The Value of Good Leadership

The Value of Good Leadership

This thought has been in my mind while listening to the Choir: What would we do without this addition to our service? And what would we do without the help of the General Authorities of the Church? Leadership is what we need, and we have leadership in this dispensation of the Lord; there is leadership everywhere. It only remains to be sought out, and that too by the influence of the Spirit of God. There has been leadership in every dispensation of the Church, and the finest kind of leadership. Good leadership means effective work; poor leadership means poor work. That is a rule that will always be in force. ¶

Enoch Called to a Great Work

I take it, brethren and sisters, that the Church is well satisfied with its present leadership, including the addition of the new member of the First Council of the Seventy. ¶

There was leadership in the days of the antediluvians from Adam down to Noah. It is not very much enlarged upon in the Scriptures, but there was good leadership there. The Lord spoke to Enoch and said to him: "Go unto this people and call upon them to repent from their sins, or they will be destroyed." The Spirit of the Lord fell upon Enoch, and he was called upon to do a great work, but he endeavored to get the Lord to excuse him because he was of a stammering tongue. The Lord commanded him to go and he would be prospered, and he did a great work. ¶

I have a few items here in respect to Enoch. It says: ¶

The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon the people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. ¶

And the Lord called His people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them. ¶

It was an ideal condition. So great was their righteousness that they were finally caught up into heaven. ¶

And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion. ¶

And it came to pass that Enoch talked with the Lord; and he said unto the Lord: Surely Zion shall dwell in safety forever. But the Lord said unto Enoch: Zion have I blessed, but the residue of the people have I cursed. ¶

And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch; Behold mine abode forever. ¶

You can see by this that Enoch accomplished a great work. At one time the Lord said unto him: "Enoch, walk with me." An invitation from the Lord to His servant to walk with Him. Enoch must have felt very much complimented by this invitation. ¶

The Lord's Promise to Enoch

And there is just a little more I would like to read to you if you are not getting tired. Perhaps it will rest you if I speak rapidly: ¶

And Enoch beheld the Son of Man ascend up unto the Father; and he called unto the Lord, saying: Wilt thou not come again upon the earth? Forasmuch as thou art God, and I know thee, and thou hast sworn unto me, and commanded me that I should ask in the name of thine Only Begotten; thou hast made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, and not of myself, but through thine own grace; wherefore I ask thee, if thou wilt not come again on the earth. ¶

A very pertinent question. ¶

And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah; ¶

And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve. ¶

And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years; ¶

But before that day he saw great tribulations among the wicked; he also saw the sea, that it was troubled, and men's hearts failing them, looking forth with fear for the judgments of the Almighty God, which should come upon the wicked., ¶

And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world; and he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption; and received a fulness of joy. ¶

These wonderful words are found in the seventh chapter of the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. It gives us the wonderful truth of the consummation of the promises of the Savior to return to the earth in the latter days, and 'we can depend upon it because the announcement was made by the Lord Himself that He would return. So we have that assurance, and we have the further assurance of a millennium, a thousand years of peace and righteousness. So we can be sure that these prophecies will be fulfilled. Whenever the Lord speaks it is to our interest to give attention and to receive His words, for we know that His words never fail. If He makes a promise He keeps the promise, but it is not always so with man. ¶

I rejoice in standing before you. I am thankful for my membership in the Church, for the opportunity to give service. From my heart and soul I pray that His peace and blessing may rest upon the members of the Church in every land and clime, in the worthy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶