Sacrifice and Faithfulness

It is a great responsibility, my brethren and sisters, to stand before a congregation like this, and I feel the need of your faith, your sympathy and your prayers, for of myself I am not able to enlighten your minds; but if the Lord will favor us, and will favor me with the power of his Spirit, then by that power the mind is enlightened. ¶

I bear witness to the truth of that which has been delivered by President Ivins. We believe literally and truly in the resurrection from the dead. It is taught in our books of scripture—the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, as well as the Bible. So we have good ground for our belief with respect to that. ¶

On Strange Times

The world has fallen on strange times. The times are out of joint. Troubles have been ere now, and many of them, in the history of the world. But history gives us no example of anything like the world-wide troublesome conditions that prevail at this very day. There is perplexity of nations. And it is in fulfilment of the word of the Lord. The Elders of this Church for a hundred years have been preaching this Gospel, from the Bible, from the Book of Mormon, from the revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and proclaiming that the time of the end is nigh at hand, that the Savior of the world, our Redeemer, would come again, and that the time of his coming was nigh. ¶

As a Young Missionary

I myself, sixty-two years ago this summer, went from this city as a young missionary, twenty years of age, to proclaim this very doctrine, bearing witness that the Book of Mormon was true, and that Joseph Smith was in very deed a prophet, raised up to warn the world in this last dispensation—the dispensation of the fulness of times. Of course many times we were not listened to, even with tolerance. We were ridiculed, decried; contumely heaped upon us. Nevertheless, the Elders persevered, knowing of a certainty that what they went forth to preach was true, was revealed from heaven. They were converted by the same spirit that Peter said converted the Apostles. The Savior asked the Apostles: ¶

"Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? ¶

"And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some Elias; and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. ¶

"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? ¶

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. ¶

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. ¶

"And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." ¶

What rock? The rock of revelation. And by the spirit and power of revelation, the spirit and power of the Holy Ghost, the Lord has made us to know and understand in this day that this is indeed and of a truth the work of the Lord. ¶

Trouble and Distress

This nation of ours, which is the best in the world, the freest, the most choice land upon all the earth, so we are told in the Book of Mormon—"a land choice above all other lands"—is going through a series of troubles. All is not well with us by a long way. I don't think we are as badly off in these mountain valleys as they are in many other parts of the United States. I think there is a little more of a feeling of safety right here than I can find anywhere else in the country. At least I feel it so, and I believe many others do. ¶

In Effect an Increase

Certainly a very large proportion of our community have been kept steadily at work and their wages have not been reduced. Among these could be mentioned all of the federal employes in the state, including all postoffice employes and mail carriers. And there has been a considerable proportion of our people employed by the state, by the different counties, and by the different municipalities. Also a very large number of school teachers throughout the state, and employes in hundreds of different companies, large and small, have remained unchanged. And the same with all Church employes in offices, schools and temples. ¶

All these taken together would probably amount to one hundred thousand men and women drawing the same salaries that they were paid in 1928-1929. Now the government's bulletin states that prices are thirty-two per cent lower than they were in 1928. That means then that these people, instead of having their wages reduced, have had in effect an increase of wages of thirty per cent or better. So taken all together Utah is not in such a bad fix, after all. ¶

But the country as a whole is going through a period of trouble and distress. ¶

"After Your Testimony"

As I have told you, we young Elders preached that this was the dispensation of the fulness of times—the last dispensation; that there would be no other following this dispensation of the Gospel. The Lord has given notice that these are the last times, and the people must be warned. "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature," and so forth. We have been trying to do that faithfully. ¶

Among other things, in warning the people, we have quoted—many of our Elders have done—from the eighty-eighth section of the Doctrine and Covenants, beginning with the eighty-eighth verse: ¶

"And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people. ¶

"For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand. ¶

"And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. ¶

"And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people." ¶

These are among the warnings that were given and have been given with the preaching of the Gospel. I myself have felt: "O, well, it is true; I know it will come to pass; but it will not come in my time; I am not likely to be troubled with it." Well, the last few weeks, the last few months, the last year, the world has witnessed what it has never witnessed before in its history. So many of these calamities that this revelation calls our attention to have come upon the children of men, and fear begins to enter into the hearts of the people. ¶

I do not think it is a good thing to frighten people. I don't preach this doctrine in this way. I only call attention to these truths, for they are true—these prophecies are true. More and more will these things occur in our history, as time goes on. For the Lord's work will be accomplished, and he will accomplish it in his own way. ¶

A Famine in the Land

Meanwhile it is our work to build up the Church and kingdom of God, to preach the Gospel. I said last evening in the priesthood meeting: "What a dearth there is for missionaries to preach this Gospel!" Do you know there is a famine in the land, you elders of Israel, bishops, presidents? Positively there is a famine in the land, "not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord." You presidents of missions and others testify of it. People are hungering for the word of God. A perfect famine exists, and this Church is the agency by which that can be supplied, and the only agency in all the world that can supply it. We are somewhat derelict in our duty in respect to this matter. There is no use mincing words, brethren and sisters. You sisters can do much to encourage the brethren, and you do. I think you are better than the men are, more faithful. The splendid work that these sisters do in the Relief Society, Sister Robison and her helpers, Sister Fox and her helpers, Sister Anderson and hers—the great work they are doing in helping along these matters is worthy of all praise. And sisters, you can say to your husbands, your brothers, your sons: "We can spare a missionary. We can sacrifice that much for the Church." ¶

Sacrifice and Saving

I have begun to think lately that there is not a sufficient spirit of sacrifice among us. There are two things that we have lost lately—sacrifice and saving. We don't know how to save a dollar now, to put away a dollar for a rainy day. Not one family in a dozen thinks of it. They will tell you: "Oh, we don't have enough to live on as it is." The wife or the daughter will say: "Why we haven't any money to spare. I haven't had a new dress for so and so, and so and so." ¶

Senator Smoot told us the other day that of all the nations of the earth the one that suffered the most in blood and treasure in the late war—France—is the most prosperous nation in all the world today. And why are they prosperous? I will tell you in two words: they work and save. We won't be prosperous, and no other people will be prosperous, only upon those conditions. We have lost the idea of saving. I know many families, in fact most that I do know—their children see more picture shows in a month than I ever saw—well of course we did not have picture shows in my day. They have money to spend to fill these picture shows. I do when I am dragged into one by some of my children and I try to laugh and enjoy it, and sometimes do get a laugh out of it. But, oh, there is so much trash in it all. And yet these places are full every day. They are full today you will find if any of you should go there. I hope you won't go and spend your money so foolishly. But we fill these picture houses. If you were to say to the mother of those children that must see everything that comes to town: "Why not practice a little self-denial and have these children do without a picture show. Save that money and put their names on the tithing record," she would very likely reply, "Oh heavens, would you want to stop the children from going to a picture show, a little thing like that?" So I repeat, we have lost the forcefulness of these two words—sacrifice and saving. ¶

Worth Everything

I believe with all my heart that this Gospel of ours, this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this priesthood of the Son of God that has been conferred upon us is worth everything. I ought to be ready to sacrifice everything for it. I covenant in my prayers time and time again to "dedicate all unto thee." Yet the words are meaningless, if I am not ready to say: "I will go on a mission; glad to go; glad to sacrifice for the work." The children wouldn't be able to see so many picture shows, but they will be just as good children, let me tell you, just as able, and I believe more so, because a lot of what we call education is not very good education. I would rather have faith implanted into the hearts of children, faith in this work, a true testimony of the Gospel, than mere intellectuality. Do not misunderstand me. I am in favor of education. I believe in it. If there is any people in the world who have proved they are in favor of education the Latter-day Saints have proved it by the millions of dollars that we have poured out for education. I wish we had educated men with degrees everywhere—if only they would retain their faith as they get their degrees. For this faith is worth more than degrees. That is the point I would like to send home. ¶

"Give Us Faith"

Oh God, increase our faith, and give us faith enough, power enough that we may be able to sacrifice, and in order to make the sacrifice that we will save dollar by dollar first and then be ready and willing to say: "Here it is. I am going to spend it for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God." ¶

There is a famine in the land, again I say, not for bread, but for the word of God, and the responsibility, my brother, my sister, rests on you and me and all of us to supply this want, this extreme need. ¶

That the Lord will give us faith and persistence and courage; that he will stay the powers of evil from us; that we may be kept as in the hollow of his hand; that all things may be overruled for the good of them who serve him and keep his commandments, is my most humble and earnest prayer. ¶

God bless you, my brethren and sisters. You are the best there are, after all is said and done. You are the salt of the earth, because you and your fathers and mothers have sacrificed. They knew what the word meant and they followed it, and they lived through it. My parents did, far more than I have had to do, but they did it, and that is why I am here, because of their help and their example. ¶

Now, derelict as we may be in some things, we are the chosen of the Lord. You bishops and counselors, you presidents of stakes, presidents of missions, great responsibilities rest upon you. You are called of God, brethren, and sisters likewise, called in the same way, by the same power. Let us honor that call. Let us be faithful. Let us resolve anew, here and now, that we will, God helping us, keep his commandments. And we will sacrifice, and we will save our means, and be prudent and frugal and wise in all things. ¶

I humbly pray that his blessings may be with us to this end, through Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶