Dear Brethren and Sisters, Each General Conference

DEAR brethren and sisters: Each general conference seems to be more inspiring than the last, and this is certainly no exception, from the outstanding priesthood meeting last Saturday evening to and including each session to this very moment. ¶

I was grateful to raise my hand this morning and sustain these great men who comprise the leadership of the Church. I welcome with all my heart Elder George Q. Morris, whom I have learned to love over the years, as the new member of the Council of the Twelve. I also wish to extend my support and sincere best wishes to Elder Sterling W. Sill whom I have also known for many years and who I am sure will be a great strength to the Church. ¶

My message this morning has to -do with overweight and underweight. We are a great people to check up on each other. We have our plans, our schedules, our programs, and our organizations. I should like to suggest this morning that it might be a good idea to check up a little on ourselves. I know the first look I have of myself as I peek in the mirror early in the morning is really quite frightening, and then when I realize what the next fifteen or twenty minutes can do with the aid of a few common implements we find in the bathroom, such as a comb and brush (for those who need it), a razor, washcloth, toothbrush, etc., for the men; and for the sisters, some cold cream, a little rouge, face powder, and lipstick, the transformation brings confidence and courage to face the problems of another day. Then when you arrive at work, and someone greets you by saying, "Good morning, you look fine," you are so enthusiastic that you can conquer anything that comes your way. The day seems cheerful and bright. ¶

I appreciate the fact that some of us have physical difficulties that require a doctor's check-up, and usually after a good physical check-up, we are informed that we have high blood pressure and that we are overweight and should reduce. This could easily be one of my difficulties. I have been supporting Brother Benson in his great plan of disposing of government surpluses and assisting him every way possible in that respect. I am also thoroughly converted to the welfare program in which we are admonished to put away a year's supply. No one has ever indicated that we should carry around a half a year of it and put the other half year's supply in the basement; but many of us do it just that way. I am sure our doctor would tell us that it is well to be converted to these great programs but that we would be healthier and much better off if we would put the full year's supply in the basement and get our blood pressure down. ¶

Along with these physical habits and check-ups, I would like to suggest that we have a little spiritual check-up, and ask ourselves a few simple questions. I am appreciating, too, a great deal more the value of visual aids as we have observed them during this conference, and would like to suggest that we make a little chart, one that can be marked, and see just how good we are. In filling in such a chart, we might find some blank spaces. In other words, we might find that we are spiritually a little underweight. We might even be lightweights. Some of us might even be featherweights. A look at such a chart will indicate in some degree our spiritual activity and give us a check-up in that respect. May I suggest that we ask ourselves some of these questions: ¶

Do I sustain the General Authorities of the Church? ¶

Do I go to sacrament meeting and renew my covenants with my heavenly Father? ¶

Do I have family prayer in my home? ¶

Do I have The Improvement Era in my home? ¶

Do I study the gospel for fifteen minutes each day? ¶

Do I have home evening? ¶

Do I pay my ward maintenance? ¶

Do I offer assistance to my bishop? ¶

Do I do something to make my home happier? ¶

Am I a good neighbor? ¶

Do I fast each month and pay my fast offering to the bishop? ¶

Do I contribute to the stake and ward building program? ¶

Do I expose my neighbor to the gospel? ¶

Do I pay my debts and live within my means? ¶

Am I honest with the Lord in the payment of my tithes, and do I go to tithing settlement? ¶

Do I do my ward teaching? ¶

Do I participate in the welfare program? ¶

Am I doing my research and temple work? ¶

Am I taking advantage of the auxiliaries: the Relief Society, the Mutual, Sunday School, and Primary? ¶

We might add to this list many other questions. If we could transfer some of the surplus weight we carry around in our physical bodies and add that weight to our spiritual lives (and I do not think we will ever become overweight in this respect), we will increase our weight and become better able to fulfil the responsibilities and obligations that the Lord expects of us and to carry out the counsel of the leadership of the Church. ¶

We are all interested in security. I tell you, brethren and sisters, that no greater security can come to any member of the Church than to keep the commandments of our heavenly Father, especially those of tithing, fast offering, and aiding the welfare program. When I think of the great blessings promised to the membership of the Church from the payment of an honest tithing, I feel there is not a member of the Church who can afford not to pay his tithing. ¶

Likewise, great blessings come from fasting and prayer. ¶

I remember not long ago being in a stake where I had given a little talk on the value of fasting and paying fast offerings. Near the end of the meeting, one of the brethren said, "Brother Buehner, I believe all you have said but would like to ask this question: ¶

What if after the fasting period is over you are so hungry that you don't only eat the meal you are entitled to but you literally eat the two meals you fasted?" I could not help feeling that this is very typical of us human beings. ¶

We are not going to give away anything that we can reclaim. I made these observations at the time. First, my advice would be that we should not eat three meals at the same time and undo the wonderful blessing that has come from fasting, but more important than this, I indicated, "I do not care how much you eat after the twenty-four-hour fasting period is over, just see that you do not eat the Lord's two meals." I feel sure this is good advice. ¶

The Lord has promised wonderful blessings from keeping the commandment of the fast. ¶

I feel I should not take more time. I love this Church. I love its devoted leadership. I admire and love you people. The world looks bright and happy to me. I am glad to be alive, and sincerely pray that the Lord will bless each and every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶