We often hear that the Lord is “hastening his work,” (Nelson, Oct. 2024) and he certainly is. However, is seems that even when we “anxiously engage in a good cause” (D&C 58:27) there are often delays or disappointments requiring patience. Although minor, such has been true for us. But perhaps they are only setbacks from our perspective. The spirit whispers that this is His work and it may take a little time for us or others to prepare or get organized in the way he needs us to be. In his infinite perspective and wisdom, it may take a little time for people (including us), and things to get in place in order for us and the people we meet to receive and accomplish the Lords hastening work.
It was December 19, 1850 when Elder George Q. Cannon first set foot in Lahaina. He and his companions having been seasick through much of their journey from California to Oahu and then to Maui, the ‘bucket’ seemed a constant companion. (My heart goes out to them for I too am susceptible to motion sickness.) “I felt more feelings of despondency than I had done since I left home, “Elder Cannon wrote. “I felt that it was a great trial and cross to go to a foreign nation and preach the gospel.” After finding a suitable place to stay, he mastered his feelings and they got “busily engaged” in their work. The work did not come easy and many disappointments set them back including language barriers. “I feel a great anxiety to be able to talk with them and impart unto them the glorious truths of which we are the bearers…” After a while, when some of the missionaries became discouraged, felt they were wasting time, and decided to go home, Elder Cannon sought for revelation in prayer. “Every time I had prayed to the Lord that there might be a good work done here I had felt my bosom warm and felt the spirit continually whispering to me if I should persevere I should be blest…” He persevered, worked hard to learn the language, and then set out for a great work on Maui. (The Journals of George Q. Cannon, Hawaiian Missions, Ch. 1-2)
We too have had some delays getting things in order for the work we have been called to do. But in hindsight, that month or two waiting for this or that may have been needed for people (including us), and things to get in place, physically, emotionally and spiritually. After two months of studying the language and attempts at preaching in Lahaina, Elder Cannon wrote, “I have been thinking…to strike out tomorrow on a tramp round the Island, my desire to learn the language is the principle reason. I want also to see the situation of things at different parts of the Island…” In a similar spirit, Sister Hardman and I have been ‘tramping’ around the Island, visiting, getting acquainted with “the situation of things,” and recently under direction of stake and ward leaders, getting to know the saints, sharing a message about Jesus Christ as our Advocate, and putting in place the foundation for inviting participants to the Addiction Recovery Program (ARP).
Sunday we started at the Kihei 1st Ward invited by very capable Bishop Maetani to acquaint his ward council with the resources provided by the church to help those with addiction or compulsive behaviors. With scriptures we counselled together on how coming unto Christ blesses us with power and grace to be perfected in him. (Moroni 10:32) In the same ward, Sister Hardman and I spoke in sacrament meeting and told of advocates in our lives, especially our parents, and then bore testimony of Jesus Christ, our advocate with the Father. “Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice…” (Mosiah 15:9). Stake President Kelii Wunder was also in attendance and bore his testimony of these principles. We had a similar opportunity across the island in the Waiehu ward council. Our meetings concluded Sunday in our home ward, Kahului 1st Ward where we had been invited to sing a musical number in sacrament meeting. We sang, “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need,” (Hymn 1014). We practiced a lot and felt it was a contribution to the spirit of the meeting.
Because of these ongoing visits to the wards, we were blessed to welcome the next day a good number of new participants to the ARP support meeting, Healing through the Savior. We felt we were on sacred ground as with more than a dozen participants we read through Step 2 of the 12-steps, discussed the principles, then listened to each person tell their story of hope. Attendees include addicts, spouses of addicts, supporters and people wanting to learn. “I need this too,” I shared as part of my closing testimony. “There are things I want and need to improve but can’t seem to do it on my own. I too need the Saviors help, power, and grace.” I ponder a lot, how this is done. How do I enable the power of Christ to help me overcome things I can’t seem to do on my own? Part of the answer seems to be in understanding my relationship with him, and how he feels for me and advocates for me, and each of you. At the last minute I felt prompted to recite my testimony with the group in words I had compiled in a song last year. Many of you have already heard it. To emphasize our personal relationship, I wrote it as a duet, a personal conversation between Jesus and me, or any one of his followers. It is called, “For the Joy Set Before Me.”
Even with great tensions in the world, we concluded our week feeling Gods love for all of his children. The Lord is hastening his work.
Glenn Hardman and Dorothy Griffin; did they become good independent of outside factors? Certainly, not. Did any of this goodness come from their parents and ancestry? Certainly, yes. Dorothy spoke of her childhood. “I am truly grateful that my parents were always active and that they taught us by their example that church was the place we were to go, that activity in the church would bring joy and satisfaction to our lives. Though I have no memory of a burning testimony in those days, I know the seeds were planted then for my love of the church as I have grown older.” Similarly, Dorothy wrote of Glenn, “He went to Primary and learned about courage and being pure in heart, to be a cheerful helper to his father and mother every day, to say thank you, to obey, to be courteous at home, school and Primary, to pray and to appreciate the beautiful world.” As Glenn and Dorothy continued to grow in their youth, they made choices that brought them in contact with additional sources of help and divine instruction. While a young adult, Dorothy received an assignment she thought miraculous that gave her opportunity to serve in new ways, making her realize the source of her talents, and how she could use them for much good. “I began to see,” she wrote, “what the patriarch had meant when he told me I had talents that would manifest themselves in the positions of responsibility which I would have…” Glenn demonstrated his integrity when on his own in California, surrounded by a world of opportunities for good and bad. In a letter to his parents back home, some trusted friends wrote, “He never misses a day without coming in and reporting in. He is only going with church boys and girls and taking in the church activities. Dorothy Griffin, the girl he takes most, is a swell Mormon girl.” I can see how my life was and is influenced by their lives… I can see their influence in my life, in the lives of all their children, and their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren.
It was Christmas of 1909 just before my dad was to come home [from his two-year mission.] We were down to board floors and paper curtains [having sold the furniture piece by piece.] We had large five-gallon lard cans to sit on; a stove, table, and a bed that we all slept in. We sat in bed and sang Christmas carols until…it was time to go to sleep. We only had a bowl of rice that night for our dinner… We went to sleep hoping…for Santa to come. I woke up to the sound of crying. I went into the other room and found Mama crying. I asked what the matter was. She said…she was so grateful and happy to her Heavenly Father, and told me to go back to bed so Santa could come. I…was wakened again by her sobs. I went to sleep the third time and woke up at 7:30 am with mother still crying. As we all came out of the bedroom she made us kneel in prayer before we could see our toys. I will never forget the prayer my mother offered, thanking the Lord for his goodness to us. We then went out on the porch; there was a doll and dishes for the girls, a tool box for the boys and a small decorated Christmas Tree and a basket of food… We danced around the tree and sang and went to bed that night with our hearts full of happiness and our stomachs full of good food. Brother Alma Winn was our Santa and he had eight children of his own… My mother had cried and prayed all that night. Her prayers were answered… How grateful I am for the faith of my mother and grateful…that we five little ones weren’t forgotten by a “Santa” who had been inspired to come and help us in time of need.
Hannah Elizabeth Josephson, came into the world (St. John, Idaho, to be exact) on November 27, 1877, 2 days before Thanksgiving. She was the 3rd of 12 children born to Lars and Anna Josephson, immigrants from Sweden. There was great love and respect in this large but united family. They were known as “one of the best behaved in the valley.” Hannah was a “pretty brunette,” industrious, and “of a cheerful and religious disposition.” “I used to pray every day and trusted in the Lord,” she said. “I had my prayers answered many times.” The children were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography by their mother, so Hannah was well prepared to enter school at age 6, and continued through the 8th grade. In 1887, nearly all family members including her father had a brush with Typhoid Fever. Three months of dedicated nursing and service by the church and community pulled them through. There were no deaths in the family, but her brother Levi stuttered badly the rest of his life. Hannah was baptized in 1891. She was inspired by her parent’s faith and devotion. “Many times I saw [my father] ride on horseback a distance of 15 miles to attend priesthood meeting. My whole family was religious at heart.” Hannah served as 2nd Counselor in the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association at age 18, admired church leaders, and remained active all her days. She too, had many admirers. While courting the man of her choice, “Hannah gave [him] to understand that her husband had to be worthy to take her to the temple.”
In 1848, five-year-old Francis Ann Coon and her siblings tried to cross the Garner pasture, but the bull saw them and charged. They ran for safety. Her sister “Permilia…climbed [a] tree and…[her brother] John handed all the younger children up before he climbed up himself” narrowly escaping the animals wrath.1 The Coon family, in route from Nauvoo to Council Bluffs was selected to go with the first pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley, but then Brigham Young assigned father Abraham Coon to remain a few years in Pottawattamie “to run a mill and help provide for the Saints…”2 The “corn was scarce,” but the “bluffs, glens, and running streams” were “picturesque.”3 Francis observed her father, Bishop Coon,4 a former member of the Nauvoo Legion and guard to Joseph Smith, faithfully help operate the Indian Mill on Big Mosquito Creek and care for families whose men had gone to serve in the Mormon Battalion2 including William Garner, the likely owner of the bull.3 At this young age, Francis experienced the faith of her parents, their determination to be endowed in the temple before leaving Nauvoo,2 and their sealing in Winter Quarters.5 After fulfilling their assignment in Iowa, Francis and her family walked1 most of the way to Salt Lake to carry out their hopes and dreams in Zion. It was in Salt Lake where Francis would meet her future husband.
During the boom-town 1950s in Los Angeles, Dona Hansen, the queen of the church Gold and Green Ball, and daughter of a self educated businessman and a most charitable mother, culminated her youth in what she thought would be the crowning event, marriage to a promising man. A short time later while anticipating their first born, her husband left her. She was devastated. “I didn’t think anyone would want to marry a divorced woman with a little son,” she thought. Dona prayed as she always did, was blessed by the prayers of others, and remained “close to [her] Father in Heaven and Savior.” Some time later Dona received a proposal of marriage from a man not of her faith, and she went away to Salt Lake City to consider her future seeking direction in the Temple. She felt inspired to return to Los Angeles. Upon her return, she felt and knew that he was not the one. To her surprise, her fiancé informed her, “I have just met a fellow at church. In fact, he is just what you are looking for.” Driven by the Spirit of the Lord, she stood in church and bore her testimony. Her fiancé and friend Ferril Losee were in attendance. Ferril thought, “She is wonderful but… to good for me.” A short time later, noting the absence of the ring, Ferril asked Dona out on a date. They drove to the beach where, as the sun set upon a beautiful day, the sun rose on a glorious union. Ferril said that he “would be the happiest man on earth if [Dona] would consent to marry him.” Dona knew the Lord was in it, and agreed. (by Kenneth Hardman, adapted from, Losee, Ferril A., 
Some major customers didn’t pay; and Glenn’s cabinet business began to fail. Dorothy was very concerned about family bills and groceries. In the 1960’s they built their second dream home, welcomed their sixth child, and served anxiously in church assignments while building a growing company. Not able to focus on her church leadership position, she thought to ask for a release, and find a job. Glenn said, “No.” But her thoughts persisted. She had served well; surely God would not expect more. She couldn’t sleep, she prayed, she cried, and prayed more. She decided to ask for the release the next day. Thinking this choice would relieve her pain, she tried to sleep. “Not so! I turned and tossed and wept some more,” she said. In desperation she asked God, “Isn’t it the right decision?” Immediately, a flickering light in her mind became bright and she distinctly knew her decision was not the Lord’s will. “I did not understand why,” she said, “but I told him I would continue to serve as long as He had need of me…” She then felt peace. She new they would be blessed. Years later she looked back and realized that God new what was coming; what the family needed, and who needed her at that time. Dorothy’s specific fourth year of service was the exact time period needed for God to work miracles through her in the lives of at least two other people. Dorothy’s oldest daughter became deathly ill. The failure of the family business had resulted in a new job for Glenn, and relocation a year later that put the family in proximity to doctors who could diagnose and treat her rare disease.
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