Why Doubt Our Father’s Power?

Why Doubt Our Father's Power? By President Nicholas G. Smith, of the South African Mission That our heavenly Father is a doer of deeds is not questioned by any faithful Latter-day Saint. That he is the same yesterday, today and forever is just as strongly impressed upon our minds. That he will do as much for us as he did for ancient Israel, or the Saints in the days of Christ, is proved in numerous ways to the Saints every day of the year. I believe, however, that when we have these proofs right around us we do not see them as readily as we should; or, at least, I know that I am rather slow in recognizing the Power from on high. As a boy of eleven years of age, I had read the Young Folks Bible three times, and had marveled at the wonderful stories therein. How the Red Sea was divided; how the rods were turned into serpents; how the prophet caused the ax to rise to the surface of the water; how the ass was caused to speak; how Daniel interpreted the dream, and the writing on the wall, and was saved from the hungry lions, and I wondered how it was possible for the people to see such wonders and yet not believe in him as firmly as they should, who kept such watchcare over them. It didn't enter my head ever to doubt those manifestations, yet I did wonder why the Lord did not show his power and take Jesus down from the cross when he was being so cruelly murdered. I read and re-read the account of his crucifixion. One day when I was reading of his suffering, my mother came into the room and saw the tears streaming from my eyes, and asked me, why such sorrow? I told her, as best I could, how sorry I was for the Savior who, having been such a good man, was treated in such a mean way. She took me on her lap and tried to explain to me, so that I would understand his wonderful mission and how he died for us; but that the people who lived right around him did not seem to understand, and were eager to put him to death, and that if he should now come to earth the people would not believe on him any more than they did two thousand years ago. She dried my tears, and told me that I should always be prayerful and cheerful, so that I would understand when the Lord was helping me. I often thought about her words and wondered if he really would do some wonderful thing for me, som day, and at times I was really sorry that I was such a naughty boy that I could not

64 IMPROVEMENT ERA expect any blessings. As I grew older I heard the testimonies of the Saints in Sunday school and fast meetings, and they would tell of how good the Lord had been to them, and how he had made them well when they had been ill, and of how some of them had spoken in tongues. I thought of our own family. How father was always away working for the Church. And whenever any of us children were sick, how eager mother was to have the teachers come and administer to us, and how much better she felt after they had been, and how we became well again. I even wanted to bear my testimony but, of course, was afraid. Later on, I began to think, wouldn't we have gotten well if we hadn't been administered to? Then when I heard others bear their testimony, and they became suddenly better after administration, I thought, if they had put off the administration for a few more minutes they would have gotten well just the same. I got to where everything just happened by chance, and when called to go on my first mission I must admit I was somewhat of a skeptic. When the time came for me to leave for a foreign land it was terribly hard to say good-bye to my loved ones, but my nature was decidedly softened through that experience. I had never forgotten my prayers, because if I went to bed without praying I could not sleep, and on the journey to Europe I wanted the Lord to be with me if there was any occasion. The first chance came at Chicago. In company with another elder I was going on a trip by way of New York to get to Boston. We decided that we would not take our trunks with us, and arranged at the city office to have them sent direct to Boston, the official giving us a special order to have that done. When ready to leave Chicago, we went down in time for the train, and when we wanted to check our trunks to Boston, we were informed that it was impossible without a special order from the uptown office. We were both very sorry, and when we had checked them to go along with us, we boarded the train and were soon on our way. No sooner had the train started than I pulled out my ticket to look at it, and the special permit met my gaze. Both of us were very much put out to think that we had forgotten all about it while at the baggage office, but we were overjoyed when we arrived at New York to find that we had a number of things in our trunks that we had to have in New York. We had asked for the protecting care of the Lord, and when he took care of us, we did not realize it. I said to my companion, Wasn't that lucky for us that we forgot our permit in Chicago? Four of us landed in Hamburg, Germany, and were unable to speak a word of German. I only had one mark to my name, besides an order on the Rotterdam mission office. After a very trying hour in the customs house, we got through, and I asked our heavenly Father to help us out of this crisis so that I might in some way get over

WHY DOUBT OUR FATHER'S POWER? 65 to Holland, the other elders having enough money to take them to their fields of labor. We were trying to find our way to a railway station and were strung out along the street carrying our bags when, to our joy, by the merest accident, we happened to meet up with Elder William Owen, who was laboring in Hamburg, who asked us if we were Americans. We were soon happy and spent a pleasant day with him, and then he advanced money enough to take me to Holland, and put me on the train. He wired ahead to Elder Morris, in Hannover, to meet me and help me to change cars, which worked out fine. When leaving Elder Morris, at 1 o'clock in the monring, he told me to be sure and not go to sleep, as I had to change cars again about 3 a. m.. I bade him goodby, and sat down with the name of the town on my lips where I had to change cars. I told the Lord I was in his hands and asked him to see me through, as I was unable to speak a word of German. After finishing my prayer, I took out a book and started to read. I must have fallen asleep immediately, because it seemed that I had just sat down when I awoke with a start, and picking up my grip I got off the train. It was pitch dark, and there was not a station nor anything else to be seen, except the train I had just left. Before I realized what was happening, it pulled out and left me standing in total darkness. I wondered what in the world would make me do such a foolish thing as to leave the train in such a deserted spot, and was making up my mind to lie down somewhere until it became light, when to my delight another train came up on the same track. The conductor ran along, opening the doors, and I went to him and said, "Rotterdam?" He said "J a," and boosted me right up into the train, and I landed safely a few hours later where I was met by my brother, who had been wiring all over England and Germany for me. The Lord actually put me off the train, and then I didn't recognize his hand in the matter, until I had been in the field for a week. When I did fully sense that there was no element of chance in that occurrence, my faith began to grow by leaps and bounds. It seems strange to me that I should not have realized the situation, the minute I was put on the right train. (to be continued.)