each for whom they can create a family group record. Complete the temple work, if needed. 3. Create a game by hanging fruit at different heights, including some that are too high to reach. Have family members try to pick the fruit. At what height is the fruit easiest to pick? Read "Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit," and discuss how family history research can produce great success when we identify family members who lived within the last 150 years. ;;;SUNBEAM SMILES BY CONSTANCE PALMER LEWIS When our ward Primary had a service activity, I wasn't sure how three-year-old Sunbeams could help. My husband and I were blessed with a baby girl when we were in our forties and had thought that our family was complete. Many times as I dealt with the daily pressures of life with several teenagers and one little girl, I realized that her presence calmed me and helped me remember the important things in life. When Mary-Celeste started Primary, I was called to teach her Sunbeam class. I had very little experience teaching Primary and felt unsure of myself, but I decided to give it my best effort. Looking into the children's open, smiling faces each week, I grew to love each of them and to cherish the time I spent with them. One of the first lessons in the Primary manual taught the children that they can help others be happy by being cheerful--smiling their Sunbeam smiles. Looking at eight wonderful Sunbeam smiles every Sunday truly did brighten my day. After several months, our ward Primary had a service activity. I was asked to think of something that my class could do to be of service. I wasn't at all sure what little Sunbeams could do to give service. The Primary president had suggested baking some cookies and taking them to someone in our ward. I thought that might be nice, but I didn't think that it would hold the children's attention throughout the activity. It seemed too complicated to bake cookies as part of the activity, but if I baked cookies myself beforehand, then the children wouldn't really be providing service. I began thinking of what little children can actually do to serve others. Then I thought of their Sunbeam smiles. On the day of the activity, I brought paper plates, yarn, and bright washable markers for each child. I asked them to draw a picture of themselves with their very best Sunbeam smile. I fastened yarn to the plates so they each could wear their own picture as a necklace. With the help of a member of the Primary presidency and a couple of my own teenagers, we took the children to a nearby hospital to visit an elderly sister from our ward. I had checked with her and with her nurses beforehand to make sure the visit would be all right. As we entered Sister Fisher's hospital room, the children smiled their very brightest Sunbeam smiles. We greeted her and sang: If you chance to meet a frown, Do not let it stay. Quickly turn it upside down And smile that frown away. No one likes a frowning face. Change it for a smile. Make the world a better place By smiling all the while. ("Smiles," Children's Songbook, 267) The children explained that they had brought their Sunbeam smiles to help her be happy. Then, to help Sister Fisher remember their smiles, they each gave her the paper plate with their brightly colored smiling picture on it. Sister Fisher was delighted! A nurse helped us hang each smiling paper-plate face on the wall of her hospital room. On the way back to the church, the children talked about what they had done. I believe they realized what it means to serve others. And I realized how much my own life was blessed by having our little daughter and her cheerful Sunbeam smile. ? CHOOSE HAPPINESS "The most fundamental of all human searches is for happiness. . . . Smiling brings a glow to our countenances that radiates to others. Being friendly to our neighbors, to people at school, at church, or at work is a great way to show the Lord that we want to keep the covenant we made at baptism ‘to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light' (Mosiah 18:8). I recommend friendliness because so many people are shy or lonely and need a kind word or smile. Lifting others expands our inner selves. It is also the way of the Master." President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, "Who Do You Think You Are?" Ensign, Mar. 2001, 6. ;;;LESSONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT Quiet Stirrings of the Heart BY BISHOP H. DAVID BURTON Presiding Bishop The simple faith that helps sustain us is developed over a lifetime. I have experienced this cumulative process in my own life. As Latter-day Saints we know that we come to earth to obtain a physical body, to gain experience, and to prove ourselves. Some people have a short mortal experience, and some have a long experience; some have an experience full of trials, and some seem to be on easy street for much of their lives. But when we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness, we are better able to put our experiences in perspective, to grow from our trials, and to have joy. This simple faith that helps sustain us is developed over a lifetime. I have experienced this cumulative process in my own life. One experience that was instrumental in this faith-building process happened when I was a teenager. During one summer I worked as a "night waterman" on a golf course. Each night after play on the golf course had concluded, I would water the grounds, resetting the hoses every hour. Late one evening while I was alone on the golf course, I heard gunshots ring out from a little grocery store across the street. A couple of men quickly exited the store. I jumped the fence and ran into the building, where I saw that the proprietor had been shot and probably robbed. I held the man in my arms as he took his last breath. I didn't know at the time that he was dying. The police and paramedics quickly arrived and assumed the man's care. This experience was a turning point for me. It led me to ponder some of life's deep questions. I later found out that the perpetrators of the crime were young men with whom I had attended school, and I thought about them and about the choices they had made. I thought about my own choices and about the direction I wanted to take in life. I thought about how precious and tenuous life is and about how important it is to have faith. The Savior's declaration became more profound to me: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). How grateful I was for my knowledge that life doesn't end when we finish our mortal journey. An Encounter with a Prophet Another experience that strengthened my faith occurred some years earlier, when my father was the bishop of our ward. One night I was involved in a street football game. My father had to make some visits, and he called me to leave the game and accompany him. I left my friends and changed my clothes, and off we went. Our last visit that night was at the home of a young woman who was afflicted with cancer. As my father and I visited with the family, a car pulled up in front of the house, and out stepped President David O. McKay (1873-1970), totally unannounced. I had seen pictures of him but had never come close to shaking the hand of a President of the Church. After President McKay spoke briefly with the family, he gave the young woman a blessing. It was a magnificent blessing. Afterward he and my father continued to visit with the family. I thought about that street football game and wondered if my friends were still playing. In my impatience I went outside and sat on the front porch to wait for my father. After a few minutes President McKay came outside and sat down on the top step. He chatted with me for a few minutes. He asked how old I was and all the other usual questions one would ask a young person. And then he told me a story. When he was about my age, he said, he and his brothers always wanted to go to general conference. It seemed to him that every time the family made those plans, something would happen to prevent the trip. But on one occasion they were able to come to Salt Lake City and enjoy attending conference. During one session, he said, his father introduced him to President John Taylor (1808-87). President McKay told me, "I sat with President Taylor in the Tabernacle for a few minutes just like I'm sitting with you on the top stair of this porch." He said President Taylor took off his coat, rolled up his shirtsleeve, and showed the evidence of the wounds he had sustained while he was with the Prophet Joseph Smith in Carthage Jail. That was an impressive moment for me. All these years later I still remember how strongly I felt the Spirit and the power of President McKay's prophetic calling. Should I Serve a Mission? Yet another experience that built my faith occurred when I was nearing my 19th birthday and the decision whether to serve a mission was looming. In those days young men were called at age 20. I didn't know whether I wanted to go, and my mother was concerned. One evening I came home and happened to overhear my parents talking about me. I remember my father saying to my mother, "Blanche, don't worry about that boy; he'll make the right decision." My parents never knew I overheard them. But their conversation made me think a lot about a mission and what a mission does to build faith. I was grateful my father had confidence that I would serve a mission. I did decide to go, and it was a marvelous faith-building experience. A Lifetime of Vigilance I have had many other experiences that have strengthened my faith. Some have been dramatic. But I have found that most often faith comes through the quiet stirrings of the heart as the Spirit speaks to our spirit. Even a simple thing like taking the sacrament each Sunday is a faith-building experience for me. Attending the temple builds my faith. Participating in the Church and in my callings builds my faith. All these experiences continue to sustain me. Developing faith requires a lifetime of vigilance. I believe the Lord's promise when He said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Luke 11:9-10). I know that as we seek to build our faith, the Lord will pour out His blessings upon us. ? Visiting Teaching Message Become an Instrument in the Hands of God by Caring for the Poor and Needy Prayerfully select and read from this message the scriptures and teachings that meet the needs of the sisters you visit. Share your experiences and testimony. Invite those you teach to do the same. What Does the Lord Say about Caring for the Poor and Needy? Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "Our Heavenly Father is concerned for [the poor and needy]. They are all his children. . . . The poor--especially widows, orphans, and strangers--have long been the concern of God and the godly. . . . To those who cared for the poor, blessings were promised" ("In the Lord's Own Way," Ensign, May 1986, 25). Matthew 25:37-40: "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? "When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? "Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." How Can I Be an Instrument to Care for Others? Mosiah 4:26: "Ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally." Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "I will never again see home teaching or visiting teaching as only programs. . . . Such work is an opportunity, not a burden. . . . Every member has made a covenant to do works of kindness as the Savior would do. So any call to bear witness and to care for others is not a request for extra service; it is a blessing designed by a loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. . . . Each is a chance to prove what blessings flow from being a covenant people, and each is an opportunity for which you agreed to be accountable" ("Witnesses for God," Ensign, Nov. 1996, 31). Bishop H. David Burton, Presiding Bishop: "The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that it is our responsibility ‘to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church or in any other, or in no church at all, wherever he finds them' (Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 732). May we be generous with our time and liberal in our contributions for the care of those who suffer" ("Go, and Do Thou Likewise," Ensign, May 1997, 77). Bonnie D. Parkin, Relief Society general president: "The Lord's Storehouse--where ‘there is enough and to spare'--is [symbolically] what the Lord has placed in each of us (D&C 104:17). It is one woman making a difference for another. It is one sister offering to listen or talk with a sister who may be lonely. It is a sister developing a close friendship with the sister she visit teaches. It is you and me with our strengths, our skills, and our talents blessing the life of another" ("Welfare, the Crowning Principle of a Christian Life," BYU Women's Conference, May 1, 2003, 3). ;;;THE LETTER I DIDN'T RECEIVE NAME WITHHELD My roommate's unspoken comfort helped me feel I was not carrying my burden alone. During my freshman year at Brigham Young University, the Relief Society leaders of my singles ward decided to organize a special fireside celebrating the relationship between mothers and daughters. At the end of the beautiful program, one of the organizers announced that they had privately contacted our mothers and asked each mother to write her daughter a letter. One by one, each young woman received a letter. Tender feelings rose to the surface, and I could hear sniffles throughout the room as the Relief Society sisters read their mothers' words. As the stack of letters yet to be handed out grew smaller, I developed a knot in the pit of my stomach. I wondered if the program organizers had been able to contact my mother, who for the past several years had lived an unstable lifestyle. At times I didn't even know where she was, and my efforts to contact her were often unfruitful. After the last letter was handed out, I sat empty-handed. Then, almost apologetically, someone handed me an envelope with the bishop's handwriting on it. Although I appreciated the kind words in his letter and have kept the letter to this day, it is hard to describe the intensity of painful emotions that swept over me like a wildfire. Embarrass-ment, humiliation, anger at my mother's choices and the pain they had caused me, and a feeling of rejection all seared my heart. While tearful women shared unspoken, tender moments with their mothers, I felt as if I were at a feast but not allowed to eat. I struggled to control my emotions as I stood and found the nearest exit. I increased my pace and walked as quickly as I could to my dorm, not wanting my emotions to spill out in public. Tears still trickled out, despite my efforts to hold them in. I reached my dorm room and broke down in sobs. My heart wrenched with the pain of being the only woman in the ward whose mother hadn't written. As I sat there drowning in my pain, a sympathetic figure quietly came in and wrapped her arms around me. My roommate, Brenda, held me close and cried with me. A visit from an angel would not have been sweeter. I still felt the pain, but I no longer felt I carried it alone. That simple yet divine act gave me insight into what it means to mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort (see Mosiah 18:9). Since that time I often ponder the occasion when Jesus came to see Lazarus four days after Lazarus's death. Even though Jesus knew that Lazarus would soon be raised from the dead, He felt compassion for the sorrow of others and wept (see John 11:32-35). Although I am far from perfect at putting this principle into action, I have learned that the greatest gift we can give someone who is suffering isn't advice about how things will get better, how we should be grateful it isn't worse, or how we need to have faith. Sometimes the things we say in our efforts to help actually come across as judgmental or trivialize the depth of sorrow the person is experiencing. The greatest gift I ever received in a time of pain came in the form of a sweet roommate who shared the pain with me, dividing it up between the two of us so it would be easier for me to carry. ? ;;;The Extraordinary Life of Parley P. Pratt BY MATTHEW J. GROW "I have lain months in gloomy dungeons, and been loaded with chains. I have been visited there by visions of Angels and Spirits, and been delivered by miracles." The extraordinary life of Parley P. Pratt began two centuries ago this month. In 1853, a boyhood friend requested from Parley, then age 46, a "history of [his] life." Parley responded that a full account "would overload the mail" and would seem "far more strange . . . than the thousand volumes of modern fiction." Nevertheless, Parley obliged his friend, explaining that devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ had taken him far from his youthful home in New York. He had "crossed the Atlantic six times" on missions to England, explored the western United States, visited gold rush California, and eaten "figs fresh from the trees" in Chile. As a minister of Christ, Parley had "been honored and received as an Apostle, and scorned as a Devil." Indeed, his beliefs had entangled him in a wide range of difficulties: "I have lain months in gloomy dungeons, and been loaded with chains. I have been visited there by visions of Angels and Spirits, and been delivered by miracles." During his life, he said he had been a farmer, a servant, a fisher, a digger, a preacher, an author, an editor, a traveler, a merchant, an elder, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ.1 Parley concluded that the gospel of Jesus Christ had transformed his own life, and he invited his friend to seek out the Church. Early Life Born on April 12, 1807, in Burlington, New York, Parley was the third of five sons born to Jared and Charity Dickinson Pratt. Jared was a weaver and farmer who occasionally taught school. In the generation following the American Revolution, new technology and expanding transportation networks revolutionized the economy, propelling many towards success but consigning others to poverty. As with Joseph Smith's family, prosperity always seemed just out of reach for the hardworking Pratts, causing them to move several times in search of better prospects. Despite their toil, debt hounded Jared and Charity. As a consequence, in 1822 they boarded Parley, then 15, and his younger brother Orson, 11, with local farmers as hired help. Parley compensated for a limited formal education through reading. "I always loved a book," he remembered.2 At a young age Parley faced the religious ferment that bewildered Joseph Smith at about the same time. Jared and Charity did not belong to a church, though they frequently attended various denominations and taught their sons a respect for the Bible and Christian faith. Parley became a religious seeker, beginning a serious study of the scriptures at age 12. As he grew older, he wondered at the discrepancies between biblical teachings and contemporary churches. Desiring to follow God, Parley joined a Baptist church at age 18, though he remained dissatisfied. The following year the Pratts lost their farm, prompting Parley to move to frontier Ohio, where he envisioned conducting missionary work among Native Americans. After spending a winter in a "small hut" with only the Bible and a "few other books" for companions,3 he returned to New York the following spring to see Thankful Halsey, whom he had previously courted. Parley shared his religious views with her and asked her to marry him. Thankful, 10 years his senior, accepted, telling him, "I never can be happy without you."4 The Book of Mormon Returning to Ohio, Parley was swept up by the religious teachings of Sidney Rigdon, a minister of the Campbellite movement, which sought to restore the practices of New Testament Christianity. In Rigdon, Parley found someone who taught the "ancient gospel in due form." Still he felt that "one great link" was missing: the "authority to minister in holy things--the apostleship."5 In 1830, then 23, Parley felt a call to abandon his farm and preach the gospel, believing that God would provide financially for him and Thankful. After selling their property at "great sacrifice," the young couple, with $10 in their pockets, took a boat from Cleveland, Ohio, to Buffalo, New York.6 At Buffalo they took passage on the Erie Canal, headed for Albany. But Parley followed a prompting to disembark prematurely at Newark, while Thankful traveled on to their final destination. As a result, Parley was introduced to the Book of Mormon, an experience that forever changed his life. He later recalled: "I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep." Feeling the confirmation of the Holy Ghost, Parley wrote: "I knew and comprehended that the book was true. . . . My joy was now full."7 Determined to meet Joseph Smith, Parley traveled to Palmyra, where he instead found Hyrum Smith, who instructed him about the Restoration. In the Church of Jesus Christ, Parley recognized the authority, simplicity, and purity he had long sought. On September 1, 1830, he was baptized by Oliver Cowdery. Missionary Labors From the moment of his conversion, Parley became a tireless missionary. The Sunday after his baptism, Parley wrote that he preached before "a large concourse of people. . . . The Holy Ghost came upon me mightily . . . and four heads of families came forward expressing their faith, and were baptized."8 Soon after, Parley baptized his younger brother Orson; eventually, his two older brothers would follow. In October 1830 Joseph Smith received a revelation directing Parley and three other missionaries (including Oliver Cowdery) to take the gospel to Indian tribes on the western frontier in Missouri (see D&C 32:1-2). Over the next four months, Parley and his companions traveled some 1,500 miles, mostly on foot, to Missouri, preaching to various tribes. They also stopped in Mentor, Ohio, not far from Kirtland, where Parley taught his former religious mentor, Sidney Rigdon. Kirtland quickly pulsed with religious excitement; within weeks, Rigdon and more than 100 others in the region had converted. The center of Church membership quickly shifted from New York to Ohio. The Lord, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, soon directed the entire Church to gather to the Ohio (see D&C 37). Over the next few years, Parley served short preaching missions, organized a School of the Prophets in Jackson County (see D&C 97:3), experienced the tumult of Missouri persecution, and recruited for and marched in Zion's Camp. In 1835, along with his brother Orson, he received a call as one of the original Twelve Apostles. The following spring, Parley--deeply in debt and with Thankful seriously ill--hesitated about serving another mission. Heber C. Kimball, a fellow Apostle, blessed Parley with specific promises: Thankful would be healed and would give birth to a son, their first after nine years of marriage, and Parley would fulfill a mission in Canada which would serve as a stepping-stone for the gospel to be taken to England.9 Elder Kimball's blessing proved prophetic. In Canada, Parley helped convert several individuals who became some of the first missionaries to England, including John Taylor, later the third President of the Church, and his wife Leonora. Following Parley's return, Thankful gave birth to a son in March 1837, though she died a few hours later. When Parley returned to Kirtland from his Canadian mission, he found himself embroiled in various conflicts that threatened the Church, resulting from a combination of internal divisions, persecution, and a national financial panic. The crisis jeopardized his faith, leaving him temporarily disillusioned with the Prophet Joseph Smith. Soon, however, Parley humbled himself and begged Joseph's forgiveness. Imprisonment When Missourians forced the Saints from the state in late 1838, Parley was arrested with other Church leaders and imprisoned for eight months in Richmond and Columbia, Missouri. Temporarily detained with President Smith and others in a hotel in Independence on the way to Richmond, he slipped out unnoticed one snowy morning and quickly reached the woods outside the city. However, when he realized that his escape might subject his brethren to a "storm of trouble, or even of death," he chose to return to the hotel.10 Though homeless and imprisoned, with his family and the Saints exiled from the state, Parley felt "more firm than ever in the faith of Jesus."11 His love and respect for the Prophet Joseph also deepened. One night in the Richmond Jail, as guards in "dreadful blasphemies and filthy language" boasted of their participation in the Saints' persecution, Joseph rebuked them in the name of Jesus Christ in a "voice of thunder": "SILENCE, ye fiends of the infernal pit. . . . Cease such talk, or you or I die THIS INSTANT!" The "quailing guards . . . begged his pardon." Parley wrote, "Dignity and majesty have I seen but once, as it stood in chains, at midnight, in a dungeon in an obscure village of Missouri."12 Following the transfer of Joseph and other prisoners to Liberty Jail, Parley remained in Richmond Jail. While imprisoned, he especially felt the absence of his family, writing his second wife, Mary Ann Frost, "Locks and bars, rivers and distance separate us, and still I love you, but am doomed to languish out long months and perhaps years deprived of your society while my little ones grow, and change their size and appearance without one sweet kiss or fond embrace from a father who loves them dearer than life."13 Parley had a dream in which his first wife, Thankful, comforted him and promised his eventual release. His brother Orson helped him escape, fittingly, on Independence Day, July 4, 1839, from the jail in Columbia, after which they joined the Saints at Nauvoo. The Written Word The month after his escape, Parley, along with most of the Twelve Apostles, left on a mission for England. Upon arrival, Parley enthusiastically wrote Mary, "Here is a boundless harvest for the next 15 to 20 years, . . . and here, if the Lord will, I expect to spend 5 or 10 years at least."14 Soon joined by Mary, Parley remained in England until October 1842. Though he overestimated his stay, his optimism proved well-founded. During the mission of Parley and the other Apostles, missionary work in England exploded, and shiploads of emigrants were soon headed for Nauvoo. In England, Parley served as the founding editor of a newspaper, the Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, which continued in publication until 1970. In his missionary labors throughout his life, Parley turned instinctively to writing and publishing. During his era the availability of cheap pamphlets and newspapers rapidly increased, and opponents of the Church used the printed word to condemn the Saints and misrepresent their beliefs. Parley also understood the power of print and used publishing to advance the cause of the gospel, printing and distributing pamphlets by the thousands. He was blessed with a poetic mind, a romantic spirit, and an engaging style, and his voluminous writings ensured that the Latter-day Saint message received an eloquent defense. Parley was comfortable with various literary genres and wrote poetry, fiction, hymns, short essays, and expansive books. Three of his hymns appeared in the first Latter-day Saint hymnal in 1835. In England he received an assignment to publish a new hymnal. Parley told Brigham Young, "As to hymns, I am writing several new ones every day, and am in hopes to contribute 100 new ones to the volume we now print."15 While he did not reach his goal, the new hymnal contained nearly 50 of his hymns. The current hymnal contains seven of Parley's hymns, including "The Morning Breaks," "An Angel from on High," "Come, O Thou King of Kings," and "Jesus, Once of Humble Birth." Three books particularly depict the power and range of Parley's writing. In 1837 Parley penned A Voice of Warning--after the scriptures probably one of the most widely read works among Church members for the next half century. Instrumental in the conversion of thousands, A Voice of Warning clearly laid out Latter-day Saint doctrines. In 1855 Parley published his Key to the Science of Theology, the first comprehensive exposition of LDS theology. In a more personal vein, his lively autobiography, written soon before his death but published thereafter, captures the spirit and excitement of the early decades of the Restoration. The Later Years Returning from England, Parley's family shared in the hardships and the poverty of the Saints. In Nauvoo in 1843, his family--"consisting of wife and her sister, five children, hired girl, and hundreds of goers and comers"--lived in "one small room."16 Poverty, however, was preferable to separation, which he experienced often in his life as a "wandering Pilgrim."17 Aboard a ship on his way to a short English mission in 1846, Parley groaned, "I am Alone! Alone! Alone! O Horrible!"18 The joy of the ministry compensated in part for the long absences. In addition, Parley was comforted by the doctrine of eternal family, which taught him to love "with a pureness" and "an intensity of elevated, exalted feeling, which would lift my soul from the transitory things of this grovelling sphere and expand it as the ocean."19 In June 1844 Parley learned of the assassination of his beloved Prophet. Hurrying home to Nauvoo, he arrived before any other Apostle (except John Taylor and Willard Richards, who had been with Joseph Smith in the jail at Carthage, Illinois). Parley opposed attempts by his former teacher, Sidney Rigdon, to reorganize Church leadership in the absence of the Twelve Apostles. This helped ensure that Brigham Young, not Rigdon, would become the next leader of the Church. In February 1846 Parley and his family were part of the forced exodus from Illinois. Like so many other Saints, he spent his last minutes in Nauvoo traveling down Parley Street before ferrying his family across the Mississippi River. Parley provided crucial leadership in the trek to the Salt Lake Valley and in the early exploration of Utah. During the winter of 1849-50, he led a 50-man expedition to investigate possible settlement sites and natural resources in southern Utah. In the 1850s Parley traveled twice to California as president over a mission to "all the islands and coasts of the Pacific."20 In 1851 he sailed from gold rush San Francisco to Valparaiso, Chile, along with his wife and another missionary, making the trio the first missionaries to South America. Unfortunately, civil unrest, restrictive laws against non-Ca