President Mckay Our Beloved President And Gods...

President McKay, our beloved President and God's choice prophet, President Brown, President Tanner, brethren of the General Authorities, my dear brothers and sisters and friends everywhere. One cannot stand at this pulpit without feeling humble and very dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord. ¶

I can assure you that much fasting and much praying precedes a general conference. I sincerely pray that what I might say will be helpful and I trust encouraging. ¶

This beautiful choir this morning and every Sunday morning is a great pride and a blessing to the people of the Church and for the people of the world. ¶

What a great missionary group of wonderful people — these choir members and their officers and their choristers and organists. I am sure we little sense the great good that they are doing. ¶

We all recognize that there are three important institutions that greatly affect the life of a boy, and when I use the term boy I should like to also have it understood that I include the girl. The home, the church, and the school — all are important, but perhaps not all in that order. ¶

We recognize, however, that the home should be in first place and directly responsible for the welfare, the training, and the future of a boy. But what if the home fails, and what if the parents cannot succeed? ¶

True, the church plays an important part in the life of a boy. Yet, we must recognize that the church has the boy under its jurisdiction but a very small percentage of his time, while the teacher and the school have a very close association with him. Perhaps more of the boy's time is spent with the teacher than that he spends in the home. Therefore, it might be said that the teacher and the school will play a bigger part in the welfare and the training and the character and the future of a boy than perhaps the home or the church. ¶

Parents have such little time to spend with their boy. Parents take too little time with their boy; therefore, we should be more concerned than ever that he is properly taught, supervised, and disciplined while we are with him. ¶

Now, teacher and school, I wonder if you are willing to assume the welfare and the training of the character of the boy, remembering that you have him under your direction more of his awake time than anybody else. So much depends upon you — the teacher and the school. Yes, parents expect the teachers and the school to make sure that their boy is properly taught, not alone that he is taught to read and write and the arts and the sciences, but that he is taught the fundamentals of life and the building of character. Some would say, "Yes, Teacher, his future depends largely on you." I wonder if you are willing to accept this responsibility? ¶

Of late years we have had much said about the teacher and the school. Regardless of what may have been said, the fact still remains that the teacher has the association and the responsibility for a greater portion of his time than anybody else. Parents are justified in being anxious about their boy, and they are anxious that the teacher and the school give him everything that he needs. They are anxious that he is properly taught because his future life and how he conducts himself will in a large measure be the result of some teacher and the school. ¶

Teachers, do you realize that the boys today under your direction may be the doctors of tomorrow, they may be the businessmen of tomorrow, they may be the teachers to take your place tomorrow, the legislators of tomorrow, the public office-holders, church leaders. ¶

Yes, they may be the men who may go to the moon; some may be great artists and authors. Some may be great industrial tycoons, and some may be the leaders America will need so badly to survive in this puzzled world. ¶

Yes, teacher, you have their future in your hands. Don't let any boy fail because of you, his teacher. ¶

Great teachers are always underpaid. ¶

Probably it can never be said that a great teacher is paid enough, but a poor teacher is paid too much, regardless of what he is paid. Teachers, you may be underpaid; yes, you may be unappreciated at times, and you may be overworked, but you will gain that pay in secret satisfaction and blessings of God in heaven, and many boys will rise up and call you blessed. ¶

Recently, I asked a beautiful little granddaughter, Becky, how she liked school, and she answered and said, "O Grandpa, it is the greatest! I love my teacher." I wonder what that is worth to a teacher. Certainly you teachers must be proud of your profession. Jesus was the greatest teacher of all, and what he taught lived long after him and still lives. May teachers teach those things that will live long after you! Yes, you should be proud of your profession. ¶

Many great men in America, many great men in this audience, men who are listening by television and radio, have been teachers. Our great prophet was a teacher; he has been a teacher; he is still a teacher. Certainly, teachers, you should be proud of your profession. ¶

Secretly, you must admit that you have the greatest job in all the world because you hold the history of the world in the palm of your hand — you are a teacher! ¶

Many of us can and do constantly pay tribute to the teachers whom we were fortunate enough to have. As parents, taxpayers, and citizens, it might be well if we took a little more interest in our schools and in our boys and girls and extended greater appreciation for our teachers. It would be well if we never speak disparagingly about a teacher. ¶

Teachers, make sure that you teach as you would like to mold. Teachers, be sure that you teach so that there will never be any justifiable reason to criticize your profession. Teachers, remember that there is a divine spark in every boy and girl that never goes out. ¶

You may help to kindle that spark. ¶

Children are like the flowers of God, and they must have time and room to bloom. ¶

May I dedicate this to teachers, and when I speak of teachers I speak of them in the broadest sense because every one of us is a teacher — teachers by example and precept. I refer to parents, and I refer to teachers in the auxiliary organizations. I would like to include teachers in the elementary schools, high schools, public schools, colleges, and universities. ¶

Teachers, into your hands we daily commit the dearest that we have. As you make our children, so shall future years see them, so be careful. ¶

Teachers, may you have an abiding consciousness that you are co-workers with God, the great teacher of humanity, and that he has charged you with the great duty of bringing forth from the budding life of the young the mysterious stores of character and ability which he has hidden in them. ¶

The miracles and teaching of the Man of Galilee are considered by many to be the brightest illumination of all that has come to bless man. He taught individual responsibility, and his parables concerned each person's fulfilling his own capacity. ¶

In Proverbs 20, verse 27, I quote, "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, . . ." Teachers, remember to reverence the young lives, clean and plastic, which have newly come from God and to realize that generations still unborn will rue your sloth or rise to higher levels through your wisdom and faithfulness. ¶

May God, the Father of us all, gird you for your work with his patience and tranquility, with great fatherly and motherly love for the young, and with special tenderness for the backward and the afflicted and the poor. Save them from trouble, from loneliness, and discouragement, from the numbness of routine, and from all bitterness of heart. ¶

Here are some thoughts expressed to teachers, which might be said by all fathers and mothers to all teachers: t "To you the teacher and the school, my son will start school. It's all going to be so very strange and new to him for awhile, and I wish that you would sort of treat him gently. ¶

"You see, up to now, my little boy has been the king of the roost. He's been boss of the back yard. His mother has always been around to repair his wounds, and I have always been handy to soothe his feelings. Now things are going to be different. ¶

"This morning he is going to walk down the front steps, he is going to wave his hand to his mother, and he is going to start out on a great adventure. This is an adventure that will probably include much tragedy and sorrow and disappointment. ¶

"Our boy will have to live his life with you and with the world that he now has to live in. It will require faith and love and courage. So teacher and school and world, I wish you would sort of take him by his young hand and teach him the things that he ought to know, but be careful with him. ¶

"Please teach him, but gently, if you can. He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, and all men are not true, but please teach him that for every scoundrel there is a hero, and for every disloyal politician, there is a dedicated public leader. Let him understand, teacher, that you are one of those dedicated leaders. Teach him that for every enemy he may have, there will be wonderful friends, and teach him that you are that wonderful friend. ¶

"It will take time, teacher, school, and world, I know, but teach him, if you can, that a nickel earned is far more valuable than a dollar found. ¶

Teach him to learn to lose but also teach him to enjoy winning. Steer him away from envy if you can, and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. ¶

"Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest people to lick. Teach him, if you can, the wonder and greatness of good books. But also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on the green hill. ¶

"In school — teacher and world — teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to be honest. ¶

Teach him to have faith in his own ideas even if others tell him that his ideas are wrong. Teach him to be gentle with gentle people, but teach him to be tough with tough people. ¶

"Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd just because everyone is getting on the band wagon. Teach him to listen to all men, and then teach him also to filter and separate all he hears on the screen of truth and take only the good part that comes through. ¶

Teach him to choose that which will be good. ¶

"Teach him if you can how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears. There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, deep contrition, and unspeakable love, and when tears course down his cheek for any of these three causes, remember he is standing close in the presence of God. ¶

"Teach him to work and study. Let him know that the price of success is high, but not nearly so high as the price of failure. Teach him there can be glory in failure, but also teach him there can be despair in success. ¶

"Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness. Teach him to sell his brawn and his brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his heart and his soul. ¶

"Teach him to close his ears to the howling mob. Teach him to stand and fight if he thinks he is right. Treat him gently, teacher and world, but don't coddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Abraham Lincoln once said, 'to sin in silence when protest is good makes cowards out of men.' "Let him have the courage to be impatient, but let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself and complete faith in God. Do you mean to say this is teaching religion? Why, this is teaching truth, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind. And teach him to love his fellow men. ¶

"This is a big order, teacher and world, but see what you can do for my little boy. He is such a nice fellow — my son!" ¶

God bless all teachers, that parents and sons and daughters will not be disappointed in you, and that you will be able to lift them to the highest level. ¶

Yes, even beyond their own natural abilities. That is real teaching. May God reward teachers with the glad sense of their eternal worth as teachers. ¶

0 Lord, in the heat of day, show them the spring by the wayside that flows from the eternal silence of God and gives new light to all who drink of it. May God give you teachers the brave heart to teach what is true, even to your own hurt, following in the footsteps of the great Creator of our life, Jesus Christ, the Savior. ¶

I bear testimony to you that God is our Father, that we can partake of his Spirit, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that the gospel is the greatest power in the earth. This testimony I bear to all men everywhere regardless of your station in life. I pray that you can understand the restoration of the gospel because if it is made a part of your life, and if you can realize it and accept it, that God still governs in the affairs of men — I bear testimony to you that if you will accept that, you will have more peace and comfort from this source than from any other source in the world. ¶

Yes, I love to bear testimony to you that President McKay is a prophet and that this Church is led by divine guidance by this great prophet. I bear testimony to you that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, called of God as his mouthpiece to bring forth the restored gospel in this day and age. I plead with you, my friends, to accept the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I promise you in the name of the Lord that it will bring you more happiness, more satisfaction, and more peace of mind than you have ever known in your life. ¶

It will help you solve your problems. It will help you carry your burdens. It will help you make for you and your family a new and better life. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶