Dear President McKay, We are a small group of 40
who meet weekly to study the teachings of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We have several pieces of church literature,
including two copies of the Book of Mormon.
Through the power of the Holy Ghost,
we know of the truthfulness of the restoration
of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph
Smith and we look forward to your sending to us
missionaries to help us understand the Church better
for it is our burning desire to live
by the faith of this church in order to attain its standards.
We thank you our loving president
for assisting us to come nearer to the living fountain
to drink from the waters of life.
May God richly bless you and your counselors.
I remain yours in the restored gospel
of Christ, Joseph W.B. Johnson.
June 24, 1964.
Dear Brother Johnson, I have studied your letter
with deep interest and commend you
and the members of your group for your faithfulness
and your desire to receive the missionaries.
Brother Johnson, we support you in your efforts
to study and live the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
but it is not yet time for us to send missionaries to Ghana.
We encourage you to continue your study of the scriptures
and to wait patiently until we come to Africa.
I hope the enclosed books and literature will be helpful.
May the Lord continue to bless and sustain you.
Sincerely, your brother, David O. McKay.
The question of extending the blessings of the priesthood
to those then under restriction had
been on the minds of many of the brethren
over a period of years.
It had repeatedly been brought up by presidents of the Church.
It had become a matter of particular concern
to President Kimball.
Over a considerable period of time,
he had prayed concerning this serious and difficult question.
He had spent many hours in that upper room in the temple
by himself in prayer and meditation.
On this question he raised the question
before his brethren, his counselors, and the apostles.
Following this discussion we joined in prayer
in the most sacred of circumstances.
President Kimball himself was voice in that prayer.
I do not recall the exact words which he spoke,
but I do recall my own feelings and the nature
of the expressions of my brethren.
There was a hallowed and sanctified atmosphere
in the room.
For me, it felt as if a conduit opened
between the heavenly throne and the kneeling,
pleading prophet of God who was joined by his brethren.
The spirit of God was there and by the power of the Holy Ghost,
there came to that prophet an assurance
that the thing for which he prayed
was right, that the time had come,
and that now the wondrous blessings of the priesthood
should be extended to worthy men everywhere
regardless of lineage.
Every man in that circle by the power of the Holy Ghost
knew the same thing.
It was a quiet and sublime occasion.
It was for us, at least for me personally,
as I imagine it was Enos who said concerning
his remarkable experience, quote,
"And while I thus struggling in the spirit
behold the voice of the Lord came into my mind."
So it was on that memorable June 1, 1978.
I returned home late one night feeling very discouraged.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
After a few minutes I felt impressed to listen
to the radio.
It had been several years since I had tuned into the British
Broadcasting Corporation on my short wave set.
It took almost an hour to find the station.
From the United States--
I finally found it at midnight.
--in Salt Lake City, Utah, in a news release
from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
the Mormons.
Church President, Spencer W. Kimball,
announced to worldwide membership
that the priesthood will now be extended to all worthy males.
This means that the black members of the Church,
previously denied the opportunity of performing
church ordinances, will now be able to participate
in all church programs.
Unanimously supported by the Church's Twelve Apostles,
the policy is effective immediately.
The forecast, showers and thunderstorms today.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Tremendous eternal consequences for millions over the earth
are flowing from that manifestation.
This is but the beginning of greater things
to come as the truth of the restored gospel
covers the earth as the waters cover the mighty deep.
[MUSIC PLAYING]