A child’s curiosity and natural desire to learn are like a tiny flame, easily extinguished unless it’s protected and given fuel. This book will help you as a parent both protect that flame of curiosity and supply it with the fuel necessary to make it burn bright throughout your child’s life. Let’s ignite our children’s natural love of learning!
August 17th, 2006
Seoul, Korea Temple Promise
I came across this letter today. I have not verified its veracity.
Seoul Temple Promise
By Steve Cale, September 18, 2004
Editorial note: I have successfully contacted Steve Cale, the author of this letter, and he has testified that the described events did indeed take place. He mentioned that his intent was never to spread the information across the internet, but instead he wished to inform those going to that mission, or currently serving there. At his request, I have taken the content of the letter off of my blog. Those who wish to read this letter can email me, and I will use discretion to determine if it is worth sharing with them.
18 Responses to “Seoul, Korea Temple Promise”
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Where did you find this letter?
I have an associate who would like to use this story in a priesthood lesson if the story or writer can be authenticated.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Marsha:
I was told the story by a friend, and googled it for a while to see if I could find it online. I found it in a mission newsletter. The newsletter has an address listed for the author; you might try sending some mail there to see if you get a response, or looking in a phone book for that city.
Please do not share this in a church lesson. Church lessons should only be taught with church approved materials. This definitely does not fall under that category.
I am a retired Korean Linguist (retired in 2004) and have spent many years in Korea as an analyst and a linguist. Most “old timers” in the linguist/intelligence community know each other or have at least heard of most the other linguists/intelligence analysts. I am not declaring there is no Steve Cale, but I have never heard of him in my experiences or tours of duty in the Republic of Korea. I have been stationed at Skivvy Nine twice (if there truly is a Steve Cale he will know what Skivvy Nine is) and was assigned in Seoul for a couple of years also. Just my two cents. I could easily find out if there is indeed a Korean LInguist named Steve Cale if it would help. Regards, JD
Jim:
Thanks for your input. Your investigation into the existence of a “Steve Cale” could greatly assist in establishing the validity (or fallacy) of this story. If you have time to do so, and are successful either way, please return and comment so that others can learn if this story is true or not. Thanks!
Well, I, for one can confirm that the written story is true because I was there for both the temple dedication in 1985 and the area conference in 1996. AND YES, Steve Cale is a real person and a Skivvy Niner. He served with Skivvy Nine from 1984-1986, from Sept 1988 – September 1991 and December 1993-June of 2000. In June of 2000, we PCS’d to Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, TX where we have been since then. Apparently Mr. Davis was in other places when we were there. As for the validity of the promises. I, in fact, did hear President Hinckley say it twice. We understand that one of the news vignettes covered in the LDS Report aired between sessions of general conference covered the 50th anniversary of the Church in South Korea and apparently, President Hinckley was shown in that news report speaking the promise. At any rate, the story was never meant for wide publication over the internet and we’re not quite sure how it got there. We certainly didn’t publish it. But it is in fact, true. If anyone has any questions, they are welcome to contact me directly by e-mail.
Lauri:
Thank you for your comments and information. As has been noted above, the story was found in a recent newsletter published by the Northern Far East mission. I have emailed the webmaster of their mission’s site to inquire as to how he found it, and have also sent Steve a message after finding him on his mission site to ask him to comment as well. Again, thanks for clarifying.
I have successfully contacted Steve, the author of this letter, and he has mentioned its background to me. Due to the sacred nature of what is described, I have decided to remove the letter from my blog. Those who wish to know what it says can email me instead.
One feature of phony predictions is that there’s always an out clause.
For example: If you have enough faith you can move mountains, heal the sick, etc. What? You couldn’t do any of those things? Well, you must not have had enough faith.
If North Korea goes nuclear on South Korea (and let’s hope not), faithful Latter-day Saints will say “I guess they didn’t attend the temple enough.”
There’s always a way out for the true believers.
Connor could you give me steves address? / or have him email me? It is very important! TERRY M. CLAYTON M.D.
I’ve known Steve Cale for nearly 12 years. It is absolutly true what he has said. I rode to Seoul with Lauri and Steve’s Family to the Area Conference in 1996. I sat next to Steve and his family and heard what he heard.
Michael “Rick” Knudsen
I received this story in an email yesterday and I too googled it to see if it was true. I would like to pass it on to those close to me, but if it is advised not to, I will not do it. It is a great story and I am grateful to have read it. Please let me know. Thank you!
In the interest of convincing you that Steve Cale is a real person, I will declare up front that I am in no way affiliated with the LDS. In fact–as an atheist–I adhere to no religious groups. I have no agenda here.
Now, having said that, you can believe me when I say that Steve is as real as root beer. And although I do not maintain contact with Steve, I’ve known him since 1982 or so…my memory has faded a bit with age so I’m not sure of the exact year when Steve and I first met. Nonetheless, Steve and I know one another through SKIVVY NINE. And he’ll tell you that: IFYAS9YAS!
So, Steve is real. His beliefs, however, are a different story.
You see, the trouble arises whenever we realize that Steve’s belief in guardian angels thoroughly conflicts with his belief that SKIVVY NINE plays a vital role in “Keeping The Morning Calm.”
In other words, Steve, if you have guardian angels along “The Z” then why have SKIVVY NINE and/or similar units keeping the morning calm? Why waste tax payer money on such military trappings?
Unless…Steve doesn’t really believe that guardian angels have anything to do with the fragile peace between the ROK and the DPRK? If he believed in the angels then he should have felt pretty empty and useless in his Air Force career.
All of that notwithstanding, I’d still defend to the death Steve’s freedom to practice whatever faith he needs to help him his family live richer lives.
Dennis
Dennis Krivda? US Air Force? Ft. Meade, MD circa 1991?
I just got this in an email from my Step Dad, and I noted at the bottom of the letter the name George Barnard. Now I was station in Korea at Skivvy Nine from 85 to 86 and 88 to 89 with my wife, having a son born there. I don’t remember any Barnard, but Cale sounds familiar. I’m sure if we spoke I would remember him. I was always the Gospel Doctrine teacher while I was there. I would be interested in contact with Steve again. I went to the Dec 14th dedication, standing in the room as an Usher when President Hinkley walked in to talk.
Dean Palmer
This all reminds me of what happens when people do not take notes at the church meetings they attend. Some wonderful promises were given, and eye-opening teachings conveyed during one of our stake conferences in Lansing Michigan by Elder Bednar. I wrote down what was said. Few did. Rumors started flying. Those that knew me then knew that I faithfully took notes. I had written Elder Bednar’s words down. So… do we doubt the prophet who spoke the promise, the person who bore witness of what they heard that prophet say… or both? or neither. Were there not roomfuls of people there? Did they not also all have ears to hear? By the mouth of two or three witnesses will every word be established. So much of our own LDS church history and the rich stories of miracles, etc, are based on the accounts of maybe only one person… from their journals, letters, writings. And how is the Lord to reveal anything at all to us when the easiest thing in the world for Lucifer to do is what he has done from the beginning – Moses 5:13. This is why having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is so crucial… now, more than ever.
I want to reas the newsletter
If you could send me a copy of the letter as well as the background to Steve’s story, it would be greatly appreciated. I would love to share this with my loved ones and to keep it sacred by not distributing it outside the household of faith. Thank you, Jeff Meyer.
Lauri, my name is Elizabeth Heath, I work for the Church History Department (in the Church History Library) in Salt Lake City. I am so happy your husband documented these important moments in Church history. Did you or he keep journals? We are very interested in the experiences you have had while serving in the Church throughout the world. Please contact me at elizabeth.heath@ldschurch.org