[Page 309] Abstract: In this essay, I examine a letter written by Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone in 1983 and deposited in the cornerstone of the Atlanta Georgia Temple. [Page 314]Importantly, when a reworked version of “A Haven in a World of Turmoil” was published as part of his 1995 book, The Incomparable Christ, Featherstone modified the language to state simply, “There are among our youth today who will be someday called to the holy apostleship.” While his statement was still surrounded by descriptions of the Second Coming, he no longer emphasized his belief that those who would serve as the last prophet and apostles were already living. It has been cross-posted with permission.] See all books authored by Vaughn J. Featherstone, including The Incomparable Christ: Our Master and Model, and Repentance, and more on ThriftBooks.com. Genealogy for Vaughn J Featherstone (1931 - 2018) family tree on Geni, with over 190 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. One of President Russell M. Nelson’s key messages to the Saints seems to be the significance of the Restoration leading to the Second Coming. … Ten times tens of thousands will be baptized into the Lord’s true Church. TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints The First Quorumof the Seventy 47 East South TempleStreet, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 July, 1984 Fellow Varsity Scouts: Vaughn J. Featherstone My beloved brothers and sisters, it has been my privilege through the past years as a stake president, a mission president, and a General Authority to serve as … Interpreter Foundation is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But while neither I nor any other man knows when He will come, there are some things that I do know — and that knowledge comes from the scriptures, and the testimony of its truth comes by the power of the Holy Ghost. I am not interested in refuting this idea, but it is based on a speculative calculation of scripture rather than an independent revelation. Do not read the anti-Mormon materials. It would be deposited in a time capsule at the dedication of the Atlanta Georgia Temple presumably, like other Church time capsules, to be opened fifty years later. A native of the Tooele County, Utah, town of Stockton, Elder Featherstone served 29 years as You who are reading this letter are witnesses to my words.4, [Page 311]The letter concludes with a personal message of gratitude to the Savior in the event that “this letter come to the attention of our Lord who is reigning personally upon the earth.5. Featherstone was born March 26, 1931, in Stockton, Tooele County, Utah, a son of Stephen E. Featherstone and his wife Emma Marie Johnson. So with all that negativity and flat out rudeness, I LOVED this talk by Vaughn J. Featherstone about girls waiting for missionaries. The photocopy digital information was uploaded by Elder John E. Enslen from the Church History Department.”8 This is misleading. Because of this background he gained an understanding of the problems in homes and has been a help and champion of youth. Those who will sit in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are here.”18. The day grew dark and dreary, the earth a shudder gave. That the Millennium would occur after six thousand years of the Earth’s temporal existence [Page 315]was a position held by Gerald Lund in The Coming of the Lord as well as Bruce R. McConkie in Millennial Messiah. Featherstone spent several years in the Young Men general presidency of the church, and has served in area presidencies in the Philippines and Pacific. Both Lund and McConkie, however, acknowledge the problems of assuming we can pinpoint when the Millennium would begin. We can imagine what General Conference must be like, to have the Savior address the people. He married Marilyn Miner at 19. This letter serves as Montemayor’s final piece of evidence for an imminent second coming. “I believe we are on the very threshold of great trials. 1. Vaughn J. Featherstone was second counselor of the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this fireside address was given at Brigham Young University on 3 … It has not. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available here. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. He grew up in a home with an abusive alcoholic father. Satan has unleashed every evil, every scheme, every blatant, vile perversion ever known to man in any generation. On March 12, 2020, the video “7 Year Tribulation in the SEVENTH Seal TIMELINE” was released on YouTube.1 Six weeks later it had 375,000 views and had made the rounds on various Facebook groups, including one devoted to discussion among seminary teachers. Anti-Mormonism is discrimination, persecution, hostility or prejudice directed against the Latter Day Saint movement, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). I believe when the Lord says “no man” knows, it really means [Page 317]that no man knows. [1] He grew up in a home with an abusive alcoholic father. Vaughn J Featherstone: General President of the Young Men 1990–1998 Succeeded by Robert K. Dellenbach: Last edited on 9 December 2020, at 01:33. Vaughn J. Featherstone shares a personal temple story -- Supreme Mortal Experience (Sacrifice) Quotes ... J. Kelly Flanagan - BYU Dev. Genealogy profile for Vaughn J Featherstone. Featherstone’s reasons were likely similar to those Montemayor offers in his video. Patriarch emeritus and former Patriarch to the Church; Smith is the oldest living general authority and the only emeritus general authority who was not a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. In the 1990s, a different statement from Elder Featherstone began to circulate. A philosopher, scholar, and author, Mouw joined the faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary as professor of Christian philosophy and ethics in 1985. Close. Could this be interpreted to mean that such a period will elapse after the commencement of the seventh thousand-year period and before the outpouring of the woes about to be named?”25 This is important to the timing suggested by Masayoshi Montemayor as well. Answer: Is it good for the sun to shine? The Church History Library houses all sorts of documents that could be significant for preserving the Latter-day Saint past, not simply what has received official endorsement. Not really. I would like, for a few moments with you this morning, to suggest what I think the man of Christ is. There are several copies on the internet. Vaughn J Featherstone (born March 23, 1931) is an emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). “It is our charge — it is our privilege — to help prepare the world for that day.”28. Vaughn J. Featherstone shares a personal temple story -- Wheelchair story. Following four years in the Presiding Bishopric, he served as a member of the First Quorom of the Seventy and president of the Texas San Antonio Mission of the church. In fact, he would go on to state “Those who live in that day — whether that be us, our children, our children’s children, or some future generation — will bow down at His feet and worship Him as the Lord of lords, King of kings.”20 We should weigh both Featherstone’s 1993 explanatory note and his published sentiments in 1995 when we consider whether he claimed to have had a revelation on the matter. Based on a February 2001 devotional at Brigham Young University, it appears that Featherstone remained convinced that the Second Coming would be in our present lifetimes. 2 quotes from Vaughn J. Featherstone: 'The season of the world before us will be like no other in the history of mankind. Enslen had only acquired this letter the week previous.9 However, Enslen, who was serving in an Alabama stake presidency in 1983, recalled that he had heard Featherstone “read this letter at a meeting in Alabama a short time after the letter’s date.”10 We have no way of knowing whether Featherstone shared his letter with other general authorities, but its inclusion in the Church History Library does not imply it came with any official approval. In 1985, Vaughn J. Featherstone, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church, addressed students at the church-owned Brigham Young University, calling anti-Mormon material "theological pornography that is damaging to the spirit," stating that "none of it is worth casting an eye upon. This page was last edited on 9 December 2020, at 01:33 (UTC). If a man lives to be 80 or 90 and is now a boy or not yet born, it could be many years after the turn of the century. M. Russell Ballard made a similar comment in his own Brigham Young University devotional on March 12, 1996. After retiring from BYU and beginning at the age of 72, she served a full time proselyting mission under Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone and 2 … In fact, these include documents critical of the Church and others that have been repudiated by Church leaders. I would suggest the most likely explanation for Elder Featherstone’s assumption that the twenty-first century readers of his letter would have lived through the Second Coming was that he shared the belief of Elder McConkie and Elder Lund that the seventh seal would open in 2000 CE and that it would not be much longer before the Second Coming occurred. The fact is that the whole thing is a fabrication. Vaughn J. Featherstone: Temple PromisesTemple statement for Utah South Area given in the Manti Temple in April 1987 by President Vaughn J. Featherstone. As far as I know, none of my brethren in the Council of the Twelve or even in the First Presidency know. Commenting on the view of the Manti Temple when it is shrouded in snow, Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, president of the LDS South Utah Area and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, said that ``a temple is never more beautiful than in the time of storm.'' He has also been the president of the Logan Utah Temple in Logan, Utah. Those of you who read this letter have witnessed the second coming of Christ, the day for which we have long awaited. Did Elder Featherstone believe he had a personal revelation on the timing of the Second Coming? When Montemayor speaks of “Church headquarters,” he is referring to the Church History Library, which does in fact house a copy of the letter. 2 1 12. The opening paragraph describes what Featherstone believed the experience of these future Latter-day Saints would be like fifty years in the future. He was often open about these beliefs in a way in which others might have been more cautious. We will baptize people in the tens of thousands. Prise de Jérusalem par Hérode le Grand.jpg, Articles with invalid date parameter in template, Articles lacking reliable references from October 2008, Presiding bishops of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, General presidents of the Young Men organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mission presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Stake presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Temple presidents and matrons in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Vaughn_J_Featherstone?oldid=62756. Most living emeritus general authorities are former members of the First Quorum of the Seventy.2. Missionaries and Girlfriends: Taken from a fireside by Vaughn J. Featherstone Question: Is it good for a fellow to leave a girl behind? In most cases, refuted documents are not marked in any way. What a glorious experience to live in the day when our Lord, our Redeemer, the very Son of God is reigning personally upon the earth. In 1918, when the events he describes took place, more than 20 million people around the world died in the Spanish influenza epidemic. Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone, then of the Presiding Bishopric, related the following account by Brother Les Goates. McConkie also commented on the half-hour period of silence that follows the opening of the seventh seal in Revelation 8. I can see in my mind[’]s eye great hosts of converts to exceed a million members in the South. So can we use this scientific data to extrapolate that the Second Coming is likely to occur during the next few years, or the next decade, or the next century? He was born March 26, 1931, in the small town of Stockton, Utah. Elder Featherstone replied by providing a “slightly revised” copy of the statement, now titled, “Holiness to the Lord.” In this new version, a brief explanatory note was added following the comment that the last prophet was already born or would soon be born: Author’s Note: This could take place deep into the 21st century or in a relatively few years. I know that the spirit of the Lord is brooding over the South. The video’s creator, Masayoshi Montemayor, makes his points largely through official Church sources, including the Church’s website, institute manuals, and conference reports. Vaughn J. Featherstone’s Atlanta Temple Letter, Complexities in the English Language of the Book of Mormon — 2015, Moses 1 in Its Ancient Context (#31 – 42), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klg4aj7C5vk, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=3438179d-a8c0-499d-a2cc-82d6a239cef7, https://archive.org/details/conferencereport1918sa/page/56/mode/2up, https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Joseph_Smith/Prophecies/White_Horse_prophecy, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/record?id=f7fda731-7fd2-48f6-adb5-ce3236a2b841, https://sites.google.com/site/kieransmissionnotes/quotes-spiritualthoughts-extracts/elder-vaughn-j-featherstone-given-at-the-manti-temple-in-april-1987, https://web.archive.org/web/20000916092439/http://www.ldstemplepage.org/vjfeathr.html, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/vaughn-j-featherstone/things-wonderful/, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/gordon-b-hinckley/need-not-fear-coming/, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/m-russell-ballard/shall-things/, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/04/the-future-of-the-church-preparing-the-world-for-the-saviors-second-coming?lang=eng, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Due to his family's economic circumstances, he never had the opportunity to go to college. Looking for books by Vaughn J. Featherstone? I do not mean to suggest that Featherstone’s letter is a forgery or that it has been repudiated by Church authorities. The document found that there were three April 6th Sundays leading up to the year 2000. In the past, when this letter circulated among the Saints, it was usually to discuss Featherstone’s prophecy of the American South, rather than his statements on the Second Coming. The letter is addressed to twenty-first century members of the Church and is written with the expectation that these future Saints will have been alive for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. My goal is not to criticize Elder Featherstone or to disparage sincere Latter-day Saints — among them presumably this video’s creator — who like myself are eager to be present for our Savior’s coming. by Vaughn J. Featherstone. The letter is addressed to twenty-first century members of the Church and is written with the expectation that these future Saints will have been alive for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Vaughn J. Featherstone’s Atlanta Temple Letter[FairMormon has received several questions about this recently, so we were pleased to see Interpreter publish this essay by Christopher J. Blythe. April 1, 2003 (good analogy for a talk or lesson) "God Will Use You, God Will Bless You" - … He has also been the president of the Logan Utah Temple in Logan, Utah. Vaughn J (He has no middle name, only an initial.) In 1978, a document circulating among the Saints alleged that Elder Hinckley had revealed to missionaries serving in South Africa that the Second Coming would occur on April 6 [Page 316]and would be on a Sunday. The Savior said that “of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). It has not. The Atlanta Temple is the first temple in the South. But were Featherstone’s remarks intended as a prophecy? In 1993, an institute director contacted Elder Featherstone to confirm that this was a genuine statement. Many among Montemayor’s audience have come away with the impression that Elder Featherstone’s letter received the official sanction of the Church’s leadership. In this essay, I examine this document to understand its limitations for the argument Montemayor makes. After a move to Mountain Home, in eastern Utah, the family settled in Salt Lake City when Vaughn was about five. Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone has worked closely with the youth of the Church from Scouting to youth conferences and from firesides to Young Women camps. A torn and bruised and battered body hung on a lonely cross, While blood and sweat with holy tears bore witness of the loss. All content by The Interpreter Foundation, unless otherwise specified, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Vaughn J Featherstone was born on month day 1931, at birth place, Utah, to Stephen Elvin Featherstone and Emma Marie Featherstone (born Johnson). I am called as one of the apostles to be a special witness of Christ in these exciting, trying times, and I do not know when He is going to come again. He has written many books, mostly to the youth of the church, and much about charity and the life of Jesus and Joseph Smith, Jr.. He was head trainer for Albertsons supermarket. He himself said: Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. What have other recent general authorities suggested about knowing the timing of the Second Coming? Emma was born on October 18 1909, in Mammoth, Juab, Utah. In The Millennial Generation, Elder Featherstone culminates his service to youth with counsel to parents and leaders on bringing up young men and women in the latter days. However, they remain general authorities of the church until their death. The video presents a last days timeline that places the Second Coming in the very near future. He was called to the Presiding Bishopric in 1972; before that he was a stake president and served on missionary committees. … Of course I do not know when the Savior will come. Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone’s Experience with the Scriptures and the Savior. Featherstone was born in Stockton, Tooele County, Utah. ... Other outcomes are more severe, like being dis-fellowshipped or even excommunicated (member's name is removed from the records of the church and all ordinances like baptism, priesthood ordination, temple, are nullified). I can see temples in Charlotte, Columbia, Birmingham, Jackson, Nashville, and in Louisiana and Arkansas. The letter is addressed to twenty-first century members of the Church and is written with the expectation that these future Saints will have been alive for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. “Richard J. Mouw has served as president of Fuller Theological Seminary since 1993, after having served the seminary for four years as provost and senior vice president. However, due to the Korean War and the one-missionary-per-ward policy, he did not get that opportunity. And I would humbly suggest to you, my young brothers and sisters, that if we do not know, then nobody knows, no matter how compelling their arguments or how reasonable their calculations. She served as President of the Sorosis Women's Club, member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and served in the leadership of BYU Women. Furthermore, should any such idea have come into my mind, it would not have stood unchallenged with the President of the Church seated immediately behind me. Vaughn J. Featherstone’s humble beginnings gave him an intense appreciation for the gospel and its blessings. “1980 seems too soon and 1997 too late. He cut himself off from the Spirit of God. “If the time here mentioned is ‘the Lord’s time’ in which one day is a thousand years, the half hour would be some twenty-one of our years. These documents are published on the Church History Library website in order to assist historians in their work. Author Vaughn J. Featherstone explains the necessity of living a Christlike life, being willing to change plans when a better course is presented, and striving to constantly increase our own light that others might also be guided to the truth. [Page 309]Abstract: In this essay, I examine a letter written by Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone in 1983 and deposited in the cornerstone of the Atlanta Georgia Temple. “[Featherstone] wanted to make sure that it was good to go for the time capsule, so he sent a copy to Salt Lake, and the Brethren said, ‘Great. Posted by 1 year ago. He suggests a possible reading of this half-hour as a clue to the timing of prophecy. In 1995, I was given a copy of this statement, then titled “A Haven in a World of Turmoil,” dated June 1987, as part of a photocopied packet with various statements on the last days. You should be extremely wary of anyone who claims to be an exception to divine decree.27, Though I have questioned the significance Vaughn J. Featherstone’s letter should play into our sense of the nearness of last days events, that does not mean we don’t have reason to prepare and enthusiastically look forward to the Lord’s return. Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted. The darkest clouds in the history of the world are on the horizon.”3. He started his remarks by reading a passage from the Book of Jeremiah describing the Millennium, when “they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.”21 Featherstone then said, “It is my conviction that most of you will live to see that day.”22 Montemayor also pointed to this passage as confirmation of Featherstone’s letter. This is also how [Page 313]Enslen stated it was used by Church leaders in the South in the years after 1983.15 The language in these two portions of Featherstone’s letter are distinct. Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone—an emeritus General Authority Seventy, former temple president, and beloved youth leader—died May 12 at his home in Bountiful, Utah. Vaughn J Featherstone (born March 23, 1931) is an emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).