Remarks by Charles E. Rowan Jr.

My brethren and sisters, I am delighted to have the opportunity this morning of looking into the faces of so many Latter-day Saints. Were I to attempt to express the great love that I have for this work, it would be difficult for me, indeed. I have enjoyed immensely this morning the testimonies and messages that have been given to us by the President of the Church and his First Counselor, President Charles W. Penrose. I was particularly impressed with the paragraph of that wonderful dedicatory prayer which was read by President Heber J. Grant. I believe, my brethren and sisters, that, as Latter-day Saints, the majority of us who are here assembled have so destined and shaped our lives that it matters very little what may be said to us, but that the important thing to us is, what can we do as parents in Israel to shape the destiny of our boys and our girls? I rejoice in the great keynote that was sounded by our beloved President, that if we, as Latter-day Saints, will observe to do the will of the Father, if we will live exemplary lives we will be able to have influence and power with the youth of Zion. I believe that the youth of Zion will become thoroughly qualified; however, I am sorry to say that in our part of the country we are drifting in a degree, and we feel that some of the insincerity that is manifested by us as parents is being reacted in the indolence and in the idleness of our children, and in their failure to fully perform their duties as members of this great Church. ¶

I rejoice in the wonderful meeting we had this morning. I have never before experienced such a spirit, and never before had the feeling within my soul that the veil was so thin as when the prophet of the Lord was speaking this morning, and 1 felt that he is the prophet of the Lord to our great Church. ¶

I bear you my testimony that I know this is the work of the Lord. J. am delighted with the pleasure and privilege that I have had in laboring in the Garfield stake of Zion. I might say that in our stake we have eight wards and two branches. It is one hundred twenty ¶

five miles across our stake ; however, we are delighted to say to you that we believe absolutely in the statement of the Apostle Paul, as recorded in the scripture, where he said : ¶

"And hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation ; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." ¶

I am delighted to say that we have been preserved and reserved by the Lord to come forth in this day and age of the world. We who are living out in the southern part of this state, are happy, contented, and are seeking and finding the Lord. Hundreds of our people have strong testimonies that this is the work of the Lord. ¶

May the Lord bless us, may we enjoy this conference as we have never before enjoyed any conference, and may we take the message back to our people that the greatest thing that will redound to our welfare and make for success in the rearing of our children, is the example that is set by parents. May the Lord bless you is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶