The Next Life

Teaching Those of Our Own Nation and Tongue (From the book, The Life Beyond, by Robert Millet & Joseph Fielding McConkie, pages 55-57)

"The heavens have decreed that 'every man shall hear the fullness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power' (D&C 90:11). We have every reason to suppose that such decrees transcend the veil of death. Those in that world will also be taught by those of their same nation and tongue. A manifestation given to Oscar W. McConkie (Bruce R. McConkie's father), while he was serving as president of the California Mission, sustains such a conclusion.

 A Cochapa Indian by the name of Mark Johnson Vest was baptized in President McConkie's mission, which at that time included parts of Arizona. Mark Vest was a giant of a man with a spirit to match. He stood six feet five inches tall and weighed over three hundred pounds. By birth he would have been the chief of his tribe had his people been following the traditions of their fathers. After he had been in the Church a short time he was called to be the branch president over a small Indian branch.

Within six months he had increased the branch to seventy-five members. Brother Vest became ill and in the course of his illness lost over a hundred pounds. Both President McConkie and Elder Harold B. Lee administered to him but without lasting effect. Despite his illness, Mark Vest continued in his work with his people until his death a short time later.

When President McConkie received word that Mark had died he immediately boarded a train for Arizona to attend the funeral. All night long as he traveled, he prayed to know why the Lord had allowed this great missionary to be taken. As he prayed, a vision was opened to him of the spirit world. He saw Mark Johnson Vest standing in front of a large group of Lamanites, which he estimated to be twenty to thirty thousand. As he did so, one of the Indians in the middle of the group stood up and said: "Do not listen to this man! He is not a Lamanite. He is a Nephite!" President McConkie saw Mark Vest rise to the full stature of his height and say: "I am not a Nephite! I am a Lamanite, and when I died I was cremated according to the custom of my people." At this point the vision closed up.

Upon his arrival in Mesa, and as he drove to the chapel where the funeral was to be held, President McConkie was advised of a conflict between Mark Vest's tribe and the tribe from which his wife came.

Mark's family wanted him buried in a cemetery while his wife's people wanted to cremate his body according to their traditions. The matter had become so heated that Mark's wife's tribe had threatened to dig up his body and take it if their demands were not met. When they arrived at the chapel President McConkie learned that he was to be the speaker. In his sermon, he was able to resolve the difficulty, explaining the importance of Mark complying even in death with the customs of those among whom he had now been called to labor."