Remarks

My brethren and sisters: I feel very weak and embarrassed in standing before you this afternoon; but as I have been called upon to say a few words about the work in Denmark, I will do so. ¶

I stand before you and look over these many faces with a feeling of fear, but also with happiness -- fear that I may not be able to talk to you so that you can understand what I say. But when I think of all these many people who are here today and of the same faith that I am, belonging to the same Church, believing the same doctrines that I have been taught and believe in, and have been trying to teach to others, then, a feeling of happiness goes through me; and I ask the Lord to be with me during the few minutes I stand before you that I may be able to give an account of myself. ¶

I came home three weeks ago today from my mission in Denmark, where I have labored three years, and have enjoyed my work. It was my second mission to Denmark. I was there in 1912 to 1914, and as I was twenty years old when I emigrated, and at that time could not speak a word of English, you will understand that I am better able now to speak Danish than English. I hope that you will be able to understand me, although in the last three years I have been preaching and talking mainly in my native tongue. ¶

Denmark is a little country belonging to the Scandinavian group. Its population is a little more than three million people. It is a good country, and the people are a good people, and it is a pleasure to labor among them. We have had a number of good brethren from Zion to help out in our missionary work during the last three years. When I arrived, conditions were different from what they are now. A long period had elapsed, in which very few elders from Zion had been laboring in that country, and there were only six elders there when I arrived. Most of the branches were disorganized. When I left, there were twenty-five missionaries in the field doing good work, and the branches were fully organized. Most of the elders that were sent to that country while I was there were young men unable to speak the language, and it took a great deal of work with them to help them learn the language and place them so that they could be of use while learning it. But I must say that the great majority of them have been very diligent and have learned the language quickly, and have been able to do a good work, and we have seen good results from our labors, many having joined the Church during this time. The prospects are good for the future. ¶

I realize that I am speaking to people who represent the Church from the different wards and stakes. The Danish as well as the other missions needs missionaries, men of liberal experience in life, and with the language that they learn there they will be able to do a great work. There are many people in that land who are of the blood of Israel, and I feel sure many will embrace the gospel in the near future. But the gospel must be brought to them, and it must be preached to them in a language and in a way they can understand, because they are surrounded with so many different influences, all trying to work with them and upon them. ¶

Denmark has complete religious liberty. Anyone can advocate or preach anything that he desires to preach. They had there representatives from India preaching Buddhism and other "isms." Spiritualists, Christian Scientists, International Bible Students, Seventh Day Adventists, and all these different sects, are preaching their doctrines, and many people do not know what to believe, and they come to the conclusion that it is better to leave it all alone, "Mormonism" included. And we cannot blame them. The way to teach them is to present the truth in such a way that it will reach their hearts and make an impression upon their souls. In order to do that, we must understand the condition of the people and the teachings they have been taught and have received from different sources. ¶

A number of the sects to which I have referred do not believe in the literal resurrection of Christ. They do not believe in the resurrection of the body, and a literal resurrection is one of our testimonies to the people. We have been trying to confine our remarks to bearing testimony to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ as it has been revealed to us in these latter days, telling them of the true and living God, a personal God, our Father in heaven, who has a body, and who can show himself, and can talk to us and be with us. Also of his Son Jesus Christ, that he is literally resurrected with the body in which he walked and talked while upon the earth. Sometimes in our meetings, when we have borne testimony to these truths as we understand them, people have come to us and said: "These are things that we used to believe in when we were children, but now we do not know what to think, because our ministers and all these other advocates of religion have confused our minds upon the question as to whether or not man will be literally resurrected." ¶

Ministers of the state church of Denmark have come forward with the teaching that the resurrection of Christ was a spiritual resurrection, and that it was a vision the apostles saw when they met him and talked to him after his resurrection, and also that our resurrection will be a spiritual resurrection. If we understand the people and preach the truth to them, we will find that the truth will appeal to them in many ways, and it will make an impression upon them. We have found that the best way of succeeding and getting access to the hearts of the people is by talking to them from the point of view that they now have, in order that they may understand us better than if we were to talk over their heads. I find that little children understand the teachings of our Church with reference to God much better than the grown people. In our Sunday school classes we can explain to little children the personality of God, and it seems natural to them. The people say to us, "When we were children we believed in such a God. When our fathers and mothers talked to us about God, we pictured him as a personal God, somewhat like our earthly father. It was when we grew older that our views became confused with these different ideas that are now in the world." What we have to do is to bring the people back to the faith of their childhood, for there is not a child but has that impression and that feeling concerning God, and understanding of him when they first hear him spoken of by their parents. ¶

When I went to school in that country I was taught the state religion, but my feelings and understanding of God were of a personal God; and when I was eleven years old and joined the "Mormon" Church, I kept that view and that idea of God, which I think is true. We have been trying to teach these doctrines to the people. ¶

Yesterday was Easter. Today is also a holiday in those old countries, being a day appointed for Church services where they celebrate the resurrection of Christ. It is strange to think that these people will congregate and talk about the great and glorious truth of Christ's having risen from the dead, and not believe that it was a literal resurrection. But when they read the gospel of St. John about Christ coming out of the grave, and the grave being empty, they explain it by saying it was a spiritual resurrection. When we hold our Easter services, we bear witness to the people of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ; that he arose from the dead; that he did take the body with him out of the grave which was laid in the grave; that he showed himself to his disciples; showed them the marks in his hands and in his feet, and that he said to them, "It is I, myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." We believe also, and have taught it to the people, that all those who shall come forth in the first resurrection shall come forth with the bodies which they received here upon the earth, glorified and free from evil, and free from the results of sin, which, through the gospel of Christ, we will be able to efface. That is why the teachings referred to by Elder Widtsoe are natural to us. They fit this body which we possess and which we have received as a gift from God for our spirit to work with eternally. This body is going to be ours throughout eternity. We must take care of it, because if we do so and use it properly, it will be so much the better for us in the resurrection. ¶

I believe that the people in the world are able to accept the principles of the gospel in a great measure, if they are presented to them in a way that they can understand and grasp. I have found many times, and I hope I will not offend anyone by saying it, that our missionaries are a little too quick to judge people, or judge their capacity to understand, and they judge them from their own point of view, instead of the point of view of the people. If it is the truth that we bring to the people, if it is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if the Lord intends us to bring it to them, then it is our duty to work diligently in that service, and not to give up because things seem to be difficult, or because people do not seem to understand. Maybe the difficulty is that we do not present it in a way that they can understand it, and if that is the case, then let us try to find a way to reach their hearts and their souls, and present it so they can grasp it and understand it. If we cannot do it one way, possibly we can do it in another. I have never turned away angrily from anybody who could not understand me, or who ridiculed my views. But I have always said, "We will meet again; we will talk it over again; maybe we will be able to get closer together on this point." ¶

It is a mistake, as some have done occasionally, to say to the person who will not understand, or cannot understand, "You are cursed. I have borne my testimony to you and you do not receive it, consequently you are cursed." I have always instructed the missionaries not to do that, and have told them that we are in the world to bless and save the world and not to condemn it. We have been trying to preach and teach salvation and not condemnation, and trying to explain to the people that the gospel is in the world to build up and save the people. In preaching the gospel of salvation, we find that we are greatly blessed and the Lord is with us. Our converts have not been so many in numbers, but we have been able to bring into the Church a number of good, honest souls while I have been in Denmark during the past three years. In addition, we have been able to find and get interested in the work of the Church a number of people who were practically dead; who for years have not been visited by the missionaries, and who had forgotten that they were members of the Church; but who have come back again to the Church and have taken up the work again. They have commenced again to pay their tithing, attend their meetings, and labor in the organizations; and we look upon this as being as great a work as the bringing of new converts into the fold. ¶

My brethren and sisters, I feel that the time is limited, as there are many others of our brethren from whom you wish to hear. But I wish, before I sit down, being the first time I have had the privilege to stand in this place, to bear to you my testimony of the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I love it. I have tried to do my duty as far as I have been able to see it, and as far as my business has allowed me to fulfill it. I pray the Lord to be with me in the future, that I may continue in this good work, and that we may all continue to do the Lord's will; and may God help us, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶