Brethren and Sisters, We Are Nearing the End...

PRESIDENT DAVID O. McKAY ¶

Brethren and Sisters, we are nearing the end of another great conference. I am impressed with the thought that everyone who has attended, either in presence or by listening in, no matter where he or she may be, must leave this conference with a greater determination to be a better man or a better woman; a better citizen of the town, county, or nation than he or she has ever been before. ¶

Brother Bernard P. Brockbank has just said that it is good to be in the presence of good people. He gave a sermon in that sentence. "It is good to be in the presence of good people." Every man and every person who lives in this world wields an influence, whether for good or for evil. It is not what he says alone, it is not alone what he does. It is what he is. Every man, every person radiates what he or she is. Every person is a recipient of radiation. The Savior was conscious of that. Whenever he came into the presence of an individual, he sensed that radiation — whether it was the woman of Samaria with her past life; whether it was the woman who was to be stoned or the men who were to stone her; whether it was the statesman, Nicodemus, or one of the lepers. He was conscious of the radiation from the individual. And to a degree so are you, and so am I. It is what we are and what we radiate that affects the people around us. ¶

We cannot go from this great conference without an added responsibility to contribute to a better life around us. As individuals, we must think nobler thoughts. We must not encourage vile thoughts or low aspirations. We shall radiate them, if we do. If we think noble thoughts, if we encourage and cherish noble aspirations, there will be that radiation when we meet people, especially when we associate with them. ¶

That is true of the individual. It is true of the home, as we have heard in this conference from Brother Gordon B. Hinckley. Our homes radiate what we are, and that radiation comes from what we say and how we act in the home. No member of this Church — husband, father — has the right to utter an oath in his home or ever to express a cross word to his wife or to his children. You cannot do it as a man who holds the priesthood and be true to the spirit within you by your ordination and your responsibility. You have to contribute to an ideal home by your character, controlling your passion, your temper, guarding your speech, because those things will make your home what it is and what it will radiate to the neighborhood. ¶

I am reminded of a remark made by a man who came here and attended the board meeting of the United States Steel Company in 1946. You will remember — some of you in this audience, some of you General Authorities will remember — that they invited us to attend a dinner of that board, and at the conclusion of that entertainment the chairman, the master of ceremonies — I think it was Mr. Irving S. Olds — said: "Now we are not going to have any set speeches, but here is an opportunity if any of you would like to express yourselves." ¶

Mr. Nathan L. Miller, general counsel for that board, arose, and in substance said, "I am one of those inquisitive, suspicious New Englanders, and I have been impressed with something in this city that seems to be different from any other city I have ever visited." A radiation! He continued, "I walked up and down Main Street and watched the people. There is something about the city which is different from any other I have been in. I tried to define it and wondered what it was, but during an interview in the President's office today (President George Albert Smith was their host then, and the board had invited him that morning) I think I discovered what it is." President George Albert Smith had called on some of the brethren to speak to the visitors (United States Steel board members), who were sitting and standing around the First Presidency's board room in the Church Administration Building. ¶

He said, "I listened to what these men said." One of them had referred to the pioneers and the spirit of the pioneers; that before they started out across the plains under the direction of President Young, they sought divine guidance first. Second, under his direction, they were prepared. Every man would carry a gun and must be prepared for an attack of savages or any other possible emergency that might come to the pioneers that day. And third, every man must take just as much care of his neighbor's cattle as he did of his own. Worship, Preparation, Service! ¶

I do not know whether it was that that answered this gentleman's curiosity or not, but he said, "I thought in that meeting in the President's office I detected what there is in the city which is different — it is spirituality," said he. "That's it! It is spirituality! The pioneers had it! I am wondering if you younger men (he spoke to those around him) can keep that spirituality with the installation of material things coming into your midst." ¶

He was referring to that radiation of the group which we all feel. I repeat, every individual has it. Every home radiates it, and every Latter-day Saint home should have it. ¶

A father visited his son's new home. The son was proud to show him the new bedroom, the new installations in the kitchen. After they were through with their visit, the father said, "Yes, it is beautiful, but I see no signs of God in your home." And the son said, "I went back, and as I looked through the rooms, I noticed I had nothing suggestive of the presence of the Redeemer or the Savior." ¶

What I am saying is, we leave this conference today with greater responsibility than ever before, as men of the priesthood, as women of the Church, to make our homes such as will radiate to our neighbors harmony, love, community duties, loyalty. Let our neighbors see it and hear it. Never must there be expressed in a Latter-day Saint home an oath, a condemnatory term, an expression of anger or jealousy or hatred. Control it! Do not express it! You do what you can to produce peace and harmony, no matter what you may suffer. ¶

The Savior set us the example, always calm, always controlled, radiating something which people could feel as they passed — the woman who touched his garment. He felt something go from him, that radiation which is divine. ¶

Each individual soul has it. That is you. The body is only the house in which you live. God help us to radiate strength, control, love, charity, which is another name for love, consideration, best wishes for all human beings. ¶

The Church is reaching out, radiating, not only by bodies and meetings, but now through the kindness of the radio owners, television owners, we have touched them from the center. Listen to the people up in Alaska: "Our sincere thanks for the spiritual uplift. Reception excellent at both ends of this far north stake. Attendance at Anchorage, 89. Fifty prayers are certainly with you. Alaska Stake President (Lloyd B. Owen)." Fifty prayers! Why, it is just radiating throughout the whole world. ¶

God help us as members of the priesthood and as members of the Church to radiate faith in God, love of humanity, service to his people wherever they are, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶