My name is Delores Janette Kahkonen. I am Upper Cayuga, a member of the Bear Clan, of the Six Nations. However, I carry the blood of all of the Six Nations, as well as, the Delaware and Wyandot Nations.
Many of us know that the Signers of the Declaration of Independence appeared to Wilford Woodruff asking to have their temple work done in the St. George Temple. On the 21st of Aug. 1877 President Wilford Woodruff was baptized for 100 men including the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, American Presidents, and other eminent men. There were also eminent women, including some wives whose vicarious work was also completed. Their ordinance work was performed on the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd of Aug. 1877. However, very few people have known that six days later on the 29th of Aug. 1877 temple work was done for eighty-five Indian Chiefs. People are amazed to learn about this astounding event that occurred in the St. George Temple. A few years ago I was attending one of Rodney Meldrum’s Book of Mormon Conferences in St. George, Utah and was astonished when he showed the St. George Temple registry of these Chiefs. Of the eighty-five Chiefs seventy-four of them are Iroquois/Six Nations – my people! My Grandmother, Maria Jane Jamieson, was a famous Iroquois and Indian Historian and she began to teach me all she knew when I was three years old. Therefore, I was able to recognize the Chiefs’ names when three pages of temple records appeared on the screen.
The 29th of Aug. 1877 happened to be the day that the Prophet Brigham Young died and all temple work ceased. These Indian Chiefs’ vicarious work was halted and overshadowed by the prophet’s death. On Mar. 25, 2015, while I was standing in my living room a voice told me that these Indian Chiefs’ work was not completed. Subsequently, I found out this was true and began seeing that their remaining ordinances were fulfilled. Their work commenced on April 6, 2015. April 6th happens to be the Lord’s birthday and the day the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized.
After diligently working, all that remained to be done near the end of 2016 were ten of the fifteen King Tah to tahs because their dates went beyond the 1500s. After traveling to the Family History Center, on Nov. 2, 2016, in Salt Lake City, I received permission to complete the temple ordinances for the remaining King Tah to tahs and this also included permission to complete the ordinances for their wives so they could be sealed to them.
Consequently, I am happy to report that the last King Tah to tah’s endowment was actually completed on Dec. 23, 2016. The brother that did the endowment for the last King Tah to tah did not know that it occurred on the Prophet Joseph Smith’s birthday; nor did I at the time. It is astounding to come to the realization that the first completion of the vicarious work for these Indian Chiefs literally began on April 6th, the Lord’s birthday, and the last King Tah to tah was finished on Joseph Smith’s birthday. I believe both of these occurred due to heavenly intervention as neither of us was aware until after the fact. This continually confirms to me the Lord is the one in charge of this historic work and I am deeply humbled by being involved in this remarkable undertaking.
However, the temple ordinances for these incredible Indian Chiefs would not be complete without their wives. Therefore, on Feb. 14, 2017, I began entering the names for the Chiefs’ wives so they could all be eventually sealed. It just happened to be Valentine’s Day. How appropriate! I set the goal of completing all of the necessary ordinances by the 29th of Aug. 2017 as it would be the 140th year since the work for the eighty-five Chiefs began.
Fortunately, the Heritage Park Branch/Lamanite Branch (Santa Clara Stake), Green Valley 7th Ward (Green Valley Stake), my own ward, Ridge View (Sunset Stake), and the St. George Temple Presidency, past and present, assisted. Also, youth were involved in the baptisms and confirmations and many friends all enthusiastically helped in this immense task. I am grateful for their willingness to devote their time and efforts to seeing that the work was completed. I could never have accomplished it without their wholehearted assistance. May they all receive rich blessings!
It is with great pleasure that I can report all of the eighty-five Chiefs’ ordinances, including sealings, were completed by the 25th of Aug. 2017, four days before the deadline that I had set. I cannot begin to tell all the incredible spiritual events that I experienced and the many others that were reported to me. It further testifies of the great importance that the Lord has placed on this noble work.
What a glorious feeling it was to know that these illustrious Indian Chiefs can now go and teach their people in the spirit world. It thrills me to think of how many Lamanites will be ready to have their temple work done when the millennium is ushered in. Additionally, these Indian Chiefs now have the ability to influence those here on earth as well. Oh, the joy one is continually immersed in when engaged in the Lord’s work is indeed reward enough. And those who have helped in the vicarious work of these honorable Chiefs will know that it is partly due to their efforts along with the labors of the above mentioned Lamanite Chieftains that so many will be brought into the Lord’s fold.
This is a very brief synopsis of the last few years. I am currently writing a book of the astonishing account, with information regarding the eleven elect brethren involved with the Indian Chiefs’ vicarious work, and historical data regarding the eighty-five Chiefs. You will be able to read about the many revelations, miracles, and events that have occurred regarding the St. George Temple Indian Chiefs. The forthcoming book is to be titled “Where the Heavens Greet the Earth.”
