Desiring Truth and Faithfulness of the Guides

Saints desire to learn truth, and govern themselves by God's word. — The Church authorities faithful guides to the people. ¶

It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," and it is further written that, "Every person that belongeth to the Church of Christ shall observe and keep all of the commandments and covenants of the Church." While I presume all of us have not arrived at that stage where we are living according to every word that has proceeded out of the mouth of God ; while we are not all observing to keep all of the commandments and covenants of the Church, nevertheless I believe there is a strong desire on the part of the Latter-day Saints to live as near as possible to the words which have been, spoken by the mouth of God unto the people. From the testimony of President Smith yesterday morning, it is evident the Saints are improving every year. Each year we are growing a little better, living a little closer to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, keeping the commandments of the Lord a little more fully, and remaining true to the covenants we have made within the Church. This congregation is an evidence that the Latter-day Saints are not content to live by bread alone, but that they are exceedingly desirous of hearing the word of God. Hence we have come up in vast numbers to this conference, that we might hear the word of the Lord as it shall be given unto us through the Lord's servants; and we will not have come in vain. We have never yet come up in vain, but each time that we have gathered in our general conferences we have received the word of God, and we have received it, too, in open hearts, after which we have gone home and carried into effect, in a measure, that word. ¶

It is the truth we love; it is the truth we seek ; and we believe there are no men who are better acquainted with the truths of God than the constituted authorities of His Church. Our belief is verified in the results that have followed the Saints when they have heard and put into practice these truths. "The spirit of truth is of God," declared the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet. "I am that spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying : He received a fullness of truth, yea even of all the truth. And no man receiveth a fullness unless he keepeth His commandments. He that keepeth the commandments receiveth truth and light until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things." That is our desire, to keep the commandments of God, and to become acquainted with truth and light. The Lord has said, "He that keepeth the commandments receiveth truth and light until he is glorified and knoweth all things." We want knowledge and wisdom. We want to understand the truth, and understanding the truth rejoice in it. We want to know what the commandments of God are, and knowing them we are determined, as a people, to keep them, that we might come to a knowledge of all truth, even as the Lord Jesus Christ understandeth and knoweth all of the truth. He arrived at that condition through keeping the commandments of God, His Father. ¶

I rejoice in the general faithfulness of the people of the Latter-day Saints. They are indeed, as it were, a city set upon a hill which cannot be hid, whose light is shining, in all the world, and is lighting the feet of those who are seeking the Word of Life. We have been gathered out, and others are being gathered out, from the world and are following in the footsteps of God's servants. I would advise the Latter-day Saints to continue in following the servants of the Lord, who preside in the Church and Kingdom of Christ. Never in the history of the people have the saints gone wrong or gone astray while following the lead of the Presidency and general authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Never in the world will the people go wrong or go astray and fall by the wayside, if they will continue to follow the lead of these men of God; and I want to suggest that we look to the Presidency of the Church, and the leading quorums of the Priesthood, as true indicators of the way the Lord would have us walk. They are indeed God's liahona, and if we will discover their spirit in all matters pertaining to the building up of the Kingdom of God, the spread of everlasting truth, and then follow them, we will be right, will prosper, will do as the Lord wishes us to do. We will keep His commandments, and in return shall receive light and truth until we be glorified, and know all things, and are prepared and worthy to dwell with God in Celestial Glory. ¶

May the Lord bless the Saints, that they may ever be willing thus to seek to understand and know the mind and will of God, as it may be indicated unto the people in all things, through the Presidency of the Church ; and, having discovered what the Lord wishes, be determined that with all our strength and power we shall go in that way. ¶

This will be a blessed day, a blessed future, for the Saints of the Most High. ¶

God bless the people in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶