Conference Address

This great sea of faces is not only inspiring, it is awe-inspiring. I am very sure there is nothing in all the wide world quite like Temple Square at conference time. It always leaves me grateful for my membership in this church and my association with this people and for the priesthood with which I have been blessed. ¶

I am reminded that the Prophet of the Lord who announced me just now, was my mission president twenty-five years ago in Europe. It was my privilege to live under the same roof, to kneel in family prayers, and to eat at the same table with this grand man and his family. President Smith was succeeded by Elder Orson F. Whitney and President David O. McKay, with whom I also had the privilege of being associated. I am grateful that through the years my appreciation for them as servants of the Lord and as prophets, which I know them to be, has not diminished. ¶

I shall never live long enought to express my appreciation for the privilege which has now been mine for nearly four years to preside in one of the great missions of the Church, for the privilege of laboring with your sons and your daughters, — there were nearly one hundred eighty of them at one time prior to the war. ¶

In and of itself, I believe the growth and the development, the unfolding that comes to a clean young man or woman is evidence and testimony of the divinity of this great work. It was a privilege to meet with them in their report meetings where they bared their souls and testified in humility of the goodness of the Lord to them and of the power of the priesthood. At one such meeting, one of our missionaries testified that there were angels present in the room. ¶

I believe that no greater work exists in the world than missionary work. I love it. I never tire of the story of Joseph Smith and the restoration, and the testimonies that are borne like Brother Kimball's. I had bread for my meal today at noon; I had it for my meals yesterday. If the Lord blesses me I hope to have it tomorrow. I love these testimonies; as they are the bread of life to me — I never tire of them. This is God's work. It is a wonderful privilege to preach it in the world and to assist those who do preach it. ¶

The Western States Mission covers a large part of six states, extending from the southern extremity of the United States on into the Black Hills of South Dakota and from the Utah line into Iowa. It is peopled by a splendid people, many of whom have come from the Wards and Stakes of Zion, where they have been trained in the quorums and the organizations of the Church. They are giving a wonderful service in teaching and preaching the Gospel by their lives as well as helping in our organizations. ¶

It would be impossible, I think, to properly evaluate the services that have been renderd by your young sons in uniform, and many of them have been accompanied by young wives. It has been a new experience to our people in the mission field to meet young men and women, other than missionaries, who come from the body of the Church. As we lost our missionaries, these young men have stepped into the harness, and carried responsibility in a wonderful way: their wives served likewise. We have been able to hold together our branches and organizations and continued to grow. ¶

The Western States Mission, and I am thankful to report it, is ready for twelve new chapels, and for some remodeling in other branches. Our work has been limited in its growth only by lack of help. Some of our growth has been in finding our own people who have gone out from the body of the Church here. ¶

I mentioned your young men in uniform. (We have had more military posts in our Mission than we have had Branches of the Church.) You have worried about your young people; you have prayed for them. It has been an inspiration to see them respond, to take part and to love and appreciate the Gospel more, I believe, sometimes than they were able to do at home. It has been an inspiration to visit with Chaplains, with Commanding Officers, to check on our boys' records, to help them to find themselves and to find the Lord — I believe after all that this is the most important thing. ¶

One of our missionaries in reporting, completed what he had to say and sat down without having borne his testimony. I recalled him and said, "Elder, do you think that it is true?" He said: "President, I know it is true; it gives me goose pimples all up and down my spine." ¶

I know that feeling; I have felt those pimples. It has been wonderful to help young men and women, and older ones, find the Lord. ¶

One young man, just about to be released, bore his testimony and said: "I have found that in extremity I can get on my knees and talk to the Lord, and that testimony will go with me wherever I go in the world." And he has since been to the far corners of the world both as a soldier of the cross and as a soldier of his country, and has remained firm and true. ¶

Another of our missionaries told of a difficulty he had been in, how he went around the corner and up the lane and talked to the Lord. As I have continued to correspond with them I find they are still "talking to the Lord" and that the testimony that He lives and is near us and that we are His children, as mentioned by President Smith this morning, will live with them as long as they live. ¶

One of your sons who was called upon extemporaneously at one of our meetings said: "To the men of my company / am the Mormon Church. They may never know another member of our Church." And he is realizing that he is an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and they must be different from other men and live differently and set an example. ¶

Missionaries as soldiers — and that includes men and women in all brances of the service — are preaching the Gospel and have preached it and have prepared the ground, in our mission at least, for a . glorious harvest. God speed the day now that they may change their uniforms and their calling and return to these spots to teach this wonderful message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

I am thankful, my brethren and my sisters, for my testimony and the opportunity that has been mine to serve and for the way this work has gone forward with the blessings of the Lord. I pray that I may always be found worthy and that each of us may so be, to serve wherever called and in whatever capacity. I know that joy comes in the finding of souls for Jesus. God bless us, Amen. ¶