Development of the Lord's Work and Continued Improvement

The meetings of the conference thus far have been very interesting to me. I have listened with a great deal of interest to the reports of the presidents of missions and presidents of the Stakes of Zion. We are here, my brethren and sisters, to be fed spiritually, and to be instructed with regard to our temporal duties. Thus far, I think, we have all been satisfied with the things that we have heard and the spirit that has been manifest. Indeed we may say we have had a refreshing from the Lord. We have been benefitted and profited by the various subjects that have been treated upon. How vast is the work of the Lord! And how it is increasing and spreading abroad, notwithstanding the difficulties that have been thrown in the way! When we look back, say 50 years (there are many here, I suppose, that can remember 50 years back,) and observe the progress that has been made in 50 years, it is wonderful to contemplate. While in that time twenty of our Apostles and Presidents of the Church have passed to the other side, yet we see today the Church is stronger and the people are more numerous than ever before. There is more interest manifested in the forwarding of this work in the earth, than ever before in our history. Thus we see the hand of the Lord manifest towards this people in their growth and development in the earth. What will be the growth and development in fifty more years? No doubt there are people here that will live to see fifty more years, and the work being developed fifty years hence. ¶

We have great cause to give thanks and praise to our heavenly Father for His goodness unto us, and for His mercy in tempering the elements in these high mountain valleys. I can well remember when it was said that certain valleys in these mountains would not produce the cereals of the earth, because of their altitude and the frosts; but this saying has been brought to naught. I remember very distinctly going with President Young on his first trip into the Bear Lake Valley. A number in the company, after we arrived there and camped, predicted that there never would be any grain raised in Bear Lake Valley, because it was too cold. But we find that the Lord tempered the elements. I remember what President Young told them in the first meeting. He said, "You have come here to a cold, high valley; but if you will stay here and be contented, and serve the Lord, you will get rich." He assured them that they would be able to raise grain; but if you cannot raise grain, said he, you can raise hops, and get rich raising hops. We find that the elements have been tempered in all the high valleys. In Cache valley we all huddled together, you know, on the low lands. I remember President Kimball saying one time when he was there that the day would come when we would want to crowd up toward the mountains, and cultivate the land on the high benches. That saying is verified today. Go into Cache valley and you can see the valley cultivated in places almost to the top of the mountains, while the lower part of the valley is abandoned to grass. ¶

The Lord has been with His people. He has been with His servants. And it has seemed to me, in watching the progress of the work of the Lord, as if every administration that we have had was a little stronger than the previous one: but perhaps that is not the case. It may only be that in the development of the work of the Lord new things have arisen. The Lord did not promise He would reveal everything at once. He said He would give line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and as the work of the Lord develops new features are brought before the people. Things are revealed from time to time that were not necessary half a century ago. ¶

Now, taking into consideration our condition and our circumstances, is there yet room for improvement among the Latter-day Saints? Notwithstanding the good reports that we hear from the various Stakes of Zion, let me ask, is there yet a chance for improvement in the Church of Christ? Why, there certainly is. We have not all come to the unity of the faith yet. We have not all come to a perfect understanding of the Gospel. We learn a little today and a little tomorrow, advance step by step and keep learning a little more about the work of God. ¶

The Lord has given unto His people a perfect organization, such as is not found anywhere else in the world. It was reported by somebody since the conference commenced that there were no poor in one of the Stakes of Zion. When I heard that, I thought to myself that that Stake was in rather a bad condition. The Savior said, The poor ye have always with you. My experience in the Church has taught me that if no poor are found it is because a thorough search has not been made in the Stake; for I believe there are poor in all the Stakes of Zion. There is a certain class of people amongst us that wont make their wants known. They will suffer, and suffer a great deal, before they will let their neighbors know their condition. I have acted as a Bishop for eighteen years in the Church, and I have found in my administration that there are cases of this kind, where people will not reveal their condition. Such people have to be hunted for; and then looked after, by the Priests, or by the Teachers, or by somebody, in order that their circumstances may be made known. I will guarantee if all the Stakes of Zion were searched carefully it would be found that there are poor everywhere; not so extensively perhaps in some Stakes as in others, but there are poor. The organization that the Lord has given us suits the condition of every member of the Church, and also the condition of non-members of the Church, because they, living among us, are to be cared for, are to be looked after, and treated kindly. ¶

I fear there is a lack, my brethren and sisters, with regard to the labors of the Lesser Priesthood. I fear this because I know from experience that it requires a constant labor and a constant watchcare on the part of the Bishop to keep the Lesser Priesthood in good working order. Now, every family in the Church, and every family in the district, whether they are in the Church or not, ought to be visited. They are the Lord's children, and they ought to be looked after. They ought to be visited at least once a month. Can we Bishops or Presidents of Stakes say, and say truthfully, that the flock over which the Lord has appointed us to preside is visited, cared for, looked after and provided for. If we can, then we are in a happy condition, and we are doing just what the Lord wants us to do. But if we fail in this important matter, then it is time for us to consider, to counsel together as the Priesthood, as a quorum of the Priesthood, and see wherein we can make our labor more valuable and more profitable to the Latter-day Saints. The Teachers, you know, have general jurisdiction. The office of a Teacher is an important one in the Church. I remember once going as a Teacher into the family of President Kimball, and President Kimball was there. Of course, being a boy, I felt bashful, and very diffident in talking in the home of one of the Presidency of the Church; but it was not long before President Kimball made me feel perfectly at home, to talk there just as I would to anyone else, because of the spirit and kindness he manifested. He says, "I want you to preach the Gospel to my family. If you see anything out of order, I want you to tell them about it; whether it be indoors or out of doors, tell them about it; advise with them about it, counsel with them about it." Now, that has always been a lesson to me. I have always remembered it. The Teachers should advise with the people in regard to their interests. Not that they should have one simple routine of questions to ask in every family; that is not necessary, and the Lord will not lead you that way either; but He will lead you to say such things in each family as shall be suitable and proper. The Lord will be with every Teacher if he is humble and prayerful. Now, I conclude, from my own experience, that the very best thing in the world for the Teacher to do before he goes out, is to go off into a secret place, and tell the Lord he is going out in fulfilment of his duty, to labor as a minister of the Gospel among the people. If you will do this in humility, the Lord will be with you and direct you in your labors. Now, do not miss anybody in your travels. Do not be in such a hurry that the most remote family in the district may not be visited and looked after. You may feel in your hearts that those people are no good, that they are not worthy, that they wont receive you kindly, and so on; but there may be children there, on whom your influence may have great effect, and you cannot afford to neglect them. We cannot afford to neglect our duty to these people. Now, these things apply to the Presidency of the Stake as well as to the Bishopric. ¶

There is one very good thing that the Teachers might talk to the people about, and that is with regard to going in debt. Some of our people have had a great desire to go in debt, perhaps for the purpose of making as good a show as their neighbors. In my opinion, the time has come when we should desist from going into debt. We should not mortgage our homes. This is a subject that I certainly think the Teachers should talk about. I hope that it may be said from this time on that the Latter-day Saints will not mortgage their realty, their homes, their chattels, or anything they have. Under some circumstances it may be a necessity; but as a rule it is a bad thing, and we ought to quit it. I have seen people turned out of their homes, owing to the mortgage being foreclosed. They have had to let it go for half its value, because it is seldom you can borrow on a piece of property the full value of it, and in that way their hard earnings are dissipated. Do not mortgage your homes. There was a time when there were no mortgages in all Utah; but it is not so today. I do not suppose there is a Stake of Zion that is now free from it. It is time, therefore, that we began to seriously consider our condition, and cease going in debt. Let us pay off our mortgages and our obligations as fast as possible; and the quickest and easiest way to do it is for every man to pay his tithing and offerings to the Lord. For everything belongs to the Lord, and He has made us stewards over what He has placed in our hands. Then let us pay our obligations to the Lord, no matter what our neighbor may say about it. Every man in the Church should pay his tithing, and pay it when he has it. Do not put off paying the tithing on your summer's wage until the fall, because that is not a good way. When you receive your monthly salary, pay your tithing right at the time; and do the same with whatever you get from any source. If you will do this, the Lord will open up your way and help you out of debt. Let us make a resolve not to go in debt any more, and the Lord will assist us to carry it out. We not only want to get out of debt ourselves, but we want to see the Church out of debt, so that the hands of the Presidency may be so liberated that they can use whatever means are necessary for the development of the work of the Lord and the building up of Zion. If we had in our possession today the interest that we have paid on outside capital, it would help us considerably. ¶

Another thing: Let us not make too many demands upon the Presidency of the Church. The Presidents of Stakes and Bishops of wards are continually asking the Church to help them for one purpose or another. Bless your soul, the Presidency of the Church would be willing to help everybody if they had it in their power; but it is not in their power at present. Therefore, if we have a meetinghouse to build, let us go to and build it without asking aid from the Church. If we could utilize the labor that is wasted in all the Stakes of Zion, we could build all the meeting-houses we need. You brethren that need meetinghouses in your wards and stakes, try and utilize that labor in the building of them. I know by experience that this can be done. Then you will not have to ask the Church for anything. ¶

These are some of the details that affect us in our wards and stakes. It would be a good thing for the Bishops and Presidents to make a note of what is said by the speakers, and wherein the remarks fit their circumstances, apply them. We are gathered from all parts to get information and instruction, and let us not pass these things by without giving heed to them. ¶

I testify to you, my brethren and sisters, that this is the work of the Lord. It has done my soul good to hear the brethren testify that they knew this was the work of God. It is not our work, but the Lord has given us the privilege to take part in it. Joseph Smith, the great prophet of the last dispensation, has a watchcare over us today, just as he had while he was on the earth; and he is not so very far off, either. The Prophet Brigham also, and the other leaders of Israel who have gone to the other side, are watching over the people of God; and let us not feel that they are away, beyond the bounds of time and space, because they are not very far away. This is the work of God. Joseph was a great prophet. He ushered in this dispensation of the fulness of times, and it is gradually going forward. It has spread abroad upon the mountains and in the valleys, and will continue to do so. God will build up His kingdom and sustain His servants. Let us see to it that we are not found complaining or faultfinding, but let it be said of us that we have sustained the work of God and our brethren. God bless you, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶