Mrs. Sols Guardisto was one of the 50,000 people who toured the Cardston Temple prior to its dedication in 1923. While in the temple she had a very unusual experience, which is told below as she wrote to President Wood of the Cardston Temple. She was not a member of the Church at the time, but she has since joined.
"We have been to the temple erected by your church, wherin the sacred rites are to be performed in accordance with your faith. The first time I was strongly impelled to describe to you my impressions.
It seemed as though the Temple was filled with the actual spiritual bodies of these previous leaders of the
Church, each seeming to have a definite work to do, automatically taking up in the spirit world the work that person was engaged in whilst in the flesh. In that Temple I saw persons who were leaders of your Church, during its march across the American Desert, now engaged in helping those patriarchs under whose orders they seemed to be working. It was these leaders of your Church, or spiritual leaders, if I may use that term, who seemed instructed to show me the scenes here recorded.
I can give no time as to the happenings except that the impressions I received were of the actual present or immediate future.
I saw first a brief but comprehensive sketch of the present state of the world, or, as you would term it, the Gentile Kingdom. Each country in turn was shown its anarchy, hunger, ambitions, distrusts, and warlike activities, etc., and in my mind was formed from some source the words, "As it is today with the Gentiles."
I saw next international war break out with its center upon the Pacific Ocean, but sweeping and encircling the whole glove. I saw that the opposing forces were roughly divided by so-called Christianity on one side, and by the so-called followers of Mohammed and Buddha upon the other. I saw the great driving power within these so-called Christian Nations was the Great Apostasy in all its political, social, and religious aspects. I saw the world-wide dislocation and devastation of production and slaughter of people occur more swiftly and upon a larger scale than ever before. I saw an antagonism begin to express itself from those so-called Christian nations against your people. I saw those of a similar faith to yours in the Far East begin to look toward Palestine for safety.
I saw the international world war automatically break down, and national revolutions occur in every country and complete the work of chaos and desolation. I saw geological disturbances occur, which helped in this work as if it were intended to do so. I saw the Cardston Temple preserved from all this geological upheaval. I saw the international boundary line disappear as these two governments broke up an dissolved into chaos. I saw race rioting upon this American continent on a vast scale.
I saw hunger and starvation in this world granary of the American continent sweep off vast numbers of the conflicting elements. I saw disease produced by hunger, strife, and chaos complete the end of this present order or epoch…"
Mrs. Guardisto goes on to describe the preparations allegedly made by the future Church leaders to endure catastrophic conditions in the world.
"I saw Cardston and the surrounding foothills, especially West and North, for miles being prepared for a refuge for your people, quietly but quickly.
I saw artesian wells bored and other wells dug all over that territory, so that when the open waters were polluted and poisoned, the people of the Church and their cattle would be provided for. I saw the fuel resources of the district developed in many places, and vast piles of coal and timbers stored for future use and building.
I saw the elders, still under divine guidance, counseling and encouraging the planting of every available acre of soil in this district, so that large supplies could be near the refuge. I saw the Church property under cultivation of an intensified character, not for sale or profit, but for the use of the people. I saw the inspired officers giving instructions as to what would be the best crops to plant and cultivate, not for profit but for use in storage at the time of chaos. I saw the territory carefully surveyed and mapped out for the camping of a great body of people of the Church. I saw provisions also made for a big influx of people who at present do not belong to the Church, but who will gather in their tribulation. I saw inspiration given the elders whereby the quality, quantity, and kind of things to be stored were judged, which might not be attainable in this territory during the time of chaos.."
More to come on visions of the future of massive refuge camps located in the Eastern foothills of the Oquirrhs - camps covering tens of square miles. I believe this to be the prime reason we have been commanded to have a food supply - to absorb the short term crisis of millions of people overloading basic
Thank you for posting this. It has been years since I saw a publication of it. I have thought of it often -- keeping my mind alert to the development of events in the world and especially in North America. The account I first read had a few additional details of Sols' experience in the temple. I am looking now for a full account as originally sent to President Wood. Your website will be further explored with interest.
ReplyDeleteIn one account I read, Hugh B. Brown acknowledged knowing this woman and having gone thru the temple with her on that particular day. He also stated that she later ran off with another woman's husband.
ReplyDeleteHere are my thoughts on this matter.
Unlike in Noah's time, the last days will be characterized by a division along moral lines into two groups - the righteous and the wicked. The righteous will tend to become more righteous and the wicked more wicked. Because of the righteous, however, who will be of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, I don't think there will be a complete societal breakdown.
I believe, in general, the Lord preserves the righteous, especially the righteous gentiles who do not require the severe testing the saints do.
The presence and faith and prayers of the righteous will temper the influence of the wicked. There will surely be evil on a scale never seen before but it will be as though there were two worlds in one on the earth - the world of the wicked and the world of the righteous.