On September 20, 2011, I traveled from Orange County, California, where I had labored as a full-time missionary among the people within the California Anaheim Mission, stopped momentarily in Salt Lake, and arrived in Kansas City, Missouri in the late afternoon.
There I was reunited with the members of my family, and together we traveled down to visit the unfinished Kansas City Missouri Temple in Clay County. I marveled at a temple’s walls standing upon the land of Zion, where many of the saints had found temporary sanctuary from the storms that had assailed them on every side in Jackson County. I thought of them and their joy at seeing this beautiful structure.
From Clay County, we moved into Jackson County. We arrived near the central square of the city of Independence, to visit the temple mount of New Jerusalem. I looked over the area which the Prophet Joseph Smith had dedicated earlier to bear the great Temple and pondered upon what great events perhaps had transpired there down through the ages, and tried to look forward in my mind to some of the glorious events yet to come. I walked out onto this sacred ground and looked all around me, noting that it is the most elevated spot in the area. I knelt down and prayed, speaking in the language that, for me, expresses best the sacred things spoken of; the language of the Prophets I had come to love, that indeed have become mine own through the power of the Holy Ghost—
“O my Father who art on High, I bow before Thee to offer up some of the feelings of my heart this day. I rejoice to consider that I am numbered among those called to assist in bringing to pass the gathering of Thy children out of obscurity unto the glorious light of the everlasting Gospel. I deeply thank Thee for the bounteous blessings which have been bestowed as I have labored with pleasure to bring to pass Thy will.
“I humbly petition Thee to accept my offering of the past two years—indeed only a flash of Thy eternal plan—and sanctify and consecrate it to the blessing of Thy children. Help those I have influenced to remember Thee and Thy Son in all that they do, that they may offer unto Thee an offering in righteousness and be gathered into Thy covenant fold to be numbered among those of the great House of Israel to claim their blessings at the hands of Thine anointed.
“Father, I ask Thee to pour out Thy Spirit upon those who yet labor full-time in Thy work. Bear them up as Thou hast borne me. Have them know the eternal significance of the simple actions they perform in Thy service.
“Wilt Thou grant that Thy kingdom will roll forth as has been prophesied—that it may come forth out of the wilderness of darkness and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. Wilt Thou send righteousness down out of heaven and more truth out of the earth to bear and confirm testimony of Thine Only Begotten, and wilt Thou cause this righteousness and truth to sweep the earth as a flood to gather Thine elect unto the places which shall be prepared, even Jerusalem the holy city and Zion, a New Jerusalem, to be built up at Thy command by Thine humble servants.
“I joyfully await the season when I shall see Thine arm revealed and along with all other of Thy people will see this earth filled with Thy knowledge as the waters cover the seas, when these knees shall bend again and this tongue shall confess the eternal Godhood of Thy Son to the everlasting glory of Thy Name and the eternal shame and condemnation of Satan and his vanquished hosts.
“I will rejoice in the coming day when this mortal shall put on immortality and I shall be brought forth triumphant through the air along with the rest of the faithful to meet Thy holy Son in the clouds above as He descends to this hallowed Spot amidst angelic acclamation to take His rightful place as King of kings and Lord of lords to claim this earth to be eternally His and to offer up unto the children of men inheritances wherein they may dwell in celestial splendor in Thy holy presence forever.
“Bless me that I may always retain in remembrance my solemn covenant obligations that I may fulfill all that is and shall be required of me. May my voice be heard among those of Thy watchmen who shall lift up the voice together and sing when Thou shalt bring again Zion. Bless me that I may rid myself of the blood of all men that my garments may be found spotless and white, and that I may be clothed with the robes of Thy righteousness and crowned with shining glory at that great and final day.
“This I solemnly plead in the name of Thy Beloved Son, my Lord and only Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
I then stretched down and kissed the precious Ground upon which I bowed.
Leaving Independence, we traveled to the home of President Kendal S. Ross of the Olathe Kansas Stake, where I was released as a full-time missionary.
I hope that my heritage as a servant of the Lord will long stand with me and my posterity and be accepted by Him in whose work I am engaged.