I feel that of all the

I feel that of all the duties placed upon me from time to time, attempting to speak to a congregation of Saints is the most difficult. ¶

I believe that the wonderful testimony borne by our beloved President Joseph F. Smith, at this conference has strengthened every person who heard it, which is true also of the strong and inspiring testimonies of the other brethren who have spoken. ¶

We are indeed blessed to have such great men, inspired of God as they are, so let us appreciate them and heed their counsels. ¶

In looking over the vast congregation of people assembled at this conference, and realizing the many blessings we enjoy through the gospel, I thought of the words of the Prophet Isaiah, which read some thing like this : God's ways are not man's ways, neither are his thoughts man's thoughts, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his ways than our ways, and his thoughts than our thoughts. ¶

Elders have gone to the nations of the earth, calling the people to repentance, saying, in the Spirit of the gospel, Repent, O inhabitants of the earth. Many heeded the warning cry of the humble messengers of the Lord, and as a consequence they are here with their children and children's children, enjoying the blessings that they never could have received aside from the gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe many sense it more now than ever before. Here we are in this great land of America the best country in the world, and by God's guidance brought here as his people, to the safest spot of this great country, here to abide, during the world's crises. No doubt our hearts rejoice because we obeyed. But do we fully appreciate at all times these blessed privileges which the gospel affords us? If we do, is it manifest in our teaching to our children? As directed in the Revelation, do we teach them that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? If we are not doing this, we are told in the revelation that the condemnation for failure will rest on us parents. ¶

It was not by chance that we came to these valleys of the mountains, but it was through the working of the well-defined plan of our heavenly Father, and we have been made prosperous, in order that we may do our duty in helping the poor, struggling peoples in the world? ¶

I received a letter the other day from one of our boys who is now paymaster at one of the cantonments, and he said : "I know that you did not feel that I was doing my whole duty while at home, but when I came out here and mixed with the world, and moved among those who belonged to other churches, and the men in the army, I began to think of the teachings that I received at my mother's knee. There are fifteen of us here, and the other day the officer askd me to call my companions together, line them up, as he would like to have our pictures." So the fifteen "Mormon" boys lined up to have their pictures taken. And the officer complimented them on being the cleanest, nicest lot of boys in the camp. He says further : "We went to where our people held their meetings, and you ought to have seen the tears roll down our cheeks when they sang the first song, one of the songs of Zion. The tears rolled down our cheeks, and our hearts just swelled with appreciation. Oh, I have heard you at home say, people would get that hunger, not for bread ; thirst, not for water, but for the word of the Lord. We were hungry, we were thirsty — starving for the word of the Lord from his servants." ¶

When I read the letter I wondered if we do really our whole duty to our children, and do as the prophet of the Lord said we should do : observe home evening where we might gather our children around us, and teach them the plan of life and salvation, to keep themselves pure, brave and high-minded and unspotted from the sins of the world. ¶

Brothers and sisters, the Lord has given us about eighty-eight years for preparatory work to prepare ourselves and our children for the time when it would become necessary for thousands of our boys and girls to stand side by side with the people of the world, many of ¶

whom have not heard the gospel, and teach the truth by their clean, pure and sweet lives. I do not fear the dangers of war as I do men and women who place no value on the high standard of morality that we stand for as a people. O that we could impress upon the hearts of our children these everlasting truths that this is the Church of God, and there is no other, and that there is no hope of everlasting peace for this world outside of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

May God bless us. May we be able to appreciate our responsibilities and accomplish the duties resting upon us. May we not be classed with those of whom the Lord spoke : "He that putteth his hand to the plow and looketh back is not worthy of the kingdom of heaven." May we be valiant, so that when we sing the beautiful hymn, "We thank thee, O God, for a prophet," we may follow its counsel when he asks us to perform a duty, and go and do it without question. Then we would become a strength to the work in which we are engaged. May God bless us, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶