Testimony

(President of the Sevier Stake of Zion.) ¶

This inspiring congregation, the opening prayer and the beautiful music, all make one feel like Peter of old, that "it is good to be here," although one's individual part may be a trying ordeal. ¶

The Sevier stake of Zion is not situated in the extreme north or south. We are centrally located; and, until recently it comprised what President Grant notified you of today, both North Sevier stake and South Sevier stake. We had a very large stake, both in number of wards and in large territory to cover; hence, the brethren deemed it wise to divide it up into three different stakes. So the Sevier stake is not today as large as it was at the time of our last conference. ¶

I have enjoyed the remarks of President Allen. In just a few words, I will tell you why: when I hear the name "Allen" it links an incident up in my life that has always been and always will be sacred to me. I do not know whether President Allen is a representative of the Allen family I now speak of. My mother was an orphan girl. Her home was in Glasgow, Scotland. She was fourteen years of age when she received the message of truth, through the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She received a testimony and became converted. She had been cared for during several years by the Allen family who were neighbors to her mother and father before their death. They asked her, "Mary, are you interested in the 'Mormon' faith?" In telling the story, the tears welled up in the little girl's eyes, for she knew what was coming, and she told ¶

them, yes, that she was very much interested in them, that she believed that they were true servants of God, and that this was actually the Church of Christ. They asked her, "Do you insist in going to their meetings?" She answered, "I would like to." Grandpa Allen said, "Very well, my son John says that you are disgracing the family." Inasmuch as they were business people in that community, he said, "I hear it from all our customers and from people on the street, that the little girl who is with you and whom you have been caring for, is giving continual attention to those 'Mormon' people and John is very much offended; it has come to this, Mary: you either accept of our home and its hospitality, or take 'Mormonism,' and there is the door." She took the door. Thank God for the courage, for the faith, and the stability the Lord had granted to her in her teens. She had but one shilling. She secured what was known as the Townshead hall; and she pleaded with the caretaker, for the one shilling, to permit the elders, who were traveling without purse or scrip, to preach there that evening. She prevailed upon them, and they permitted the elders to speak. She related to them that she was homeless, and the elders blessed her. Before she left the meeting, she was offered several homes, by several people, who were impressed by the power of the Lord to give her assistance. But the story is this -- I don't intend Brother Allen personally to take this -- that Grandpa Allen said, to his children and his wife: "If 'Mormonism' can fasten itself upon a little girl securely as it did on Mary, knowing her life as we all know it, knowing her appreciation for our home and our comfort, then I want to say that there is some greater power than just man's, about this great work known as 'Mormonism.' " To cut a long story short, the first dinner my good mother received, after she left the old country, she received here in Utah, prepared by the Allen family, and as far as I know they have continued to remain firm, steadfast and immovable to the cause of our Savior. ¶

Here, this afternoon, we sang that beautiful hymn, "How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word." Is it not to all of us an excellent word? Is it not the most secure foundation that we could imagine? Is there another organization, that is as secure, as solid, as perfectly organized, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? ¶

We have heard, this morning, from the Prophet of the Lord, who gave us his blessings. With him are his counselors, the Council of the Twelve, the seven presidents of Seventy, and like organizations, as you go down the line of the priesthood, one by one, organized in every stake and ward of Zion. Now. I know that they are men of God. I have been acquainted with them for many, many years. They have been in my home; and they have slept there and eaten there. I have labored with them in various capacities, some of them, and I want to testify that there are no men that I have ever come in contact with in my life who are so absolutely devoted, heart and hand, dedicated to ¶

the service of the Lord, for the welfare of their fellow men, banishing selfishness, and thinking of others. I think of the home, if you will pardon me, that I was reared in; I think of my good old father standing up, and with tears in his eyes, saying to his boys and girls: "O how bad I would feel, if one of my boys and girls ever in their lives permitted the servants of God to be assailed in their hearing." All the days of my life I heard, in that home, while my father lived, courage, good words, words of counsel and advice. If we will follow closely and carefully the counsel of these men, and be painstaking we shall have success in life, and be able to live in righteousness; and we shall be crowned with a crown of glory resulting from successful life here in mortality. ¶

Just one word with reference to our organizations. Sometimes our boys and our girls, at certain ages, are a little careless, probably grow a little doubtful, skeptical in a degree, and do not quite understand clearly. I think of the words of the poet, wherein he said: ¶

THE OLDER I GROW ¶

The older I grow the more patient I am, ¶

And fonder of people I seem to become: I find much that's real hidden deep in the sham, ¶

I know that life's juices are under the scum. The care that once fretted as trifles appear: ¶

And the faults that loomed large in the friends that I know, Seem to fade in a background of kindness and cheer. ¶

The older I grow. ¶

Time was that I questioned the purpose of life -- ¶

In the mad way of youth I was quick with my hate: But I knew not the depth nor the breadth of the strife, ¶

And I knew nothing then of the workings of fate, I judged from the surface and not from the deep, ¶

I was wasteful with pleasure and fearless of woe, But I find that my joys I'm more eager to keep ¶

The older I grow. ¶

I chose all my friends with particular care, ¶

And heedlessly wounded the truest and best: To many a false god I sent up a prayer, ¶

Then the real things of life seemed a subject for jest, And the bad seemed the good, and the good seemed the bad. ¶

I scorned in my haste what was splendid below: But I find myself longing to have what I had,. The older I grow. ¶

I have learned that men's follies are not printed deep: ¶

That many, youth mocks at, are splendid and fine: And young people scatter the joys they should keep, ¶

In the very same way that I once wasted mine. I'm more tolerant now, I am slower to sneer, ¶

For I've suffered my griefs and I've winced at a blow: And the money I find matters less and less here, ¶

The older I grow. ¶

From the Wall Street Journal. ¶

I wonder, my brethren and sisters, if I may say one more word. As in all parts of the Church we see manifest in our own stake and wards, a spiritual uplift; we see an increase in activity in all branches of the work, and in all the organizations of the Church in our stake. We notice that there is more painstaking and care, that people keep the commandments more truly than they ever did before. But with all that, I feel that our homes are not just given the full attention, they deserve, because of the many worldly affairs, with which the blessings of God have provided us. I wonder if we are remembering our boys and girls, are we praying with them morning and night? I wonder if we are asking them to take their turn, and thank God for these peaceful homes in the valleys of the mountains. ¶

Thank the Lord for our leaders, these good men whom God has chosen; there are no better; they will guide this people safely through all the storms of life, may we become endeared to these men, and know them; as they truly are, servants of God. Good reading is good seeding, it has been said; good counsel is good seeding, and if we can bring and keep our boys and girls under a beneficent influence, then we have accomplished a successful thing. If not, as we grow older, we will find our hearts long to taste what was offered us, but which we did not fully appreciate as young men. As one grows in years, comes to the years of accountability, the teachings of childhood stand more specifically and clearly in one's life; then the youth sees more clearly what he has to do, and if his parents have been faithful, they have given him just what is kith and kin to his better nature. ¶

While all this is going on, while we have a general increase in our activities, I wonder if we are watching the home circle carefully. I spoke to one of our special missionaries lately, and I know that once he had been just a little obstinate and I said to the brethren: "There is the meeting house; I am not my brother's keeper, if they want to go to meeting let them go to meeting." He said to me just the other day: "Oh. Brother Young, I feel so sorry for what I once said to you. If this missionary work has not done anything else, it has converted me beyond the possibility of a doubt, that I am my brother's keeper, and that God holds me responsible to discharge to the very best of my ability the work that he places in my hands." Our work is increasing. We have never had anything else in our stake that has accomplished so much good, apparently, with those who were wandering, careless, and negligent in reference to their duties, as this special missionary work. ¶

We have a wonderful foundation laid for our faith, and I want to say that these words of Christ are true: "My sheep know my voice, and a stranger they will not follow." When I was in the mission field I had a wonderful testimony. A Scandinavian brother who came to Australia, had a sister who was converted to "Mormonism" and before he left, she put in his trunk a Book of Mormon and a Doctrine and Covenants. There were two Lutheran boys who came to ¶

Australia who were very bitter. One of them became converted out there. He asked the other man, his companion, to read with him, because he had got a testimony that the gospel was true. Finally he died, and on his deathbed, and to the disgust of his Lutheran minister, he said he was a "Mormon," and wanted to be buried as a "Mormon." But his last words to his companion were, "Will you read the Book of Mormon, and will you ask the Lord to guide you and direct you, and if you do not receive a testimony, as far as I am concerned, I will hold you no more responsible. He died; his companion received a testimony. He did not know for some time that there were any elders in Queensland until he had heard from Copenhagen to this effect. He came to search for us. The ministers tried to keep him away. Finally, when he landed in Brisbane, Aus., he was met by them, and inasmuch as he was determined to find the elders, they told him where he would find the re-organized church. As a last resort they thought, we will send him there. He listened to their story. He had never met an elder in his life. His name is Peter Christensen, and he is now in Idaho; he had never met an elder, but he listened to their story, and he said: "You are not the people that I am looking for;" and he went on. He came to our headquarters. I met him; and talked to him, and the tears streamed down his cheeks, as he said, "You are the people." I thought that a wonderful testimony. ¶

May the Lord bless us. May we sustain, uphold, love our neighbors as ourselves, and never be found speaking evil of God's anointed, our brethren and sisters, or our fellow men, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶

Leland I Acomb sang a tenor solo, "Comfort ye my people." ¶