Remarks

This is one of the privileges that I thoroughly appreciate — being called upon to say a few words during this great conference of the Church. I am thankful beyond my power to express for the blessing that has come to me in being called into the ministry — to be upon the firing line of truth, explaining to the best of my ability the plan of life and salvation as taught and practiced by Jesus Christ, the Lord. I am coming to feel more and more the great power of this Church, perhaps it is because my entire life, together with the lives of my companions, is devoted to the very highest and deepest things in life, and ¶

these things were only found where truth, spoken or lived, is the dominating power in God's revealed plan of life. The last two years of my life have been the finest years, I believe, that I have ever spent. I think I appreciate more fully the richness of the gospel, what it means, and the relationship it bears to human life. It has been my privilege to witness many manifestations of God's great power through his servants as they have proclaimed and administered the ordinances of the the gospel to those in a foreign land. These young men and women are measuring up to the responsibilities resting upon them; they are choice in spirit and are enjoying the richness of God's holy Spirit, and I want to say to you, especially those of you who have sons and daughters in the mission field, that you can feel justly proud of them because of the disposition and attitude they assume in responding to the responsibilities that are resting upon them as messengers of life and salvation to the country of the north. I said that I was grateful for the privilege of being a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and those who labor with me feel just the same way, and there is nothing that we would not be willing to sacrifice in order to establish this Church or gospel in the hearts of the children of men. It is God's saving truth. ¶

The world today, or that part of the world in which I have been called to labor, comprises some of the finest people that it has been my privilege to come in contact with. The laws of the country are observed; they are good laws, and generally speaking, people have respect for them and those who disobey the law are conscious always of the result. The people in the vicinity of our headquarters are especially good people. They are, as a rule, honest in their dealings, sincere in their convictions, as far as they are able to understand the great gospel plan as it was given by Jesus Christ when he was upon the earth. Many of them seem to be self-satisfied with what they have along these lines. Notwithstanding this fact, however, we are coming in contact daily with people who are not at all in sympathy with the gospel as it has been restored through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The reason for this, or one of the reasons, is because of prejudice and their not understanding our message. Many are pregnant with the thought that Jesus Christ was just a man — not an ordinary man, however, but one of those great men that came into the world and through his teachings and life left a great code of moral teachings. They do not look upon him as the Redeemer of the world and do not credit his literal resurrection. This thought is growing among a certain class of people throughout the world, and they are placing man's wisdom above that which is supposed to be inspired by God through his servants, the prophets. They seem to segregate themselves from that simple, vital faith that is so prevalent among good Latter-day Saints, or at least I hope is prevalent, because I have come to feel that this simple, yet powerful, faith is the only thing that will ¶

bring real joy and happiness into our hearts. Indeed, I think the greatest thing that can take possession of the mind and soul is the thought of God, for when we think of God we think of the most holy and divine personal Being of which we can conceive, and having faith in that kind of a Being, it seems to me causes us to understand more perfectly the relationship that obtains between us and him. You can rest assured that this vital, genuine faith is one of the great things that our missionaries begin to learn as they prosecute this great and mighty work in the world. ¶

We heard yesterday that signs were to follow those who believed. I am here to testify to you today that through this simple and abiding faith that comes through humility and prayer the gifts of the gospel of Jesus Chris are apparent. They are distributed among our young men and women who are called from day to day to officiate in the ordinances of the restored gospel; and they witness through their faith, the healing of the sick, making the blind to see, and many other manifestations that bring a perfect response to the idea that God lives, and that through the operation of his Spirit, those who are believing and receiving these blessings are coming into the Church. ¶

I rejoice in this, my brethren and sisters, for the reason that it is building my faith, adding additional testimony to that which I already have, and as I see this testimony growing and developing I praise God, my eternal Father. I am convinced that God lives, that he hears and answers prayers, and that our young men and women, through their diligence, are conveying, with conviction unmistakable, the gospel message to the hearts of those with whom they are privileged to come in contact. You will remember reading the words of Jesus Christ just prior to his crucifixion. He had been giving his disciples instructions, and telling them what would befall them for preaching his name and bearing witness of him as Christ, after which he withdrew himself and engaged in secret prayer, imploring his Father in heaven to keep firm the testimony that his disciples had obtained. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."This eternal life is predicated upon the knowledge we must obtain from God and his beloved Son, and in order to know God, we must have that simple, vital faith in him, and this faith comes to every individual through prayer, humility, and determination to understand the mighty message of the gospel. I am convinced that one of the best things for us as parents to do is to teach our children the necessity of prayer, so that they can cultivate a faith that is inborn within them, and with this faith know Jesus Christ, and God, the eternal Father. I do not know of anything better than for a father and mother to call their family to their knees morning and night and thank God for the preservation of life, for the opportunity that has come to them in this day and time in learning more of the great gospel plan; and the more we know of this gospel plan the more we understand ¶

life itself. And understanding life, we become acquainted with God, our eternal Father, and his great creation. Aside from family prayer, I think we should advocate more strongly the necessity of communicating with God when we are alone, and convey to him with a perfect confidence the things that are in our hearts, making him feel and know our gratitude for the blessings of life and the opportunities that have come to us in knowing more about these precious truths. It is during moments of this kind, the solemn hours of life, if you please, where we are permitted to gather up all life and place it in the unit of spiritual power, and with that power grow strong in faith and have constantly the light of God's Spirit with us. And so, my brethren and sisters, let us pray alone to God, take him into our confidence, ask him for his protecting care, to give us light and power, to enable us to understand more perfectly the great truths that have been revealed for the perpetuation of his glorious work. ¶

I desire to bear to you my humble testimony that I know that God lives. Indeed, I know as I know that I breathe the breath of life, that he does answer prayers, and the blessings in signs are following those who have faith in him. The prayer of faith is healing the sick, and they stand as great manifestations and as witnesses to the divinity of this great work. I have been near death's door more than once, and I sometimes marvel how it is that he has preserved my life. I am thankful beyond measure for the privilege that has come to me to bear this testimony in the presence of this great throng of people, and with the help of my heavenly Father I desire, with all the power I have, to continue to bear witness of God's mercy to me and the great testimony I have of the divinity of this great and mighty work. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it has been restored in this day and time. God bless every one of us, that we may appreciate to the fullest, what we have in this glorious gospel of our Lord and Master, that we might be found worthy of all his blessings. I ask this in his name. Amen. ¶