I Can Think Of Easier Ways My...

I can think of easier ways, my brothers and sisters, to commence Church activity, than standing before you today. ¶

I am grateful to be with you. A few days ago it was rather doubtful whether I could appear in conference, but I chanced to meet President McKay. He informed me I was scheduled to speak, and I felt if it were President McKay's desire that I speak to you, the Lord would bless and sustain me. When I arrived this morning, he suggested that I might be called on in this meeting, and of all things, I left my talk at home. I told him, however, that I was not sure that was the talk I should give. ¶

I therefore, need the inspiration and the blessings of the Lord with me. I ask for an interest in your faith and prayers. ¶

Brothers and sisters, I would be most ungrateful if I failed to express gratitude and appreciation for the faith and the prayers of the Saints throughout the Church for my recovery from the illness that has inactivated me the past four months. I have been cognizant in many ways of your appeals for divine favor in my behalf, and I acknowledge to the Lord before you the healing blessings of his holy Spirit. I am here today because of his blessings. ¶

I want to express appreciation to my brethren of the General Authorities, whose brotherhood, love, affection, and faithful devotion I shall always remember with tender emotions and fond memories for the benefit of their administrations, their faith and prayers, in which all of you have taken a part and confirmed by your own supplications to God, the eternal Father of us all. From the depths of my heart I thank all of you, and express profound gratitude and appreciation for your kindness and for your love. I sincerely hope my appreciation can be adequately evidenced by my faithful devotion to the ministry of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whose servant I am. ¶

I bear witness to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of the living God, our Lord, Redeemer, Savior, and Advocate with the Father, the Light and Life of men, and the only name under heaven, given among men whereby salvation can be obtained. ¶

I like these words from the Apostle John quoting the Savior to his disciples: ¶

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. ¶

There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. ¶

Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. ¶

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. ¶

And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. (John 5:31-33; 36-37.) ¶

John the Baptist so early bore witness that Jesus was the Christ. He had that most wonderful of opportunities of baptizing his Lord and witnessing the Holy Ghost descend upon him in the sign of a dove, confirming the Lord's Messiahship. The Apostle John later said, "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater." (I John 5:9.) ¶

The God and Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, spoke from the heavens on the occasion of Christ's baptism and said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:17.) I think of that other occasion when Christ took Peter, James, and John with him on the Mount and was transfigured before them, Elias and Moses appeared, and then the voice of God from heaven again declared: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." (Ibid., 17:5.) ¶

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. (1 John 5:9.) ¶

The ministry of Jesus of Nazareth is itself a witness and testimony that he was the Son of the living God. As we have heard this morning, Christ was crucified and arose from the grave in a glorious resurrection. He first appeared unto Cephas after his resurrection and then to his disciples, members of the Twelve. Later he appeared unto about five hundred brethren at once. For forty days following his resurrection, he personally ministered among men and taught them; he counseled and directed them in the ministry. They went forth testifying of him that he was the Redeemer and Son of the living God. Later he was seen of Paul the Apostle, who also testified of him gloriously. The Savior stated: ". . . for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." (John 5:36.) ¶

There is the other witness, spoken of by Jesus, the witness of the Holy Ghost, that testified to the spirit of his disciples, that this was the Son of God who had called them, and whom they served. The two angels who stood by as he was received into heaven said he should so come in like manner as they had seen him go into heaven. ¶

Shortly thereafter followed the long period of spiritual darkness, and then came the time for the last and most important of all God's dispensations to be ushered in; therefore, because of its importance, God the eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ personally appeared to the boy, Joseph Smith, and informed him of his holy calling. Later Moroni, a resurrected prophet of the living God, from the Nephite nation, came to him and showed him where the plates were deposited that contained a record of a branch of God's people. This record Joseph later translated by the gift and power of God. ¶

Three men were shown these plates by an angel of God and the voice of the Lord declared from heaven that the record was true and the translation correct, and they should so testify to all the world. And then later eight men had the privilege of seeing these plates. ¶

All these men are witnesses to the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith. ¶

The Lord gave revelations to the Prophet Joseph singly upon many occasions; also to Joseph and Oliver Cowdery; also to Joseph and Martin Harris. Heavenly resurrected beings manifested themselves unto him and them and conferred upon them the gifts, the authorities, and the powers to officiate in all the affairs of God's kingdom. It seems fitting that the man who testified so early of the Savior, John the Baptist, should come and confer upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, the Aaronic Priesthood, and that later the three men, Peter, James, and John, who were with the Savior on the Mount when he was transfigured before them, and God again testified of his Son, should come and confer upon the Prophet Joseph and Oliver Cowdery the Melchizedek Priesthood, the priesthood after the order of the Son of God that has to do with the spiritual endowments, authorities, and blessings of God's Church. ¶

My brothers and sisters, the Prophet, unschooled, unlearned, could not have given to the world what he was privileged to reveal unless God were with him. God inspired him in all that he did. There were living witnesses who testified to his divine calling for heavenly messengers had manifested this truth to several brethren. Surely if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is more certain. The office of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the Father and Son, it is also the spirit of truth, and when it testifies to the spirit of men there comes an inward feeling whether a thing is true or whether it is not true. In the case of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, it was true, for men in his day and since have received that witness and testimony which the Holy Ghost itself manifests unto those who seek after truth. ¶

And again the works of Joseph Smith —analyze them; everything about them indicates his prophetic calling. Where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of a testator, and surely this was a testament unfolding and revealing again God's kingdom with all of its saving ordinances, principles, and divine powers. A testament is not of force until after men are dead. The Prophet gave his life to seal that testimony, and thus the sacrifice of his life becomes a witness to all men of the truth and power of his holy calling and ministry. ¶

My brothers and sisters, before the Prophet Joseph Smith departed this life he conferred upon the Twelve all the keys, powers, and authorities to carry forward this important work of the latter-day; that work has not stopped in its progress; it has gone forward; and the fruits of it are a witness to all people of its truth. ¶

I bear testimony to you that the Presidents of the Church, our spiritual leaders who have followed Joseph Smith, are prophets of God. I cannot quote the exact words, but in the Thursday temple meeting of all the General Authorities, where we had gone in fasting and prayer in preparation for this great conference, President McKay said, "Brethren, I want to say to you that Christ is at the helm of this Church and he is guiding it by his holy power." ¶

I received a witness from the Spirit that President McKay's statement was true. I bear that witness to you, my brothers and sisters. I know that leaders of other churches might make similar statements, but would the Holy Ghost manifest the truth of it to their listeners? If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, which witness all can receive from the Holy Ghost, for which I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶