Northwestern States Mission Report

I am indeed happy for the privilege I have in standing before you this afternoon and reporting briefly the Northwestern States Mission. We have been highly blessed in having President Grant speak to us in five of the largest cities of the northwest to record crowds. His inspiring sermons were received with gratitude and thanksgiving. It is beyond my power to express the gratitude we feel in having President Grant with us in these various parts of the country. We have also been honored and blessed with a recent visit of Apostle Stephen L. Richards who toured a part of the mission with us. He left valuable instructions and inspired the many people who gathered together to hear him. His advice to our missionaries was inspirational and very helpful to them. We were also highly favored with the presence of Apostle George Albert Smith and others of the general authorities of the Church. Naturally we feel very grateful for these leaders of the Church. ¶

We have at the present time laboring in our mission, seventy-eight very fine missionaries. These young men and women are striving with ¶

all their might to deliver the message that has been vouchsafed to them into the homes of many people, upon the streets, in halls, and in our various meeting places. ¶

We have had some sickness among our missionaries, but I am very thankful to say that at the present time, they are all well. We appreciate beyond measure the help they are receiving from their homes. The faith and the prayers that are being exercised in their behalf are a sustaining power in the great responsibilities that have been placed upon them. These young men and women need the encouraging support of all. ¶

I think one of the delightful things of missionary life is to see the development and growth that takes place in the hearts and in the minds of these young men and women. They of necessity learn the value of prayer. They appreciate that in their communion with God comes a strengthening of their faith. They have a deeper understanding of the Gospel, a finer respect for the authorities of the Church, indeed they develop an assurance that the work in which they are engaged is of God. ¶

I believe in prayer. It brings you and me in closer touch with God, our Eternal Father. To my mind, there is no thought equal to a thought of God. It becomes the most precious and holiest thought we can hold. Prayer is the agency through which we obtain a firmer testimony concerning the divinity of this great and marvelous work that has been brought to us through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Prayer is the mellowing power that gives us a love for our fellow man. ¶

I shall never forget as long as I live the prescription that I received from President E. J. Wood, who was my mission president on the Samoan Islands. He said, "What you really need is three ounces of evening and morning prayer, three ounces of determination, three ounces of diligence ; place them in a bottle of adaptability, shake with the hand of strength, administer with the power of faith, and I believe you will get along all right" — a good prescription for anyone. It needs daily application to understand its power and effectiveness. ¶

I believe that prayer causes us or enables us to overcome our weaknesses. Just recently I picked up a Millennial Star and I read a fine article written by Elder Stephen L. Richards, a part of which I quote : "Youth should know that obedience is not bondage, but liberty — liberty under law; that the only real freedom is the freedom from our weaknesses, from the vices, the remorse of conscience, and the infraction of law. When youth understands that the bending of the will in obedience tends to liberty and joy, then lawlessness, disrespect, and irreverence will wane. I wish that youth could realize that the only death to be feared is the death that is the wages of sin, and that the Gospel program of living is insurance against that dreadful calamity ; that the commandments of God, both the "shalts" and the "shalt nots," and the warnings, reproofs, and admonitions of God's servants are all kindly calculated to hedge around the precious age of youth with safeguards which shall protect its course until the age of wisdom and judgment shall be reached." These truths that are so beautifully expressed seem to me to carry a deep and abiding truth. When anyone succumbs to evil thoughts or ¶

evil doings, he loses a certain amount of power and light ; and because of this, he brings himself under bondage to sin. After all, freedom comes to one in overcoming evil tendencies. Prayer will enable us to overcome these weaknesses, and at the same time provide for us a faith that will assure us that God lives and that through the light and power of his Holy Spirit will lead us along the paths of righteousness. I believe that we should not only have a believing faith, but we should have a knowing faith. By a knowing faith, I mean the assurance that God lives and he does answer prayers. I think that one of the most satisfying things is that assurance that comes through the administration on the part of the Elders when they lay their hands upon the sick, that they will recover from their afflictions. This gift of faith is developed through the agency of prayer especially when that prayer is answered upon the heads of those who may be stricken with sickness and disease. ¶

The assurance that we have when we read these sublime words in the Doctrine and Covenants fills one with joy and happiness: "That which is of God is light ; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light ; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." This is a perfect scripture — so full of faith and assurance. Again I quote: "Faith comes by hearing the word of God through the testimony of the servants of God, and that testimony is always attended by the spirit of prophecy and revelation." May I say to you, my brothers and sisters, that if there is any joy in the world it is that joy which accompanies one in lifting his voice in the defense of this great and mighty work which has been revealed to us in this day and time. When we are in possession of the light of truth, we are in possession of testimony ; and when we are in the light of testimony, we develop a love for our fellow man, and without a love for our fellow man it would indeed be hard to impress him with the Gospel of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. It is through a love for our fellow man that we are able to place an interpretation upon the saving graces of the Gospel. ¶

In closing, I desire to leave with you my testimony that I know that God lives, that he answers prayer, that he is a re warder of them who diligently seek him, that the light of truth comes to us through humble and sincere prayer. I bear testimony that I know that Joseph Smith was indeed a Prophet of Almighty God, raised up in this day and time to restore the everlasting Gospel of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. I sincerely pray that God will bless this testimony to our good and to his service, in his name, Amen. ¶