In the terrestrial room of the temple yesterday a thought went through my head that I've never had before.  Since I wasn't even thinking of such things at the time, and because of where I was and what I was doing, I have to think that it was a revelation to me.  I haven't heard or read anything that the Brethren have said on this matter, so if it is so, the “revelation” was just for my benefit, and is not something that I should be preaching.

The thought was this:  If Peter, James, and John, as pre-mortals, ministered to their progenitors, perhaps I did, too.

This is an exciting thought.  My mind caught hold of it, and I've been playing with it ever since.

Adam, also, had premortal assignments on the earth.  He helped in its creation.  Doubtless we did, too.

As mortals we get nudges from the other side of the veil.  Who gives those nudges?  Is it always the Holy Ghost, or do they come from the Peter-, James-, and John-type ministers who are assigned to minister to those on the earth?

I'm quite sure that our righteous, departed progenitors are allowed or assigned to minister to us, so why could not premortal spirits be assigned to minister to their future progenitors in a similar fashion?

President Joseph F. Smith said this:

“When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred [and] friends … In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy their rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, of reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.”  (GD. 435-36).

My own grandfather, who had yet to be baptized and endowed in the temple, came to his daughter, my mother, and said to her, “You don't have to worry about Jamie.  He's going to be all right.”  She had been praying about me.  She was extremely worried about me having to be in a dangerous part of the world serving in the military.  Grandfather McCornack came to comfort his daughter, in answer to her prayers, and she was comforted.

I was later able to return that favor by doing his temple work.  I am satisfied that he and others of my progenitors have similarly administered to me without my being aware.

Do you suppose that I, as a premortal, administered to them when they were in mortality?  I think it very, very likely.

When my great, great grandfather Andrew McCornack and his wagon train were lost in the hills of Wyoming on the Oregon Trail they were in danger of perishing for the want of water.  They had no idea which way to go to extricate themselves from their dilemma.  Andrew climbed a hill.  He was able to see where the train should go, but a fog settled down, and he became confused in his directions.  He had no idea where the wagon train was.  He knelt by a rock and prayed, after which he stood up, looked all around, and said to himself, “The train is over there.”  He walked in that direction, found the train, and led them all to safety.

Who turned him in that direction?  He had prayed.  He had faith.  The Holy Ghost pointed the was he should go.  The Holy Ghost has a myriad of helpers.  Most likely the unseen hand that turned his head and his mind would have been one of his kindred, perhaps one who was yet unborn.

In the pre-earth life we knew our progenitors and those who would be our descendants.  I think we were so intimately acquainted that we were best friends.  We made covenants with one another and with the Lord.  He organized us into families.  We promised that if they would precede us when times were difficult, and when the gospel and its ordinances were still not available, that we would see to it that their temple work was done.  They promised to prepare the way, and we promised to see to their ordinances and sealings.  In addition, I now think that we also promised to help one another through the mortal experience.

Yesterday in the temple I had the thought that in premortality I was best friends with Thomas Condon and Andrew McCornack.  They seem like distant relatives and little more than names now, but I'm very sure that our relationship was close.

I believe that I helped them in their mortal perplexities, and that they are now helping me.

I now realize that I am in a unique and wonderful position in relation to my progenitors and descendants.  It would appear that I am the pivot point for the plan that was premortally put into place for this family.  There was a large body of people who were depending upon me to find the Church and to do their temple work.  Their eyes and their prayers were upon me.  Another large body of people was also watching and praying for me to accomplish what I'd promised to do so that they could be born into the Church, and be in positions where they could fulfill their own promises.

I have no idea whether I'm on target with these thoughts or off base, but as I read the preceding to Marjorie, she said, “It all makes sense.”