Robert Mason's Foreknowledge: Told Wilford Woodruff He Would Be a Leader in God's Restored Kingdom

“I was carried away in a vision and found myself in the midst of a vast orchard of fruit trees. I became hungry and wandered through this vast orchard searching for fruit to eat, but I found none. I saw that the trees were all dead and withered, and I thought to myself, how is it that these trees are all dead? I looked and saw that the roots were all dried up and dead. I then looked and saw that the trees began to fall to the ground as if torn up by a whirlwind. I immediately saw thereafter shoots springing up from the roots and forming themselves into young and beautiful trees. These budded, blossomed, and brought forth fruit which ripened and was the most beautiful to look upon of anything my eyes had ever beheld. I reached forth my hand to pluck the fruit, but the vision closed and I did not taste the fruit. At the close of the vision I bowed down in humble prayer and asked the Lord to show me the meaning of the vision. Then the voice of the Lord came to me saying: Son of man, thou hast sought me diligently to know the truth concerning my Church and Kingdom among men. This is to show you that my Church is not organized among men in the generation to which you belong; but in the days of your children the Church and Kingdom of God shall be made manifest with all the gifts and the blessings enjoyed by the Saints in past ages. I was then told that I should live to see the day when this Church should be established, but that I should not be permitted to partake of the fruit thereof. Wilford, I shall never partake of this fruit in the flesh, but you will and you will become a conspicuous actor in the new kingdom.”

— Wilford Woodruff, Leaves from My Journal