Conference Address

While I stand before you, my brothers and sisters, I sense my weakness, and ask, with humility, for your faith and prayers in my behalf. I am indeed grateful to the Lord for his many blessings to me, the greatest, of course, being the gospel and the knowledge of its divinity. The most cherished blessing of the gospel is the opportunity it gives us to continue throughout all eternity the family ties made on earth. Can there be anything greater or more far-reaching? Is there any greater joy that can come than that which comes from unselfish love for others, the love of a good wife and husband, united together in holy matrimony, the love for our children? Is there anything which makes a man feel more like bursting his shirt buttons off in pride and happiness than the first time he picks up his own child; or brings the mother more sheer joy than when her first child is placed in her arms? ¶

Importance of Temple Marriage ¶

Yet too many of us are willing to give up all these joys of family ties when death comes, and come it will, to separate us. If we do not obey God's laws of celestial marriage, we cannot hope to continue as a family unit with father, mother, children, grandchildren, and so on down the line. Death is a sad enough separation at best, even when we know it is only for a short time, but to have no certainty of a future union, that would be darkness indeed. ¶

God has been so kind to us he has given us the wonderful promise of eternal progression in our family units, if we will but obey his laws; yet it is constantly being brought to my attention that many members of the Church are not taking full advantage of their blessings. ¶

Temple marriage is an ideal which should be upheld in our homes from earliest infancy. Don't think that a child is too young to, understand. You would be surprised at his comprehension. A small seven-year-old boy was being teased at school one day; his friends were saying that a certain little girl was his sweetheart. The little boy's answer was, "Oh, she couldn't be my sweetheart; she isn't even a Mormon." Truly, train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. ¶

Training in the Home ¶

We have had too many cases in the Church (and if we have had one, that is too many ) , where the parents have been active in Church work and thought that as a result of their Church activities, the Lord would take care of their children for them. We too often forget that our children have to be taught the gospel, as well as anyone else. It is as much our responsibility, as parents, to teach the gospel to our children as it is to live it ourselves. We must not take it for granted that because they attend Sunday School, Primary, and M.I.A., our responsibility is ended. It isn't; it is only begun. It is in the home that the real training is given. From infancy on, we exert an influence which will direct our children's lives. We mustn't be too busy to answer questions or explain the principles of the gospel. When the child asks, is the time to answer, or promise a time when we will answer and then keep our promise. ¶

I have fond memories of the home of my youth, where many times, many evenings, we have gathered together around the fireplace after dinner and studied the scriptures. We have taken turns reading to each other, and there we learned many of. the principles of the gospel and doctrines which have helped us as a family; and I think my brothers and sisters can say the same, as their experiences, with mine, have helped us in our paths of life to stay true to the gospel, regardless of what may have come to us. ¶

Our children are entitled to our missionary efforts more than anyone else in the world. They aren't born with a knowledge of the gospel, just because we are good Latter-day Saints. In section 68, verse 28, of the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord says: ¶

And they [parents] shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord. ¶

Parents, this is your responsibility, not that of the Sunday School or the M.I.A. They are willing to help, but it is you who shall have to answer. I have had several young men say to me, "My parents never taught any of their children the laws of chastity," and their parents were members of the Church. As parents, would you like to have that to answer for? Scarcely a day passes that I do not have someone come to see me who is having family trouble. The situations vary, but they are all very real. They usually have one situation in common: they are not married in the temple, and they do not provide adequate teaching for the children. Perhaps the fault is not all theirs. Perhaps they in turn did not learn from their parents, but they are suffering for the need of the blessings of the Lord, and their children are suffering . ¶

There are some Latter-day Saints who are successful in converting their companions after marriage. Don't expect this to happen to you. In most of these cases those concerned are married before they know or understand the laws of temple marriage. Teach your children that if they do not love enough to be married for eternity, they should not be married at all. After one is given the knowledge of temple marriage, so that he knows how the Lord intended marriage to be, and then in spite of that knowledge he deliberately does contrary, it is like closing the door in the Lord's face and saying, "I don't need your help; I'll get along without you." We can't afford to try to get along without the Lord's help. ¶

No wonder the divorce rate is much lower for those who are married for time and eternity than for those who have only a civil or ordinary church wedding. The Lord will help them to overcome their differences, if they will let him. If we understood more fully the significance of celestial marriage, there would be no such thing as divorce among our people. ¶

Blessings of Celestial Marriage ¶

In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord makes the following promise: ¶

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them — -Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths — then shall it be written in the Lamb's Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if he abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. ¶

Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them. ¶

Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye abide my law, ye cannot attain to this glory. (D. & C. 132:19-21.) ¶

Opportunities for Exaltation ¶

We often say, and you have heard the expression as it has already been referred to in this conference, that "as man now is, God once was, and as God now is, man may become." The only way man may become as God now is, is through fulfilling the laws of celestial marriage and the laws of the gospel, as I have just read to you the word of the Lord from the Doctrine and Covenants. Can we afford to overlook such opportunities for exaltation? Temple marriage is not just another form of church wedding; it is a divine covenant with the Lord that if we are faithful to the end, we may become as God now is. ¶

Are you teaching your children to keep the Word of Wisdom only because it is a good health habit, or are you teaching them that by not keeping the Word of Wisdom they are not eligible to receive the knowledge and understanding to comprehend the laws of godliness, and so will be deprived of the opportunity to receive the power of the priesthood, and then not be permitted to enter the temple and thereby lose all the blessings of increase for all eternity? That is quite a price to pay, I would say. We are told they will become ministering angels, and in worlds without end shall have no increase. (See D. & C. 132:15-18.) ¶

Teach them to live the gospel by keeping all the laws and ordinances of the gospel, that they may have eternal life. No price is too high, no sacrifice too great. ¶

May the Lord's blessings be with us. May we follow these teachings and counsels, that these blessings and promises that are given to us will be realized in due time, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶