David O. McKay Tidbits

Yesterday I watched “Inspiring Lives” on BYU TV. David O. McKay was the subject of this particular episode. There were some really interesting tidbits about him that I learned. I wish I could remember all of them but I will relate a few that I somewhat remember.

David Oman McKay served as Prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for nearly 20 years. From 1951 to 1970. He died in January and I was born in December. I like to think that perhaps we met in passing as he just graduated and I was just embarking on my mortal journey.

I wanted to share with you a few of the stories I remembered from the documentary I watched yesterday. I don’t have the greatest memory so I will do my best to be accurate.

The story goes that a newspaper photographer, I think it was the New York Times, was told to get a few photos of David O. McKay arriving at the airport. The reporter was gone for several hours in what was supposed to be a quick assignment. Upon returning to the newspaper office his superiors were quite upset that was gone so long and “wasted” so much film, materials and time. They asked him why he was gone so long and took so many pictures. His reply was that ever since he was a little boy his mother taught him about Old Testament prophets and he always wondered what a prophet would look like. And what it would be like to be in the presence of a prophet of God. He told them that day he found out.

During the filming of “The 10 Commandments” Cecil B. DeMille was working with Arnold Friberg who was helping with costume design. I guess Arnold Friberg introduced Mr. DeMille to David O. McKay. Apparently the prophet made quite an impression on the filmmaker. In a commencement address at Brigham Young University, I believe it was 1956, Cecil B. DeMille said something to the effect of “David O. McKay almost persuaded me to become a Mormon”.

When President McKay was getting older it was harder for him to walk. One day he had the task of walking up a hill, I think it was for a temple dedication. As he began walking up the hill, two gentlemen on either side of him grabbed his arms to help him up the hill. Pres. McKay turned to them and said, “I can help one of you up this hill but not both of you.”

There was a black sister in South Africa who was married to a white man. Both of them were members of the church. Because of apartheid this sister was not able to attend church with her husband. She said that before she died she was going to meet the prophet. Pres. McKay felt like he needed to visit South Africa. When this sister heard about the prophet coming she asked the missionaries if there was any way they could take her to the meeting. Once again, because of apartheid, black people were not allowed to ride in cars with white people. So they rolled her up in a rug and took her in the car and sneaked her in to the meeting where she hid behind a pillar in the back of the building. After the meeting was over everyone cleared out of the building and the mission president told Pres. McKay it was time to go. Pres. McKay said, “No, there is still someone I need to meet”. They informed Pres. McKay that everyone was gone. He said, “No, there is still someone here I need to meet.” And he walked to the back of the building where he was able to meet this dear sister. She died three days later.

Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson telephoned President McKay and asked him to come to the White House. He said , “It’s not an emergency, I just need spiritual advice.” So, Pres. McKay flew to Washington DC to visit with Pres. Johnson. The documentary specified what Pres. Johnson asked and what Pres. McKay told him but I can’t remember.

There were many more stories that I can’t remember. These are a few that I remember that touched me. I hope I didn’t butcher the stories too badly. I hope that this gives you a little bit of insight into the life of the prophet, David O. McKay.

He truly was a remarkable and inspiring man. As are all the prophets.

That’s my two cents.