THE PROMISE OF PROTECTION THRU TEMPLE ATTENDANCE

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