My Brethren and Sisters: It Is a Privilege

My brethren and sisters: It is a privilege to be present on this occasion and make a report of the work in the Western states mission. Conditions in all of the missions of the United States are quite similar, and all that has been said by the mission presidents who have spoken is equally true of the missionaries laboring in our mission. No finer group of young men and young woman can be found anywhere in the world. They are men and women of integrity and faith ; loyal and true to the covenants that they have made with God, undaunted and unafraid they carry the gospel message to the people, manifesting in their lives the faith which has come to them through their obedience to the gospel and the call made of them to proclaim the message of salvation to the people of the world. The burden of their message is that God has spoken again to the world through a modern prophet. They have testified that God lives, that Jesus Christ is in reality the Son of the living God, the Redeemer of the world. They have borne witness to the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the re-establishment of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the nineteenth century. We affirm that Joseph Smith came in the hour of the world's greatest need and was the instrument in the hands of God of restoring to the world the authority of the holy Priesthood which gave to men the right to act in the name of God and reveals every principle and ordinance necessary to the complete salvation of the human soul. ¶

We have laid down the gauntlet and declared that God is no respecter of persons, that all men who repent of their sins and yield obedience to the ordinance of baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost shall know of the doctrine whether it is of God or man. Hundreds have accepted the challenge and bear witness that they know the gospel, as we teach it, is true and the very power of God unto salvation, that doubt has been removed from their souls and a peace and joy they have never known before have come into their lives I am happy to report that all of the missionaries without exception are rendering meritorious service. ¶

The attitude of the people in the Western states mission towards our work is very much changed since first I went into that district to labor as a missionary — we are received in many places with open arms where a few years ago we could not get a hearing. Elders have been accorded the privileges of preaching in many churches and invitations have been extended to present our message before some of the theological schools of our district. The press has been very friendly and accorded us much space in advertising our work. Many of the missionaries have traveled in the country districts without purse or scrip and have reported some wonderful and unusual experiences. I would relate just one circumstance: two of the elders laboring in the Denver district reported that while traveling without purse or scrip about one hundred miles east of the city, they sought entertainment for the night at quite a late hour. They were invited into a home. The man and his wife were the only members of the family and they had but one bed. These good people insisted that the elders should sleep in the bed while they slept upon the floor. The man who had thus entertained them was a protestant minister. He showed a real Christian spirit. Such entertainment is not usually accorded our missionaries. I am very grateful for the measure of success that is attending our efforts. The missionaries are imbued with the spirit of their work. They love it, and their greatest desire is that the people of the world might be impressed by their message. ¶

It is true that some of our missionaries are illy prepared when they come into the missions, but it requires only a short time until they are able to present the gospel message to all with whom they come in contact. ¶

I was impressed with the counsel given by the President this morning advising the Saints to search the scriptures, to read the Bible, The Book of Mormon, and become familiar with the revelations given to the Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith. If this is done in the homes, our missionaries will be better prepared to give a reason for the hope that is within them when they arrive in the mission. ¶

We are making some progress in providing comfortable places for our members in which to worship. At the present time we are building two meetinghouses and one recreation hall. We have also purchased one chapel this year. ¶

I feel that I need not say more. I am happy to be engaged in this work. I know that it is of God. I bear testimony to its truth, and the influence that it is having upon the lives of men and women in the world is for good. God grant unto us the spirit of this work, that we may go forward in the performance of every duty that he requires at our hands, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶