A Marvelous Work and a Wonder

I sincerely desire that the few moments I occupy I may be inspired by that same spirit which has characterized this conference thus far. ¶

One of the ancient prophets, as he saw in prophetic vision the introduction of this great work, said that it was to be a marvelous work and a wonder. It is not only to be a marvelous work and a wonder in one way, but in every way. ¶

Another prophet, in speaking of the ministry of this great work, said that in the latter days the Lord would gather his Israel, one of a city and two of a family and bring them to Zion, where he would give them pastors after his own heart, who would teach them with knowledge and with understanding. ¶

When the Redeemer was in the world he chose twelve pastors. What was the status of these pastors? Certainly they were men after God's own heart. The Lord passed by men like Gamaliel who educated one of those pastors, and at whose feet one of those pastors listened and was taught ; passed by Herod and all of the mighty men, so far as worldly wisdom was concerned, and went out into Galilee and chose ordinary fishermen. He took those twelve men away to the mount, and said to them: "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, and I give you power." That power which he gave those men afterwards concerned the whole world. Even the Roman Empire was shaken to its foundations, for they defied it when they had Peter and John before them as prisoners, and charged them that they should not preach Jesus Christ any more in Jerusalem. The simple answer of Peter and John was : "Shall we obey man or God ?'" and the Roman Empire said: "If ye do not obey man, we will incarcerate you with chains and ball." And they put them into prison, but that power which God had given them released them from that prison and they went back and said, We are preaching things that we know ; we are not preaching that which we have believed or which we think is correct. We are preaching that thing which we do know. They knew not only that Jesus was the Christ, but they knew that his doctrines were of God, by the same power that they knew he was the Christ. They knew that his doctrines contained the elements of salvation. ¶

Now what kind of pastors has the Lord raised up in this day and generation ? What of these forty thousand men who have been sent forth to preach this gospel from the beginning of this Church, in 1830? Where were they educated ? Where were they trained ? Whence came their knowledge? They were men after God's own heart, and one of the things that characterized these ministers was that they went out and declared the things which they knew. Not from book-learning ; not from scholastic education, but by the same power that Peter knew, and they knew by the same power that Peter knew, and they declared as Paul did when he said, "Brethren, I come not to you with the wisdom of men, nor the learning of the world, but with the revelations of Jesus Christ." And these young men and women have faith. They have been largely young men and women who have gone out into the world — men and women after God's own heart. And they have borne witness, and that witness has been effective because it has been inspired. ¶

Not long ago in our mission one of our young lady missionaries, only twenty years of age, was invited to dine with a sectarian preacher. As soon as the luncheon was over he proceeded to ridicule her and her religion. She was young in the field, and not able to cope with him and his learning, and after he had spoken at some length in ridicule of the message that she had been sent forth to proclaim, she simply gathered her wraps and hat, and stood at his door, and in the majesty of her young womanhood, and in the power of her calling, she bore testimony that she knew that Jesus Christ was the Redeemer of the world, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God. The wife pushed her husband aside and went over and put her arms around the girl and hugged her and said, "That is the kind of testimony ; that is the spirit that will win the world." ¶

God has chosen pastors after his own heart, and he has planted in the hearts of those pastors an individual testimony that God lives. Is it not true all over the missions? Ask these mission presidents, if the young men and women who come to them, many times without this testimony, do not in a few months time stand up and say, "I know the Church is true." That is the thing the world needs today— men and women who know whereof they speak, and who are able to back up what they say by the prophecies and teachings of the prophets of God. ¶

One elder said not long ago: "We want to preach the things the Lord has revealed, and then go to these scriptures and prove that that is the thing he revealed in ages past." ¶

This is the work of God. He is gathering Israel from the nations of the earth, one of a city and two of a family, and he is bringing them to Zion. He is doing it by the very power which he introduced into this great work and planted in the hearts of the young men and women of Zion, who, I testify, will never fail to proclaim this truth to the world. I have been associated with these young men and women to the delight of my soul, knowing that there are no better men and women in all the world than these whom God has sent out to preach the gospel. ¶

I bring to you, my brethren and sisters, from the Northcentral States mission, the love, the faith, and a testimony of the integrity and the virtue of the young men and women who comprise that mission. God bless the Latter-day Saints. Send us more help. Men and women who do not know will know, if they come into the field and will live a godly life and follow the instructions of the brethren. They will know the truth and will be able to stand up with their brethren, shoulder to shoulder, and testify that they know this work is true. ¶

May God be mindful of his people ever, and bless them so that the testimony which they now have may increase and grow. May we be witnesses to the world, for this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in it, not to convert the world, but as a witness, and then shall the end come. May we make this witness ring from one end of the earth to the other, and fulfil the responsibility which God has placed upon us, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶