I Have Waited in Fear and Trembling for Five Years

My brethren and sisters: I have waited in fear and trembling for five years for this occasion, and I hope that I can attend as many more conferences of the Church without being thus embarrassed. But I do appreciate the confidence of my presiding brethren. I appreciate the privilege of coming here and partaking of the spirit of this conference, and of mingling my testimony of the truth of this work with those who have spoken before me. ¶

The message that I would like to leave with you this afternoon is this: If, as brethren and sisters in the wards and stakes, you will avail yourselves of the opportunities that come to you to entertain the general authorities of the Church, and take them into your homes, I am sure you will never regret it. But on the contrary it will be the greatest influence in the lives of your children that can come to them. I speak as one who was reared in a home where the general authorities of the Church visited for thirty-five years. I believe that their association, their example and their teachings in my father's home have done as much as any other influence to inculcate a love of the gospel in the hearts of his children, and I would like at this time to thank the general authorities for their wonderful influence in my life and the lives of my children and those whom I love. ¶

As has been stated in this conference by some of the previous speakers, the strength of the Church lies in the individual testimony of its members. We are not depending upon the testimony of the general authorities or upon the testimony of others, but each of us can, if he will but live for it and study, gain for himself that testimony that will give him a knowledge that this is the work of God in which we are engaged. It seems to me that we have some of the most beautiful principles in the gospel, and that the world should see them, and some of them have seen, as was quoted from Emerson, who said: ¶

"The vice of our theology is seen in the claim that the Bible is a closed book, and that the age of inspiration is past." ¶

This great thinker recognized what was the vice in their theology. Thank God we have, in our Church, inspiration, that we have books that have come to us, such as the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, which make clear the principles taught in the Bible, and to us the Bible is not a closed book, because we have with us the living oracles of God. ¶

It is my testimony, my brethren and sisters, that the work we are engaged in is true. May God help us to do our duty. I desire in closing to read a verse from the Doctrine and Covenants: ¶

"Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence; ¶

"He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen." ¶