Conference Address

Such inspirational music as our wonderful choir always furnishes brings us near to our Father in heaven. ¶

I was impressed also, as were you, with the opening prayer. I trust it may be answered, especially in my behalf. I believe in prayer, the power of prayer; and I sincerely desire, my brethren and sisters, and would appreciate a silent prayer at this time by all of you in my behalf. ¶

I am happy that the mission presidents and their wives are with us in this conference. The mission presidents depend so much upon their wives that I am sure they are all happy that their wives were also invited to come to this conference. The more I associate with you mission presidents and you stake presidencies, the more convinced I am that the leaders who are responsible for calling you are inspired of God. ¶

Mexican Mission ¶

Sister McKay and I just recently returned from a tour of the Mexican Mission where President Arwell L. Pierce and his lovely wife are in charge. They have done and are doing a wonderful work. It was one delightful surprise after another to go through their mission with them. We were delighted to meet so many fine missionaries there — 142 of them — and twenty of those 142 we were glad to find were native Mexicans, full-time missionaries, and doing a splendid work. With the experience that these young people are getting, I am sure they will be future leaders, not only of the Church but will also perhaps occupy state and federal positions. ¶

We were delighted also to find several very fine meetinghouses with chapels not too large, commodious recreation halls, classrooms, baptismal font, Relief Society rooms with modern kitchens adjoining. The architecture is Spanish and with the red-tiled roofs and the white walls these meetinghouses stand out as monuments of good fellowship. The new chapel at Cuautla dedicated last year by President McKay has now been parked with a hedge, shrubbery, trees, and lawn, under the direction of Brother Abegg, who has supervision of the buildings and grounds, and it is now referred to proudly by the citizens as the "House Beautiful." Splendid progress is being made especially by applying the program of the M.I.A., supervised recreation. The Spanish people love to sing and to dance. Their Gold and Green balls are outstanding, as are also their quartets, their choruses, and their athletics. Basketball has swept into the Mexican republic, and our missionaries are leading in that sport. They have played in two leagues and won the championship in both. The last one was in Mexico City. The final game of the series was being played. The score had been tied several times; and now with only four minutes to play, our team was behind. The captain, a sweet character, called time out. He said, "We got our heads together, Brother McKay, and we prayed." God bless him. They won the game by one point. They are making many friends also with their English classes. In Morelia, for example, a college town where they have been working less than a year, a meeting was arranged, and a program given by investigators. We have only two members there. They have an advanced English class and a beginners class. There were sixty-two at that meeting so they are making fine progress. ¶

The mission home is a credit to the Church, beautifully located in a new residential section. It is what I call an ideal mission home, not just a place for the mission president and his wife, but a place where the missionaries are made to feel at home. Sister Pierce in her quiet, generous way, looking after everybody, can always make room for one more When missionaries are ailing, they are brought to the home and nursed back to health. They are made to feel welcome. Each morning at seven o'clock a class in Spanish is held for ¶

the office force and those who are there recuperating. At eight o'clock the gong sounds; they come to breakfast; they sing a song around the piano and stand in a circle, and each one repeats in Spanish a passage of scripture he must learn by heart, then , they kneel in a circle in prayer. I think that prayer circle does more for these missionaries who are recuperating and probably a little discouraged and homesick, maybe lovesick, than almost anything else. ¶

Power In Prayer ~ ; ¶

Yes, there is power in prayer. I thought while participating in the fine spirit of those mission home prayers of an evil that has been referred to here already — the divorce evil. A menace to the Very foundation of our government, of our civilization; it seems that the devil is using this weapon of divorce overtime, and I believe that if a survey were made, very few, if any; of those thousands of couples who are applying for divorce would be found praying together, or who are having family prayer. I think prayer is a remedy for divorce. , ¶

One writer, in speaking of prayer, puts it this way, and I like it: ¶

The most unused resource in the world today is prayer. The greatest undeveloped resource is faith and the greatest unused resource is prayer. ¶

I like that, referring to faith and prayer as resources. I hope, in our Church, that is not true, but that prayer as a resource is used, and I am sure it is. Quite a number of articles are being written in our leading magazines and even books on "Back to God," "The Need of Religion," etc. I think it is a wholesome indication. I received something the other day from one of my very dear friends, who calls on me occasionally and always brings me something worth while; he is ninety-two years old now. He said he has had ninety-two birthdays but is not nearly that old. He said, "I have here something, Brother McKay, that I think you will like on prayer." He said, "It is a clipping from one of our local papers." It is from Dr. Alexis Carrel, who is famed the world over after thirty-three years of biological research work in the famous Rockefeller Institute. ¶

He says: ¶

Quotations on Prayer ¶

Prayer is not only worship, but it is also the most powerful form of energy that one can generate. The influence of prayer on the human mind and body is as demonstrable as that of secreting glands. Its results can be measured in terms of increased physical buoyancy, greater intellectual vigor, moral stamina, and a deeper understanding of the realities underlying human relations. ¶

If you make a habit of sincere prayer your life will be very noticeably and profoundly altered. Prayer stamps with its indelible mark our actions and demeanor. A tranquility of bearing, a facial and bodily repose are observed in those whose inner lives are thus enriched. Within the depths of his consciousness a flame kindles, and man sees himself — his selfishness, his silly pride, his fear, his blunders. He develops a sense of moral obligation, intellectual humility. Thus begins a journey of the soul toward the realm of peace. ¶

Prayer is a force as real as terrestrial gravity. As a physician I have seen men, after all other therapy had failed, lifted out of disease and melancholy by the serene effort of prayer. ¶

Prayer is the effort of man to reach God, to commune with an invisible being, creator of all things, supreme wisdom, truth, beauty and strength, father and redeemer. ¶

Today as never before, prayer is a binding necessity in the lives of men and nations. The lack of emphasis on the religious sense has brought the world to the edge of destruction. Our deepest sense of power and perfection has been left miserably undeveloped. Prayer, the basic exercise of the spirit, must be actively practiced in our lives. The neglected soul of man must be made strong enough to assert itself once more. For if the power of prayer is again released and used in the lives of common men and women, if the spirit declares its aims clearly and boldly, there is yet hope that our prayers for a better world may be answered. ¶

That from a scientist, brothers and sisters. ¶

This same dear friend of mine called my attention to an article, in the December number, I think, of the Arizona Highways on "Look to the Skies." It is a very well-written article, well worth reading, and in speaking of the skies, it reminded me of a poem that I read and used just at the close of the war. It is a poem that was found on the body of a dead soldier. He wrote it just before the zero hour. It refers to the skies and to the power of prayer in taking away fear. ¶

... And God Was There ¶

Look, God, I have never spoken to you. But now I want to say, "How do you do?" You see, God. they told me you didn't exist. And. like a fool. I believed all this. ¶

Last night from the shell hole I saw your sky — ¶

I figured right then they had told me a lie. ¶

Had I taken time to see things you made, ¶

I'd have known they weren't calling a spade a spade. ¶

I wonder, God, if you'd shake my hand. Somehow I feel that you will understand. Funny I had to come to this hellish place Before I had time to see your face. ¶

Well, I guess there isn't much more to say. But I'm sure glad, God, I met you today I guess the "zero hour" will soon be here. But I'm not afraid since I know you're near. ¶

The signal! Well, God I'll have to go; I like you lots, this I want you to know. Look, now, this will be a horrible fight — . Who knows, I may come to your house tonight. ¶

Though I wasn't friendly to you before. I wonder, God. if you'd wait at your door. Look, I'm crying! Me! Shedding tears — 1 wish I had known you these many years ¶

Well, I have to go now, God, good-bye Strange, since I met you, I'm not afraid to die. ¶

The Master's Prayer ¶

Our Master, just before his zero hour, spent the night in the garden in prayer. We are told that he shed drops of blood, but the concluding words of that prayer show that he received his strength. ". . . not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42) were his concluding words and then on the cross: ¶

Father forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Ibid., 23:- ¶

34.) ¶

We are here today, brethren and sisters, because this great Church of ours has been organized — a wonderful organization — established for the last time, never to be taken away from the earth or given to another people, and all in answer to a prayer, a prayer in a garden, the Sacred Grove. Yes. there is power in prayer, and I trust that we will look up brethren and sisters, look up to the skies, that from now on that statement that prayer is the most unused resource of the world will not, at least, apply to Latter-day Saints and also the saying that people use their prayers very much as a spare tire, only in times of emergency, when we are sick or have trouble. May that also not be true of us, but may we pray always and live, as we pray so that we, too, can say, "Not my will, O Lord, but thine be done," I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶