My Brothers And Sisters I Am Happy...

My brothers and sisters, I am happy indeed to extend the hand of fellowship to Elder Howard W. Hunter, called this day as a member of the Council of the Twelve. I look forward with joyous anticipation to association with him in that council. I assure him of my support and my love and my help. ¶

Today I feel to share with you my witness and humble testimony that this Church is the true Church of Christ, established upon the earth in this dispensation of God's providence for the last time. It was divinely set up by our Lord, and possesses every truth, principle, and ordinance for the salvation and exaltation of those who receive and obey its plan of life. ¶

I solemnly testify that every President of this Church has been called of God, and sustained by him and by the faithful Church members who, with uplifted hands before God, angels, and fellow disciples, agreed to accept and sustain their leader as prophet, seer, and revelator. We so sustain our beloved President David O. McKay today. According to the spirit of truth within me, I accept him in this high position of prophet, seer, and revelator with all my heart, and uphold him without question and without reservation. I say to you, my brothers and sisters, that if everyone would keep his eyes on the President of this Church and follow his example, he would never go wrong. ¶

I have that faith and confidence, and so testify to you with full knowledge that ultimately I must answer to God for my teachings and personal acts. ¶

The members of the Church must, by implicit obedience to gospel principles and ordinances, stand firm and true to the faith and not be tossed about by every wind of doctrine from deceiving teachers who wrongfully and wilfully suggest that the Church in this day has gone astray, which claim I humbly testify to you is untrue. Dissenters from the Church in all ages of the world, influenced by evil design, have zealously taught deceptive and false doctrines and led many unsuspecting and unthinking souls into the broad way of apostasy from the truth. The true servants of the Lord have consistently and humbly warned against self-appointed leaders, and have always admonished the Saints to be faithful and true in keeping the commandments of God, and thus develop faith and strength against the powers of evil which are constantly leveled at them. ¶

In the early history of the Church, because the elders did not understand the manifestations of different spirits abroad which were disturbing the members, the Lord, in answer to prayerful inquiry, warned: ¶

"Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world." (D&C 50:2.) What was true then is true now, and ever will be until Satan and his evil hosts are forever bound and shorn of their power to deceive and destroy. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, ". . . Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 205.) How true this statement is, and how important to know correct Church doctrine and procedures to prevent stumbling along life's way. It is a great blessing and gift to be able to discern and choose rightly between truth and error. ¶

To protect the faith of Church members the Lord has revealed: ¶

"But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils." (D&C 46:7.) In all the teachings and prophecies of the prophets concerning the establishment of God's kingdom in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, there is no mention nor indication that the Church, when once established, would fail or be given to another people. That was not true of the Church in the Meridian of Time. The prophets before the time of Christ, and the apostles after, warned and predicted a falling away from the truth and the true Church. ¶

As members of the Church, we must always remember that this is the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, or, the last of all gospel dispensations, when all things are to be gathered together in Christ before his coming to earth again. The destiny of this Church is too great and the time too short for so important a work to be bounced from one group of people to another. The Lord would not have it so and has decreed the permanency of his latter-day kingdom. ¶

When John the Revelator, in a vision of important latter-day events, witnessed an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people; he quoted the angel as saying: ". . . Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come." (Rev. 14:7.) Our era of time is the hour of God's judgment; therefore, this prophecy could not be fulfilled if interruptions were to occur in the progress and work of the restored kingdom. ¶

The Prophet Daniel, interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, informed him that its fulfilment would be in the latter days. Then, calling attention to the kingdoms that should follow that of the king until many kingdoms resulted, Daniel declared: ¶

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. ¶

". . . God," said Daniel, concluding his interpretation of the king's dream, "hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." (Daniel 2:44-45.) Here is prophetic evidence of the continuity of God's latter-day kingdom when established upon the earth. Daniel emphasized that point dramatically when he said, "The dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure." ¶

The kingdom, prophesied Daniel, is not to be destroyed; it is not to be left to other people; and it shall stand forever. ¶

How convincing and certain this declaration is! ¶

The Lord, in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith shortly after the organization of the Church, made this pronouncement: "For behold, the field is white already to harvest; and it is the eleventh hour, and the last time that I shall call laborers into my vineyard." ¶

(D&C 33:3.) Again, the Lord revealed to the Prophet: "The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth." (Ibid., 65:2.) This latter declaration accords with and confirms Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, for the Prophet Daniel spoke of the stone which was cut without hands which smote the image and became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. ¶

The Prophet Joseph Smith gave this wise counsel, which is a true principle in Church government and is the order of the Holy Priesthood: "I will inform you that it is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves; therefore you will see the impropriety of giving heed to them." ¶

(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 21.) Again he taught: ". . . revelations of the mind and will of God to the Church, are to come through the Presidency. ¶

This is the order of heaven, and the power and privilege of this Priesthood." ¶

(Ibid., page 111.) And then a powerful declaration of an eternal principle which the Prophet Joseph Smith said is eternal, undeviating, and firm as the pillars of heaven: ¶

"I will give you one of the Keys of the mysteries of the Kingdom. It is an eternal principle, that has existed with God from all eternity: That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives." (Ibid., page 156.) How clear and forthright these statements are, and so powerfully and convincingly stated that there can be no doubt of their truth. ¶

The Lord gave this instruction and warning to the elders of his Church, and to all the inhabitants of Zion against those individuals making false claims and purporting to receive revelations: "And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments; "And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know that they are not of me. ¶

"For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you before, to teach those revelations which you have received and shall receive through him whom I have appointed." (D&C 43:5-7.) Baptism at the hands of an authorized servant of God permits a person to come in at the gate; and the way prescribed by the Lord, as outlined in the preceding quotation, by which those ordained can be known and accepted by the members of his Church is clearly set forth in the following revelation: "Again I say unto you," said the Lord, "that it shall not be given to anyone to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church." ¶

(Ibid., 42:11.) As in past ages, men will continue to arise to plague the work of God, for this is the intent of Satan and ever has been since the beginning of man on the earth. ¶

There are infallible guiding principles found in the revelations and in the historical records of the Lord's dealings with his people for their guidance and protection. Here is a very important one given in this last dispensation to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Lord gave it as a guiding admonition to his people. Said he: ¶

"And all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith, for all things you shall receive by faith." (Ibid., 26:2.) If the members of the Church will follow this counsel and act together in prayer and true faith, the Holy Ghost will not permit them to yield to the influence of error and false teachings of those who seek to overthrow the work of God. The great Nephite prophet, Mosiah, warning his people against kingcraft, counseled them concerning the manner in which judges to govern them should be selected, and wisely advised: ¶

"Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law — to do your business by the voice of the people." (Mosiah 29:26.) All wavering and disaffected individuals should remember the safeguards to faith and testimony given by the Lord through revelation, and, recognizing and working through constituted channels of priesthood authority, submit their views or claims and be willing to abide by the voice of the people, who, conforming to the above-quoted revelation, are to decide the matter after exercising much faith and prayer. If they would do this before permitting themselves to follow a deviating or contrary course, and manifest the faith to abide by the voice of the Saints, they would not go astray nor depart from the right way, and their souls and those of their posterity would, through obedience to the commandments, be saved in the kingdom of God. ¶

There are many other scriptural references and revelations, also statements by Church leaders, bearing upon this subject which could be quoted, but I close with two additional quotations from the revelations of the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The first concerns the keys of priesthood power committed to the First Presidency and the Twelve of the Church: ¶

"For unto you, the Twelve, and those, the First Presidency, who are appointed with you to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this priesthood given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times. ¶

"For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you." (D&C 112:30, 32.) And now the second and concluding admonition from the Lord, which also is a perfect safeguard to the membership of this Church: ¶

"Hearken, O ye elders of my church whom I have called, behold I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall assemble yourselves together to agree upon my word; "And by the prayer of your faith ye shall receive my law, that ye may know how to govern my church and have all things right before me. ¶

"He that receiveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple; and he that saith he receiveth it and doeth it not, the same is not my disciple, and shall be cast out from among you." (Ibid., 41:2-3, 5.) Wherefore, my brothers and sisters, when assembled together, as today, it is to instruct and edify each other and thus learn how to act and how to direct the affairs of God's latter-day kingdom. ¶

May I encourage all of you to listen to and accept the teachings and counsel of your brethren given in this general conference of the Church. How important it is for the Saints of the kingdom to be guided aright, knowing that false spirits are abroad in the land to deceive, yes, even the very elect of God if they are not careful in keeping the commandments and walking in faithful obedience to God's laws. ¶

God bless you, my brothers and sisters, that you may walk in obedience to God's laws. This I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶