Remarks

My brethren and sisters: I feel on this occasion like the young brother did this morning, when called so suddenly and without warning to speak unto you. I appreciate this opportunity that has been given to me to speak a few minutes about the Swedish mission, whence so many thousands of the blood of Israel have been gathered home to Zion. I appreciate the privilege that my brethren gave unto me to perform a mission to my native land, after having been in Zion since my youth. It was the most glorious time that I have ever experienced in my life. ¶

I will say, as President McMurrin said this morning, that we cannot count very many that come into the Church; but the word has to be preached as a warning, that the people may not say they have not been warned when the Lord shall pour out his judgments on them. ¶

The people in Sweden have the spirit of gathering to Zion. While the elders discourage them from coming out here, we cannot stop them from coming. Their desire is to gather with their own people. I have in mind a certain intelligent, well educated young lady, who embraced the gospel less than two years ago. She holds a prominent position in one of the greatest establishments in the city of Stockholm, and is drawing a large salary. She said, "I am going to try to go out to Zion." My wife discouraged her and said, "Do not go, sister. You will probably not get such a position there as you have now, and you might become discouraged." She said: "Never mind what I may get. I will do any honorable work that may be offered me for my support, but I want to go home to Zion, that I may work in the temple of the Lord for my dead relatives." And that is the spirit that the people generally are in possession of in the far north. ¶

I, too, can testify that we have a lot of fine missionaries in that mission, and especially when they get the spirit of the work. They want to labor early and late for this cause. I had frequently to remind one young man who labors in the mission office that, "You cannot do it all today, leave something for tomorrow." I found him at his desk many a night after we had held our public meeting. Another young man who had not learned the language of his father and mother, being born in this city, was sent up into the northern part of Sweden. While laboring in a certain city, a preacher advertised that he would lecture about the "Mormons" in Utah. Our young man had not been in Sweden very many months, and had not yet mastered the language; but he went to the church to hear what the reverend gentleman might have to say. After the meeting he said to the priest, "What you have spoken here tonight is not true. I am from Utah, was born there, and am therefore thoroughly cognizant of the conditions out there. I would like to be given a few minutes to correct what you have said." The gentleman replied, "We will not permit you to speak here in this building." "Very well," said the young man, "I will take the opportunity of speaking to the people on the street outside; I will give them tracts, and invite them to come to our hall, and I will there tell them the truth about Utah." The reverend gentleman evidently got frightened. He published an article in the local paper against us, and tried to belittle the elder who had taken him to task for telling fables about the Utah people and their religion, saying that the elder could not speak the Swedish language fluently. Our young brother wrote to me and said that he would like to answer the preacher's effusion, but, said he, "I am afraid the editor will find out that my written language is faultier than the language I speak." I helped him to write an article for the local paper, and told him he could use it if he saw fit. He took it to the paper, however, and the editor was liberal-minded enough to publish it. Shortly afterwards the minister left the city, and our little hall there was for some time crowded with people who wanted to hear our side. I have learned that where we have opposition it is the best advertisement we can get for our Church, as the people want to find out the other side, and they come to our meetings to investigate for themselves. In that way we have now and then the pleasure of baptizing a number of people. ¶

One thing that has rested on my mind for years is this: It was ninety years ago the day before yesterday that the Lord, also Moses, Elias and Elijah, visited the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland temple, and gave unto them all the keys that were necessary for establishing his Church and carrying out the work for the salvation of man in this last dispensation. After they had received the keys, these words were spoken to them: ¶

"Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi -- testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors." ¶

The application I wish to make is this, that we are ninety years nearer the culmination of the event spoken of in the revelation, namely: the second coming of the Lord, and that we should warn the people and our children, that all may be prepared to receive him. It behooves us as parents to look after our children, our sons and daughters, that the Lord has given into our care, and to teach them the principles of, and inculcate in their hearts a love for, the gospel. That is a duty resting upon us; and I would say to the young people: Follow in the footsteps of your fathers and mothers, for the world has nothing to give you that can be compared with the joy and satisfaction we feel when we live in accordance with the teachings of the Church; the joy that we have in the knowledge of the truth of the gospel and in the knowledge that we have prophets and apostles in our midst to lead and guide us aright. There is nothing else in the world that can give us that joy. ¶

Sometimes it happens that young people do not watch their actions, and they overstep the bounds of propriety, causing them to feel the pangs of sorrow and regret. My attention was drawn to an instance or two of that kind, and when appealed to, I felt compassion for them, realizing that they have lived in an environment almost the opposite of that in which our youths are reared. On such occasions I have thought how fortunate are my five daughters and four sons, in being born here in a different atmosphere, blessed with faith in the gospel and from their childhood having a chance to walk in the right path. Our mission is to save, and I have felt a happiness beyond my power to express in seeing those who have made a misstep mend their way, making their lives conform to the teachings of the Savior. They have paid their tithing, attended to their meetings and done their duties in the Church; and they have thus felt happy. I am satisfied they will not permit themselves again to be led astray. ¶

The Summer season is before us, brethren and sisters, when we will go to the canyons, the woods, the bathing and other resorts. See to it that our children are warned before they go out. Pray with them. I heard, many years ago, a good brother speak of a man whose son had been called to go on a mission, and how that son had spent the whole night with his father occupied in conversation, the father warning the son against making mistakes, giving him encouragement, that he might be able to perform an honorable mission. I believe we should take our boys in our arms before the time comes when we are to part with them, and warn them of certain things that will confront them when they come to a certain age, that we may come in before our enemies do, who whisper evil into their ears, and that we may warn them of things that may happen to them if they are not careful. ¶

I rejoice in this gospel, my brethren and sisters. I have been reared by honorable parents, and I have thanked the Lord hundreds of times on my knees that he led the elders to their door when I was young, so that I had an opportunity to be trained in the teachings of the gospel; and I wish to continue to do good as long as the Lord gives me strength and permits me to live upon the earth, that I may eventually be saved in the kingdom of the Lord. May that be the blessing to us all, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶