Remarks

My brethren and sisters: I must confess that this is a surprise to me to be asked to say anything at this conference. I have enjoyed the exercises and the remarks made thus far this morning. My heart is in the work. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized and instituted through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that he was an instrument in the hands of God in doing this work. I am proud to be numbered as a Latter-day Saint, and to be with you to bear testimony to the gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

I have had a good many thoughts while sitting here this morning, and I feel that if every one of us responded to the calls made upon us, carried the responsibilities placed upon us as members of this Church, that this work would be more successful. I fear that sometimes there are men and women upon whom we place responsibilities who, to a certain extent, shun those responsibilities, and feel that they are not so important as thought by those who placed the responsibilities upon them. I often wonder why it is that men and women who have accepted the gospel, and have a testimony burning in their souls that Jesus is the Christ, shun these responsibilities. I often wonder why it is that they do not sense the responsibilities placed upon their shoulders. ¶

Not long ago I listened to the testimony of a young man who had been on a mission. What Brother Smith said brought it to my mind. He and another elder had filled missions and were given honorable releases. Just previous to their departure, a family of Saints gave a little banquet in their honor. Just as they closed the banquet, they passed tea around, and asked them if they would have a drink of tea. The elder that was with this young man said, "I have received my release ; it is all right for me to drink tea."' He drank five cups! After it was over, the lady took the other elder aside and made this remark, "I have always understood that ten cups of tea would kill a man. He drank five cups. I wish I had given him the other five." The elder taken aside said, "I wished I could have given him the other five cups myself. To think I have labored two and a half years preaching the gospel and then the elder I had labored with and associated with do the thing I had been teaching people not to do — the very thing he had been teaching them not to do!" The result was that he left, disgraced; people were disgusted with him. ¶

At this same gathering I heard of a missionary who had labored two and a half years in England and had been successful in converting a young lady and her mother to the gospel of Jesus Christ. They came to the valleys of the mountains, expecting to see the Saints living the gospel, but she told me, "To my surprise, as I walked down the sidewalk in Salt Lake City, I met the very man who had taught me the gospel in England walking down the street with a cigarette in his mouth." And she wrote to this elder, "I am disgusted with 'Mormonism,' with the elders who taught me the gospel in England, to think that, after I have come to Zion, they live as they do live. I looked to see men of God, living the things they had taught me; but on the contrary, I see some of these young men are not living as they ought to live." They bring disgrace upon the cause of God, and upon the great majority who live their religion. I would not have you think, my brethren and sisters, for one minute, that I would justify the woman in leaving the Church, because of this. But I do believe that men and women who accept membership and positions in the Church should live so that when they come in contact with other people, it may be seen that they are living their religion. ¶

I often wonder if I am going through life failing to sound the warning voice that I should sound. When I meet my Maker on the other side, if the question is asked, "Did you do your full duty as a servant of God and as a Latter-day Saint in teaching the men and women that Jesus is the Christ and Joseph Smith a prophet of God, and in performing every obligation that God asked you to perform, or did you evade the responsibilities he placed upon you?" I often wonder what my answer will be. ¶

One time, when I was stake superintendent of Sunday Schools, a woman came to me and said, "My son has more confidence in you than in any other man that I know of in the stake." I wondered then, as I have wondered since, if my life was of such a nature as to affect this young man growing in this Church, growing in knowledge and information, or taking the downward road that leads to destruction ; and whether, if my life affected him in a way that caused him not to live as he should, I would be held responsible in any degree for his action. The thought came back to me that if my life affected men and women so that they did not live right, I would be held responsible in the end for some of those conditions. I believe it is my duty, my responsibility, to live the life of a Latter-day Saint as the Lord intended I should, that I shall listen to the whisperings of the Spirit of God and obey them, that I may not be found in by and forbidden paths, or in company that the Lord does not desire a servant of his to be in. I should be exemplary and carry with me the dignity of my position, the sense of responsibility that God has placed upon me and live and magnify the same before him. I hope and pray that when I meet on the other side with my children or associates that none can say that I did not do as I should, that I did not teach them by the proper example. ¶

I remember a number of years ago visiting a family in our stake. Previous to visiting them, the lady of the house came and asked if we would not please talk to her son about his drinking beer. I remember going into the home. The elder with me talked to the young man and said it was not right to get drunk, as he was doing, that it was breaking his mother's heart. The young man turned around to the elder and said, "I want you to understand that my mother is responsible for the life I have lived. When I was a boy twelve or fifteen years of age. my mother set me down to the table with crackers and beer. It created a desire for beer, and I cannot leave it alone." Could you have seen that mother, as she sat by the old stove, the fire burning bright and showing the tears running down her cheeks, it would have grieved your heart. ¶

I do not know whether the son told the truth. There may have been some truth in it. I felt that a young man should have had respect enough for his mother not to have made the statement in her presence, at least. On the other hand, I have wondered many times since, "Were the words of that young man true? Did his mother's life affect his life in such a manner that he did not care for her teachings? ¶

I want to tell you, brethren and sisters, that these are serious reflections. The souls of the children of God are precious in his sight. It should be the aim and desire of every father and mother to teach the gospel in a way that will impress men and women. I believe with all my soul that it is true. The young men and women of the Church today are growing, and to a great extent, their destiny is in our hands and power to place them in an armor that will lead them upward in the cause of truth, that they may be virtuous and live as God intended, or downward against his will. ¶

We spend thousands of dollars to convert men and women who live in foreign lands and in America, who are not worth any more, or as much, perhaps, as the men and women who are in our midst, who are our neighbors day by day and who are starving for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Perhaps some of you may say, "They have plenty of opportunity to go to the organizations,, where the gospel of Jesus Christ is taught.'' It is true, but the responsibility that God has placed upon us carries with it enough importance to teach wherever we are, that we should bear the testimony that Jesus is the Christ, and in such a manner that it will convince men that it is of God. ¶

A little piece of poetry I sometimes read as I visit the Sunday Schools of our stake, called "The Sunday School Automobile," applies to every organization in the Church : ¶

All rules of success considered, the most essential element is "Getting started." Therefore, use a self-starter on your Sunday School automobile. Use the brakes of patience and self-control. Put large quantities of hope in the grease cups. ¶

Use a perseverance brand of gasoline as motive power, instead of hot air. Have the timer properly set, EARLY. ¶

Have the carburetor properly adjusted, admitting a mixture of equal parts of earnestness and will power. ¶

Use the primer of enthusiasm. ¶

Best results can be obtained by using the four cylinders of knowledge — ¶

The knowledge of self, ¶

The knowledge of company, ¶

The knowledge of work, ¶

The knowledge of children (men). Advance the sparker of ambition for more speed. ¶

Open wide the throttle of faith in yourself, in your work, and in your calling, to secure more power. Use the polish of courtesy. ¶

Use tires of stick-to-it-iveness, on non-discouragement rims. Use the Golden Rule steering wheel ¶

Put on search lights of character, and with the foregoing equipment, the Sunday School automobile will take every hill of disappointment and discouragement on high gear. ¶

I believe, brethren and sisters, if these things were put into the life of every man and woman who accepts responsibility in this Church, if we would sense that responsibility, if we would first take an inventory of our own lives and gather out the weak points and improve upon them, that we would be successful as individuals. It is said the chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and it is so with men and women who accept positions in this Church. I have delighted in working in the organizations of the Church. I consider it an honor to be permitted to work in the organizations for the growth, development, and benefit of the human family. My desire is that we may all sense this responsibility. ¶

My testimony is that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith is a prophet of the living God, that he gave his life as a testimony that his doctrine and teachings are of God. I recall his words when he left Nauvoo to go to Carthage jail. When he looked upon Nauvoo he said, "I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men. I shall die innocent. It shall yet be said of me, 'He was murdered in cold blood'." ¶

My grandfather heard a message delivered to the governor, saying, "They intend to kill the prophet," and he said, "If you know anything about it, keep still." My grandfather said it always seemed peculiar to him that a man who held a responsible position, and who was, no doubt, in a position to prevent certain conditions, should say, "If you know anything about it, keep still." My testimony to you is that the present leaders of this Church are men inspired of God and doing their utmost for the advancement of those who are members of this Church. ¶

I pray that the Lord will bless us with his Spirit, protect us from harm, and extend to us and create within our minds a: greater desire to love and honor the authorities and to honor our call, and I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen. ¶

A duet, "Come unto me," was sung by Earl Martin and Ronald ¶

Salt. ¶