A Testimony of the Truth

For the unbeliever and the skeptic I imagine I have a panacea. I think were he permitted to sit where I have been sitting for these few days looking into your countenances, he would in very deed believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not think it is possible that the light, the intelligence, and that spirit which emanates from an audience such as this can carry other than conviction even to the heart of one who is a firm unbeliever. ¶

God has given to this people so many blessed things that your faces just speak them out loud. It has been said that our life here is but a shadow of the life from whence we came, and that in the future death will be but a shadow of the life which we personally know and comprehend while we are living. ¶

The Book of Mormon Praised

God in his mercy and goodness has granted to us all this knowledge and all this understanding. I rejoice beyond my ability to express myself at the things which have just been spoken by Brother Ivins. I believe there is no other book that can be profitably studied by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints particularly, and by the world in general, that would do as much good and bring the same conviction to the hearts of the people of this great world of ours, as the Book of Mormon. ¶

At least fifteen hundred years ago there was penned by the hand of one with whom we became acquainted later on, a record which was hid up and which contained the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I think those words would intrigue anyone, and the things which are written in this great and marvelous book — history, adventure, all that one could desire even for young children — the glamor and the charm of it would take them far. ¶

Moroni, the man who hid up the record of these things, appeared to Joseph Smith, September 21, 1823. Later he appeared time after time and brought this sacred record with the careful statement that it must be correctly, accurately, definitely, positively translated, according to the will and promise of God. Afterwards' through holy messengers, came the declaration that it had been translated correctly and that it contained the fulness of the everlasting Gospel. ¶

I have written just a verse or two from this book, and I shall ask you to bear with me while I read them. Think and ponder upon what is said : ¶

And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope ? ¶

And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. ¶

Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope. ¶

And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek and lowly of heart. (Moroni 7:40-43.) ¶

And so I ask you, do you know a people anywhere who are meek and lowly of heart? I think I do. I think I know they are meek and lowly of heart because of their adherence to the principles which God in his mercy gave in purity to the Prophet Joseph Smith. ¶

Home Missionary Work

Your sons and daughters are preaching the Gospel in every land and clime. And then, I would remind you that you have husbands and sons and daughters here at home who are engaged in the most magnificent missionary work that they can perform. In the one hundred and twenty-seven stakes there were two thousand laboring during the past year. God did not forget them. Approximately eighteen hundred souls were brought to a knowledge of the truth, and many hundreds of lukewarm and indifferent members were brought back into a state of activity. ¶

In the month of February of this year, the shortest month, there were two hundred and seven baptisms in the stakes, and over four hundred inactive members of the Church were brought into activity. All this bears a great testimony to the faithfulness of the missionaries. They were strengthened in their testimonies. ¶

This work was accomplished through the local stake missions last year at an expense of only $2.18 per baptism. ¶

I hardly feel sometimes that it is proper to ask God to bless his Church because this is God's Church, but I do feel to ask him to bless us who are trying to carry on. May he make us strong, hold us up in our weakness, even to the time when we shall attain for ourselves that which we are seeking: eternal rest in the mansions on high, I humbly pray in Jesus' name. Amen. ¶