My Brothers And Sisters I Have Been...

My brothers and sisters, I have been greatly edified by the proceedings of this great conference, and I am thankful. ¶

We live in a wonderful world and no doubt in the most wonderful era. There are so many lovely and desirable things to do, to enjoy, and to accomplish. There are so many people who help to make life meaningful and purposeful and worthwhile. But, at the same time, this is a day in which there is much anxiety, confusion, mistrust, and fear. ¶

This is a time when, as prophesied, many are ". . . walking in darkness at noon-day." (D&C 95:6.) The Quest for a Sound Foundation In attempting to understand the perplexities of these days, many good people seem to be running to and fro, here and there, seeking to find security in order that they may have peace of mind. ¶

Some, seemingly, depend upon fleeting pleasures to satisfy the longings of their souls. Often these attempt to drown the realities of life in unrestrained living. They seem to be among those who are ". . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. . . ." (I Tim. ¶

3:4.) As a result they find their course is shallow and unproductive of contentment and happiness. ¶

The questionable value of mere pleasures is well described by the poet Robert Burns, who wrote in part: ¶

"But pleasures are like poppies spread: ¶

You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow falls in the river, CHRISTIANSEN of the Twelve Apostles A moment white — then melts for ever." ¶

("Tarn o' Shanter," 1, 59.) Some people attempt to find solace in esoteric intellectual pursuits, while still others seek a haven of security in untried ideologies and man-made formulas. Rather than chart the course for themselves, they seem to be willing to place their lives, their fortunes, their all — even their posterity — in the hands of "benevolent" agencies which formulate and prescribe a way of life for them. ¶

This misplaced trust is contributing to the chaotic conditions of our day. ¶

Truly it may be said that these last days are exhibiting more than ever the blatant power and force of Satan. ¶

"O that cunning plan of the evil one," exclaimed Jacob. "O the vainness, and the frailties, ... of menl When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. ¶

The Counsels of God "But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God." (2 Nephi 9:28-29.) In this day of debauchery and crime when a man or woman or a boy or a girl can sink to greater depths than ever before, we can be grateful that even in the midst of these opposing forces, it is possible through following the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for each of us to learn and to progress and to reach the greatest heights in less time than ever before. ¶

How may we in our short lifetime prepare to reach the greatest heights? ¶

Is it by placing our trust in the wisdom and power and the abilities of man? ¶

No! For "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord." ¶

(Jer. 17:5.) And from the Book of Mormon we could add, "... or [who] shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost." (2 Nephi 28:31.) Trust in God This is not to minimize the almost unbelievable accomplishments which man has made in conquering his environment and in subduing the earth. ¶

But to conquer and subdue the earth is futile if we fail to conquer and subdue ourselves and to place our trust in the Lord. ¶

In one of our hymns we sing, "The fight with sin is real . . ." (Will L. ¶

Thompson, Hymns, 206), and it really isl It began in our pre-existent life, and ". . . to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man . . ." we are told the fight with sin will continue in order that man may be free to choose between the captivity and power of the devil and liberty and eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord. (See In that pre-earth life Lucifer offered to "save" mankind and to bring all 2 Nephi 2:15, 27.) back. But he would have done it by deceit and by force, thereby destroying the agency of man. He demanded as his price that God give him all the honor and the glory that belongs to our Heavenly Father. Jesus, when he heard Lucifer's selfish plan, offered himself as the Savior of mankind and in so doing said: "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." ¶

(Moses 4:2.) Captivity for Rebellion We must have witnessed that tragic scene when Lucifer with a third of the hosts of heaven arose in hateful rebellion against God, for it is recorded that there were many led away captive by him, ". . . even as many as would not hearken unto my voice." (Ibid., 4:4.) That one third of the hosts of heaven placed their trust in Lucifer and followed after him. What a tragic eventl And yet, even in that pre-existent state, the right of choice was theirs and ours, and that right continues with us today. We then chose the right. We placed our trust in God. ¶

Now what of today? We have been told by our living prophet that ". . . Never before . . . were there so many insidious influences at work among our people as today — . . . never before have dangers been so threatening to our youth. . . . some think the standards of morality have changed. The standard of morals of a Latter-day Saint . . . ¶

will never change." ¶

This is a day of sifting, when the Lord determines "who's who," when the "goats" will separate themselves from the "sheep"; actually this is the day when we must determine and prove whether we are Latter-day Saints or whether we are "Latter-day Ain'ts." ¶

Choose Whom Ye Will Trust The Latter-day Saints are without excuse. We are well taught, we are well directed. We have both ancient and modern scripture to guide us. We have the priesthood. We have living prophets, and I testify to you that President David O. McKay is just that. We have the Church with its supporting organizations. We have the saving and exalting ordinances which are administered by proper authority in holy temples. We have the Holy Ghost to guide us, to warn us, and to impress us. But still we must learn that except through Jesus of Nazareth, ". . . there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12.) In whom then shall we place our trust? Men may scheme and plan, they may devise programs, and they may legislate changes, but contentment and peace will come only when we trust in God and admit our sins and forsake them and then with determination ". . . live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God." (D&C 84:44.) To you who are sorrowing, to you who are discouraged, to you who are in doubt, to you who need help — Jesus gave the answer to the question, where shall I place my trust? as he closed his sermon to the multitude and voiced his great message to the rest of the downtrodden: ¶

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ¶

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: ¶

and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ¶

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30.) Yes, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." (Jer. 17:7.) May we all place our trust in the Lord and heed such counsel as we have been given in this conference, I pray humbly in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶