I Was Privileged To Look Over The...

I was privileged to look over the annual report of the General Relief Society Board the other day, and I noted this conspicuous record of service. In the year 1957 the Relief Society teachers made 3,125,813 Family Visits by the Visiting Teachers, an increase of 184,383 over the previous year. ¶

And in the category of what is called "compassionate service" the record shows 275,469 visits of Relief Society members to the homes of the sick and the homebound — an increase of 19,750 over the previous year. ¶

I thought what a challenge to the brethren of the Priesthood of this Church I I regard the Priesthood of the Church of God as being the truest — I do not know numbers — if not the greatest of all the brotherhoods in this world. ¶

It is a great fraternity made up of men who have been initiated, not by secret oaths nor by strange initiatory ordinances, but by receiving the ordination of the power bestowed by messengers of our Heavenly Father upon his servants with the restoration of the Holy Gospel. ¶

I am sure that this fraternity contemplates affectionate feeling one for another, and mutual helpfulness. There have been presented to us tonight opportunities for helping, advising, counseling, safeguarding, the welfare of the younger members of the Priesthood as well as the older. Why ought we not to perform a service comparable to that of our sisters and go to see those who are in some form of distress, who need us, even without appointment as fellow members of this great fraternity? ¶

I do not know that you noticed in our statistical information last night that there were approximately 3000 converts, or ten percent of all our converts, which were not made by the missionaries serving under appointment either in the stakes or in the regular missions. Nearly ten percent of the converts were made by friends, neighbors and families who brought the message of life and truth to their close friends. ¶

May we not, as members of the Priesthood, without appointment, consider our obligations to our neighbors and our friends, and do them the incomparable blessed service of taking the truth to them and teaching them the way of life? ¶

The Lord bless us that we may truly be a brotherhood, and that our unity, our love, and our concern for each other shall characterize us as servants of our Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶