Mysterious Ways

Mysterious Ways By Nephi Jensen

One fine autumn day, in 1882, the members of the Relief Society of the Copenhagen branch of the Church held a spir- ited testimony meeting which was attended by the late Elder Christian D. Fjeldsted. One of the most impressionable listen- ers at the meeting was a young stone-cutter, who had joined the Church the year previous. A feature of the meeting that made a lasting impression upon the young man, was a pleasant clash- ing of sentiments in which Elder Fjeldsted and a woman, with the zeal of a new convert, took part. This good sister, with a bit of indignation in her manner, told of a little unpleasantness she recently had experienced in attempting to tell her groceryman of the beauties of her new- found religion. The merchant, who was a high churchman, and had always received "the things of God" from scholarly divines, vigorously repelled the zealous woman's attempts at evangelization. The woman became a little nettled, and in a moment of unwisdom, informed the business man that she would no longer trade with him. To the assembled sisters, she avowed her intention to carry out the resolution she had first expressed to the merchant, when he impatiently rejected the proffered pearl of great price. When she concluded, Elder Fjeldsted quietly arose, and in his characteristic, gentle way reminded the woman that her attitude towards the groceryman was not quite Christianlike, and added, "That man has as good a right to his ideas of religion as we have to ours." Then, in a flash of inspiration, concluded by saying, rather earnestly, "That man will yet join the Church." To the young stone-cutter this was a prophecy in the teeth of fate. And he was deeply impressed, but little dreamed that he should assist in making the prediction come true. A few years passed, and business reverses brought the merchant back to shirt-sleeves. In order to feed and clothe his family, he was compelled to seek employment as a stone-cutter's helper. He applied at the establishment of the young stone-cutter, and was employed. One day, as the two stood side by side pounding their chisels, their conversation drifted to religion. They had not talked long before the young convert asked his helper the pointed question, "Suppose you should meet a heathen who should ask you what God you believed in, what would you tell him?"

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"Why, I would tell him God is a being without body, parts or passions," responded the man, with the air of one who is tel- ling something to a person who ought to know without being told. This was the young convert's opening, and he used it with the zest of one who is telling a wonderful, new story. He said, "Did you ever think that your definition of God is the definition of nothing?" Of course, he had not thought of that, but after his employer told him his idea of God, the former merchant commenced to think about it. In the course of the conversation, the helper found out that he was working for a "Mormon," and proceeded to answer his employer's theological arguments with a recital of his experience with a woman who was a member of the Church. He informed his employer that he did not feel very kindly towards the "Mor- mons" because, when he was in the grocery business, a lady who was a "Mormon" refused to trade with him, simply because he had impatiently repelled the lady's insistent attempts to explain her religion to him. The stone-cutter instantly remembered the Relief Society testimony meeting, and Elder Fjeldsted's prophecy. The thought that he was now talking to the man concerning whom the prophecy was uttered, caused an awesome feeling to come over him. After a moment's deep reflection, he told his helper that he had heard of the woman's threatened revenge. "How so?" asked the helper, quite surprised. The stone-cutter replied, with a recital of what had oc- curred at the testimony meeting, with the prophecy eliminated. The helper's attitude immediately changed. He was quite pleased to learn that the woman's rather hasty resolution was not upheld by a man prominent in the Church. The way was now clear for the young convert to realize his sincere wish, the conversion of his helper. Day after day, he argued and quoted Scripture to the accompaniment of the chisel blows upon the rock, with the result that the helper, his wife, and two sons, joined the Church. The helper died a few years after being converted. His widow and two sons came to Utah. The one son later moved to Canada, where he became a very prosperous farmer, and an active and influential Church worker. The other son resides in southern Utah, and is a respected citizen, and a zealous advocate of the gospel he received from the stone-cutter. The young stone-cutter, who drank from the fountain of in- spiration, was transformed from a hewer of stone to a molder of human souls.

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