My beloved brothers and sisters

My beloved brothers and sisters, I can assure you that I am pleased to be in this conference. I recognize the hand of the Lord in calling together His people that they might be instructed in the words of life. I believe, from the bottom of my heart, when we assemble on occasions of this kind, that if we have a prayerful desire in our hearts to receive the word of God, then those who may be called upon will address us under the inspiration of the Spirit of the Lord, and we will be indeed fed upon the bread of life. ¶

On leaving my home to come to this conference, I had a desire that the Lord would inspire His servants to speak on a subject that very much concerns the stake where I am living. I felt that I would like that we should receive some instructions upon the Word of Wisdom, a principle, commandment, and revelation of God that is not being observed to the fullest extent by the Latter-day Saints today. My heart was full of that desire when I entered the Tabernacle yesterday morning, and I testify to you, my brethren and sisters, that my prayer was answered. The Lord directed the words of His servants in accordance with my desires. I believe the same desire was in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints, and we all felt the inspiration of Almighty God. It was indeed a revelation and inspiration to us, to hear the prophet of the Lord make the statements that he did in our hearing in that meeting yesterday morning. ¶

My heart was filled with joy, and I hope that every Latter-day Saint will feel that those words were for them individually, as I felt that they were for our mutual benefit, renewing an important revelation from God. I believe that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that the Lord, through him, made known to His people, when he gave that revelation, the things that were necessary for their well-being here upon the earth. I want to demonstrate by my life that I believe Joseph Smith was a prophet, by rendering obedience 'to that command, by keeping it in my own home, by teaching it to my children, by living in accordance with the principles of the word of wisdom. ¶

Another thing that I strongly desired to hear discussed, was the question of reform in dress of our young people. This matter also has been preying upon my mind in regard to the people in Cache stake, and when the Prophet of the Lord made mention of that in our conference, I felt again that my prayers had been answered. I think that the prayers of every Latter-day Saint, of every father and mother were similarly answered. I believe that the Spirit of the Lord made manifest unto all of us that the Lord made known through His prophet the things that are needful to be corrected in our midst. ¶

I appreciate the teachings that we receive from time to time in these conferences. I trust that every Latter-day Saint fully understands the importance of coming to these conferences with the spirit of prayer, with a desire to be instructed, and with a determination to carry out in our lives the instructions that are given to us by the servants of the Lord on occasions of this kind. In contemplating about the short history of our people, I thought of the time when the great Tabernacle on this block was used first for a conference, in October, 1867, forty-six years ago. When I look at that building today, I know that the Lord inspired the men who designed and erected that great edifice. I have traveled in many parts of the world, including most of Europe, and I never have seen a building that will compare with that one, and I am confirmed in the belief that the inspiration of the Lord directed its construction. ¶

I was also thinking further of things that to me are of importance. On the 8th of October, in a conference that was held in the Tabernacle, the first conference, if my memory serves me right, our present Prophet, Seer and Revelator was called to the apostleship. I feel to thank the Lord for his faithful life, for enabling him to magnify his great calling as an Apostle. He has certainly been an inspiration to this people. His words that we hear from time to time in these conferences should be taken by the Latter-day Saints as being inspired by the Spirit of God. I often think of remarks that are made sometimes by our young people and by strangers ; they say, "Where are the great men today, men like Brigham Young, John Taylor, and other leaders?" I answer, we have great men in our midst today. They are equal to the occasion ; they are the men God has called and chosen to direct the affairs of His Church today, and I say they are indeed prophets, seers and revelators unto this people. ¶

I was much pleased the other day when a young man, whom I had never seen before, came into my ¶

office, and he said "I want to be baptized. I have been here for some time ; I have traveled among your people and have become converted through my observation, through listening to the teachings of your people, that you have the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I desire to be baptized. An ideal and object of my life now is that I may go into that Temple on the hill when the proper time comes." This was an inspiration to me ; my heart was filled with joy, and I thought of the words of the Lord, that we will be known by our works. I was pleased to feel that the young man must have been associating with people in that stake of Zion who were living according to the principles of the Gospel in their daily lives. He had a laudable desire to go into the house of the Lord, and there receive a wife according to God's law, for time and for all eternity. There was an object lesson to all of our young people, to my daughters, to my sons. My greatest desire and prayer is that my boys and girls may be worthy to go into God's holy house, and there enter into sacred obligations and covenants with the Lord, and take unto themselves wives and husbands that will be theirs throughout the endless ages of eternity. I believe in teaching our young men and young women the sanctity of these holy temples. I believe that they should be taught from their infancy to reverence those edifices, because of the sacred ordinances performed therein. ¶

My brethren and sisters, I do not feel to occupy the time further. I pray that the blessings of the Lord may be with His people, that we may live in accordance with this grand Gospel that will redeem mankind through obedience to its principles. I am converted to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know, beyond question in my soul, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I want to live to demonstrate in every act of my life that I know that he was a prophet. I revere and respect his name. I love the Gospel as it has been made known, and I trust that all Latter-day Saints may have a desire in their hearts to be true to the covenants that they have made with the Lord. May we live lives worthy of example, that our light may shine, so that the people of the world will see our good works, and glorify our Heavenly Father. God bless you, my brethren and sisters, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶