Stuart Meha’s Miraculous Witness of the Fulfillment of His Great-Grandfather’s Prophetic Blessing

“I will here relate something which has gone to increase my faith and strengthen my testimony in the Gospel. In the year 1879, when I was but a babe a few days old, my great grandfather took me in his arms, and gave me a blessing, and this, be it understood, was five years previous to the introduction of the Gospel among our own people—the Maoris, for the Gospel was first preached to the Maoris in 1883. In the blessing pronounced upon me, great grandfather said that I would have the privilege of crossing the great waters of Kiva ( Pacific Qcean) and that I would save my ancestors and he even said that I was to have a new name given me. When he said that I would be the means of saving my ancestors, those who were present in that meeting thought he was crazy, for how, reasoned they, could a mere babe be the means of saving those who have already passed beyond the veil. That was nothing but some old man’s nonsense. But my good mother pondered over these things. Four years later, the first sermon to the Maoris was preached by the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in 1885 my parents were baptized by Elder Geo. S. Taylor of Provo. When after their conversion they learned of the vicarious work for the dead, they understood the words of great grandfather with reference to my crossing the great waters of Kiwa, and doing work for my progenitors. From that time my mother hoped and prayed that that prediction might be fulfilled. Can you marvel at our happiness, now that that blessing given to me is fully realized? This work is certainly a fitting climax to our happiness. — The Young Woman's Journal 25:3”