It Seemed To Me That I Could...

It seemed to me that I could feel the strength of your testimonies in that glorious song, and that helps to fortify me for my attempt to fill this, my first assignment in my present capacity, to address the General Priesthood meeting of the Conference. ¶

I feel deeply humble in this undertaking, and I sincerely ask for the Spirit of the Lord to attend me and for your cooperation and faith and prayers. ¶

I understand that it is appropriate and desirable at this meeting to bring before the Priesthood, which includes our presiding officers in stakes and wards and missions, some items which need attention. ¶

So with your indulgence and President McKay's permission, I will bring before you a few items first affecting our missionary service, in the hope that their mention here may be helpful to the carrying forward of our missionary procedure. ¶

These items are not necessarily related. ¶

Interruptions to Missionary Work

We would appreciate it, and we speak for the mission presidents, if you would discourage parents, other relatives and friends, visiting missionaries in the missions. We have had a large number of instances brought to our attention where serious interruption has come to the missionary work by reason of these visits, some of which have been very protracted. If you can use your influence and give the information to discourage these visits and ask the parents and their other friends to let these missionaries pursue the courses which have been arranged for them, they will contribute very greatly to our work. ¶

We have had numbers of requests for leaves of absence for missionaries to come home to the funerals of their kinspeople. We appreciate the fact that their hearts are touched on these sad occasions, but we have learned that very frequently the visit home only serves as an interruption to the mission, that no considerable good is accomplished, and that the missionary himself is often disappointed to think that he left the mission field, his companion, and his assigned work to go home for such funerals. ¶

I am very grateful to note that it has been the disposition of most of our missionaries in the field to desire to stay with their labors, and they themselves, have, in a number of instances, discouraged their kinspeople from requesting their return. If you can bring this matter, as occasion requires, to the attention of the families, it will serve a good purpose in the continuity of our missionary work. ¶

Calling of Seventies

Now we are confronted with some new questions in missionary work on responses to the call of the seventy to go into the mission field. May I first express for the First Presidency appreciation and gratitude for the generous response coming to this call. We have on file at the present time responses from many stakes of the Church, indicating that they will fully comply with the request, and that their quotas will be met. This is encouraging. ¶

Importance of Good Health

There are, however, brethren, in the sending of these older men, some safeguards that should be considered. First, the question of health. Our mission presidents have advised us that many of the older men have not been able to endure the rigorous work, the climate in some cases, and the exactions that are put upon our missionaries. ¶

These older missionaries are often asked to be companions to younger men. You heard this day something of the vigorous work that they do, the long hours they spend, entailing a good deal of walking and very strenuous exercise. ¶

It is not possible in many instances to assign older men to the so-called easier jobs. If they are to make their greatest contribution they must fit into our missionary program, and in order to do that they must have good health. We have a great sympathy for our mission presidents. They have many problems, so many, indeed, that a great part of the time their attention must be given to exceptional cases, so that we ask you brethren as you send these older men to us, to make careful inquiry into their health. Sometimes our doctors' examinations — we are generally grateful for their service — are not too searching and we find when they get to the mission field, particularly some of our older brethren, have some weaknesses that deter them, and sometimes preclude them, from carrying forward their missionary work. ¶

I know that it is difficult to get the older men to come, but we must have them in good health. There may be a few exceptional cases where older couples with a car can do some special service in a mission, but generally speaking the seventies must enter into the work with the same vigor and we hope with full physical equipment to carry forward the mission program as the younger men. ¶

Welfare of Families

We have discovered, too, in recent months in the coming of these older men, that very considerable apprehension is feared for the welfare of some of their families. It is reported in cases that come to us that families are left without adequate support, and we have a few cases where couples have been recommended with the understanding that they would leave minor children with relatives or friends and without parental guidance. ¶

President McKay has long taken the position that that is not wisdom to call parents away from their children, even for this great missionary service, so before both of the parents are sent, they must always be free from the parental responsibility that goes to minors in the home. Where the man is sent, care must be exercised to see that his family may have proper care in his absence. That will entail a discernment on the part of the bishop, and he should exercise caution and wisdom before recommending a man whose children and family may suffer too greatly in his absence. ¶

We do not want to take the sacrifice out of missionary work. ¶

We know the history of it in the past, and we know that it does entail, sometimes great deprivations and sacrifices, but we want to use wisdom in taking men away from their families. ¶

Missionary Expenses

Another item — it is a part of our traditional missionary custom for the family to pay missionary expense. Exceptions are made. There are friends sometimes who like to contribute. Sometimes the ward, sometimes the quorum, will contribute. But it is deemed preferable to have men sent, who, either by themselves, or through their families, can make some substantial contribution to their missionary labors. ¶

We do not look with favor, because we feel that it lacks in certain material elements in our missionary work, upon having support come wholly either from the quorum or from the ward, or from outside sources. It is true that there are many generous people who send funds into the Church itself, to be helpful to missionaries who need help, and I assure you that it is a great satisfaction to have at our disposal some limited funds which can help out a missionary who hasn't quite been able to finish, whose parents have perhaps reached the end of their financial resources. But in the main it is preferable to send missionaries who can contribute substantially to their own support. ¶

The Language of Prayer

We have discovered in the mission field in particular, and in other places, also a lack of proper teaching with reference to prayer. ¶

I know that I myself have been shocked out in the mission field as I have heard missionaries called on for prayer who seem to have had no experience or training whatever in the use of the language of prayer. ¶

I do not know that it is a matter of vital importance, but I think, my brethren, that in the quorums and in the classes, you would do well, as in the homes also, to teach the language of prayer — "Thee and Thou," rather than "you." It always seems disappointing to me to have our Father in Heaven, our Lord, addressed as "you." It is surprising how much we see of this in the mission field among the young men who come to serve there. I think you might make note of it, and avail yourselves of any opportunities that may come in order to teach the sacred and reverential language of prayer. ¶

Support for Deseret News

That is all that I had for you, my brethren, with reference to the missionary items. I would like to take a few moments to mention a few other items of general import, and also with reference to our Priesthood work. I am not going to preach about it, but I know that Brother Petersen will not object if I say to you that I think that the loyalty of this Priesthood can well be shown in supporting the official organ of this Church, the Deseret News. I don't think that we ought to have to appeal for your support in that respect. ¶

We need an organ for the Church, of course we do, and a good one. We have one. Why should Latter-day Saints forsake that paper and give help to competition? I believe we can seriously think over that matter. Personally, I love the paper. My grandfather was its first editor. I am proud of it, and proud of its history. I appeal for your support for it. ¶

Appeal to Elders

Now, brethren, I have taken occasion on times before, and there isn't time now, to elaborate much, to make as earnest an appeal as I know how to make to the elders of this Church who have been neglectful and careless, and who have set themselves in process of losing that Priesthood of which President Clark has so impressively spoken. ¶

I do not suppose that I can appeal to too many of them here tonight. They are probably not here. They are in your quorums. ¶

Their presidencies are here, at least in large measure. Brethren, will you obey the injunction given by President Clark to go out for these lost sheep and bring them in, and succor them, encourage them, and if necessary, rebuke them in order to bring them to a realization of what they are losing. ¶

Some years ago I took the liberty of sounding a little slogan to our brethren, as I went around the Church, in the care of these people. ¶

It was a very simple thing. I do not know whether you will agree with it or not. "If they don't come to us, we will go to them." I put that forward once, and a young elders' quorum president said, "I don't believe it." He said, "We provide the quorum facilities for them. ¶

If they don't come it is their own fault." ¶

Of course it was not long before he changed his mind when we reminded him that that was not the missionary spirit. I think we can't go to any who need our help more than to these brethren who have been careless and neglectful about their Priesthood. ¶

I sincerely hope that in the administration of the quorums you are emphasizing the fraternal aspects of these great institutions. I have long been persuaded that these quorums ought to be our clubs. ¶

They ought to be the places where we find our dearest associations, and we need not look far beyond them for that fraternity which we all crave. The fraternity of the Priesthood in our own quorums! ¶

Need for Effective Visiting

In your visits to these people, I am sure that you need to exercise great discretion and judgment. I wish all of the Melchizedek Priesthood— perhaps many of them did last night — might have seen the demonstration in the bishops' meeting which was held on this stand last evening. There were some very excellent constructive suggestions which were given. ¶

I believe, my brethren, that you will make far more progress in frankness than in attempting to beat about the bush with these men. ¶

I believe if you have the proper spirit you can go to them and talk about their condition, and their needs without spending time in visits talking about the weather and politics and current affairs. ¶

One of the most successful missionaries that I ever knew, when I asked him what the elements of his success were, said, among other things, that he always told people on whom he called that he never had time to talk anything else but the Gospel, and be begged them to excuse him from any other discussion. ¶

I am persuaded that if we went to our members and talked to them about their faith, and the things they were losing, and the things the quorum and the Church hold out for them, that we would make more progress in their reformation. It requires some courage, it requires some tact, and most of all it requires love. They say love is, in the end, the only irresistible force in the world, and if we have love sufficient, and friendship, and these brethren know our love for them, I think we can approach them and speak frankly to them, and thus help them. I sincerely trust that we may. ¶

Nearly all of these men are good at heart, but careless. There are a few that are mean. Perhaps they deserve rebuke, and rebuke might be the best means of bringing them to an understanding of their position, but remember how that rebuke has to be made, "reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost." That is the only rebuke that is permissible under the constitution of the Priesthood. ¶

Priesthood Divine

Now, my brethren, I love this Holy Priesthood. I know that it is genuine. Every interpretive sense that the Lord has given me testifies to me that it is divine. I have felt its influence as I have administered in the ordinances of the Gospel. I have felt its stimulation. I have felt an essence pass from me in administering to the Saints that I know was of divine origin. I have seen its results. ¶

I know that it is divine. I know that it is authentic Its source is not far removed from us — into the area of dim antiquity. We do not have to debate about its origin. Why, it is proximate to us. ¶

A man today said that I ordained him a High Priest some time ago, and asked if I had a card to give him the derivation of my Priesthood. I said, "No, I don't have a card for you, but I think you can remember it — four steps. I was ordained by President Joseph F. Smith. He was ordained by President Brigham Young. Brigham Young was ordained by the three witnesses, one of whom was Oliver Cowdery, who with Joseph was ordained by angelic ministers." ¶

That is how close it is to us. There is no debate about it. There is no question about the authenticity of this great power. We are fortunate indeed not to have to search the records of ancient days in order to establish this divine authority, upon which the Church and Kingdom of God is founded. ¶

Gratitude for Associations

I express my gratitude for it, and I express my gratitude for my association with my brethren of the Priesthood. I have had a most impressive experience in the last six months. I had thought I had always been close to my brethren, but I found that I had never been into the full confidence of this wonderful relation until I came to be associated with my beloved President, and President Clark, — without any reservations, without a necessity of concealing private feelings, but with a freedom of thought and expression welcomed by all, that to my thinking, is the badge of true friendship, brotherhood and understanding. ¶

I thank the Lord that somehow, in his providence, I have been brought to that great blessing, and I ask the Lord to help me that I may be in a measure worthy of it. And I ask the Lord to bless every one of you, my brethren, that each may magnify the sacred calling that the Lord has vouchsafed to him. ¶

I do so humbly in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶