Desire to Fulfill One's Mission

ELDER JONATHAN G. KIMBALL ¶

Of the First Council of Seventy ¶

I am very grateful to the Lord that I am permitted to be present on this occasion. I feel that I am among my friends, and have always tried to feel that way. I have only one great big desire and that is to live until I have fulfilled and completed my mission here upon the earth. The revelations tell us that if we desire to serve the Lord we are called to the work. I have a burning desire in my heart to follow in the footsteps of my father, and to he loyal and true and faithful, and to be found among the number that sustain God's work and uphold the hands of his holy priesthood. ¶

I realize, in part only the great responsibility that is resting on the Presidency of this Church and the Council of the Twelve and all those who take part in this great work. I believe Joseph Smith is one of the greatest prophets that has ever lived. I believe in his prophecies and revelations. While I may be among the number that would like to rush things on a little, to see how they are coming out, in Jackson County and all that, I am sure that all will be literally fulfilled in the due time of the Lord. ¶

Whenever the Lord wants to speak to his people he knows whom to talk to. I have known President Grant during my labors in the First Council. I have slept with him and talked with him, but I haven't slept with him since he has been President of the Church. I know of no better man. I am not one of those who cater to men. I sustain them and uphold them, but I have learned that they are human. I sustain and uphold, with all my heart and soul, President Heber J. Grant as the prophet of God. It was only two months ago that a young lawyer — I suppose he considers himself one of the brilliant young lawyers — undertook to criticize severely the President of the Church. I was somewhat disturbed. I said, "I am going to take out my watch and give you five minutes to name a better man." I haven't heard from him yet. I want to say to you, in full faith and confidence, no man has ever earned his place as the prophet of God, through loyalty, faithfulness, devotion and sacrifice, more than President Heber J. Grant. ¶

I realize that this is a serious work. I have had more joy and more happiness — real joy and happiness — when in the service of the Lord, when standing before the people and testifying of the truth of this work, than at any other time. True it is I may have said things that would have been better unsaid. Unfortunately, I have tried to say some things that haven't been understood, but I know that this work is true, as well as I know anything. If there is anything I know, as far as my testimony goes, it is that this is the work of God; that God is our Father; that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world. Joseph Smith is and always will be a prophet of the living God, and his prophecies and revelations will come true. I know it is needful to have a little joy, a little peace and happiness in this world of ours, which is full of sorrow, death and misfortune. I get a good deal of joy sometimes from very simple things. I couldn't help but think this morning of one man talking over the radio, getting a hundred fifty thousand dollars a year. No one ever gave me a nickel for any joy that I ever gave him. I think we need a little cheer, a little helpfulness, and a little encouragement. I have a matter that I would like to read to you. It will take me only a few minutes. ¶

"It is a very old, old story; but it never needed retelling so much as in this present hour: His name was Joseph, and he was carried away from home, and found himself in Egypt, a strange new land. Because he was good looking and intelligent and a hard worker he rose rapidly until he became prime minister. Except the king, there was no other man in Egypt more influential or more celebrated." ¶

His relatives learned with interest of his rise. They followed into Egypt, and with his help they too prospered and were likewise influential. It looked as though they were permanently provided for, as though nothing could happen to dislodge them. But in a single generation — yes, in a little fraction of a generation — the unbelievable occurred. The people who were so contented, so free from all concern, were hurled from their high position into the bitterness of slavery. The thing that had happened to them is recorded in a single sentence, "Joseph died." That has not been the case with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph the prophet died, but the Church has continued to progress and advance and will until it completes its mission. A new generation has arisen. "A prophet in the wilderness was still crying, but there was no one to heed — there was scarcely anyone to listen — material force was in evidence in its might." It seemed so foolish to rely on so slender a thing as divine support. It ought to be self-evident to a pagan that arrogance and earthly power can vanish over night, for all that is not built upon God shall -fall._ To trust to material standards of strength brings calamity — material" force, as apart from God and opposed to him, cannot succeed. ¶

A new generation has arisen. The people seem so content, so free from all concern; but like the Jews in the days of Joseph, they can be hurled from their high position into the bitterness of slavery. ¶

We older men think our story should be told of our pioneer fathers ¶

and mothers, and the faith of our ancestors; and we write a book, preach a sermon or two and think our task is ended. This new generation that have arisen have discovered over night that a new world has been born and that the United States of America is about tp assume the responsibility of saving the world and they are content and satisfied. ¶

At no time in the history of this great nation has there been greater danger than for this new generation. The danger comes from ease, idleness and luxury, as there never was a time when the people were spending their means as prodigally as now and ever reaching out after material things. ¶

The prodigal dollar seems to be swallowing all that is great and noble in the nation. ¶

To my mind the Mormon people are becoming content and self-satisfied — they show evidence of falling down in their spiritual efforts. It seems to me, a great deal of that which has been gained by faith, adversity, sacrifice and years of hard work is being let loose of. Our fathers and mothers died for the faith and we are living on the faith of our pioneer ancestors. But behold, another generation has arisen, and in the very instant of our self-content the silence is broken by our being hurled from our mighty purpose. Joseph Smith, the mighty prophet, was chosen of God to send forth the message of salvation to the children of men. He was martyred, but that was not the end. ¶

Brigham Young rightfully succeeded him; and his followers with him fled to the Rocky Mountains. Brigham Young led the way for the first trekkers of adventuresome spirits in the year 1847 who were the original builders in what Daniel Webster christened the "Great American Desert." On entering the Salt Lake Valley divine intelligence at once manifested itself in all his deliberations. "This is the place." There beats in the heart of this great man, a leader, a prophet of God, a great load of care — the destiny of his people. ¶

One has to believe to understand the destiny, object and purpose of this people. The leaders understood and believed. They knew — God revealed it to them. President Brigham Young and his followers said, "We will make this barren waste bloom and furnish clean unsullied wealth for thousands of poor people from all over the world, who have been crushed under the Juggernaut of our Christian civilization — we are going to plant them under the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, we will create an Eden out of the desert; we will lay out townsites and cities and build churches and schoolhouses and raise wheat and vegetables. God's children shall be converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be given land. They shall have a chance for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They shall know their toil will bring them some returns so that they can have a home and a hope for the future. ¶

It was a big thought, a great idea, manifested by divine intelligence. He was a prophet. He had a vision of the future. The great leaders did not want the land and water for themselves; they wanted men to be God's agents — stewards for God — and hold the land in trust as a ¶

sacred inheritance. This land was to belong to the lowly of the earth and to be saved for the hewers of stone and the drawers of water. These valleys in the mountains were to be made to bloom and blossom for the poor whose hope is the land that gave them birth and life and would receive them in its bosom when they died and made a safe return to the Father of all. ¶

Just take the time to think of the thousands of acres of lonely thirsty land waiting for centuries, to be reclaimed from the ruins of ages. They saw in vision green fields and farms just as Joseph Smith prophesied it would be. "It is the place" where you'll find all the things your souls are hungering for; where the people will own big farms, with green fields of wheat and alfalfa with purple blossoms and long rows of fruit trees and vegetables. All will be most beautiful in a desert. It was a vision, a dream come true. Nobody was there to despoil their dream. ¶

A new generation has arisen. Think of your pioneer fathers and mothers who built better than they knew. Think of the men, women and children toiling in sweat shops, with little food, families without money, without hope and without fuel, facing cold winters in these great cities, who have been gathered to a barren empire which our ancestors have transformed into an Eden. A land of liberty — a home for the oppressed of God's children, where they can have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and worship God according to the dictates of their conscience. The stranger has found his way amongst us and many of us have sold our inheritance for a mess of pottage and are seeking elsewhere, hoping for more ease, more idleness, more luxury. In this once lonely sage-covered, wind-swept valley there should be erected a granite monument and written thereon this epitaph: ¶

"Who seeks for heaven alone to save his soul, may keep the path, but will not reach the goal; while he who walks in love may wander far, yet God will bring him where the blessed are." (Henry Van Dyke.) ¶

On an occasion in San Francisco, on March 16, 1924, young Elder Larkin handed this to me. On that occasion J. G. Kimball prophesied that "before many of you go to the other side, you will all have burning desires in your hearts to return to the places where the leaders of the Church have counseled the saints to settle and you will give anything for a home there." ¶

God bless you. Amen. ¶