2000 Stripling Warriors

My Easter talk was really special.. The last week of October is when members of each presidency say their goodbyes. The weather had been terrible, with rain and winds, so I went early, probably the only time , too. Sister Stewart was reading a small book about the St. George Temple. And this the unpublished story. First, my intro. for my talk. Dad told me were assigned talks on Easter Sunday and this talk was just given to me . So I just wrote it down, two weeks ago. Dad told me a really good trick that he uses when he speaks. He reads his talk just before going to bed and then he can think about it in his dreams. This is so true. You wake up and you are more confident and prepared.





Easter talk



Each of us has struggles, hardships, and problems. Each came here to earth to grow-so our problems are our teachers! Br. Wettstein and I were able to visit a small branch here a few weeks ago and there I was able to take part in a relief society class. We were each talking about our struggles, and how hard it is to grow sometimes, and how we often forget lessons that we have learned earlier in life. I spoke of how hard it is for me in the temple, to do my work perfectly. Another young sister said that when she prepared her church lesson, she teaches the adult gosspel class. She is just a young woman- really just a kid, doing an adult class. But she has learned that by being prepared before sunday she can go and pick up a transport on the highway. It may take 20 to 30 minutes but she will be there for her class. If not she will be there just for sacrament meeting. The next relayed her experience about tithing. Her husband [ a RM] took their tithing out of the bank and put in an envelope in this pants. While shopping he decided they could use this money then because he had more cash in the bank. She said no that was the Lord's money. Anyway he went to pay for his purchase and his tithing money was gone! Then the last sister spoke . She said that she had forgotten her covenent with Heavenly Father and had started drinking grog . She drank for 5 weeks and then was very sick at home for a month. Then her left lung had problems and she was in the hospital for 2 months. The first week she prayed to find out why she was so sick and then the spirit said "remember the grog, also called kava] and then she remembered her covenants. We all have needs that we can not meet, things that are impossible to do And here begins Sr. Stewarts story.





Sr. Stewart Houston Temple Oct. 2003



US troops were coming to the place called Deseret, to show those Mormons that the US would rule over them and to take records about----------. Their goal was prison for the men. The President of the St. George Temple had closed the temple and all temple papers had been taken by the presidency and carefully hidden outside of the temple. US troops had come and were watching the temple night and day . The temple president disguised himself as a poor , poor, dirty farmer smoking a pipe. He took the sacred objects and hid them in his clothing.. He then prayed himself through the army surrounding his temple and quietly hid everthing. He now had fullfilled all President Brigham had told him to do. The temple was now just a dedicated building. Still he proclaimed " I am the watchman of the Lord for this temple" and he decided to return. He was the Lord's representive and he would stay there. So he started back as a ragged, dirty farmer smoking a pipe, to his temple. Who but Heavenly Father would hide this man, in such a manner? As he came closer and closer he saw men surrounding the entire temple. He was so afraid that all was lost, and he started to pray that the soldiers would let him in. It is curious that he only prayed to be let in and not that the earth would swallow them up. As he came closer, he was amazed at what he saw. They were not soldiers! Who were they? They were very large men, with dark skin, and hair and were dressed very oddly. Still with great faith he just walk straight into the temple. Who are these men? And so he prayed and this was his answer from the Lord. He the Lord had his 2000 young warriors to guard His temple. They were His guards! They would never fail , not once. You see they they had not failed their parents, nor each other, nor their captains of the army. They were His true warriors. Never did once US troops come into the St. George Temple, not one. Before there were pioneer wagons, and before there were hand carts, before their was a Joseph Smith, before there was a

church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints there were 2000 young, seasoned, warriors. They were so powerful and valiant that our dear Lord has again used them in our own time. True proven warriors and again, as in the past, not on was lost, We all have our wagon trains and hand cart pioneers who suffered, but brothers and sisters you have akways had your 2000 young warriors of the Book of Mormon. And they are still your sons. We in the church read of them and are ever so proud of them, but they are all your sons. They are Gods gift to us in this the latterdays as a proven moment in time that has existed, and will always be there for Him to use as needed. And our older brother and Savior who has "taken the bitter cup" has also never failed us and never will. H ehas given us eternal life, a proven path home and His hand outstreatched to bring us back to our Father in Heaven. And He will never fail us either. Bula Vinaka Mum