Conference Address

This has completely taken the breath out of me. I rejoice, my brethren, in having the privilege of attending this great conference. ¶

Since the opening session of this conference, and listening to the wonderful report read by President Clark, and by Brother Anderson, and the report attested to by the Chairman or a member of the Auditing Committee, many thoughts have passed through my mind. There is one particular item, however, that I would like to make reference to, and that is, as I remember the figure, it was a little less than twenty-one percent of the membership of the Church who paid fast offerings. When I listened to that great report of the amount of money being expended and the provisions that the Church is sending to the war torn countries of Europe, I marveled at the integrity of the people, the response of the Saints in gathering this vast amount of food and clothing. I thought if we could and would accept the instructions given us at this conference, and could double that, how much more this food and the clothing would help those who are destitute in Europe. ¶

To me that was fast offerings in action. All my life I have been taught to pay fast offerings. Today we see it in action. ¶

I had the privilege of presiding over the Texas-Louisiana Mission for the past four and a half years. It is a great country. It was stated by someone, yesterday, in reporting his mission, that he covers the greater portion of six states. The Texas-Louisiana Mission does likewise. If you don't believe that, I can only say that you have not been in Texas. ¶

The Lord has blessed us wonderfully. We were able during this war period to dedicate nine houses of worship. We have the funds sufficient, waiting for the building ban to be raised, to start building fifteen more chapels. We have a membership of about eight thousand members in that fine mission. ¶

Since coming home I have visited a number of our meeting houses, and I have enjoyed being in this historic building. ¶

I call to mind and am going to tell you of one incident in that mission, because I have thought of it many, many times. A few years ago our missionaries, two of them, wrote me and wanted permission to set apart a young girl seventeen years of age as the Superintendent of a Sunday School. There were six children that she would like to teach. They would go out into the woods in Louisiana. I granted them permission. They still meet out in the open spaces in the woods, the canopy being the high heavens. This good girl, through her efforts, converted her friend, a member of the Catholic Church. Since that time they have both married and both of their husbands have been converted to the Church. The husbands were given the Aaronic Priesthood and before I left they were given the Melchizedek Priesthood. They have a membership in that little place now of some 68 members. They still hold their meetings and their Sunday School out in the open. They don't have the lovely meeting houses that we have here in the Rocky Mountains, but they do have the same spirit that we have here. ¶

I rejoice, my brethren, that I have had this privilege of going into the mission field, and for the confidence that has been placed in me by the General Authorities of the Church. I can think of no finer work for any of us to be engaged in than that of missionary work. I am happy to be back. I stand ready to accept, if another call should be made of me. ¶

May the Lord be with you and may we accept that call that President Smith gave us six months ago, that was referred to by President Young here this night, and encourage our young men to go on missions. From a high peak of 140 missionaries in that mission we went down to an all-time low of 10, but through the goodness and the testimonies of the Saints and the fine work of our service men, the work was carried on. ¶

May the Lord bless us I pray, through Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶