Missionary Work and the Gospel Message

My heart has been made exceedingly glad, my brethren and sisters, in listening to the doctrines of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as they have been expounded by the brethren of the presiding authorities of the Church who have been called upon, during the sessions of this conference, to bear record concerning the truth. I thank the Lord, my brethren and sisters, that I have the opportunity of being present in this great gathering, and I am glad in my soul for the joy that is in my heart in connection with the wonderful purposes of Almighty God as they are being wrought out among the inhabitants of the earth, and among the people also who have given allegiance to the work of the Lord, and who have come up from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, in response to the call that has been made by the Redeemer of the world through the glorious gospel that has been restored in this last dispensation. ¶

It has already been stated, my brethren and sisters, that it is my good fortune at the present time to be laboring in the missionary field, in the California mission. The California mission covers the state of California, and portions of the state of Nevada, and portions of the state of Arizona. We have about thirty branches of the Church in these three states. The great bulk of the Church population resides in the state of California. California is not made up of people who are seeking, to any very great degree, to find the message of the everlasting gospel. There are, however, many very good men and women to be found in the state. Sometimes when our missionaries are attending to their missionary labors, going from home to home, seeking opportunity to present the precious principles of the gospel, they are asked: "Why are you coming here? We do not need your services. We have an abundance of churches, many educated ministers, and there is no room or place for you here. Why do you not go with the message that you say you have, to the people who are in darkness, to the heathen nations of the world?" We are striving to impress upon the minds of men and women with whom we come in contact, that the gospel message, as it has been revealed in this dispensation, is just as it has been declared to be by inspired men who, lit up by divine inspiration, have said that the gospel should be preached in all the world, to every nation, and to every kindred, to every tongue and to every people. We are under obligation not only to carry the gospel to those who live in heathen nations, but we are under like obligation to carry the gospel to every nation and to every people upon the face of the whole earth. ¶

We are trying to impress upon the missionaries, the young men and young women who have been appointed from time to time, to take up their ministry in the California mission, that they are under a very serious responsibility, and that it is their right to know and feel that they have been called, not by bishops, not by presidents, not by apostles, to be ministers of salvation, but that they have been called by the Lord God of heaven to represent him in the preaching of the gospel in the California mission, and that they should dedicate to the Lord our God, their time and means and their talents. We teach them that they should seek unto our Father in heaven, by right living, and by humble and secret prayer, that they may have the companionship of that Spirit that can take of the things of the Father and reveal them unto men. We are trying to impress upon their minds that the gospel of the Redeemer of the world cannot be taught acceptably to our Father in heaven in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but that it must be taught and can only be taught satisfactorily to the Lord, in the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. We are trying to tell men and women everywhere, who are not of our faith, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, that he is the author of salvation, and the only source of divine authority, and that in fulfilment of the promises that have been made by holy prophets in all past dispensations, the divine authority essential to the preaching of the gospel and administering in its holy ordinances has again been revealed by the Lord our God in this the dispensation of the fulness of times. ¶

We are trying to bear record of the truth, but we are not building up men. We are in no way trying to exalt the names of men, but ¶

we are trying to advance and magnify the gospel of the Redeemer, which is the power of God unto salvation. As we bear this record concerning the wonderful things of the Lord Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, we also feel that we are under obligation, because of the commandment of God, to bear record to the wonderful mission of the prophet and disciple and apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, for we feel and know in our hearts that God has placed this responsibility upon us, and that we must tell the inhabitants of the earth, wherever our lot may be cast, that the Lord Almighty has chosen as his instrument, Joseph Smith, to reintroduce in the latter time, the precious principles of the everlasting gospel. ¶

We are trying to impress upon men that they cannot be saved by simply declaring with their lips the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but that they must do, as he has taught, as has been advocated in this conference. Men must not only be hearers of the word, but they must be doers also. We are trying to impress upon men the necessity of repentance, to turn away from the evils that are in the world, and from all improper conduct and give their hearts and their time and their attention to the Lord Jesus Christ, repenting in very deed of their sins, but turning away from all sinful conduct. We are trying to impress upon men the importance of the principle of baptism, the principle that has been given by the Lord our God whereby men can receive a remission of their sins. Baptism, to the world, is a mystery. Most men are unable to conceive the necessity or the advantage of this great principle that has been given of God whereby men may be made members of the Church of Christ, and receive a remission of their sins, and by this act of humble obedience be fitted to enter into the kingdom of God. We are trying to bear record to our father's children that they can only comprehend and understand the message of the everlasting gospel by the power of the Holy Ghost, and that they can only be in possession of the Holy Ghost by yielding obedience to the principles that have been revealed. The companionship of the Holy Ghost can only be received by the laying on of hands. We are trying to bear record to the people that men cannot call themselves to preach the gospel, but that they must be called by the Almighty; they cannot assume to take this authority unto themselves, but they must be ordained by revelation, and by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands. ¶

I am glad to say God fills our souls with joy and peace and contentment as we strive to preach these principles among the people, and he increases upon us, testimony, understanding and knowledge concerning his wonderful purposes. I am glad to bring up to you fathers and mothers assembled in this conference the glad news that your sons and daughters believe the message of the everlasting gospel, and that they are consecrating their time and their lives to advocate the principles of salvation, and to reach the hearts of men with the message that has been committed into their hands. ¶

I would that men who are in authority and who select missionaries and recommend them to the Presidency of the Church, would sense more fully the great responsibility that rests upon the people of the Latter-day Saints in the preaching of the gospel, and that they would not only call the boys and girls -- thank God for all of these young men and women -- but oh, that there might be called into the mission field men of experience, thirty or forty years of age, men who have had experience in teaching the gospel, that they might be a help and a succor, and a sustaining power to the youth of Israel who respond so generally and so cheerfully to these missionary appointments. ¶

I am glad with you, my brethren and sisters, in the work of God. I believe in it from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. I have confidence that all the promises of the Lord our God will be fulfilled, no matter how marvelous they may appear, or how past possibility they may seem in the minds of men. They will all be brought to pass. God has so decreed and he has the power to fulfil his decrees and his promises. God help us to believe the promises that have been made and to yield obedience to the commandments of God, and may we be under the constant guidance of that kind, forgiving, glorious Spirit that belongs to the gospel of the Redeemer of the world, I humbly pray, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. ¶