This is AMAZING!
May 30th, 2007 by Stephen Erastus Knudsen III
I want to share an amazing experience that had a very strong impact on my life. It happened in my youth.
Two missionaries were at the end of a very long day of tracting with no success at all – and these were righteous missionaries, so it was a little strange that their day had been so fruitless. As they were preparing to go home, the senior companion felt inspired to go down one more street. His junior obediently followed. They knocked on each door, but no one was home.
Finally they came to the last door on the block. A little blonde six-year-old girl answered the door. She said that her parents were not home and asked that the missionaries please come back at exactly 7pm the next day.
So the missionaries returned at exactly 7pm the next day. They knocked on the door and a woman answered. They said told her that her daughter had greeting them the day before and asked them to return that night. The woman looked confused, but invited them in. She got her husband, and he was very angry. He asked why they were lying about the daughter at the door. Then he asked them to describe her. They looked around the room and saw a portrait of a little blonde girl hanging on the wall. They pointed to it and said “that’s the girl who talked to us and told us to return.” The husband and wife both started crying. “That is our daughter,” they explained. “She died in a car accident three years ago.”
This softened their hearts and they accepted the gospel message and were baptized. After only a few years in the church they both received stake callings.
The church is true people. Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened (even if there is no body home). The evidence is all around us. Why do so many people choose to avoid it?
Brother Stephen,
Do you think she was assigned to convert her family under the direction of the Three Nephites? I know it’s their mission to bring souls unto Christ in the last days, but I imagine they have others to assist them - kind of like area authority seventies and stake presidents assist the General Authorities.
Brother Goode,
I don’t think so. And I know your next question, “what about John the Baptist?” We know that John is preparing the Lost Tribes for their eventual return, so I don’t think it was him.
And the Three Nephites are usually very busy saving people from burning buildings and posing as hitchhikers to warn people to get their year supply in order (sometimes they even follow them into the store and help them pick out the food).
So no, I think that the Three Nephites are clearly living in this mortal sphere, and John is somewhere in outerspace, or in another dimension, or under the earth near the north pole, or possibly in Japan.
My guess — and I will have to pray for a firm confirmation — is that this girl was assigned by an important Mormon authority in the spirit world — probably someone like George Washington or Lincoln (who, believe it or not, are actually better than General Authorities). But she was certainly assigned by someone, so in that sense you are at least kindof right.
“The evidence is all around us. Why do so many people choose to avoid it?”
Stephen, isn’t it obvious? I can think of no worse punishment in this world or in the world to come than a stake calling. Personally, I’d rather go to hell than ever have another one.
Hooray, hooray, for nursery! Hooray, hooray….
Glenn,
In your research, how many stories like this are told in the first person? I’m curious. I know of an experience a family member had that is in some respects distantly similar to this story, but is told in the first person. It is the kind of story I would expect to hear as a FOAF story, but in this case the narrator is the person it happened to.