Missionary Testimony

Former President of the East Central States Mission ¶

I am very happy to be here this afternoon and to take the place of my old friend, A. Richard Peterson. We were together in school, preparing for our missions abroad. In years past we both filled missions ¶

in foreign lands, and we have also been in foreign lands and at home presiding over missions during the past few years. ¶

I am happy to be here today to mingle with my brethren and sisters in this great tabernacle. We have been thrilled today listening to this great choir -- the harmony, the volume, the fervor, the enthusiasm, the inspiration that seems to fill these singers has in turn thrilled this audience and the unseen audience that perhaps numbers hundreds* of thousands. ¶

Since returning home about five or six weeks ago I have been asked many times, "Are you glad to be home?" I can honestly say to my brothers and sisters that I am glad to be home. I was glad when I was in the mission field, but when my mission was completed and I was released, why shouldn't I be glad to be back among my brethren? I believe that when one puts his whole soul into the missionary work for a period of three years or more, he deserves a release. If he doesn't put his soul into it, he deserves a release long before the three years are up. ¶

We have had great joy in our mission. The Lord has blessed us with health and strength, and He has increased our testimonies of the Gospel. We have had great joy in mingling with our Saints abroad, many of whom are here today at this great Conference. We have enjoyed the companionship, the loyalty and love of your boys and girls who have been sent there as missionaries. I want to tell you, my brethren and sisters, there is nothing in the world more dear to me than the love of these young people who have filled honorable missions in the mission field. They are an inspiration to those who labor among them; they are the stalwart defenders of the faith; they are the "hope of Israel" because the "hope of Israel" is the youth of Zion. The future of this Church and the salvation of our Church rests with the youth. ¶

My brethren and sisters and friends, I have been impressed very much within the last few days studying things regarding our Savior's life. One of the things that occurred to me last evening as well as this afternoon is the experience of our Savior as a boy of twelve in the temple of the Lord. When His mother sought Him she found Him both asking and answering questions among the wise men and lawyers of the temple. His question to her was, "Wist ye* not that I must be about my Father's business?" I do not know any greater ideal, any greater goal or objective in life that you and I can have, or that young people can have in their souls than the one embodied in that question. We should be about our Father's business, and the question arises in turn, "What is our Father's business?" ¶

We have been told that the Lord's work and the Lord's glory is to bring to pass man's immortality and man's eternal life; and eternal life we are told is a quality of life, the kind of life that God Himself lives, that kind of life that Jesus, the Christ, came to give -- life abundant, rich and full and joyful. That is the Lord's business; that is my business as one of His children; that is your business, my brethren and sisters, as the children of the Lord. Though we grant the fact that the Lord is Omnipotent, it seems to me that in this realm of His work, bringing to pass man's eternal life, the Lord does need you and me, because I claim -- I may be wrong -- but I claim the Lord cannot give me eternal life, that quality of life, that degree of joy which is celestial, unless I am willing to do my duty and keep His commandments, assist my fellow men in learning His commandments and encouraging them in keeping those commandments. ¶

I am sure the Lord spoke a glorious truth when he said to Oliver Cowdery and others: "If you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" ¶

And so we have rejoiced in the mission field in devoting ourselves to the service of the Lord. We have brought into the Church in the last three years between twelve and thirteen hundred souls, converts and children. We have traveled over a hundred thousand miles. I have attended and preached in more than a thousand meetings. How much good has been done rests of course with the future. ¶

My brethren and sisters, we have increased in testimony. We bear our testimony to you this afternoon that this is the work of the Lord, and the only way to bring peace and joy to the world is by knowing the Lord's commandments and by keeping them. ¶

My five minutes are up. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the parents of those boys and girls who have served in the mission field. I do thank them and am grateful for their lives, for their devotion and for their service. May the Lord bless these young people at home that they may keep in the harness, that they may be kept in the faith, that they may be an inspiration to all those with whom they associate, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. ¶