In that case it dictated me quite contrary to my expecta-
tions, for I had appointments out for a week ahead. But I
obeyed the voice of the Spirit, went south as I was directed
to, and my readers know the result.
I will refer to one more instance in my experience upon the
subject of revelation:
All the Latter-day Saints understand that we build temples
for the purpose of administering ordinances for the dead as
well as for the living.
The Lord has opened the way in a remarkable manner for
many of the members of the Church to obtain records of the
names of their dead for several generations.
I had also obtained a record of somewhat over three thous-
and of my father's and mother's families.
After the dedication of the temple at St. George, President Young appointed me to preside over it. When we com-
menced work in the temple I began to reflect: "How can I
redeem my dead? I have some three thousand names of the
dead who have been baptized for, and how can I get endow-
ments for them?"
I had none of my family there, and if they had been there
they would not have been able to get endowments for so many.
While praying to the Lord to show me how to redeem my
dead, the Spirit of God rested upon me, and the voice of the
Spirit said to me, "Go and call upon the sons and the daugh-
ters of Zion in St. George, to come into the temple of the
Lord and get their endowments for your dead; and it shall be
acceptable unto me, saith the Lord.”
This filled my soul with joy, and I saw that it opened a field
as wide as eternity for the salvation of our dead and the
redemption of man, that we might magnify our calling as saviors upon Mount Zion.
On my birthday, , the day that I was seventy
years old, one hundred and fifty-four sisters at St. George went
into the temple to get endowments for the same number of
the female portion of my dead.
This principle was received by President Young and adopted
from that hour, and through the kindness of friends I have had
nearly two thousand of my friends receive endowments in the
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
In that case it dictated me quite contrary to my expectations, for I had appointments out for a week ahead. But I
obeyed the voice of the Spirit, went south as I was directed
to, and my readers know the result.
I will refer to one more instance in my experience upon the
subject of revelation:
All the Latter-day Saints understand that we build temples
for the purpose of administering ordinances for the dead as
well as for the living.
The Lord has opened the way in a remarkable manner for
many of the members of the Church to obtain records of the
names of their dead for several generations.
I had also obtained a record of somewhat over three thousand of my father's and mother's families.
After the dedication of the temple at St. George, President
Young appointed me to preside over it. When we commenced work in the temple I began to reflect: "How can I
redeem my dead? I have some three thousand names of the
dead who have been baptized for, and how can I get endowments for them?"
I had none of my family there, and if they had been there
they would not have been able to get endowments for so many.
While praying to the Lord to show me how to redeem my
dead, the Spirit of God rested upon me, and the voice of the
Spirit said to me, "Go and call upon the sons and the daughters of Zion in St. George, to come into the temple of the
Lord and get their endowments for your dead; and it shall be
acceptable unto me, saith the Lord.”
This filled my soul with joy, and I saw that it opened a field
as wide as eternity for the salvation of our dead and the
redemption of man, that we might magnify our calling as
saviors upon Mount Zion.
On my birthday, , the day that I was seventy
years old, one hundred and fifty-four sisters at St. George went
into the temple to get endowments for the same number of
the female portion of my dead.
This principle was received by President Young and adopted
from that hour, and through the kindness of friends I have had
nearly two thousand of my friends receive endowments in the
"Autobiography 1882 Leaves from My Journal," p. 104, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed December 11, 2024, https://arts.wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/xMJ