Ward Teaching and Loyalty to God and Nation

(President of the Carbon Stake of Zion.) ¶

I am very grateful to my heavenly Father that I have the privilege of attending this conference. A few days ago I did not feel physically able to come to Salt Lake, but through my faith and prayers, and the will of the Lord, I am able to be at this conference and to enjoy ¶

the spirit thereof in listening to the servants of the Lord, listening to his prophets, seers and revelators give unto us instructions that are for our good and benefit today. ¶

While listening to what has been said during this conference, and what has been said by the elders this afternoon, the thought has gone through my mind, if ever there was a time in the history of this Church or the people of this Nation when we needed to watch and pray, it is today, for we are truly living in perilous times, and we know not what the end will be. But we will have to stand in holy places, and pay our devotion to God, our eternal Father, and pray to him for his guidance that we may do the right. ¶

We need to look after the boy and the girl today, because we expect them to be the men and the women of tomorrow. We must teach them the correct principles of the gospel, not only by precept but by example. There is a vast amount of work for the elders of the Church to do, at home and abroad, warning mankind of the impending judgments that will befall the wicked unless they repent and turn unto God. We have many precious souls given us to watch over in the various wards and stakes of Zion, thousands of them born under the new and everlasting covenant need to be watched over and to be taught the principles of the gospel. But I have been grieved sometimes when I have heard some of the brethren say that they have not time to labor at home, and that they have come to the conclusion that so much ward teaching in the wards of the Saints is not really necessary, and this is verified by the reports we get from time to time when we find in some cases only 20 or 30 per cent of the inhabitants of the stakes visited by ward teachers. I rejoice in the labors of the ward teachers where I reside, because I know they do good. I am very much interested when they visit my house, not so much interested perhaps in the eloquence which they may display, or the doctrines which they may promulgate, but I am anxious for the answers that are coming forth from my children, wondering, when questions are put to them by the ward teachers, what the answers will be. That is what I am concerned about mostly, and I am always pleased if the questions are answered. If only the simple question is asked: "Do you pay your tithes and your offerings ?" I await, trembling sometimes, the answer, and I am always glad when the answer is, yes, we believe in that doctrine, and that we observe its requirements. Then the question, "Do you pray unto the Lord morning and night for his guidance?" I wonder again what the answer will be, and I rejoice in my soul when the answer comes, "Yes." And again, when the question comes, "When you grow up and desire a wife, or a husband, as the case may be, do you understand it is your duty to go to the House of the Lord, and to be sealed for time and all eternity?" again ,1 await the answer, trembling and wondering what the answer will be, and it brings joy to my soul, when I hear the answer, "I will, if the Lord is willing, and I am worthy." These thoughts are very practical to the Latter-day Saints, and they are highly necessary. We want to know just what our boy is thinking about, and just what our girl is thinking about, and we want to know if they have a testimony of this gospel in ¶

their souls. Fathers and mothers should know this, and they may not get it in any other way than through the ward teacher. I might ask the question, and they might not want to disappoint me, and they would say "yes." I have heard young men say that they went on missions because their father asked them to go, and they wished to please him. I want my boy to go because he feels it his duty, whether it pleases me or not. And they should have the necessary faith for this, and we should teach these principles. We should labor while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work. ¶

I was very forcibly impressed with the remarks of President Smith, when he said we want to be loyal to God and to our nation. We must be loyal to God every day of our lives, and I hope that when our boys have to go out in defense of our country that they will go with the love for humanity, and desiring the liberty and rights of the children of God in the earth. Well might the Savior say at one time, "By their fruits ye shall know them." We are known by that which we produce in the earth, and we want it said of us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." ¶

I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know that God lives, and he hears and answers the prayers of the Saints, and the sick are healed through faith and prayer. I know that these principles are true, and my prayer is that we may live in the earth so as to be entitled to the blessings that God has in store, that when it comes time for us to lay down this body it may be said truthfully of us, 'Well done, thou good ¶

and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord," which is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶

The choir and congregation sang : "High on the mountain top." ¶