Seed Sown in New Zealand

Dear brethren and sisters, we are glad to have so many in attendance at Conference, and to have such interest and attention manifested at our open air meeting. I trust that you will adapt yourselves to the prevailing conditions and not be restless. Some of our brethren are accustomed to open air meetings, and usually, upon the street corners, have a moving congregation, from the fact that the people know not the Gospel and many are not interested in their message. They often listen a little while and then move on. I trust that this will not be our experience today, we want you to stay with us. We realize the inconvenience of standing, but we believe that in this open air meeting the Lord can bless us, and will bless us according to the earnest desires of our hearts, just as well as if we were comfortably seated in the Tabernacle or in the Assembly Hall. ¶

I made a remark a moment ago that reminded me of a little experience. I venture to relate it to you, as it may indicate that even here, when we are meeting under apparently disadvantageous circumstances, the Lord will bless us. During a mission performed in New Zealand some time ago, I was impressed that even in moving congregations, while the elders are scattering the seed, the Word of God, some falls upon good ground, and later brings forth good fruit abundantly. Many elders in the mission field, who have been laboring zealously in connection with the work to which they have been called, have, at times, been discouraged because they have apparently seen little fruit from their earnest efforts. Such may have been the feelings of certain elders in Great Britain nearly forty years ago. I do not know who the elders were. I simply testify to the results of their work. ¶

A young couple, just married before the time refered to, were passing through the streets of an English town on Saturday evening. They perceived a crowd on the street corner. The young woman desired to listen, and called her husband's attention to the meeting. "Oh," he remarked, we do not want to stop for a sermon tonight," but she insisted, and he stood with her, therefore for a short time. A young man was speaking. His name I do not know nor did they. The young man may not know the results of his labors until he reaches "the other side." But he was preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that sermon, that fervent address, was accompanied by the Spirit of God, and the young woman felt the influence of it as she stood there in the crowd. She heard a few truths, not the fulness of the Gospel, but a little truth here and there, as uttered by the young elder. Finally her husband called her away and they rambled off, and did not hear another elder of the. Church for more than twenty years. At that time the British Government offered inducements for colonists to go to the antipodes, to Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. The young couple took advantage of these offers and emigrated to New Zealand, hoping to be thus benefited in securing a home. They located on the South Island, and soon made a clearing in the bush, removing the trees and plowing the ground. Thus they started their new home, and commenced to rear their little family. There were no elders in that locality at the time, but twenty years after they heard the young elder in England, a newspaper reached their home from the most southern part of New Zealand, in which they read that two elders of the Mormon church had been holding meetings. The mother of the family exclaimed to her husband, "Those must be the same kind of people we heard before we left home." So much of the truth had sunk into their hearts that they had not been able to affiliate with any other church, having found nothing to satisfy the craving of their souls. ¶

Accordingly the husband wrote asking the two elders to visit them. The elders did so, walking over one hundred miles in order to find the obscure dwelling in the bush. They found the father the mother and a large family of children ready to receive their message. They taught the same principle listened to in the English town so long, long ago. The family embraced the Gospel, every member joined the Church, and subsequently they gathered to Zion. In Salt Lake Temple the husband and wife were sealed for time and eternity. The children received their blessings there ; and today the oldest son is back in New Zealand, the land of his birth, preaching the same Gospel. I refer to this for the encouragement of any of our elders, or any of the Saints, who in their weakness, have borne testimony to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is God's work. He recognizes our labors and will give the reward. Paul may plant, Apollos may water but "God giveth the increase." The young elder preaching thus in Great Britain nearly forty years ago may have returned to his home discouraged, disheartened, not having seen the fruits of his labors. And yet, in the great hereafter, when "every man is rewarded according to his works," when "the books are opened" and every man receives his reward, when the sheaves are gathered in, it will not be a family but a multitude of people brought into the Church through the humble efforts of the elder upon the streets so long ago. ¶

I therefore bear testimony to you, my brethren and sisters, that God has a blessing for us in this meeting. The Prophet of God has called these brethren to talk to us and, under the inspiration of the Almighty, we shall be blessed and strengthened in our faith, and we shall continue to partake of the good influence that has characterized all the Conference meetings thus far, for I feel that all the addresses have been faith promoting and soul inspiring. I pray that the Lord will bless us in this gathering, in the name of Jesus, Amen. ¶