Almost all Christians believe the sould of man to be immortal, and that when the spirit leaves the body it enters a state of either happiness or misery. Growing out of this believe is a longing to know more about that sphere of existence which we shall enter when we leave this one. One reason why this privilege is denied us while we tarry in the flesh is our lack of faith; we are slow to believe; our Gentile blood and training make us skeptical; and unbelief is always a bar to spiritual blessings…
From certain sayings by President Brigham Young we are led to infer that one reason why the next world is so closely guarded from our eyes is that a knowledge of it, and of the joy, glory and happiness it holds in store for us, would so increase our discontent with this life as to make us wretched and impatient for it to end…
The foregoing thoughts have been suggested by a perusal of the following account of visitations received by a faithful elder while he was in the mission field. He wrote the narrative at the request of the editor of Liahona The Elders’ Journal, and we give it to our readers in the belief that it will be both interesting and edifying to them:
Missionary visited by his father from the World of Spirits – 1899
“The following experience occurred while the writer was laboring as a missionary in the state of Wisconsin, in 1899. On the 22nd of October of that year my father died in Salt Lake City, surrounded by some of the members of his family. Word was sent to me next day, but owing to my having changed my place of residence, I did not receive the message until the day of the funeral, too late to have gone home to be in attendance. My mind naturally reverted to my 6 last visit with him and the pleasant parting as he bade me God-speed on my mission, and to what I would find when I returned home.
A week passed by after his death and I was at the home of a family of saints in Milwaukee. I had not been troubled in the least during the day and went to bed at a seasonable hour and was soon asleep. During the night, which was very cloudy and dark, my father’s spirit came to me and remained with me for some time. Everything seemed to be perfectly natural and did not partake of the complexities which usually attend dreams.
My father greeted me with a very pleasant smile, and seated himself in a chair near me. I asked him a great many questions which he answered freely, but told me I would not be able to record the answers in my journal, nor be able to give them to others. Among other things I asked him if he had experienced any unpleasantness at the time his spirit left the body. He stated that he had not; but on the contrary had simply gone from his body while asleep.
I asked him what he had been doing since going to the Spirit World, and his answer was that he had been visiting with many of his old friends who had preceded him to the great beyond. He then told me of different persons he had met there and what their condition was, saying some had changed but little in their general disposition and that it would take time for them to rid themselves of some of their habits that had been contracted in life. I inquired what he expected to do on his return to the Spirit World, and he replied that he would be very busy preaching the gospel to those who had died without a knowledge of it.
Many of his statements I cannot recall, for, as he said, I should not be able to record them but would be satisfied in my mind as to the principles involved in his statements. When he arose to leave me I followed him as far as the door and asked him to come again soon, as I had many things I desired to say to him and many questions to ask. He said “I will come as often as I can get permission,” thereby settling in my mind the question of spirits coming and going at pleasure, and with no regard to law and order in the realm where they reside. It confirmed my belief that the spirits who answer to the call of so-called mediums are not from the courts on high, but from among that great throng that were cast out of heaven because of their rebellion.
When my father reached the platform outside the door he turned to me with a smile and bade me good bye, and became invisible before me. I could see the change take place as it was not done instantly. He did not change in form in the least; but the density of his form, or body became less until I could see nothing of him. The principle of making things visible or invisible was demonstrated on that occasion.” 1
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