This is a great story that underscores several points:
I used to live in Orem, Utah. At a stake conference we had a member of
the 70 visiting as a general authority. He told us that one of the
things that helps to protect a given area was temple attendence.
I also received this next post a few years ago. It is a wonderful promise for the saints in Korea.
I'm
a Korean linguist for the U.S. Air Force. I've been stationed in Korea for 12 of
the last 22 years.
I served my mission in Sendai, Japan and then returned
home to Idaho and married my wife Lauri.
I joined the Air Force in
1982 and was sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey California to
learn Korean.
I was then assigned to Osan Air Base and arrived in Korea in
1984. I am an Intelligence professional.
On December 14, 1985, my
wife and I were privileged to attend the dedication of the Seoul Temple.
President Gordon B. Hinckley who was a counselor in the First Presidency at
the time, was to dedicate the
temple. In his remarks before the dedicatory
prayer, he made a comment that was so startling, that I committed it to memory.
He said, "If you will use this temple, you need not fear an invasion from the
north."
What a great promise! I also remember the remark,
because during my mission, I had the opportunity to work with
Elder Kikuchi
of the Seventy. He was also at the dedication and afterwards as we were talking,
he remarked how neat that promise was.
My family left Korea in 1986
and returned in 1988 for a second tour. We stayed that time until 1991. In
1993, my family and I returned yet again to Korea and at that
time, tensions were increasing over the possible North Korean development
of nuclear weapons. In 1994, it actually appeared that we might go to war
with North Korea over this issue.
Even though I had heard a prophet of the
Lord declare we would be protected, I began to doubt the promise.
I wondered
if perhaps I had misunderstood president Hinckley 's words that
day.
That summer, many of us were invited to Seoul to a training
session with Elder Boyd K. Packer and Elder Henry B. Eyring. The chapel in
Shindang was filled with church leaders both Korean and American. Elder
Eyring spoke first and then Elder Packer stood up to speak. He let us know that
"training" was not the only reason that he and Elder Eyring had come to Korea.
He told us that President Hinckley was concerned for the safety of the
saints in Korea. He said the day before, President Packer and Elder
Eyring had gone up to the Demilitarized Zone, the border between North and South
Korea, and had performed a priesthood ordinance which placed guardian angels at
that border. He told us that because of our faithfulness in attending the
temple, we would be protected.
I don't know if I was more surprised to
hear that there were actually guardian angels at the border, or that there was a
priesthood ordinance to put them there. One Korean stake president, asked Elder
Packer, "How long will they be there?"
His answer was, "As long as they are
needed, and you are faithful in your temple attendance." Now I knew we
were safe for I had heard the promise twice.
In 1996, President Hinckley
came to Korea on his way to Hong Kong to dedicate the temple there. He
held a regional conference in Seoul which we attended. During his remarks at
this conference, he made reference to the temple promise, and said he was going
to change it. He told us that we now needed to attend the temple faithfully, and
also appreciate it. He told us that we were all being protected by the Lord
because we had done as we were told. This was the third time I had heard
the promise and the second time from President Hinckley's own
mouth.
I know this promise is true. I have seen events happen in
conjunction with my job, in which many times the experts have been confused
as to why the North Koreans did not attack. I know it is because they
cannot.
As a member of the U.S. Air Force, part of my job is to
help protect the Republic of South Korea from attack. I feel as a member
of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints, I can do more to
protect South Korea by attending the temple. As long as the saints in
Korea attend the temple they are protected.
I have been so blessed to not only witness the prophet of the Lord
proclaim this great promise, but also have been here to see the fulfillment of
those words.
George H. Barnard
Salt Lake City , UT 84111
geobarn62@gmail.com
THIS BLOG ATTEMPTS TO SHOW HOW SCIENCE IS CATCHING UP WITH REVEALED RELIGION
THIS BLOG IS AN ATTEMPT TO PUT ALL THE COOL STUFF THAT I BUMP INTO ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO IT INTO ONE LOCATION.
THE CONTENTS WILL BE FROM AN LDS PERSPECTIVE. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING IN HERE, I DO NOT PARTICULARLY CARE TO ARGUE, UNLESS YOU CAN ADD TO THIS BODY OF WORK. I HAVE AN OPEN MIND, THAT IS WHY I READ STUFF FROM ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND SEEK LEARNING FROM THE BEST BOOKS. I JUST AM NOT HERE TO ARGUE ABOUT IT - BUT TO PUT IT OUT THERE WHERE OTHERS CAN PERUSE/PURSUE IT. I TAKE PARTICULAR INTEREST IN HONEST SEEKERS OF TRUTH AND BELIEVE THAT SCIENCE IS REVEALED RELIGION'S BEST ALLY. YOU WILL SEE ALOT OF TOPICS IN THIS BLOG THAT SHOW SCIENCE BACKING - AND SLOWLY CATCHING UP WITH - REVEALED RELIGION.
ENJOY!!
THE CONTENTS WILL BE FROM AN LDS PERSPECTIVE. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING IN HERE, I DO NOT PARTICULARLY CARE TO ARGUE, UNLESS YOU CAN ADD TO THIS BODY OF WORK. I HAVE AN OPEN MIND, THAT IS WHY I READ STUFF FROM ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND SEEK LEARNING FROM THE BEST BOOKS. I JUST AM NOT HERE TO ARGUE ABOUT IT - BUT TO PUT IT OUT THERE WHERE OTHERS CAN PERUSE/PURSUE IT. I TAKE PARTICULAR INTEREST IN HONEST SEEKERS OF TRUTH AND BELIEVE THAT SCIENCE IS REVEALED RELIGION'S BEST ALLY. YOU WILL SEE ALOT OF TOPICS IN THIS BLOG THAT SHOW SCIENCE BACKING - AND SLOWLY CATCHING UP WITH - REVEALED RELIGION.
ENJOY!!
That is interesting.
ReplyDeleteA year ago the North was threatening an invasion and a nuke attack against the South. Even so, the Church decided to add a fourth mission to South Korea.
The Russians entered Crimea and as a result the Church is holding off on sending more missionaries to the Ukraine. In fact, two missions have been completely evacuated.