Seoul Temple Promise

Seoul Temple Promise
by Steve Cale, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea,
28 Feb 2004

The temple in Seoul Korea has a promise of temporal protection attached. I know of no other temple in the world for which temple attendance will protect the country from war. I'm a Korean linguist for the U.S. Air Force. I've been stationed in Korea for 12 of the last 22 years. I served my mission in Sendai, Japan and then returned home to Idaho and married my wife Lauri. I joined the Air Force in 1982 and was sent to the Def. Language Institute to learn Korean. I was then assigned to Osan Air Base in 1984. I am an Intelligence professional. On Dec. 14, 1985, my wife and I were privileged to attend the dedication of the Seoul Temple. The day was very cold and the wind was blowing very strong, but as we waited in the parking lot of the temple for our session, we were kept warm by the many friends surrounding us. We entered the temple and took our seats.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor, was to dedicate the temple. In his remarks before the dedicatory prayer, he made a comment that was so startling, that I committed it to memory. He said, 'If you will use this temple, you need not fear an invasion from the north.' What a great promise! I also remember the remark, because during my mission, I had the opportunity to work with Elder Kikuchi of the Seventy. As I spoke with him afterwards, he remarked how neat that promise was. My family returned to Korea in 1988 for a 2nd tour, until 1991. The Saints in Korea had been attending the temple regularly and I feel this is why the 1988 Olympic Games were held without incident even though the North Koreans had threatened to disrupt them.

In 1993, we returned yet again to Korea and at that time, tensions were increasing over the possible development by the North Koreans of nuclear weapons. In 1994, it actually appeared that we might go to war with North Korea over this issue. Even though I had heard a prophet of the Lord declare that we would be protected, I began to doubt the promise. I wondered if perhaps I had misunderstood President Hinckley's words that day.

That summer, we were invited to Seoul to a training session with Elder Boyd K. Packer and Elder Henry Eyring. The chapel in Shingdang was filled with church leaders both Korean and American. Elder Eyring spoke first and then Elder Packer stood up to speak. He let us know that 'training' was not the only reason that he and Elder Eyring had come to Korea. He told us that President Hinckley was concerned for the safety of the saints in Korea. Therefore, the day before, President Packer and Elder Eyring had gone up to the DMZ, the border between North and South Korea, and had performed a priesthood ordinance which placed guardian angels at that border. He told us that because of our faithfulness in attending the temple, we would be protected. I don't know if I was more surprised to hear that there were actually guardian angels at the border, or that there was a priesthood ordinance to put them there. One Korean stake president asked Elder Packer, 'how long will they be there?' His answer was, 'as long as they are needed and you are faithful in your temple attendance.' Now I knew we were safe for I had heard the promise twice.

In 1996, President Hinckley came to Korea on his way to Hong Kong to dedicate the temple there. He held a regional conference in Seoul. During his remarks, he made reference to the temple promise. He told us that we now needed to attend the temple faithfully, and also appreciate it. He told us that we were all being protected by the Lord because we had done as we were told. This was the third time I had heard the promise and the second time from President Hinckley's own mouth.

I know that this promise is true. I have seen events happen in conjunction with my job, in which many times the experts have been confused as to why the North Koreans did not attack. I know it is because they cannot.

As a member of the U.S. A. F, part of my job is to help protect the Republic of Korea from attack. I feel as a member of the Church, I can do more to protect South Korea by attending the temple. As long as the saints in Korea attend the temple they are protected. I have been so blessed to not only witness the prophet of the Lord proclaim this great promise, but also have been here to see the fulfillment of those words.

Do You Want a Donut?

There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending Seminary in Utah . In this Seminary, classes are held during school hours. Brother Christianson taught Seminary at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's Seminary class. Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over.

One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, 'You think you're pretty tough, don't you?'

Steve's answer was, 'Yeah, I do.'

Then Brother Christianson asked, 'How many push-ups can you do?'

Steve said, 'I do about 200 every night.'

'200? That's pretty good, Steve,' Brother Christianson said. 'Do you think you could do 300?'

Steve replied, 'I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time.' '

Do you think you could?' Again asked Brother Christianson.

'Well, I can try,' said Steve.

'Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,' Brother Christianson said.

Steve said, 'Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it.'

Brother Christianson said, 'Good! I need you to do this on Friday.'

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.

Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, 'Cynthia, do you want a donut?'

Cynthia said, 'Yes.'

Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Cynthia can have a donut?'

Steve said, 'Sure,' and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk.

Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk. Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, 'Joe do you want a donut?'

Joe said, 'Yes.'

Bro. Christianson asked, 'Steve would you do ten pushups so Joe can have a donut?'

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.

And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Bro. Christianson came to Scott.

Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. Then Bro. Christianson asked, 'Scott do you want a donut?'

Scott's reply was, 'Well, can I do my own pushups?'

Bro. Christianson said, 'No, Steve has to do them.'

Then Scott said, 'Well, I don't want one then.'

Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?'

Steve started to do ten pushups.

Scott said, 'HEY! I said I didn't want one!'

Bro. Christianson said, 'Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it.' And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, 'Jenny, do you want a donut?'

Jenny said, 'No.'

Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, 'Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?' Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.

By now, the students were beginning to say 'No' and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely.

Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Bro. Christianson, 'Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?'

Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, 'Well, they're your pushups. You can do them any way that you want.' And Bro. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, 'NO! Don't come in! Stay out!' Jason didn't know what was going on.

Steve picked up his head and said, 'No, let him come.'

Bro. Christianson said, 'You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him.'

Steve said, 'Yes, let him come in.'

Bro. Christianson said, 'Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?'

'Yes.'

'Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?' Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, 'Linda, do you want a doughnut?

Linda said, very sadly, 'No, thank you.'

Bro. Christianson asked Steve, 'Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?'

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda. Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. 'Susan, do you want a donut?'

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, 'Bro. Christians on , can I help him?'

Bro. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, 'No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?'

As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Brother Christianson turned to the room and said. 'And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.'

When everyone in the classroom heard what the teacher meant by it and realized everything. Steve smiled on the ground where he laid in his own sweat and began to cry.