War Does Not Change Fundamentals

I believe I can state the substance of the message I have in mind in one sentence. I say it particularly for the young people of the Church, because I know that so many of them are confused at this time. What I wish to say is this: War does not change fundamentals. ¶

Changes Brought By War ¶

War changes many things, of necessity. It may change the clothes we wear, the quality and quantity of the food we eat, and many of our other habits of life; but it does not, it must not, it can not change the basic fundamentals. ¶

These young men of ours who have broken up the pattern of their lives to go into the service of their country are going to want to come back to those places they have left, and to take up life, insofar as circumstances permit, where they left it. I think their conduct must always be modified by this thought. ¶

Our young women must keep this in mind, too, I am sure. They have many vital decisions to make; the pattern of their lives is broken up likewise. But all of the decisions they make must be based on the bedrock fundamentals of life which have been taught them in their homes and in this Church. Decisions prompted by expediency must not be allowed to become a habit; the attitude of living in a state of emergency must not be allowed to become chronic; and our thinking must not be allowed to go off on unsafe tangents because of the urgency of the moment. ¶

Fundamentals Unchanged ¶

War does not change the fundamental that it is still a wise thing to spend a little less than we make; to raise a little more than we think we'll need; to keep our birthright, in a physical sense — our roots in the soil. ¶

It does not change the fundamental that upon this Church has been placed the obligation to preach the gospel. The pattern of our preaching may change; the composition of the manpower that preaches the word may change; our methods may of necessity change a good deal; our work may be done largely at home in the stakes instead of abroad in foreign fields, but still the obligation is upon us. ¶

War must not lower any of our standards of personal conduct. A uniform does not give a young man any special privilege, so far as a young woman is concerned; nor does it justify any young woman in lowering any of her standards or principles or ideals, under any conditions whatsoever, so far as any young man is concerned, a uniform to the contrary notwithstanding. ¶

I believe I shall leave the statement there. ¶

Our young men are making great sacrifices; a full share of them are in the armed forces, in comparison with other groups of like numbers. We are all willing to do all that has to be done, and more, to meet the needs of the hour; but beneath it all, our feet must be squarely fixed upon bedrock fundamentals which no emergency or expediency or state of war should or can be permitted to change. ¶

The Blessing of the Lord Invoked ¶

May the Lord God be with these young people of ours in all of the confusion that faces them, in all of the decisions that they have to make, and help them to make all of those decisions on that same basis of fundamental truth which would and must determine the vital decisions of their lives at any time. ¶

I know, as you do, that God lives, that this is His work. I ask the blessings of our Father in heaven upon each of you and all of us, and upon those who are not with us, those of our members who are living in a state of war, in occupied countries and elsewhere, that their faith may be strong, that their lives may be preserved, and that they may endure to the end and receive all of those promised blessings for those who do endure. ¶

God be with you. Amen. ¶