Eventful Narratives: The Thirteenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day SaintsAveson, Robert
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Eventful Narratives: The Thirteenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Aveson, Robert
Latter Day Saints -- Juvenile fiction
While penning this brief narrative I cannot help reflecting upon the
present time. Passing along to my Sunday meetings I often see a number
of boys, about my age at that time, and some older ones, loitering
about the streets, breaking the Sabbath, neglecting to attend worship,
and many who never even visit Sunday school. They have not the love
for their religion, which filled my heart at their age. These remarks
apply not only to the young, but also to others more advanced in years,
who often neglect their meetings, excusing themselves on one frivolous
pretext or another.
William H. Scott told President Littlefair that I desired baptism. The
president said as I was under age that rite could not be administered
to me. It was necessary for me to first obtain permission from my
parents. Thinking the best way to get their consent would be for
William to talk to my mother on the subject of "Mormonism," I arranged
an interview with her. Accordingly, William went and conversed with
her on the first principles of the gospel. It was on a Thursday night.
She was interested and listened attentively to the teachings of the
young preacher, for he was but a young man, seventeen years of age. At
the close of the interview it was agreed upon that in a week's time he
should pay her another visit. The appointment was promptly kept, and at
its close William gained my mother's consent to my baptism. The next
night, Friday, my father, on being consulted, said he was willing for
me to do as I pleased.
As everything seemed to be working in my favor, I sought my mother's
consent, before retiring to rest on Saturday night, to attend another
meeting of the Saints, which was to be held in the afternoon of the
next day. Judge of my surprise on being told by her that she did not
wish me to have anything more to do with so deluded a people, giving
them a bad name and saying:
"I would rather bury you in the churchyard than have you join the
Mormons."
Too full of grief to make any reply to her remarks, with drooping head
and aching heart I slowly went up stairs to my bed chamber and there
knelt and prayed humbly and fervently to my Heavenly Father, while the
tears rolled down my cheeks.
Restlessly I lay upon my bed. "I would rather bury you in the
churchyard than have you join the Mormons." Oh, how these words rang
in my ears! I had never been so tried before in my life. The knowledge
that "Mormonism" was true was firm in my heart, for I had received a
testimony and was very anxious to get baptized; but my hopes now were
blighted. What course should I pursue? I was young--just approaching my
fifteenth birthday--and still under the control of my parents, whom I
desired to obey in all things. But could I give up "Mormonism" and deny
the testimony I had received? No, the Lord helping me, I would never do
that.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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