My brethren and sisters, I rejoice

My brethren and sisters, I rejoice this morning with you in having the privilege of attending our conference. I always rejoice whenever I have the opportunity of meeting where so many of the Latter-day Saints assemble, because of the fact that, in assembling with the Latterday Saints, it seems to bring a spirit of peace and contentment that makes a person feel as if he were at home. When we are in possession of this spirit, my brethren and sisters, surely we are in possession of the Spirit of the Lord. ¶

We have engaged ourselves in the great latter-day work. A great many of us have been born and reared in the Church, and a large number also have heard the gospel in their native lands, and have gathered to this goodly land where we can serve God and keep His commandments. I often wonder if those of us who have come up to the Valleys of these Mountains, and those who have been born and reared here, and have arrived to the age of manhood and womanhood, if we really understand our true positions, if we really appreciate the great blessings and favors that the Lord has bestowed upon us. Do those who have come from foreign lands really appreciate the great favor that the Lord has granted them in establishing them safely on this soil, a place our Heavenly Father has designated for the establishment of His work? I wonder if we realize the great responsibility that rests upon us as His servants who have received the Holy Priesthood, who have accepted the priesthood of our own free will, and are we magnifying this priesthood as we should ? ¶

Now you all know, no doubt, that there is great responsibility being placed upon the authorities of the stakes and wards, by the general authorities of the Church, in regard to seeing that the acting teachers are doing their duty in visiting the homes of the Latter-day Saints. I wonder, my brethren and sisters, why we need so much urging, so much coaxing, so much pushing to get us to magnify our callings, and get us to do that which is required of us as the children of our Father. This is His work that we are engaged in, and each one should feel zealous ; each one should feel that it is a privilege to take part in this great latter-day work, because we are working out our own salvation, and individually we are the ones who are receiving the blessing, and not those who visit us from time to time and urge us to do our duty, to keep ourselves moving, to keep in the path of life and honor before our Heavenly Father. ¶

It is a great privilege to be associated with the great latter-day work our Father has established. He has allowed us, His children, to be born in this gospel dispensation, and have all the privileges of the Gospel vouchsafed to us. We have many things conferred upon us that our fathers did not have, opportunities that have cost them their lives, in some instances. It has cost our fathers and mothers a great deal to subdue this western country, and bring it into the splendid condition that we find it today, and the younger generation are enjoying the fruits of their arduous labors. Do we appreciate the great blessings that have been bestowed upon us ? Are we serving God and keeping His commandments? Do we attend to our prayers in the morning and in the evening? Do we teach our children the principles of life eternal? or are we becoming neglectful in these things? Do we attend to our duties on the Sabbath day ? or do we neglect them, and go pleasure-seeking? These things, my brethren and sisters, are confronting us as Latter-day Saints. I wonder how it will be with us if we do not keep the commandments of our Heavenly Father, for He has said that we must serve Him and keep His commandments, for this is the land of Zion. ¶

I have had the privilege, on two occasions recently, of going west and visiting another part of our country, the Raft River stake of Zion, which is scattered over a considerable scope. I found that, while the people are much scattered, and have to go many miles to assemble to worship the Lord on the Sabbath day, yet they do assemble on the Sabbath day in mass, almost all of the people belonging to the Church, and many who do not, to worship God, our Heavenly Father. It made my heart rejoice when I visited that country and saw so many people gathered to worship our Heavenly Father. I had no idea that there were so many of our people located in that country. I found they were located in every nook and corner, so to speak. There are many such opportunities for settlement, where our people can build homes, and be taught the principles of the gospel and live in peace. They have many of the conveniences of life, and some they do not yet have. They have the auxiliary organizations of the Church, under direction of the priesthood. And so we find it, my brethren and sisters, over much of this western land. ¶

I trust and pray that the Lord ¶

will bless us during our meetings in this conference. May the peace and blessings of our Father rest upon us. ¶

I bear you my testimony that this is the work of the Lord, and Joseph Smith, the Prophet, stands at the head of this gospel dispensation. May the Lord continue His blessings upon us, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶

A duet, "Come Unto Me and Rest," was sung by Luella Ferrin Sharp and L. Van den Akker. ¶