June 18, 1978—Sunday

This morning in priesthood meeting, and again in our Sunday School class, Gil Warner was invited to share an experience during the week. He and [his wife] Nedra had ridden a bus to St. George to attend a meeting of the board of some corporation. Along on the trip also, for the same purpose, were Boyd Packer and his wife. For a part of the trip, Gil was able to sit next to Brother Packer. Gil asked him if he could share some of the experiences which led up to the announcement of the revelation on the priesthood for blacks. Brother Packer said he could share part of the experience, part of it he could not share.

Brother Packer said President [Spencer W.] Kimball had felt it necessary to petition the Lord on this matter. And so, for the past two months he has gone daily to an upper room in the temple to pray specifically for that purpose. On the morning of Thursday, June 1, he decided to share some of his impressions with the Twelve [apostles]. He asked them, in advance, to fast for the purpose. He and they then spent some time discussing the problem in its various aspects. At a certain point in the discussion, President Kimball then asked if he might give a prayer on behalf of the group. So he went to the altar and prayed earnestly to the Lord. At a certain point in the prayer, Elder Packer stated, all present became aware of what the decision must be. He did not say what happened; this is no doubt the part which he was forbidden to tell. But there was some kind of manifestation, presumably which was plain to all those present. As Brother Packer referred to this he sobbed—something which he does not commonly do. Obviously, it was a tender experience.

President Kimball finished the prayer. Then Elder [Ezra Taft] Benson said: “We all are aware of what has happened. Now what should we do about it?” President [Marion G.] Romney spoke up and said, “Let’s take a week to formulate a statement to announce it to the other general authorities and to the Church.” So in the subsequent week the statement which appeared in the papers was drawn up. Presumably it was read to the Twelve in their June 8 meeting. It was then read to all the general authorities. The authorities were then asked to comment on it, one by one. When every single one of them indicated their approval, it was then announced to the media, and to the Church as a whole.

In the Priesthood meeting, when Brother Warner had finished telling this, Bill Pulsipher said that on the morning of June 9 he was meeting in a board of directors meeting with Elder Paul Dunn. Elder Dunn was late for the meeting, and as he came in, it was obvious that he had been crying. He then took a few moments to tell the group what had taken place. He emphasized that all at the meeting of the general authorities were certain that this was a revelation from the Lord.

In our Sunday School class, when Brother Warner had finished relating his experience, Sister Mamie Silver raised her hand and stood to give her own experience. As the new revelation was announced, a certain person telephoned her to say that they were leaving the church on account of the announcement. Sister Silver said, “Let me phone my brother, (LeGrande Richards)34 and ask him about it.” So she telephoned Elder Richards, who more or less told the same thing that Elder Packer had told Gil Warner, and emphasized that all of the Twelve were certain it was a revelation from the Lord, and if the telephone party believed in the Lord, and had a testimony of the truth of the Church and of the prophethood of Spencer W. Kimball, they must accept the revelation as from God. Mamie said she herself believed it and was convinced it was something we must accept.