I Have Learned A Little More Realistically...

I have learned a little more realistically what is meant by the scripture, "he that endureth to the end." Brother Hinckley says it is "the survival of the fittest." I do not know what that means, but I do know this, that what has been said at this conference has greatly increased my faith and testimony and desire to serve the Lord. ¶

In the few minutes that I shall occupy I should like to testify of the prophets and read to you from section one of the Doctrine and Covenants these words: ¶

"Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments." (D&C 1:17.) I had an experience some few months before I left the mission field, of a ministerial association from one of the states in our mission, writing a letter and saying that they were receiving ever-increasing inquiries about the Mormon Church and would we please supply them with literature and information. We did this, and I had occasion also to visit the headquarters of this association. And there in the presence of a number of these men, and some of them were ministers, had the opportunity of explaining to them the premise under which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been organized. ¶

I took occasion at that time to read to them from section twenty of the Doctrine and Covenants, and I would like to read to you what I read to them, beginning with verse 7: ¶

"And gave unto him [meaning Joseph Smith] commandments which inspired him; "And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon; "Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also; "Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them — "Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old; "Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen. ¶

"Therefore, having so great witnesses, by them shall the world be judged, even as many as shall hereafter come to a knowledge of this work. ¶

"And those who receive it in faith, and work righteousness, shall receive a crown of eternal life; ¶

"But those who harden their hearts in unbelief, and reject it, it shall turn to their own condemnation — ¶

"For the Lord God has spoken it; and we, the elders of the church, have heard and bear witness to the words of the glorious Majesty on high, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Ibid., 20:7-16.) ¶

This had a profound effect upon these men, and I was grateful to leave my witness with them as to the premise for the organization of God's Church upon the earth in this day and time. ¶

Some years ago there appeared an article in Fortune magazine, which had to do with the failure, according to the editors and authors of this article, of the Christian churches of America to supply the needed inspiration for the direction of the Christian churches in this land. This article has very recently been referred to by one of our noted educators from the West Coast, Dr. Robert Gordon Sproul, president of the University of California. I read from this article, which stresses the need of divine direction in the Christian churches of America. I quote: ¶

"We have the peculiar spectacle of a nation which, to a limited extent, practices Christianity without actively believing in Christianity. We are asked to turn to the Church for our enlightenment, but when we do this we find that the voice of the Church is not inspired. The voice of the Church today is the echo of our own voices. And the result of this experience, already manifest is disillusionment. . . . ¶

"The way out," continues Dr. Sproul, "is the sound of a voice, not our voice, but a voice coming from somewhere not ourselves, in the existence of which we cannot disbelieve. ¶

"It is the task of the pastors to hear this voice, cause us to hear it, and to tell us what it says. If they cannot hear it, or if they fail to tell us what it says, we, as laymen, are wholly lost. ¶

"Without it we are no more capable of saving the world, than we were capable of creating it in the first place." ¶

I think one of the great messages of this Church is to declare unto the world that God has raised up a prophet and that there is a need for a prophet of God in this day and age. We go to the ends of the earth to proclaim this unto the children of men and if they will but listen to the direction and the inspiration of the prophets of God we could be led from our dilemma and from the disillusionment that settles over the earth today. ¶

I read recently of a statement of Winston Churchill which gives some evidence of the need of inspired direction in the earth today, for said he, "As the years go by, the process of government — I suppose in every modern country and certainly in our own — grows ever more complicated and burdensome. . . . ¶

"I have perhaps a longer experience than almost anyone, and I have never brooded over a situation which demanded more patience, composure, courage and perseverance than that which unfolds itself before us today." ¶

Is there a need for a prophet of God? The answer is yes. Look at the evidences of this. The world of politics and relationships between nations is not improving since that statement was made, in fact they have grown worse. There is a world-wide lack of trust between peoples. We stand each dawn, as it were, on the brink of open hostilities. ¶

Atomic and hydrogen power, with their many implements of destruction, serve only to add to the menace of our way of living. The pressure conditions under which we live today are taking a tremendous toll in heart and mental disturbances. The status of home life, spiraling trends of drunkenness, surging infidelity in the home of husband and wife, with an over-all laxity of morals among both young and old, increased personal and community delinquencies all pointing to a growing disregard for the worth of the individual. One would have to be blind not to recognize these disastrous trends and the need of divine direction to save those who will hear, understand, and follow the truth. The ancient Prophet Amos declared, that God would do nothing, save he reveal his mind and will to his servants the prophets. (See Amos 3:7.) The need of the mind and will of our Heavenly Father, through his servant, a prophet, is greatly in evidence. ¶

I want to leave my testimony, my brethren and sisters, that God does live and that he and his Son, Jesus Christ, are at the helm, and that prophets have been raised up from the very inception of this Church, commencing with Joseph Smith and others who have followed him, and that we are blessed to have standing at the head of the Church today and directing us, a prophet of God, and if the children of men would but listen to the voice of that prophet we all could be led away from the difficulties that are oppressing us this very day. I bear this record in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶