President Mckay President Moyle Brethren And Sisters...

President McKay, President Moyle, brethren and sisters: I am truly thankful for the opportunity of being here with you and attending this wonderful conference where one feels so keenly the Spirit of the Lord and the spirit of brotherhood and can enjoy this lovely music by the choirs which we have with us in our conference. ¶

I feel very humble this morning and earnestly request an interest in your faith and prayers and pray that the Spirit of the Lord will attend me as I stand here before you this beautiful Sabbath morning. What a wonderful experience it is to listen to our great Prophet, David O. McKay— truly a prophet of God — and President Moyle, and the other leaders of the Church and kingdom of God here upon this earth. ¶

ELDON TANNER 107 I am sure that we all have missed President Clark and his testimony and counsel, and pray for his well-being. ¶

Where else in all the world, my brothers and sisters, are people privileged to listen to apostles and prophets? ¶

What a privilege we have of being and using our best efforts to help others be, ". . . no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. ¶

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." ¶

(Eph. 2:19-20.) I am very happy to have this opportunity this morning of bringing to you assembled here and to those parents and loved ones wherever they may be, who are listening in, greetings and glad tidings from Elder and Sister Hugh B. ¶

Brown, Elder and Sister Alvin R. Dyer, those dedicated mission presidents and their wives, who are doing such a wonderful job with the missionaries; that wonderful corps of faithful, energetic missionaries, and all of those fine people whom we saw in those delightful countries of Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands. ¶

We have here attending these conference meetings at this time President Selvoy J. Boyer of the London Temple, representatives of the five stake presidencies and two bishops from each stake. ¶

I appreciate more than I can possibly say the signal honor and privilege afforded Sister Tanner and myself of being able to accompany President and Sister McKay and their fine son and daughter and their party to London, England, where we were privileged to participate in the dedication of the magnificent Hyde Park chapel with its lovely organ, which Sir Thomas Bennett so ably described to you yesterday. ¶

There we listened to that stirring testimony and message of the Prophet to the world and to that inspiring dedicatory prayer. It was a rare experience. ¶

We also felt the influence of the international Singing Mothers under the able leadership of Sister Florence J. Madsen, accompanied by Brother Frank W. Asper, all of whom were so well received throughout the British Isles. ¶

I feel that President McKay would wish me to give you a brief report of my assignment and conditions as I found them among the Saints where we went. ¶

As most of you know, Elders Brown, Dyer, and I were given the very pleasant assignment and privilege of organizing four new stakes, three in England and one in Holland. What a privilege and honor it is to be called to labor in the British Mission, from which eighty percent of the membership of this Church today can trace their ancestry. Every President of the Church, except Joseph the Prophet, has presided over that mission. ¶

During the 124 years since Brother Heber C. Kimball was called to preside over the British Mission, thousands and thousands of British people have been brought into the Church. Approximately 60,000 of these devoted members have emigrated to make their homes in America, thousands of whom crossed the plains to be with the Saints, and many of whom willingly gave their lives in the struggle. Thousands of others in the Church are proud to trace their ancestry to other countries in Europe from which many of our leaders have come, while thousands of loyal, faithful members who remained in their native lands have carried on under many trials and tribulations, contributing much to the building up of the kingdom of God at home. ¶

Brother Sonne gave you a very fine review of the missionary work in the land. You will be interested also in knowing the tremendous growth that has taken place in the Church in those areas since President McKay pronounced a new era and since the dedication of the temple in 1958, most of which has taken place within the last year and a half. ¶

Although I haven't a complete picture, I should like to give you some information which I found most interesting. ¶

During that short period, the Church population in Great Britain has increased from approximately 10,000 to approximately 20,000, or nearly double. ¶

The number of missionaries has increased from 150 to 500. There was only one mission in the British Isles known as the British Mission. Today there are four — namely, the British, the Central British, the North British, and the Scottish-Irish. There were no stakes then, while today there are four stakes. ¶

In order of organization they are, the Manchester, London, Leicester, and Leeds stakes. ¶

The European Mission, including the British Isles, was composed of eleven missions when President Dyer was called to preside over it a year and a half ago. Today this same area is composed of eighteen missions and five stakes. The European Mission has been divided, as President McKay told you this morning, leaving President Dyer still with eleven missions, though seven have been placed in the new West European Mission. ¶

The West European Mission consists of the four missions on the British Isles which I have named, the French, the French East, and the Netherlands missions, over which I have the honor of being called to preside. ¶

I should tell you that the Holland Stake was organized March 12 — the first stake to be organized on the continent of Europe. This makes a total of five stakes and seven missions in this area. ¶

While this tremendous growth is taking place, it is impossible to keep up with the building program. In fact, the lack of buildings is very serious. ¶

We cannot begin to accommodate the new converts as they are being brought into the Church. In some branches there is only standing room for some of the people as they attend the Sacrament services, and they stand during the whole of the service. ¶

I am pleased to report, however, that the Church, through the building committee, is doing all possible there, as elsewhere in the Church, to cope with the situation. In spite of the tremendous growth that is taking place in these areas, I should like to point out the great need for more and more missionaries. In the Central British Mission there are eighty important cities or boroughs, with populations ranging from 25,000 to over 250,000, in which we have no missionaries whatever. ¶

In the British Mission there are 136 such cities with no missionaries, while in the French East Mission we have fifty-five cities and in the French Mission 147 cities without missionaries. ¶

This means that in these four missions alone we have over 400 important cities and boroughs with populations of approximately 25,000 and over without any missionaries whatever. ¶

While in the West European Mission, Sister Tanner and I had the rare privilege of traveling with Elder and Sister Hugh B. Brown, who have spent so many years in missionary work over there, and with President and Sister Dyer, and of meeting and associating with the mission presidents and many of the missionaries, and aiding in the organization of new stakes. ¶

During our travels we met with thousands of the Saints. In fact, at the organization of the Leeds Stake we had in attendance 2,080 people. It was a great inspiration to me to meet with the missionaries in their conferences and to hear them bear their fervent testimonies to the truthfulness of the gospel and to have the privilege of interviewing them and feeling their fine spirit. ¶

After attending one of these meetings, Sister Tanner said that when she went into that meeting and saw all those young missionaries — most of them from nineteen to twenty-two years of age — she thought, "What can these youngsters do in this great work?" You know, they are much younger than they were when she was that age. But she said as she left that meeting, after listening to them bear their testimonies and expound the principles of the gospel, she had watched those boys grow into mature men, able and prepared to take the gospel message of salvation into the world. It is thrilling indeed to listen to this great army of missionaries — both elders and sisters — bear their testimonies and to see their enthusiasm and devotion as they go forward unselfishly with only one thing in mind, and that is to bear testimony to the world that the gospel has been restored through a prophet in these the latter days; that God is a personal God of body, parts, and passions; and that we accept Jesus Christ as the Living Son of the Living God and the Savior of the world. ¶

As they teach repentance and the ELDON TANNER 109 truths of the restored gospel, they encourage the people to follow the admonition of Moroni when he said, "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. ¶

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." ¶

(Moroni 10:4-5.) In no other Church will you find an army of young men prepared to go into the world to carry the gospel plan of life and salvation. There are approximately eight thousand missionaries in the field today who are working night and day, and who often fast and pray to their Heavenly Father that they will do their work and carry forth the gospel message in a way that will be acceptable to him and bring the people to a knowledge and acceptance of the truth. ¶

I call upon the world to hearken to their message, and without prejudice put it to the test by praying earnestly to God the Eternal Father. Many of these young men have asked their missions to be extended beyond the normal time so that they might continue in the service of their Heavenly Father and of their fellow men. It is their hope that those who are seeking for the truth might hear and accept it. ¶

You parents of these missionaries have every reason to be humbly proud, and I appeal to those parents whose children are not yet old enough to fill missions to set about now to teach and train and to prepare them in mind and in attitude to accept a call so that they might go forward as ambassadors of the Lord. This is a special call to the members of the restored Church. As the Lord said, "Go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature, acting in the authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (D&C 68:8.) As we interviewed dozens of men to fill offices in these stakes and wards, both in England and in Holland, every man without exception expressed his gratitude for his membership in the Church and his appreciation to those who had brought the gospel to him and his family. They also expressed their willingness and desire to accept office and to labor in the Church and devote whatever time was necessary to carry out the assignments. ¶

Among those selected as members of stake presidencies and bishoprics, we found industrialists, contractors, teachers, accountants, merchants, men in the Air Force and in the Navy, builders, and even the humblest of laborers. ¶

Though the majority of these men had been in the Church less than ten years, and many of them from one to five years, they are men with testimonies of the truthfulness of the work and of the joy of service. All were so thankful for what the Church meant to them in their lives and in their homes. ¶

They expressed their humility and feel keenly their lack of experience, but feel, as Nephi expressed himself as he prepared to go back and get the plates: ¶

"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7.) And they have the knowledge and belief that they in and of themselves can accomplish nothing, but with the help of the Lord they will succeed. ¶

One of the finest meetings Sister Tanner and I attended was a meeting of the stake missionaries in Leicester Stake, where the stake mission president had been in the Church only three years. The way he conducted, the lovely testimonies that were borne, and the devotion of those missionaries — all young in the Church — were most inspiring. They all stood ready, and expressed their desire to spend hours every week teaching and sharing the gospel with the people in their communities. ¶

In conclusion I should like to join with those who have spoken in this conference and with those devoted missionaries, both full-time, stake, and district missionaries, in bearing my testimony to all who are listening. I should like to do this by telling an experience of Joseph Smith right here on the American continent in the year 1820, which to me is one of the most important and thrilling happenings since the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, and one with which all members of the Church are very familiar, and which is being told by the missionaries throughout the world. ¶

It is the story of a young boy, not yet fifteen years of age, who desired to know which of all the churches was true. He knew that God could not be the author of all the confusion where each church was zealously trying to establish its own tenets and disprove others. In order to get the answer direct, he went alone to ask God in prayer. As he knelt in the grove by himself, he saw a pillar of light exactly over his head, which was above the brightness of the sun, and he saw two Personages whose brightness and glory defied all description, standing above him in the air. ¶

One of them said to Joseph, "This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him!" As soon as Joseph could speak he asked which church he should join, and he was told to "join none of them, for . . . they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." (Joseph Smith 2:17, 19.) As he left this grove, though he had been taught that God was just a spirit, he knew as he knew that he lived that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ were personal beings, and he bore testimony that they had appeared to him and had instructed him. Though only an obscure boy, not yet fifteen years of age, he was ridiculed and persecuted by ministers and men of high standing, who told him that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all these things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them. ¶

However, though only a boy, he maintained that he had beheld a vision, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise. It was through him that the gospel was restored, and the Church and kingdom of God, known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was established in which we have apostles and prophets and the priesthood of God with our beloved Prophet David O. ¶

McKay at the head of Christ's Church here upon the earth. ¶

This is my witness to you this day, and I do hope and pray that we will all go forth, keeping all of the commandments of God, bearing this testimony to the world, as our missionaries are doing so effectively, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶