‘I definitely love the work greater than anything else in this world’: Elder LeGrand Richards’s particular witness of Jesus Christ

Editor’s note: here excerpt comes from a book about special witnesses of Jesus Christ. which you could examine this chapter in its entirety at truthwillprevail.xyz as well as different chapters as they're posted. This excerpt is republished right here with permission and has been edited for readability.

In 1942, Presiding Bishop LeGrand Richards suffered a severe heart attack that practically killed him and compelled him into bed to heal and convalesce. At a vital second when it became concept Bishop Richards might die, he was blessed by way of Elder Harold B. Lee, who connected that “In a brief moment, when my fingers had been on the head of Brother Richards, I knew that the Lord loved him and that he become going to reside. The walk in the park of that was as sure to me because it is today that he become spared for a good and wonderful mission.”1  Bishop Richards later told President J. Reuben Clark that he idea seeing others working while now not being in a position to himself turned into his definition of hell.2 

while serving as Presiding Bishop, he determined to make use of notes and descriptions he had created and used on his closing mission to write a book that could help in missionary work. for this reason become born one of the vital premier-promoting and most vital (non-scriptural) books in the Church for the twentieth century. related to a wonderful Work and a wonder, Elder Richards stated: 

That’s the premier missionary e-book the Church has bought apart from the booklet of Mormon. They promote extra of it than any publication they have got except the e-book of Mormon. at the present time they have got allotted about two million copies; they distribute from fifty to 100 thousand copies a 12 months; have accomplished for the closing five years right here out of Salt Lake and there is a printing plant over in England where they put up for the entire British Isles, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and then it’s published in eighteen distinctive languages in other international locations. I had written an outline for my missionaries down in the South called “The Message of Mormonism.” I had that mimeographed and gave them each and every a duplicate and once I got here home I acquired so many requests for that I pointed out to myselfâ€"Why don’t I improve these outlines the way i'd current them if I were going into a house o ne night a week for six months and that’s what brought the astounding Work and a wonder into existence.3

Elder Richards took awesome delight in speaking about how influential his ebook grew to become in assisting convey individuals into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also refused a royalty, looking the rate to be as low as viable.

call to the Apostleship

Elder Richards in short shared the story of his name as a distinct witness: “at the close of the morning session of April conference, in 1952, Brother Moyle got here up to me and stated that ‘President McKay would like to meet you at his office.’ So I came visiting here [to the Church Administration Building] to President McKay’s workplace. I went in and he instructed me that they had decided to appoint me to fill the emptiness within the Quorum of the Twelve. Of course, I wept, and he wept, and we hugged each other. i was sustained that afternoon within the conference meeting in the Tabernacle. Then, that afternoon i used to be ordained to be an Apostle. [I was] given the [apostolic] charge, [and was told] that that [calling] would come first in my lifestyles in every little thing; the rest had to come in second.”four 

In his acceptance tackle within the remaining session, he testified: “I in fact love the work more than anything else in this world, and that i comprehend it is true. I might are living better devoid of the limbs of my physique than I could devoid of the testimony of the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of the Lord.”5  And, “Like Nephi of historical spoke of, He [the Lord] hath crammed me along with his love, even unto the ingesting of my flesh. (See 2 Nephi four:21.) I feel sorry for Latter-day Saints in the event that they have in no way felt that power, and that blessing, unto virtually the consumption of their flesh.”6

Of his name and ordination, he later noted: 

right through the summer months, the vacation duration, I needed to spend a few weeks at domestic with a bit sickness. It gave me a chance to read a few books, and i read my patriarchal blessing and the advantages that I acquired from presidents of the Church when i used to be set apart as mission president twice; when i was set apart because the Presiding Bishop of the Church; and remaining of all when President David O. McKay, assisted by his counselors and the contributors of the Quorum of the Twelve, laid his palms upon my head twenty-four years ago last April in the holy temple and ordained me an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.

within the blessing, President McKay gave me a can charge that I should still be a witness of Him, and that I should bear witness of His divine calling and the divine calling of His prophet Joseph Smith and of the truths of the restored gospel. And my, the joy I have had in these 24 1/2 years making an attempt to reply and be obedient to the charge that President McKay gave me upon that occasion. I even have had extraordinary joy and happiness therein.7 

speaking by using the vigor of the Holy Ghost

To talk and train by way of the power of the Holy Ghost would seem to have been Elder Richards’s spiritual reward. He often commented on how he felt when preaching the gospel: “When i was a younger boy in a bit nation town, i will be aware our Sunday college trainer giving us the phrases of John the Baptist when he stated that he baptized with water for the forgiveness of sins but he observed: ‘One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose footwear i'm not helpful to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fireplace’ (Luke 3:sixteen). I couldn’t think about what that fireplace intended when i used to be a boy however I even have lived lengthy sufficient to grasp. I have been lifted past my very own natural potential below the influence and power of the Spirit of the Lord as I have borne witness of the actuality of this gospel upon many events until it is a part of my very being, and i would like to offer you that testimony.”eight  again, “When i was appointed a member of the Twelve, I noted from this pulpit that i might somewhat have my children enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost than any other grownup or individual during this world; and i consider the same today, for them and for me, and for all of you.”9

He bore his special witness through the vigor of the Holy Spirit: “I categorical my love for my Father in heaven and for his first-rate love that gave us his most effective Begotten Son, and for his exceptional atoning sacrifice, and for the splendid honor and privilege that has been mine through the years to represent him as one in all his ambassadors of everlasting actuality, to be a witness to his divinity. I do testify to you today that i do know that Christ lives, that he is the Redeemer of the realm, and that he has given us his church through restoration in this dispensation during the Prophet Joseph Smith, and a pattern of lifestyles to live by way of via his gospel in an effort to carry us pleasure and happiness in this existence and exaltation during the worlds to come back.”10  

additional: “With all my coronary heart and soul, i do know here is the Lord’s work, that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the realm, the head of His church, that Joseph Smith turned into His prophet, for the establishment of His kingdom right here upon this earth within the latter days to put together the manner for His second coming.”11 

In 1978, no longer lengthy earlier than President Kimball bought the revelation on the priesthood, Elder Richards turned into blessed with a distinct non secular event whereas assembly together with his brethren in the temple: 

The . . . experience happened within the Salt Lake Temple on may four, 1978, at a gathering of the established Authorities. it is told partially by way of Elder Boyd okay. Packer, upon whom it had a profound impact. tales had been borne, Elder Richards first after which each taking his turn. Later, Brother Richards requested to speak. Elder Packer fees him: “Brethren, I actually have anything to let you know. a short time in the past, I noticed a person seated above the organ there and he appeared identical to that.” (He gestured toward President Wilford Woodruff's portrait which hangs in the room.) He then added, “I noticed him just as obviously as I see any of you Brethren.”

Of the adventure, Elder Richards pointed out: “He became dressed in a white go well with and changed into seated in an armchair. i believed on the time that the cause i was privileged to peer him was probably that i used to be the only one there who had ever considered President Woodruff while he become upon the earth. I had heard him devote the Salt Lake Temple and i had heard him give his closing sermon in the Salt Lake Tabernacle before he died. i thought it marvelous that the Lord could mission, with out mechanical ability, the likeness of a person long considering that lifeless.” As Elder Packer says of Brother Richards, “He links us returned. here is a person who rubbed shoulders with people that stood with the Prophet Joseph Smith.”12

Some have thought this appearance of President Woodruff to Elder Richards to be a prelude to the revelation on the priesthood due to the fact President Woodruff turned into additionally worried with issuing a manifesto (authentic statement 1) that greatly altered church follow.

In his closing years, in a single of his ultimate exceptional talks to the saints, Elder Richards declared: “after I first became a missionary, I on no account met any one who believed in a private God. My, what a joy to know that Christ gave his lifestyles for us, and took upon him the sins of the realmâ€"as Paul stated: ‘As in Adam all die, on the other hand in Christ shall all be made alive’ (1 Cor. 15:22)â€"and to know that his Father is as actual as my father and that they've revealed themselves as two glorified personages in this dispensation, after centuries of darkness, unto the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Lord had him in waiting hundreds of years ago, in keeping with the ebook of Mormon, for his day and time to come back, to convey men to an information of the actuality and to bring about his actuality among the individuals of this world. These are exquisite t ruths, and a lot of extra can also be taught.”13 

and at last: “bear in mind the words of Peter, that we've a extra sure be aware of prophecy and that we do well to take heed. I want to undergo you my testimony right here that this is the work of God the everlasting Father. As I stand here as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bear you my witness that the prophecies of Malachi that I even have referred to have been fulfilled in the restoration of the gospel by the hands of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the holy prophets who have succeeded him at the head of this church, even to our existing prophet, President Spencer W. Kimball, whom I honor with all my heart, as I do all my brethren of the accepted Authorities.”14 

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Notes

1. conference document, April 1952, 126.

2. Lucille C. Tate, LeGrand Richards: beloved Apostle, 222.

three.  Video interview, “LeGrand Richards: the person and His Missions,” 1983. This book turned into required to move during the interior studying committee of the generic authorities before it can be accepted for ebook. regarding this procedure, Elder Joseph Fielding Smith recorded: “i used to be in session with Elders Harold B. Lee, Marion G. Romney and Bishop Legrand Richards. the first two brethren and that i are individuals of the publication committee. Bishop Richards has written a book on gospel principles which he desires to have published for the benefit of missionaries. each member of the committee went over the manuscript one by one after which made a file on the findings. This document contained many information and corrections within the doctrine of this treatise. It took us 4 hours to consider these concerns with the Bishop, a few of our conclusions not pleasing him, some of which he felt have been essential to his story. In most cases, after appreci able discussion we convinced him, but in others he was no longer satisfied, however in our united judgment he turned into in error” (Joseph Fielding Smith diary, July 18, 1949).

four. Video interview, “LeGrand Richards: the person and His Missions,” 1983.

5. conference document, April 1952, 113.

6. Ibid. 

7. “The Simplicity in Christ,” Ensign, November 1976. 

eight. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10. “within the Mountain of the Lord’s condominium,” Ensign, might also 1971. 

eleven. “The Simplicity in Christ,” Ensign, November 1976. 

12. Tate, LeGrand Richards, 291-ninety two.

13. “What the Gospel Teaches,” Ensign, may 1982. 

14. “The second Coming of Christ,” Ensign, may additionally 1978.