ELDER RUDGER CLAWSON
Elder Rudger Clawson spoke in General Conference in October, 1908, of such an experience.
“Some years ago, a brother approached me and he said: Brother Clawson, I am sixty-seven years of age. I have been a strong and active man in my life, and have done a great deal of hard work, but now I am somewhat feeble. I cannot engage in manual labor as heretofore.
How shall I spend my time? I said to him, go to the House of the Lord. Thank you, he replied, I will take your counsel.
About eight years later, I met this brother again. He appeared to be very happy indeed. There was an expression of joy in his countenance. Brother Clawson, he said, during the past eight years I have been working for my ancestors, in the House of the Lord. After that conversation with you,
I went east and I gathered eight hundred names of my relatives. During the past eight years I have personally officiated for three hundred of my ancestors, and I propose to continue on with the good work. I am happy, for the Lord has blessed me.
He further said, I saw in a vision, upon one occasion, my father and mother, who were not members of the Church, who had not received the Gospel in this life, and I discovered that they were living separate and apart in the spirit world, and when I asked them how it was that they were so, my father said:
This is enforced separation, and you are the only individual that can bring us together. You can do our work. Will you do it? Meaning that he should go into the House of the Lord and there officiate for his parents who were dead, and by the ordinance of sealing bring them together and unite them in the family relation beyond the veil.
And he informed me that he had attended to the work, and I rejoiced with him and congratulated him.” (Conference Report, October 1908, p. 74)
Elder Rudger Clawson spoke in General Conference in October, 1908, of such an experience.
“Some years ago, a brother approached me and he said: Brother Clawson, I am sixty-seven years of age. I have been a strong and active man in my life, and have done a great deal of hard work, but now I am somewhat feeble. I cannot engage in manual labor as heretofore.
How shall I spend my time? I said to him, go to the House of the Lord. Thank you, he replied, I will take your counsel.
About eight years later, I met this brother again. He appeared to be very happy indeed. There was an expression of joy in his countenance. Brother Clawson, he said, during the past eight years I have been working for my ancestors, in the House of the Lord. After that conversation with you,
I went east and I gathered eight hundred names of my relatives. During the past eight years I have personally officiated for three hundred of my ancestors, and I propose to continue on with the good work. I am happy, for the Lord has blessed me.
He further said, I saw in a vision, upon one occasion, my father and mother, who were not members of the Church, who had not received the Gospel in this life, and I discovered that they were living separate and apart in the spirit world, and when I asked them how it was that they were so, my father said:
This is enforced separation, and you are the only individual that can bring us together. You can do our work. Will you do it? Meaning that he should go into the House of the Lord and there officiate for his parents who were dead, and by the ordinance of sealing bring them together and unite them in the family relation beyond the veil.
And he informed me that he had attended to the work, and I rejoiced with him and congratulated him.” (Conference Report, October 1908, p. 74)