Remarks

My brethren and sisters, I am grateful for the opportunity this afternoon, of bearing my testimony to this great work of our Father in which we are engaged. This seems to be a time of encircling the earth. While we have just listened to the testimony of Elder Brown, from a Northern stake of Zion, which includes the North Pole, and the testimony of others from the United States, I represent the 'Juarez stake of Zion, which extends from the southern boundaries of the United States to the South Pole. ¶

I want to bear my testimony, especially to my young brethren and sisters, of this Church and kingdom of our Father, that I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, that he was the instrument in the hands of our Father of restoring the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that today, as has ever been the case since the establishment of this work, our Father has his protecting care over his people. I remember distinctly during the revolution in Mexico when General Villa had made his attack on the town of Columbus and was making his way toward the "Mormon"colonies, there was considerable excitement, for he was killing every American that came in his way, and every Mexican who had shown favor to the American people. It was thought that when he reached the "Mormon"colonies he would completely wipe them out of existence. The American consul in El Paso had told us several times to leave Mexico and go back into the United States. As General ¶

Villa was marching toward the colonies the American consul said: "I have told those people several times to come out of there, now we will see whether a 'Mormon' is made of any different stuff than any other American." There was considerable excitement among the Mexican people, especially in Colonia Dublan, for General Villa was located within a few hours march from that place. There was not a single Mexican family that felt safe in residing in that colony. We were notified by the officers of the Mexican army that they could give us no help. It was evident that Villa was marching toward our colony. Our people, under the instruction of those who presided over them, were told to go home and go to bed, and trust in the Lord. That night they retired, and we were the only people in that section of the country who did go to sleep, but we slept peacefully. During the night General Villa marched within the borders of our colony and immediately turned and ordered his army to go in another direction. A year or two later when I happened to be in his army, having been detained on one of our trips, visiting the elders, when I was taken into his presence, he told me that there had been several occasions when he had our people completely in his control. He said: "I could have wiped you off the earth, without any trouble, but,"he said, "I had no desire to do so. I like the 'Mormon' people, I like the 'Mormon' doctrines. While this is no place for you people to be doing missionary work at the present time, I hope to live to see the day when there will be a 'Mormon' missionary in every town in Mexico, for,"he said, "I like you people. I like your method of living under this government." General Angeles was present with him, when we bore our testimony to him of the divinity of this work, and explained our mission, that we were there laboring among them, preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; and he turned to General Villa and said: "This is a wonderful work. They are doing just what we ought to be doing, but they seem to be doing it in a much better way and more successfully." ¶

My brethren and sisters, I rejoice in this great work of the Lord. I am thankful to my heavenly Father that I have been permitted to bear a portion of his holy Priesthood and to labor in this great work in which we are engaged. May the Lord bless us and help us to keep ourselves free and unspotted from the sins of the world, that we may accomplish his work, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Amen. ¶