The North Central States Mission

My Brethren and Sisters : I bring you the greetings of the missionaries and saints of the North Central States Mission, all of whom ¶

are well and enjoying their work. That the drouth, unemployment and the low price of wheat have produced a lean year in the semi-arid states of Montana, the Dakotas, and the wheat producing Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, you need not be told. Minnesota has fared better. But our people are not complaining. They are holding their own. So far we have not fallen off in tithing paid nor in number of converts baptized. We hope our people will continue their good work until times shall mend, and everything be all right again. ¶

We are glad to testify of the changed conditions of friendliness toward our people already spoken of in this Conference. An illustration of this friendly interest, arising largely, no doubt, from attention given tourists on this block, from radio sermons of leading brethren, and from the broadcast of Tabernacle Organ and Choir recitals, may interest you. Within the recent past two of our capable and charming lady missionaries have been entertained at the home of the Governor of one of our States, where they were graciously and cordially received by "the Governor's wife, for whom they sang some of the songs of Zion, and at whose invitation they joined in prayer before leaving her home. This good woman was full of praise for leading brethren and sisters with whom she and her husband's party had been associated here. The more people know about you, the better they receive your missionaries abroad. To be a Mormon missionary from Utah is no longer a reproach, but a distinction. ¶

It must not be inferred, however, that this friendliness implies a very general acceptance of the Gospel as we teach it. Not so. Men applaud the perfection of our Church organization, the fact that "it works," and that it puts tens of thousands of its people to work. The financial system of the Church, tithing and fast offerings, are the admiration of some and the envy of others. Our missionary system, and the Word of Wisdom, etc., receive commendation of intelligent people everywhere. But there they stop. That God the Eternal Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, are real personages, capable of appearing to men as we affirm they did to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove in western New York in 1820, few men of the world believe. If Latterday Saints were willing to abandon Joseph Smith and his claims to seership, throw overboard the first great vision with all that it implies as to the actuality, and the' reality of the personality of God, the rest of Mormonism could • be popularized over night. Stand by these declarations of divine origin for our religion, and the doctrine of Deity inherent therein, and you stand alone, your only consolation, if such it be, that you stand alone with God. ¶

Your missionaries in the field believe in and love to testify of "God the Eternal Father, and of his Son, Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost;" and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the true and living God. They also believe in good men everywhere, and are grateful for their growing friendship. Of you, here at home, they like to think as "The salt of the earth." "By their fruits shall ye know them" is a text they love. To you they look to vindicate what they proudly boast as "The fruits of Mormonism." ¶

"Oh ye that embark in the service of God," your missionary would say to you if he could, "See that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day." ¶

God bless the youth of Israel and the missionaries of his Church everywhere in the world, we humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶