Conference Address

It would be difficult for anyone to occupy this position, before such a vast audience and on such a glorious occasion, without sensing deeply the responsibility of the few moments which might be used. In humility I appear before you at this time, and express sincere gratitude for the great experiences, privileges and blessings that Sister Richards and I enjoyed with your missionaries and the Latter-day Saints in the mission field, and for the special privilege which is incident to a mission abroad. ¶

My brethren and sisters, the mission to which we were sent was in a splendid condition when we inherited it. Sister Richards and I always wondered if we might, through our faith and prayers and work, carry it on as well as the former President, Brother David A. Broadbent and his good wife had done; and we have lived to see the work progressing further since we left the mission field, under the ¶

I often said in the field, and also since returning home, that the authorities of this Church sent to us the very cream of the young men and women of the Church to serve as missionaries, and we shall ¶

always feel that way about it. Their faith, their devotion, their wisdom and the knowledge they acquired, together with the Spirit of the Lord that gave them power to preach the Gospel and administer the ordinances, have been a very great inspiration to us. We had about two hundred and fifty-five missionaries during our experience. Our territory was large. The membership of the Church was about three thousand when we were appointed and did not change materially during the time we were there, but we accomplished some fine things. The Lord was with us, and I want to say to you, my brethren and sisters, as President McKay said in instructing us before we went out, that no one can accomplish anything in this work, the Master's work, without His help, without enjoying the Spirit of the Lord and the sustaining influence of him who restored this Gospel in this dispensation of the fulness of times. ¶

The Lord sometimes lets us wait a long time for the answer to our prayers. He has let me wait a long time, but in every instance when I needed Him — and I need Him all the time and on special occasions — He has waited until I almost despaired but then came through with a full measure of support. I thank God for this in our missionary experience. ¶

There could be no choicer people in the world than those good Latter-day Saints of the North Central States Mission. I thought while I was there and I still feel that if some of us at home could see the way the Saints live in the missions they would be ashamed that they do not take better advantage of the opportunities which are theirs here with the body of the Church. The members who served locally as missionaries, and all who helped the work of the Lord there, were wonderful people of whom we are very, very proud indeed. ¶

My brothers and sisters, I have been deeply impressed by the words spoken in this conference session. When President Bowman referred to the location where he presided, I thought, too, of the instance of record in scripture of our Father Adam who was offering sacrifice. The scripture says: "After many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto him and asked why he offered sacrifice, and Adam answered and said unto him, I know not save God hath commanded me." ¶

I wish every Latter-day Saint could get the import of that answer. Then the angel went on to say: "And this thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father which is full of grace and truth; wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore." ¶

That is the message given to Adam; it is a message we bear to the world; it is a message we should give unto ourselves and live by it. If we order our lives so that we will have the blessings of the Lord and the Savior's approval upon our actions we shall not need to worry as to whether or not there will be a place for us in the ¶

mansions of our Heavenly Father when we have completed our work here; nor shall we need to be concerned about whether or not life will be sweet and joyful as long as we are permitted to live and serve in mortality. ¶

I know the Gospel is true, my brethren and sisters. I know that God lives and I have borne testimony to the Prophet's experience, that glorious revelation of the Father and the Son, and also to the vitality of the Church brought down through the various leaders to the present time. God bless our leaders and may we be willing always to listen to their counsel and to live accordingly, that thus we may expect an eternal reward worthy of those who are good and true. May this be our desert, justifiably, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶