President David O. McKay once taught about a future priesthood
interview for all Church Brethren with Jesus Christ himself.
(See it listed far below).
This
account is true and has been quoted by numerous General Authorities and church members
over the decades. However, what is often left out is where it came from – it
was NOT from a General Conference talk or any regular church meeting.
(It is often quoted on Facebook these days too, more than 50 years later and this is the rest of the story--)
Here’s
the true story of where the teachings came from:
In
June of 1965, a group of brethren in the Physical Facilities Department of the
Church was doing some work outside the Hotel Utah apartment of President David
O. McKay. As President McKay stopped to explain to them the importance of the
work in which they were engaged, he paused and told them about an interview
with the Savior.
Fred A. Baker
Fred
A. Baker, the eventual Managing Director, Department of Physical Facilities and
at the time a member of the Church’s original 3-member building committee, was
the Church employee who wrote this down.
Brother
Baker, of Ogden, worked for Church Physical Facilities from 1965-1991.
He
was also my former stake president and a friend of my wife’s family, who lived
in his same ward, the Ogden 41st Ward (today’s Waterfall Canyon
Ward).
Brother
Baker often told the story to others. He passed away in December of 2015 and
this story was also told at his funeral, which I attended.
A 1965 photo from the Hotel Utah with Pres. McKay and in his living room with Church Building Committee and other Church members. Fred Baker is third from the left, top row.
--If
you doubt my story, Elder Robert D. Hales repeated it on March 15, 1988 and cited
Brother Baker as who wrote it down. Elder Hales’ talk can be found at:
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/robert-d-hales_understandings-heart/
THE TEACHINGS:
--Here's what Brother Baker recorded from President McKay's
hallway sermon:
"Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.
First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, He will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.
Third, He will want to know what you personally have done with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.
Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your Church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments you have had, for in his eyes the home teacher and a mission president are probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.
Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.
Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country and the world."
NOTE: This article and all of the NighUntoKolob blog are NOT an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are the author's conclusions and opinions only.
