CSM Devotional with Scott Christensen

John sang for Elijah Choir Men’s Choir for the CSM devotional today. Their music is always beautiful and uplifting. Brother Scott Christensen from the Church History Library shared several stories about how the Lord prepares things which will bless us long before we understand their importance. When he joined the CHL twenty years ago he thought that the Primary roll books which were carefully kept into the 1970’s were a waste of precious space. However, after the atomic bomb tests which caused cancer in the downwind areas, these Primary roll books have provided the needed proof for thousands of families to be recompensed for the damaged they received amounting to millions of dollars.
The LDS church only had active branches in Greece for a few years from 1898 to 1909. However Pres. George Albert Smith sent needed seed wheat in the 1940’s and Pres. McKay sent much needed food and supplies in the 1950’s after a serious earthquake even though there were no members there. For this he was awarded a high medal by the king of Greece. When the LDS church again returned to Greece in the 1990’s some people accused the members of being a cult and worked hard to have them excluded from the country. However, when the mission president showed the officials what the LDS church had done for Greece and the award Pres. McKay received, all opposition was withdrawn.
In 1996 Brother Christensen was to a conference at the Iron Mission Museum and was bothered by the “clutter” until he learned that the DUP museum was being renovated and the one museum was storing all the artifacts for both places. His attention was drawn to a large, beautifully carved frame with a tiny two inch “mirror” in the center. As he looked at it, he realized that it was a fore runner of the modern photograph which had almost completely oxidized. As he looked at it carefully, he realized that it was an actual picture of the original Nauvoo Temple taken before it burned. After getting all the necessary permissions, the “mirror” was taken to a special laboratory in Kansas City where the oxides were carefully removed by electrolysis leaving a striking, perfect image of the temple which could enlarged. A year and half after the discovery, Pres. Hinckley announced that the outside of the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple would match as exactly as possible the original design. The Lord had prepared a way that this could effectively be done because architects were able to use the picture to determine exact measurements. He shared other stories and encouraged us to record the tender mercies that we receive and realize that we need to be obedient even when we don't understand exactly why. We are led by prophets and revelation.