And Now Another Annual Conference...

PRESIDENT DAVID O. McKAY ¶

And now another annual conference of the Church has become history. In conclusion, none of us should leave this conference, first, without a resolution in his or her heart to live a better life. True religion cannot be worn only on Sundays, laid aside as you put aside your Sunday clothes, and left to lie in mothballs during the week. True spirituality should be expressed in daily activity. That has been a theme of this great conference. ¶

No father, no mother, no husband, no wife, and no children who have been here in attendance with them should return home without going into a better home than that which they left when they came. No fathers and mothers who have listened in can be true to their ideals as members, and to the noble thoughts inspired by the remarks of these Brethren of the General Authorities, without living tonight and in the future in a more spiritual home than heretofore. That is our duty. ¶

No man or woman who has listened in can be true to himself or to herself without doing something to make life sweeter and better in their home than it was. That is our responsibility. ¶

Secondly, the great theme has been that salvation and peace, contentment of the human family, not only in the home but also in community life, will come through obedience to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has been the season of Easter, and every speaker has referred to the salvation, glorified life, the eternal gospel of the Resurrected Christ. We cannot be true to ourselves and to our loved ones and our associates, without being determined to live more in accordance with those divine principles. I mean in daily life, in our speech, in our self-control, in home associations, with business associates, in political fields — that is the obligation we have taken upon us by participating in the high ideals of the messages given by these speakers. ¶

We cannot be true to ourselves and to our loved ones, to our associates, without feeling a determination to know more about this great truth to which testimonies have been borne. The spirit within bears testimony that truth exists in this old world, and the spirit feeds upon that truth. I have much to say, but I shall summarize it, because of the lateness of the hour, by applying to the truth of the gospel what Mr. Jordan says about truth in general: ¶

We cannot truly believe that we are the children of God and that God exists without believing in the final inevitable triumph of truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as we leave this conference we shall have less worry about the destruction of the world and the present civilization because God has established his Church, never to be thrown down or given to another people, and as God lives and his people are true to him and to one another we need not worry about the ultimate triumph of truth. ¶

If you have that testimony of truth on your side, you can pass through the dark valley of slander, misrepresentation, and abuse, undaunted as though you wore a magic suit of mail, that no bullet could enter, no arrow could pierce. You can hold your head high, toss it fearlessly and defiantly, look every man calmly and unflinchingly in the eye, as though you rode, a victorious king returning at the head of your legions, with banners waving and lances glistening and bugles filling the air with music. You can feel the great expansive world of more health surging through you as the quickened blood courses through the body of him who is gladly, gloriously proud of physical health. You will know that all will come right in the end, that it must come, that all must flee before the great white light of truth, as the darkness slinks away into nothingness in the presence of the sunburst. ¶

So, brethren and sisters, with truth as our guide, our companion, our ally, our inspiration, we may tingle with the consciousness of our kinship with the Infinite, and all the petty trials, sorrows, and sufferings of this life will fade away as the temporary, harmless visions seen in a dream. That is our privilege through God's blessing and guidance if we apply in daily activity the spiritual blessings and privileges of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

God help us all to do so and to enjoy such blessings I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶