GO TO HELL

Elder J. Golden Kimball was in reality just a cowboy in a suit with a calling to serve the Lord and the people of the Church. He was himself and tried the best he knew how---and the people loved him for it.


He had a special connection with the youth of the Church---sort of. While they knew he had "imperfections" he was still a General Authority and often shared his testimony of the gospel with them. He also knew how to put them in their place when they needed it. And they respected him for it.

The story is told of a stake president in Wyoming who wrote Salt Lake for help with his youth. The young men were going around with pistols in their hip pockets and shooting them off after basketball games and dances. There was going to be a killing if somebody didn't talk them into changing their cowboy ways.

So President Heber J. Grant called J. Golden into his office and said, "This sounds like an assignment for you, Brother Kimball."


J. Golden protested, "Why me?"

President Grant said, "Well, you're the only cowboy that's a General Authority. They'll listen to you!"

So J. Golden went to Wyoming. He wrote the stake president and asked him to gather all the youth into the largest hall they had. The stake president was happy to oblige. When the time came, they were all there. The doors were even locked so the youth couldn't get out.


The troublemakers were yahooing, firing off pistols and throwing paper airplanes and showing no respect for Brother Kimball when he arrived. J. Golden took all this in and thought the direct approach best.

"Go to Hell!" he said.

The auditorium suddenly became still.

He said it again, "Go to Hell!"


You could hear a pin drop. All eyes were riveted on the angry scarecrow at the podium. Having grabbed their attention, J. Golden forged ahead. "That's where you're all going to go if you don't change your ways! I hear some of you have been walking around town with pistols in your hip pockets. Better be careful---might go off and blow your brains out!"

And he walked out of the hall. The roughnecks were left with their mouths hanging open.

Later, the stake president wrote to say the rowdies were better behaved after learning where their seat of reason was. (J. Golden Kimball Stories, p. 30-31).


When it comes to youth, sometimes it is better to be honest and straight with them. They more often than not will respect you for it----they did J. Golden Kimball.