My Brethren and Sisters: While I Feel My Weakness

My brethren and sisters: While I feel my weakness and inability in addressing you this afternoon, I desire to assure you that I appreciate my standing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ¶

As I look over this congregation I feel that indeed it should be a great strength to the Church in going from this conference, in carrying with one the spirit that has been manifest during these meetings. I have enjoyed to the fullest extent everything said during this conference, the wonderful spirit that has been manifest by the brethren who have occupied this position. I greatly enjoyed the excellent remarks yesterday by the brethren who have been called and chosen to go out into the various parts of the world to lead the work of the Lord in proclaiming his word to the nations of the earth. My heart is filled with gratitude unto the Lord that I have had the privilege of going into the world and bearing testimony that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith is indeed a prophet of the true and living God. I am grateful also that my son has just returned from a mission after having spent two years of his time in the Eastern states in raising his voice in defense of the truth. I also feel grateful that I now have a daughter who is in the Northwestern states mission laboring for the advancement of truth in that part of the Lord's vineyard. I am grateful beyond words that I have been called and chosen to labor in the ministry of the Lord in one of the stakes of Zion. I desire from the bottom of my heart to fill and magnify my calling in a way that will be acceptable unto our Father in heaven, and also those who preside in this Church. ¶

I feel that we are indeed a blessed people. I love my adopted state, the state of Wyoming. I was born in the state of Utah and moved to Wyoming. I want to tell you we have a splendid people there. For a number of years in our schools, and in our different gatherings, our children would sing of Utah, "Utah, the queen of the West," but today after years in that state our children have learned to sing "Wyoming, we love thee." And we do love Wyoming. We have a splendid people, and I find in my travels throughout that state that we are becoming established in every part of it. Branches are being organized in all parts of Wyoming. Therefore, no matter where we go, whether it be Canada, on the north, or Mexico, on the south, or whether it be in these stakes and wards of Zion, we find the same testimony borne, we find the same spirit manifest in all parts of the United States. I am grateful for this, and it is a testimony unto me that we have the truth, that we hear the same teachings, no matter where we go. As we meet upon these grounds, and as we meet our brethren and sisters in this conference, whether or not we have met them before, as we take their hands we feel that same good spirit coming from them, which to me is also a testimony that we are engaged in the work of the Lord. ¶

May God grant unto us who preside in the stakes of Zion and those who preside in the wards, that we may enjoy the splendid spirit that has been given unto us, that has been manifest always, that we may carry that same spirit back to our stakes of Zion, and, as has been said here, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Then I know that the Lord will be with us and make us equal to the great duties and responsibilities that rest upon us. God grant these blessings unto us, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶