Put Your Hand in the Hand of God,
What to do When Your Mind Goes Blank,
http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=136
(copy and paste link)
Dad
Monday, November 8, 2010
A Father’s Thoughts to all his children . . .
Sat., Nov. 6, 2010
As we begin the November fast here are some thoughts for your consideration as we all keep Bri and her family and Grandma Boulter in our thoughts and hearts.
Mormon 9:7-27
7 And again I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues;
8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ;
yea, he has not read the scriptures;
if so, he does not understand them.
9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?
10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
12 Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man.
And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.
13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death.
14 And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles?
And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being?
And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ,
doubting nothing,
whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ
it shall be granted him;
and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;
23 And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,
but he that believeth not shall be damned;
24 And these signs shall follow them that believe — in my name
shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues;
they shall take up serpents;
and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover;
25 And whosoever shall believe in my name,
doubting nothing,
unto him will I confirm all my words,
even unto the ends of the earth.
26 And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord?
Who can deny his sayings?
Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord?
Who will despise the works of the Lord?
Who will despise the children of Christ?
Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish.
27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but
hearken unto the words of the Lord, and
ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need
Doubt not, but
be believing, and
begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
Isaiah 58:6-11
Purpose of fasting . . .
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Importance of fast offerings . . .
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Blessings derived from fasting in the Lord’s way . . .
8 ¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward
9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
The reality of a living, loving and all powerful God who can control all elements is truth. His unchanging nature and his desire to perform miracles amongst his children today is truth. The purposes and blessings of the fast are literal and truth. At this time we humbly pray and have faith they will be manifest “speedily” in the lives of Bri and Grandma Boulter.
I love you,
Dad
Doubt not,
Be believing!
As we begin the November fast here are some thoughts for your consideration as we all keep Bri and her family and Grandma Boulter in our thoughts and hearts.
Mormon 9:7-27
7 And again I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues;
8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ;
yea, he has not read the scriptures;
if so, he does not understand them.
9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?
10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
12 Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man.
And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.
13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death.
14 And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles?
And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being?
And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ,
doubting nothing,
whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ
it shall be granted him;
and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;
23 And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,
but he that believeth not shall be damned;
24 And these signs shall follow them that believe — in my name
shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues;
they shall take up serpents;
and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover;
25 And whosoever shall believe in my name,
doubting nothing,
unto him will I confirm all my words,
even unto the ends of the earth.
26 And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord?
Who can deny his sayings?
Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord?
Who will despise the works of the Lord?
Who will despise the children of Christ?
Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish.
27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but
hearken unto the words of the Lord, and
ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need
Doubt not, but
be believing, and
begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
Isaiah 58:6-11
Purpose of fasting . . .
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Importance of fast offerings . . .
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Blessings derived from fasting in the Lord’s way . . .
8 ¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward
9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
The reality of a living, loving and all powerful God who can control all elements is truth. His unchanging nature and his desire to perform miracles amongst his children today is truth. The purposes and blessings of the fast are literal and truth. At this time we humbly pray and have faith they will be manifest “speedily” in the lives of Bri and Grandma Boulter.
I love you,
Dad
Doubt not,
Be believing!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
A Father’s Thoughts to His Daughter
A Father’s Thoughts to his daughter, Briana
Wed., Oct. 27, 2010
Dear Bri,
I know you’ve had much on your mind and your daily schedule is busy as you diligently work to raise your family and attend to the needs of your loving husband. Over the past couple of days I’ve taken time to read and ponder upon modern-day revelation . . . scripture.
Excerpts recorded in your Patriarchal Blessing . . .
Revelation from the Lord God Almighty to Briana Boulter, Jun. 22, 1992.
You were 12 yrs. old, a few weeks shy of turning 13.
“There is much in store for you in this life. You have much to look forward to.”
“Through your faithfulness, much good shall be accomplished through the life that you live, the example that you set for your friends, those individuals with whom you mingle and associate and come in contact with.”
“Be ever mindful that they are going to come to you with questions, seeking answers, seeking the reason that they cannot find why you as an individual in your life expresses the things that you do, for they see in you a wonder, they seek and shall continue to seek.”
“Your light shall so shine that others shall see your good works and be led to glorify to their Father in Heaven. They shall come to understand, eventually, why you are what you are.”
“Remember that if you are true and faithful and live in accordance with the mind and the will of your Father in Heaven, that the Lord shall bless you and strengthen you. He shall take you by the hand and guide and direct you, to lead you into the pathways of truth and righteousness. He shall stand at your side when you come to the crossroads in life and help you to make the proper decisions. He won’t let you take the wrong roads. If you start to stray and go the wrong pathway, He shall strengthen His hold upon your handand turn you about and start you down the pathway that you should follow.”
“The Lord shall bless you that you shall be an instrument in His hands to accomplish much good throughout your sojourn here upon this earth. He shall bless and direct you in the callings and responsibilities that you shall have, that you shall have the constant companionship and guidance of His Holy Spirit.”
[Hmmm, the following sounds like a senior mission to me . . . Perhaps Pres. & Sis. Stephen?]
“The Lord shall bless you that you, too, will come to desire to have the privilege and the opportunity of serving Him in the mission field, to teach the gospel. The Lord shall direct you and this shall be your lot. Through His servants here upon this earth, you shall be called to labor in that field of labor where the Lord wants you, where He knows that you can be of invaluable service to Him and to His work. For He knows that there are those who are there that only you as an individual can touch their lives, cause them to think and to ponder, and desire to know what their Father in Heaven desires of them.”
“But the greatest calling that will come to you here upon this earth is that of motherhood.”
“Remember the great responsibility that this is to you, and even though that at times you will be called upon to go down into the valley of the shadow of death to give life to that individual which you have carried. Now the Lord shall be with you. He shall bless you. He shall protect you that all shall be well. The Lord shall bless you in your home, that in your responsibilities that you shall have the capacity to do that which is right . . . to be able to teach and to train and instruct the spirits which the Lord will permit to come into your home. Those who are longing for the day that they can come, longing for the day that they can be held in your arms, to be loved, to be taught, and reared as they now know that they should be.”
“I promise you that the Lord shall never forsake you. He shall be your constant and ever loving companion and guide, and shall bestow upon you every blessing of life that will be for your good.”
I bear my witness that as Bro. Lawrence Greene received and pronounced the foregoing, he was inspired, quickened, if you will, by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a revelator and testator of things that are true. Bro. Greene pronounced truth as moved upon by the Spirit. The description of the relationship so eloquently expressed herein, between you and the Lord is truth. He will not forsake you . . . He “shall never forsake you.” He “shall bless and strengthen you.” “He shall take you by the hand and guide and direct you.” “He shall protect you that all shall be well.”
You have not yet reared your children and there is much for you to do.
Simple faith -- God said it, it shall be done. God cannot lie. The miracle continues!
I love you,
Dad
Be believing!
A Father’s Thoughts to His Daughter
A Father’s Thoughts to his daughter, Briana
Fri., Oct. 24, 2010
Bri,
As we’re all immersed in a special worldwide day of fasting and praying for you and your family, my heart is full, my spirit is strengthened, yet my heart melts and my emotions are so tender as I see and hear hundreds of comments expressing support, love and faith in your behalf.
This morning as I sat alone in Sacrament meeting, a passage of scripture came to my mind with tremendous impact – Isaiah 58. This is where the doctrine of fasting is recorded. I’ve known it and taught it all my life. Yet, today, as I read it, I received a witness and understanding as I never had before. It penetrated my heart. It entered my mind with such impact I immediately got up from the meeting, went into an empty classroom and called Mom. I told her to read Isaiah 58: 6-11. I exclaimed, “This is Bri, today!”
Isaiah 58:6-11
Purpose of fasting . . .
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and tolet the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Importance of fast offerings . . .
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Blessings derived from fasting in the Lord’s way . . .
8 ¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward
9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Dearest Bri, with so many faithful family and friends, worldwide, fasting and praying for you and the miracle promised in numerous priesthood and Fathers’ blessings, please ponder, believe and accept the blessings declared by God Almighty in verses 8-11. They are yours!
I love you more than words can express, yet I try. Please forgive my inadequacies. I look forward to holding you, your family and Mom in my arms next weekend. The miracle continues!
Love,
Dad
Mormon 9:21
Mormon 9:21
Behold, I say unto you that Seek ye earnestly the best gifts,
whoso believeth in Christ,
doubting nothing,
whatsoever he shall ask the Father to some it is given to have
in the name of Christ
it shall be granted him;
and this promise is unto all,
even unto the ends of the earth. to some is given the
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Miracles
Miracles
by Matthew Cowley
member of the Quorum of the Twelve
[Matthew Cowley was born Aug. 2, 1897. His father, Matthias Cowley, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Matthew was called to serve a mission in New Zealand in 1914, when only 17 years of age. He became fluent in the Maori language and developed a great closeness to the people. Oct. 11, 1945, Elder Cowley was called to be a member of the Quorum of Twelve. He passed away Dec. 13, 1953.]
Address at Brigham Young University
February 18, 1953
I feel very humble this morning, and sometimes when I'm introduced, I get the idea that others feel that I'm untouchable, but I want you to know that I'm neither untouchable nor unteachable. And since I've been in this position in the Church, I have learned some very fine things from some of the members of the Church, generally in anonymous letters. I don't know why they don't sign those letters because almost invariably what they say is true, especially when I look it up in the books.
When I was invited to come here, President [Ernest L.] Wilkinson suggested that I might talk a little bit about miracles. Well, it will be a miracle if I do.
• [Instruction given specifically to Elder Cowley . . . “Never write a sermon.”]
I had a particular assignment or instruction from President George Albert Smith when I was called to this position. He called me into his office one day and took hold of my hand, and while he was holding my hand and looking at me he said, "I want to say something to you Brother Cowley."
I said, "Well, I'm willing to listen."
"This is just a particular suggestion to you, not to all the brethren but to you," He said, "Never write a sermon. Never write down what you are going to say."
I said, "What on earth will I do?"
He said, "You tell the people what the Lord wants you to tell them while you are standing on your feet."
I said, "That certainly is putting some responsibility on the Lord."
But I've tried to live up to that instruction. And I've had some great experiences. There have been times when the Lord has forsaken me. But when he hasn't, I've had some miraculous -- well, I shouldn't say miraculous -- it is the normal experience of the priesthood, of having the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I can bear witness to you, my fellow students, here this morning that God can work through his priesthood and that he does work through it. I know that without any question of doubt. I've had too many experiences. I'm an expert witness about these things.
• [Young boy with polio]
A few weeks ago I was called to the County Hospital in Salt lake City by a mother. I didn't know her. She said her boy was dying from polio and asked if I would come down and give that boy a blessing. So I picked up a young bishop [Glen Rudd] whom I generally take with me, for I think his faith is greater than mine, and I always like him along.
We went down there, and here was this young lad in an iron lung, unconscious, his face rather a blackish color, with a tube in his throat, and they said he had a tube lower down in his abdomen. he had been flown in from an outlying community. The mother said to me, "This is an unusual boy. Not because he's my child, but he is an unusual boy." I think he was eight or nine years of age.
After they put the usual coverings on us, we went in, and we blessed that boy. It was one of those occasions when I knew as I laid my hands upon that lad that he was an unusual boy, and he had faith. Having faith in his faith, I blessed him to get well and promised him he would.
I never heard any more about him until last Sunday. I was on my way to Murray [Utah] to conference; I dropped in the County Hospital, and I asked if I might see the lad. The nurse said, "Certainly. Walk right down the hall." As I walked down the hall, out came the boy running to meet me. He ran up and asked, "Are you Brother Cowley?"
And I said, "Yes."
He said, "I want to thank you for that prayer." He added, "I was unconscious then wasn't I?"
I replied, "You certainly were."
He said, "That's the reason I don't recognize you." Then he asked, "Come in my room; I want to talk to you." He was an unusual boy. Well, we went in the room. He still had a tube in his throat. I said, "How long are you going to have that tube there?"
He said, "Oh, two weeks, two more weeks, and then I'm all well. How about another blessing?"
So I said, "Certainly." I blessed him again. I was in a hurry. I wanted to get out to my conference. But he stopped me and asked, "Hey, how about my partner in the next bed?" There was a young fellow about sixteen or seventeen.
I said, "What do you mean?"
He said, "Don't go without blessing him. He's my partner."
I said, "Sure." Then I asked the boy, "Would you like a blessing?"
He said, "Yes, sir. I'm a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood in my ward." I blessed him, and then my little friend went and brought another fellow in. Here was another partner. And I blessed him.
Now, except ye believe as a child, you can't receive these blessings. We have to have the faith of a child in order to believe in these things, especially when you reach college age, and your minds are so full of skepticism and doubt. I guess there are some things you should doubt. But you can become as little children in these things. Miracles are commonplace, brothers and sisters.
In 1851 or 52, Parley P. Pratt wrote a book called The Key to Theology. In that book he said the day would come (these were not his exact words), when man would not be satisfied with going along the surface of the earth at the rate of sixty, seventy, eighty or ninety miles an hour, but we would use the air and go at the rate of a thousand miles an hour. Now, in 1852 when he wrote that he was "crazy," wasn't he? He was "mad" -- but he was a prophet. Today it is commonplace.
Since the first time I flew from San Francisco to Australia the flying time has been decreased twelve hours. I see in the paper where they are going to have a jet plane from Vancouver to Tokyo, Japan, which will require only eight hours for that long journey. Now, are they miracles? No, they are just commonplace -- just commonplace!
The boy prophet went into the grove and prayed -- a young lad with simple faith. He opened up his heart to God. He apparently reached out and by prayer got under his control the proper channels, and God and the Son came down and appeared to him.
A few weeks ago I sat in my front room and had Dwight Eisenhower come right into my front room. I saw him sworn in as President of the United States. I saw the parade over other people's shoulders -- all of this right in my own front room, and the same thing in millions of homes! Now there was no wire connecting me or my home with Washington D.C., just these channels, or whatever Brother [Harvey] Fletcher and others call them out there, air waves, or whatever they are. But through those channels I brought into my home the President of the United States and the inaugural ceremonies. If I'd have told you twenty-five years ago that this would be done in this year 1953, I know what you'd have told me.
Well, no man invented those elements out there. Man has invented instruments whereby he harnesses those elements, but he never invented the elements; they are eternal; they've been there all the time, and if I can turn a little gadget and bring the President of the United States and into my front room, God can bring himself down within the vision of man. The Master can come down within the range of man's vision because he has more control over those elements out there than man does himself.
The Prophet Joseph said that Moroni appeared to him in his bedroom. I've been back there to that house. I've stood there and wondered how he got through those walls, how he came in. Now I don't doubt any more about the Angel Moroni coming into the prophet's home. Man hasn't yet harnessed all of these elements. He's working at it and meeting with great success.
I was on an island down in French Oceania one Sunday afternoon. I started fooling with the radio; I don't know whether you're supposed to play radios on Sunday afternoon or not, but I started turning the dials, and all of a sudden I heard the voice of Richard L. Evans from the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. The strange thing about it was that I wasn't in contact with Salt Lake city, I was in tune with a station in Houston, Texas. That station was getting the program from Salt Lake City, and I was picking it up from Houston. I can't explain these things. Some of you fellows can. But I had an instrument there which man had invented so that he could bring under his control and direction these elements out there.
I was over in Samoa. I couldn't sleep, worrying about the centipedes, and so forth. So I got up. It was three o'clock in the morning. I went in the room where they had the radio. I started turning the dials, and all of a sudden I heard a voice say,"Station KSL, Salt Lade City. Songs of Harry Clarke." I sat there and listened to Harry Clarke sing for fifteen minutes.
Then I had to get up the next morning at three o'clock because I'd sent him a cable and I wanted to see if he got it. He had. He mentioned it over the air. So I listened to him sing for another fifteen minutes. You know, the strange thing about it was I was hearing him sing four hours before he actually sang. And you talk about miracles.
I got on a plane one day in Tonga. It was Saturday morning, the Sabbath of the Seventh-day Adventists. The head of the Seventh-day Adventists' mission in the Pacific got on the plane with me. Down at the airport were his Sunday School children, giving him a send-off, singing hymns, and so on.
Well, we got on that plane Saturday morning, and we went to Samoa. When we arrived at Samoa, it was Friday, the day before we left Tonga. I just wondered how he was going to straighten out that "seventh day" business. He's already had one Saturday, one Sabbath, an there he was again in Samoa on a Friday, the day before he'd had the Sabbath. The next day he had another. Now I tried to find him to ask him form which Saturday he was going to start counting the seven days.
Well, these things happen. This is going on all over the world.
The missionaries down in Samoa didn't have a president for a few months. I was the president but by remote control. I used to go to a Chinaman's home in Honolulu and tell him to tune in one of our natives down in Samoa, then tell that native to round up all the missionaries and have them come there, as I wanted to give them some instruction.
So he'd tune in down there and get this young Samoan with his ham radio. and I'd sit there in that Chinese home and talk to these missionaries down in Samoa and give whatever instructions I wanted to give them. But being the usual missionaries, I don't think they paid any attention.
• [Jumbled words - transmitter and receiver]
I telephoned one day from Honolulu to my home, and I asked the engineer there at the radio-phone place, "How can I talk confidentially to my wife? I send this message out into the air and anybody with a ham radio can each out and pick it up."
He said, "Yes, that's right, but they won't understand it."
I said, "Well, why not?"
He said, "Well, when your words go out of this transmitter we jumble them up; there is no meaning to them. But when they go into the receiver on the mainland they are all straightened out again, and your wife will understand them just as you spoke them."
My, I'm glad of that. I'll tell you why. I get my prayers so jumbled up sometimes that I'm glad there's a receiving set over on the other side that will straighten out the things I'm trying to say. And I believe that, I'm just simple enough to believe that. I'm simple enough to believe that if man can talk to man across the ocean and across the world with these instruments, that man can talk to God, that God has as much power as man, as much control over the elements. And so, brothers and sisters of the Church, God has his priesthood here upon the earth, his power, and with that power we can be used by God for the accomplishment of his purposes. Don't ever forget that. I've had these experiences. I know.
• [Rubbing noses]
I've learned a lot from these islanders that I see scattered around here. I see Albert Whaanga from New Zealand in the audience; I wish he'd teach you people how to rub noses. That's what we do down in New Zealand, you know. We don't really rub. You just press your forehead and your nose against the nose and forehead of the other person. It's a wonderful thing. You can always tell when they're keeping the Word of Wisdom down there. All you have to do is walk up and greet them and sniff a little bit, and you've got 'em! It would be a good practice to have over here, maybe even with some of our BYU students. So if I ever come up to one of you some day and say I'd like to rub noses with you, you'll know I'm suspecting something.
These Natives live close to God. They have some kind of power. I guess it's just because they accept miracles as a matter of course. They never doubt anything. They used to scare me. Someone would come up and say, "Brother Cowley, I've had a dream about you."
I'd say, "Don't tell me. I don't want to hear about it."
"Oh, it was a good one."
"All right. Tell me."
And they'd tell me something.
• [Passing of Pres. Rufus K. Hardy of the Seventy]
Now I remember when President Rufus K. Hardy of the First Council of the Seventy passed away. I was walking along the street of one of the cities in New Zealand, and one of our native members came up -- a lady.
She said to me, "President Hardy is dead."
I said, "Is that so? Have you received a wire?"
She said, "No. I received a message, but I haven't received any wire." She repeated, "He's dead. I know."
Well, I always believed them when they told me those things. When I got back to headquarters, I wasn't there long when here came a cablegram which said that President Hardy had passed away the night before. But she knew that without any cablegram. She told me about it.
I got out of my car once in the city. I got out to do some window-shopping to get a little rest from driving. I walked around, and finally I went around a corner, and there stood a native woman and her daughter. The mother said to the daughter, "What did I tell you?"
I said, "What's going on here?"
The daughter said, "Mother said if we'd stand here for fifteen minutes you'd come around the corner." Now she didn't have any radio set with her, just one in her heart where she received the impression.
• [Elder Cowley’s calling to the Quorum of the Twelve]
After President Hardy died, we had a memorial service for him. I'll never forget the native who was up speaking, saying what a calamity it was to the mission to lose this great New Zealand missionary who could do so much for them as one of the Authorities of the Church. He was talking along that line, and all of a sudden he stopped and looked around at me and said, "Wait a minute. There's nothing to worry about. When President Cowley gets home, he'll fill the vacancy in the Council of the Twelve Apostles, and we'll still have a representative among the Authorities of the Church." Then he went on talking about President Hardy.
When I arrived home the following September, I filled the first vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. Now did that just happen by chance? Oh, I might have thought so if it had been one of you white Gentiles that had prophesied that, but not from the blood of Israel. Oh, no, I could not deny, I couldn't doubt it.
And so, remember we have great opportunities. Great opportunities to bless. Sometimes I wonder if we do enough in our administration of the sick. You know when the Apostles tried to cast out an evil spirit, they couldn't do it or they didn't do it. The Master came along, and he immediately cast out the dumb spirit. Then the Apostles said, "Why could not we cast him out?" And what did Christ say? "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and by fasting." (Matt. 17:21)
Sometimes we rush in, administer to a person, rush out, and say, "Well, he won't make it. I know he won't." Of course, we have to, in case of an emergency, go immediately. Sometimes I wonder, if we have a little time, if we shouldn't do a little fasting. "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and by fasting."
• [Baby - blind, deaf, dumb, no muscular coordination, unable to crawl]
A little over a year ago a couple came into my office carrying a little boy. The father said to me, "My wife and I have been fasting for two days, and we've brought our little boy up for a blessing. You are the one we've been sent to."
I said, "What's the matter with him?"
They said he was born blind, deaf, and dumb, had not coordination of his muscles, and couldn't even crawl at the age of five years. I said to myself, this is it. I had implicit faith in the fasting and the prayers of those parents. I blessed that child, and a few weeks later I received a letter: "Brother Cowley, we wish you could see our little boy now. He's crawling. When we throw a ball across the floor, he races after it on his hands and knees. He can see. When we clap our hands over his head, he jumps. He can hear."
Medical science had laid the burden down. God had taken over. The little boy was rapidly recovering, really getting what he'd never had.
• [Non-member woman dying]
I went into a hospital one day in New Zealand to bless a woman who didn't belong to the Church. She was dying. We all knew she was dying. Even the doctor said so.
She was having her farewell party. Ah, that's one thing I like about the natives. When you go, they give you a farewell party. They all gather around. They send messages over to the other side. "When you get over there, tell my mother I'm trying to do my best; I'm not so good but I'm trying. Tell her to have a good room fixed for me when I get over there--plenty of fish, good meals. " My, it's wonderful how they send you off.
Well, there they were, all gathered around this poor sister. She was about to be confined, and the doctor told her it would kill her. She was tubercular from head to foot. I had with me an old native, almost ninety. She was his niece. He stood up at the head of the bed, and he said, "Vera, you're dead. You're dead because the doctor says you're dead. You're on your way out. I've been to you, your home, Of your people, my relatives, I'm the only one that has joined the Church. None of you has ever listened to me. You're dead now; but you're going to live." He turned to me and said, "Is it all right if we kneel down and pray?"
I said, "Yes." So we knelt down. Everybody around there knelt down. And after the prayer we blessed her.
The last time I was in New Zealand she had her fifth child and she's physically well from head to foot. She has not joined the Church yet. That's the next miracle I'm waiting for.
Well, now, this is just psychological effect, isn't it? There nothing to this priesthood business. it's only psychological effect. But where was the psychological effect on that little boy in the County Hospital who was so unconscious he didn't even know we were praying over him? He wasn't even conscious of what we were doing.
• [Raising the dead]
I was called to a home in a little village in New Zealand one day. There the Relief Society sisters were preparing the body of one of our Saints. They had placed his body in front of the Big House as they call it, the house where the people came to wail and weep and mourn over the dead, when in rushed the dead man's brother.
He said, "Administer to him."
A young native said, "Why, you shouldn't do that; he's dead."
"You do it!"
This same old man that I had with me when his niece was so ill was there. The younger native got down on his knees, and he anointed the dead man. Then this great old sage got down and blessed him and commanded him to rise. You should have seen the Relief Society sisters scatter. And he sat up, and he said, "Send for the elders; I don't feel very well."
Now, of course, all of that was just psychological effect on that dead man. Wonderful, isn't it – this psychological effect business?
Well, we told him he had just been administered to, and he said: "Oh, that was it." He said, "I was dead. I could feel life coming back into me just like a blanket unrolling." He outlived the brother that came in and told us to administer to him.
• [9 month old blind baby]
I've told the story about the little baby nine months old who was born blind. The father came up with him one Sunday and said, "Brother Cowley, our baby hasn't been blessed yet; we'd like you to bless him."
I said, "Why have you waited so long?"
"Oh, we just didn't get around to it."
Now, that's the native way. I like that. Just don't get around to doing things! Why not live and enjoy it?
I said, "All right, what's the name?" So he told me the name and I was just going to start when he said, "By the way, give him his vision when you give him a name. He was born blind." Well, it shocked me, but then I said to myself, why not? Christ told his disciples when he left them they could work miracles, and I had faith in that father's faith. After I gave that child its name, I finally got around to giving it its vision.
That boy's about twelve years old now. The last time I was back there I was afraid to inquire about him. I was sure he had gone blind again. That's the way my faith works sometimes. So I asked the branch president about him. He said, "Brother Cowley, the worst thing you ever did was to bless that child to receive his vision. He's the meanest kid in the neighborhood, always getting into mischief." Boy, I was thrilled about that kid getting into mischief!
• [God controls all elements]
God does have control of all of these elements. You and I can reach out, and if it's his will, we can bring those elements under our control for His purposes.
I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. And if there ever was a miracle in the history of mankind that miracle is this Church which has grown to its present greatness in the earth.
Your institution here stems from the prayer of a boy who was persecuted, who was driven from pillar to post, whose life was taken, who has been branded as the greatest fraud that ever lived on the American continent. This Church from that kind of fraud is the greatest miracle of modern history. And it's a miracle of God our Father.
May you all have an inward witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that God used him to bring about his purposes in this Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.
May we always be loyal devoted, and simple in our faith, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
by Matthew Cowley
member of the Quorum of the Twelve
[Matthew Cowley was born Aug. 2, 1897. His father, Matthias Cowley, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Matthew was called to serve a mission in New Zealand in 1914, when only 17 years of age. He became fluent in the Maori language and developed a great closeness to the people. Oct. 11, 1945, Elder Cowley was called to be a member of the Quorum of Twelve. He passed away Dec. 13, 1953.]
Address at Brigham Young University
February 18, 1953
I feel very humble this morning, and sometimes when I'm introduced, I get the idea that others feel that I'm untouchable, but I want you to know that I'm neither untouchable nor unteachable. And since I've been in this position in the Church, I have learned some very fine things from some of the members of the Church, generally in anonymous letters. I don't know why they don't sign those letters because almost invariably what they say is true, especially when I look it up in the books.
When I was invited to come here, President [Ernest L.] Wilkinson suggested that I might talk a little bit about miracles. Well, it will be a miracle if I do.
• [Instruction given specifically to Elder Cowley . . . “Never write a sermon.”]
I had a particular assignment or instruction from President George Albert Smith when I was called to this position. He called me into his office one day and took hold of my hand, and while he was holding my hand and looking at me he said, "I want to say something to you Brother Cowley."
I said, "Well, I'm willing to listen."
"This is just a particular suggestion to you, not to all the brethren but to you," He said, "Never write a sermon. Never write down what you are going to say."
I said, "What on earth will I do?"
He said, "You tell the people what the Lord wants you to tell them while you are standing on your feet."
I said, "That certainly is putting some responsibility on the Lord."
But I've tried to live up to that instruction. And I've had some great experiences. There have been times when the Lord has forsaken me. But when he hasn't, I've had some miraculous -- well, I shouldn't say miraculous -- it is the normal experience of the priesthood, of having the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I can bear witness to you, my fellow students, here this morning that God can work through his priesthood and that he does work through it. I know that without any question of doubt. I've had too many experiences. I'm an expert witness about these things.
• [Young boy with polio]
A few weeks ago I was called to the County Hospital in Salt lake City by a mother. I didn't know her. She said her boy was dying from polio and asked if I would come down and give that boy a blessing. So I picked up a young bishop [Glen Rudd] whom I generally take with me, for I think his faith is greater than mine, and I always like him along.
We went down there, and here was this young lad in an iron lung, unconscious, his face rather a blackish color, with a tube in his throat, and they said he had a tube lower down in his abdomen. he had been flown in from an outlying community. The mother said to me, "This is an unusual boy. Not because he's my child, but he is an unusual boy." I think he was eight or nine years of age.
After they put the usual coverings on us, we went in, and we blessed that boy. It was one of those occasions when I knew as I laid my hands upon that lad that he was an unusual boy, and he had faith. Having faith in his faith, I blessed him to get well and promised him he would.
I never heard any more about him until last Sunday. I was on my way to Murray [Utah] to conference; I dropped in the County Hospital, and I asked if I might see the lad. The nurse said, "Certainly. Walk right down the hall." As I walked down the hall, out came the boy running to meet me. He ran up and asked, "Are you Brother Cowley?"
And I said, "Yes."
He said, "I want to thank you for that prayer." He added, "I was unconscious then wasn't I?"
I replied, "You certainly were."
He said, "That's the reason I don't recognize you." Then he asked, "Come in my room; I want to talk to you." He was an unusual boy. Well, we went in the room. He still had a tube in his throat. I said, "How long are you going to have that tube there?"
He said, "Oh, two weeks, two more weeks, and then I'm all well. How about another blessing?"
So I said, "Certainly." I blessed him again. I was in a hurry. I wanted to get out to my conference. But he stopped me and asked, "Hey, how about my partner in the next bed?" There was a young fellow about sixteen or seventeen.
I said, "What do you mean?"
He said, "Don't go without blessing him. He's my partner."
I said, "Sure." Then I asked the boy, "Would you like a blessing?"
He said, "Yes, sir. I'm a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood in my ward." I blessed him, and then my little friend went and brought another fellow in. Here was another partner. And I blessed him.
Now, except ye believe as a child, you can't receive these blessings. We have to have the faith of a child in order to believe in these things, especially when you reach college age, and your minds are so full of skepticism and doubt. I guess there are some things you should doubt. But you can become as little children in these things. Miracles are commonplace, brothers and sisters.
In 1851 or 52, Parley P. Pratt wrote a book called The Key to Theology. In that book he said the day would come (these were not his exact words), when man would not be satisfied with going along the surface of the earth at the rate of sixty, seventy, eighty or ninety miles an hour, but we would use the air and go at the rate of a thousand miles an hour. Now, in 1852 when he wrote that he was "crazy," wasn't he? He was "mad" -- but he was a prophet. Today it is commonplace.
Since the first time I flew from San Francisco to Australia the flying time has been decreased twelve hours. I see in the paper where they are going to have a jet plane from Vancouver to Tokyo, Japan, which will require only eight hours for that long journey. Now, are they miracles? No, they are just commonplace -- just commonplace!
The boy prophet went into the grove and prayed -- a young lad with simple faith. He opened up his heart to God. He apparently reached out and by prayer got under his control the proper channels, and God and the Son came down and appeared to him.
A few weeks ago I sat in my front room and had Dwight Eisenhower come right into my front room. I saw him sworn in as President of the United States. I saw the parade over other people's shoulders -- all of this right in my own front room, and the same thing in millions of homes! Now there was no wire connecting me or my home with Washington D.C., just these channels, or whatever Brother [Harvey] Fletcher and others call them out there, air waves, or whatever they are. But through those channels I brought into my home the President of the United States and the inaugural ceremonies. If I'd have told you twenty-five years ago that this would be done in this year 1953, I know what you'd have told me.
Well, no man invented those elements out there. Man has invented instruments whereby he harnesses those elements, but he never invented the elements; they are eternal; they've been there all the time, and if I can turn a little gadget and bring the President of the United States and into my front room, God can bring himself down within the vision of man. The Master can come down within the range of man's vision because he has more control over those elements out there than man does himself.
The Prophet Joseph said that Moroni appeared to him in his bedroom. I've been back there to that house. I've stood there and wondered how he got through those walls, how he came in. Now I don't doubt any more about the Angel Moroni coming into the prophet's home. Man hasn't yet harnessed all of these elements. He's working at it and meeting with great success.
I was on an island down in French Oceania one Sunday afternoon. I started fooling with the radio; I don't know whether you're supposed to play radios on Sunday afternoon or not, but I started turning the dials, and all of a sudden I heard the voice of Richard L. Evans from the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. The strange thing about it was that I wasn't in contact with Salt Lake city, I was in tune with a station in Houston, Texas. That station was getting the program from Salt Lake City, and I was picking it up from Houston. I can't explain these things. Some of you fellows can. But I had an instrument there which man had invented so that he could bring under his control and direction these elements out there.
I was over in Samoa. I couldn't sleep, worrying about the centipedes, and so forth. So I got up. It was three o'clock in the morning. I went in the room where they had the radio. I started turning the dials, and all of a sudden I heard a voice say,"Station KSL, Salt Lade City. Songs of Harry Clarke." I sat there and listened to Harry Clarke sing for fifteen minutes.
Then I had to get up the next morning at three o'clock because I'd sent him a cable and I wanted to see if he got it. He had. He mentioned it over the air. So I listened to him sing for another fifteen minutes. You know, the strange thing about it was I was hearing him sing four hours before he actually sang. And you talk about miracles.
I got on a plane one day in Tonga. It was Saturday morning, the Sabbath of the Seventh-day Adventists. The head of the Seventh-day Adventists' mission in the Pacific got on the plane with me. Down at the airport were his Sunday School children, giving him a send-off, singing hymns, and so on.
Well, we got on that plane Saturday morning, and we went to Samoa. When we arrived at Samoa, it was Friday, the day before we left Tonga. I just wondered how he was going to straighten out that "seventh day" business. He's already had one Saturday, one Sabbath, an there he was again in Samoa on a Friday, the day before he'd had the Sabbath. The next day he had another. Now I tried to find him to ask him form which Saturday he was going to start counting the seven days.
Well, these things happen. This is going on all over the world.
The missionaries down in Samoa didn't have a president for a few months. I was the president but by remote control. I used to go to a Chinaman's home in Honolulu and tell him to tune in one of our natives down in Samoa, then tell that native to round up all the missionaries and have them come there, as I wanted to give them some instruction.
So he'd tune in down there and get this young Samoan with his ham radio. and I'd sit there in that Chinese home and talk to these missionaries down in Samoa and give whatever instructions I wanted to give them. But being the usual missionaries, I don't think they paid any attention.
• [Jumbled words - transmitter and receiver]
I telephoned one day from Honolulu to my home, and I asked the engineer there at the radio-phone place, "How can I talk confidentially to my wife? I send this message out into the air and anybody with a ham radio can each out and pick it up."
He said, "Yes, that's right, but they won't understand it."
I said, "Well, why not?"
He said, "Well, when your words go out of this transmitter we jumble them up; there is no meaning to them. But when they go into the receiver on the mainland they are all straightened out again, and your wife will understand them just as you spoke them."
My, I'm glad of that. I'll tell you why. I get my prayers so jumbled up sometimes that I'm glad there's a receiving set over on the other side that will straighten out the things I'm trying to say. And I believe that, I'm just simple enough to believe that. I'm simple enough to believe that if man can talk to man across the ocean and across the world with these instruments, that man can talk to God, that God has as much power as man, as much control over the elements. And so, brothers and sisters of the Church, God has his priesthood here upon the earth, his power, and with that power we can be used by God for the accomplishment of his purposes. Don't ever forget that. I've had these experiences. I know.
• [Rubbing noses]
I've learned a lot from these islanders that I see scattered around here. I see Albert Whaanga from New Zealand in the audience; I wish he'd teach you people how to rub noses. That's what we do down in New Zealand, you know. We don't really rub. You just press your forehead and your nose against the nose and forehead of the other person. It's a wonderful thing. You can always tell when they're keeping the Word of Wisdom down there. All you have to do is walk up and greet them and sniff a little bit, and you've got 'em! It would be a good practice to have over here, maybe even with some of our BYU students. So if I ever come up to one of you some day and say I'd like to rub noses with you, you'll know I'm suspecting something.
These Natives live close to God. They have some kind of power. I guess it's just because they accept miracles as a matter of course. They never doubt anything. They used to scare me. Someone would come up and say, "Brother Cowley, I've had a dream about you."
I'd say, "Don't tell me. I don't want to hear about it."
"Oh, it was a good one."
"All right. Tell me."
And they'd tell me something.
• [Passing of Pres. Rufus K. Hardy of the Seventy]
Now I remember when President Rufus K. Hardy of the First Council of the Seventy passed away. I was walking along the street of one of the cities in New Zealand, and one of our native members came up -- a lady.
She said to me, "President Hardy is dead."
I said, "Is that so? Have you received a wire?"
She said, "No. I received a message, but I haven't received any wire." She repeated, "He's dead. I know."
Well, I always believed them when they told me those things. When I got back to headquarters, I wasn't there long when here came a cablegram which said that President Hardy had passed away the night before. But she knew that without any cablegram. She told me about it.
I got out of my car once in the city. I got out to do some window-shopping to get a little rest from driving. I walked around, and finally I went around a corner, and there stood a native woman and her daughter. The mother said to the daughter, "What did I tell you?"
I said, "What's going on here?"
The daughter said, "Mother said if we'd stand here for fifteen minutes you'd come around the corner." Now she didn't have any radio set with her, just one in her heart where she received the impression.
• [Elder Cowley’s calling to the Quorum of the Twelve]
After President Hardy died, we had a memorial service for him. I'll never forget the native who was up speaking, saying what a calamity it was to the mission to lose this great New Zealand missionary who could do so much for them as one of the Authorities of the Church. He was talking along that line, and all of a sudden he stopped and looked around at me and said, "Wait a minute. There's nothing to worry about. When President Cowley gets home, he'll fill the vacancy in the Council of the Twelve Apostles, and we'll still have a representative among the Authorities of the Church." Then he went on talking about President Hardy.
When I arrived home the following September, I filled the first vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. Now did that just happen by chance? Oh, I might have thought so if it had been one of you white Gentiles that had prophesied that, but not from the blood of Israel. Oh, no, I could not deny, I couldn't doubt it.
And so, remember we have great opportunities. Great opportunities to bless. Sometimes I wonder if we do enough in our administration of the sick. You know when the Apostles tried to cast out an evil spirit, they couldn't do it or they didn't do it. The Master came along, and he immediately cast out the dumb spirit. Then the Apostles said, "Why could not we cast him out?" And what did Christ say? "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and by fasting." (Matt. 17:21)
Sometimes we rush in, administer to a person, rush out, and say, "Well, he won't make it. I know he won't." Of course, we have to, in case of an emergency, go immediately. Sometimes I wonder, if we have a little time, if we shouldn't do a little fasting. "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and by fasting."
• [Baby - blind, deaf, dumb, no muscular coordination, unable to crawl]
A little over a year ago a couple came into my office carrying a little boy. The father said to me, "My wife and I have been fasting for two days, and we've brought our little boy up for a blessing. You are the one we've been sent to."
I said, "What's the matter with him?"
They said he was born blind, deaf, and dumb, had not coordination of his muscles, and couldn't even crawl at the age of five years. I said to myself, this is it. I had implicit faith in the fasting and the prayers of those parents. I blessed that child, and a few weeks later I received a letter: "Brother Cowley, we wish you could see our little boy now. He's crawling. When we throw a ball across the floor, he races after it on his hands and knees. He can see. When we clap our hands over his head, he jumps. He can hear."
Medical science had laid the burden down. God had taken over. The little boy was rapidly recovering, really getting what he'd never had.
• [Non-member woman dying]
I went into a hospital one day in New Zealand to bless a woman who didn't belong to the Church. She was dying. We all knew she was dying. Even the doctor said so.
She was having her farewell party. Ah, that's one thing I like about the natives. When you go, they give you a farewell party. They all gather around. They send messages over to the other side. "When you get over there, tell my mother I'm trying to do my best; I'm not so good but I'm trying. Tell her to have a good room fixed for me when I get over there--plenty of fish, good meals. " My, it's wonderful how they send you off.
Well, there they were, all gathered around this poor sister. She was about to be confined, and the doctor told her it would kill her. She was tubercular from head to foot. I had with me an old native, almost ninety. She was his niece. He stood up at the head of the bed, and he said, "Vera, you're dead. You're dead because the doctor says you're dead. You're on your way out. I've been to you, your home, Of your people, my relatives, I'm the only one that has joined the Church. None of you has ever listened to me. You're dead now; but you're going to live." He turned to me and said, "Is it all right if we kneel down and pray?"
I said, "Yes." So we knelt down. Everybody around there knelt down. And after the prayer we blessed her.
The last time I was in New Zealand she had her fifth child and she's physically well from head to foot. She has not joined the Church yet. That's the next miracle I'm waiting for.
Well, now, this is just psychological effect, isn't it? There nothing to this priesthood business. it's only psychological effect. But where was the psychological effect on that little boy in the County Hospital who was so unconscious he didn't even know we were praying over him? He wasn't even conscious of what we were doing.
• [Raising the dead]
I was called to a home in a little village in New Zealand one day. There the Relief Society sisters were preparing the body of one of our Saints. They had placed his body in front of the Big House as they call it, the house where the people came to wail and weep and mourn over the dead, when in rushed the dead man's brother.
He said, "Administer to him."
A young native said, "Why, you shouldn't do that; he's dead."
"You do it!"
This same old man that I had with me when his niece was so ill was there. The younger native got down on his knees, and he anointed the dead man. Then this great old sage got down and blessed him and commanded him to rise. You should have seen the Relief Society sisters scatter. And he sat up, and he said, "Send for the elders; I don't feel very well."
Now, of course, all of that was just psychological effect on that dead man. Wonderful, isn't it – this psychological effect business?
Well, we told him he had just been administered to, and he said: "Oh, that was it." He said, "I was dead. I could feel life coming back into me just like a blanket unrolling." He outlived the brother that came in and told us to administer to him.
• [9 month old blind baby]
I've told the story about the little baby nine months old who was born blind. The father came up with him one Sunday and said, "Brother Cowley, our baby hasn't been blessed yet; we'd like you to bless him."
I said, "Why have you waited so long?"
"Oh, we just didn't get around to it."
Now, that's the native way. I like that. Just don't get around to doing things! Why not live and enjoy it?
I said, "All right, what's the name?" So he told me the name and I was just going to start when he said, "By the way, give him his vision when you give him a name. He was born blind." Well, it shocked me, but then I said to myself, why not? Christ told his disciples when he left them they could work miracles, and I had faith in that father's faith. After I gave that child its name, I finally got around to giving it its vision.
That boy's about twelve years old now. The last time I was back there I was afraid to inquire about him. I was sure he had gone blind again. That's the way my faith works sometimes. So I asked the branch president about him. He said, "Brother Cowley, the worst thing you ever did was to bless that child to receive his vision. He's the meanest kid in the neighborhood, always getting into mischief." Boy, I was thrilled about that kid getting into mischief!
• [God controls all elements]
God does have control of all of these elements. You and I can reach out, and if it's his will, we can bring those elements under our control for His purposes.
I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. And if there ever was a miracle in the history of mankind that miracle is this Church which has grown to its present greatness in the earth.
Your institution here stems from the prayer of a boy who was persecuted, who was driven from pillar to post, whose life was taken, who has been branded as the greatest fraud that ever lived on the American continent. This Church from that kind of fraud is the greatest miracle of modern history. And it's a miracle of God our Father.
May you all have an inward witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that God used him to bring about his purposes in this Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.
May we always be loyal devoted, and simple in our faith, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Update on Briana
10/10/10
Serena and Bri are traveling back to Bri’s home following the colonoscopy. Serena called to report the nurse who performed the colonoscopy and the dr. with whom she conferred both confirmed no cancer in the colon.
We express deepest gratitude to a loving Heavenly Father for this blessing.
Rick
Today's test is tomorrow's testimony.
John 14: 12
. . . He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Serena and Bri are traveling back to Bri’s home following the colonoscopy. Serena called to report the nurse who performed the colonoscopy and the dr. with whom she conferred both confirmed no cancer in the colon.
We express deepest gratitude to a loving Heavenly Father for this blessing.
Rick
Today's test is tomorrow's testimony.
John 14: 12
. . . He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
From Elder Lyon
Hey Bri,
I heard that you had a stroke. I am sure those are not the kind of scares that you would ever want and I am sorry that it happened. I am sure that after all that you have gone through it would seem as though you deserve a break. I pray that as you go through the furnace of affliction, the changes that the Lord has intended regarding your spiritual strength and character, will become increasingly clear. I read today the verse that talks about being tried and refined and later chosen from the furnace of affliction. All of these trials are designed to help you be prepared to be with God. Some thing that i learned that i have yet to be able to put clearly into words, so i hope this makes sense, is the fact that Christ suffered for all of our since. Every treatment you have been given, every side effect felt, has been felt by the Savior. He knew that you would have that trial. He knew how much you would NEED that trial. He knew it enough that HE TOO was willing to suffer through it. His concern for your eternal well-being, was great enough, that He was willing to go through all the same pains, challenges and afflictions, that you would, just so that you could come out of it a better person and just so that He could stand along side of you and comfort you. If it wasnt a necessary trial, then He would not have suffered through it. I dont think He would have added more to His load, then what was necessary.
Look and live. Recognize the miracle and i hope you feel my prayers. I love you
I love the scripture in the last chapter of 1 Peter. I cant remember the verse but it is at the top of the page and it says something like, "laying all of your cares on Him, for He careth for you"
Keep the faith
Elder BUD
I heard that you had a stroke. I am sure those are not the kind of scares that you would ever want and I am sorry that it happened. I am sure that after all that you have gone through it would seem as though you deserve a break. I pray that as you go through the furnace of affliction, the changes that the Lord has intended regarding your spiritual strength and character, will become increasingly clear. I read today the verse that talks about being tried and refined and later chosen from the furnace of affliction. All of these trials are designed to help you be prepared to be with God. Some thing that i learned that i have yet to be able to put clearly into words, so i hope this makes sense, is the fact that Christ suffered for all of our since. Every treatment you have been given, every side effect felt, has been felt by the Savior. He knew that you would have that trial. He knew how much you would NEED that trial. He knew it enough that HE TOO was willing to suffer through it. His concern for your eternal well-being, was great enough, that He was willing to go through all the same pains, challenges and afflictions, that you would, just so that you could come out of it a better person and just so that He could stand along side of you and comfort you. If it wasnt a necessary trial, then He would not have suffered through it. I dont think He would have added more to His load, then what was necessary.
Look and live. Recognize the miracle and i hope you feel my prayers. I love you
I love the scripture in the last chapter of 1 Peter. I cant remember the verse but it is at the top of the page and it says something like, "laying all of your cares on Him, for He careth for you"
Keep the faith
Elder BUD
A Father's Thoughts to His Daughter
October 10, 2010
Dear Bri,
As I’ve thought of you today and pondered numerous passages of scripture, I’ve pled with the Lord for a loving and understanding heart.
During this morning’s Fast & Testimony meeting, I recalled the counsel given to us as young missionaries in the Argentina East Mission by Elder Bruce R. McConkie in 1973. As I recall his instruction he said,
“There will be times in your life when you’ll see an obstacle, as if it were a wall, in front of you. It’s so big you know you can’t go over it, you can’t go around it, you can’t go under it, you can’t go through it. When you’re 50 yards away you might pray, ‘Lord, there’s a wall in front of me. Please remove it.’ He probably won’t. At 20 yards, you’ll offer a similar prayer. He still won’t remove the wall. At 5 yards, you pray and the wall remains. The Lord expects us to touch our nose to the wall and press forward with all our might. When you feel as if your nose is going to break, pray with faith and expect the miracle.”
My dearest Bri, you are so valiant and faithful! You are a beautiful daughter of God and a worthy wife and mother in Zion.
Questions . . . Why? . . . How much longer? . . . come to mortal hearts and minds. As His children navigating our way through mortality such questions are to be expected. We don’t always know the answers. He invites all to come, obey and trust in Him.
We acknowledge many walls that you’ve encountered and seen removed over the past two years. With deep reverence we thank our Heavenly Father with broken hearts and contrite spirits for the miracles you’ve experienced and that we’ve witnessed at His hand. Yet, walls remain.
At times, life feels like one’s about to win a game of checkers and just when we feel the game (trial) is nearly over, someone adds more squares to the game board – it seems unfair. From my perspective, it seems as if you’ve had to make more than your fair share of moves and jumps.
I know you find yourself with your nose pressing against a wall. Continue in faith and expect the miracle. Promises, blessings and relationships detailed in your patriarchal blessing remain unchanged. God remains your friend. He takes you by the hand and will not forsake you.
I love and admire Eric! What faith and trust he exhibits as he’s often required to leave your side to travel long distances to sell a product he never knew before, to dr.s he never met before, in facilities he never visited before. Yet he goes and does that which is required to provide for you and the kids. I’m humbled that he goes forward, trusting all will be well with you in the care of Mom and our Heavenly Father. What a wonderful example, husband and father!
Attending angels continue to be with you –
Eric, Mom, other family members and friends, compassionate men and women here on earth.
Please know that Grandpa Boulter and so many friends and family on the other side of the veil work and plead with the Father in your behalf - great-grandmothers, grandfathers and other friends and family that have passed.
I’m so grateful Mom and Serena are with you today. The love your brother and sisters feel for you is pure and abundant beyond description. Your mother is an angel! How blessed we all are to have her in our lives. Knowing she is with you, Eric and the kids is an incomparable blessing for her and me. When I contemplate the infinite love of our Heavenly parents, I immediately think of Mom. What a saint . . . truly a queen and goddess! Oh, if you could fully comprehend the place you hold in her prayers.
Although I can’t be with you at this time, as your father, through this written message I feel impressed to extend unto you a blessing. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bless you that all walls will be removed – that blessings received at the hands of worthy men of God and pronounced by divine revelation from the Holy Ghost since the beginning of this trial will yet come to pass – the miracle continues.
The Mesa temple reopens after two weeks of scheduled maintenance on Tues. morning, (Oct. 12). I’ll be there bright and early in the morning. You, Eric, Mom and the kids will be with me.
I don’t feel I can say it enough . . . you’re always in my heart, thoughts and prayers. I humbly and fervently pray for the miracle of healing to come into your life today.
I love you,
Dad
Be believing!
Dear Bri,
As I’ve thought of you today and pondered numerous passages of scripture, I’ve pled with the Lord for a loving and understanding heart.
During this morning’s Fast & Testimony meeting, I recalled the counsel given to us as young missionaries in the Argentina East Mission by Elder Bruce R. McConkie in 1973. As I recall his instruction he said,
“There will be times in your life when you’ll see an obstacle, as if it were a wall, in front of you. It’s so big you know you can’t go over it, you can’t go around it, you can’t go under it, you can’t go through it. When you’re 50 yards away you might pray, ‘Lord, there’s a wall in front of me. Please remove it.’ He probably won’t. At 20 yards, you’ll offer a similar prayer. He still won’t remove the wall. At 5 yards, you pray and the wall remains. The Lord expects us to touch our nose to the wall and press forward with all our might. When you feel as if your nose is going to break, pray with faith and expect the miracle.”
My dearest Bri, you are so valiant and faithful! You are a beautiful daughter of God and a worthy wife and mother in Zion.
Questions . . . Why? . . . How much longer? . . . come to mortal hearts and minds. As His children navigating our way through mortality such questions are to be expected. We don’t always know the answers. He invites all to come, obey and trust in Him.
We acknowledge many walls that you’ve encountered and seen removed over the past two years. With deep reverence we thank our Heavenly Father with broken hearts and contrite spirits for the miracles you’ve experienced and that we’ve witnessed at His hand. Yet, walls remain.
At times, life feels like one’s about to win a game of checkers and just when we feel the game (trial) is nearly over, someone adds more squares to the game board – it seems unfair. From my perspective, it seems as if you’ve had to make more than your fair share of moves and jumps.
I know you find yourself with your nose pressing against a wall. Continue in faith and expect the miracle. Promises, blessings and relationships detailed in your patriarchal blessing remain unchanged. God remains your friend. He takes you by the hand and will not forsake you.
I love and admire Eric! What faith and trust he exhibits as he’s often required to leave your side to travel long distances to sell a product he never knew before, to dr.s he never met before, in facilities he never visited before. Yet he goes and does that which is required to provide for you and the kids. I’m humbled that he goes forward, trusting all will be well with you in the care of Mom and our Heavenly Father. What a wonderful example, husband and father!
Attending angels continue to be with you –
Eric, Mom, other family members and friends, compassionate men and women here on earth.
Please know that Grandpa Boulter and so many friends and family on the other side of the veil work and plead with the Father in your behalf - great-grandmothers, grandfathers and other friends and family that have passed.
I’m so grateful Mom and Serena are with you today. The love your brother and sisters feel for you is pure and abundant beyond description. Your mother is an angel! How blessed we all are to have her in our lives. Knowing she is with you, Eric and the kids is an incomparable blessing for her and me. When I contemplate the infinite love of our Heavenly parents, I immediately think of Mom. What a saint . . . truly a queen and goddess! Oh, if you could fully comprehend the place you hold in her prayers.
Although I can’t be with you at this time, as your father, through this written message I feel impressed to extend unto you a blessing. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bless you that all walls will be removed – that blessings received at the hands of worthy men of God and pronounced by divine revelation from the Holy Ghost since the beginning of this trial will yet come to pass – the miracle continues.
The Mesa temple reopens after two weeks of scheduled maintenance on Tues. morning, (Oct. 12). I’ll be there bright and early in the morning. You, Eric, Mom and the kids will be with me.
I don’t feel I can say it enough . . . you’re always in my heart, thoughts and prayers. I humbly and fervently pray for the miracle of healing to come into your life today.
I love you,
Dad
Be believing!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Update on Briana
08/18/10 1:45 p.m.
The vampire took 15 vials of blood for Bri’s blood work this morning. Then the dr. performed an EKG to check her heart function. Mom says Bri will receive results of the blood work and the EKG next week.
This afternoon is a time of relaxation for Bri, the kids and Mom. They’re at the movie theater watching “Karate Kid.”
Bri’s coping very well . . . taking everything day by day, with faith and absolute confidence in the prayers and blessings offered on her behalf.
Dad
Faith makes things possible . . . not easy.
"It's journal material, Elder . . . journal material."
(Roy Boulter's frequent comment when life became difficult.)
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