Brothers And Sisters It Is A Blessing...

Brothers and sisters: It is a blessing and a privilege to be in the talented and spiritual atmosphere of this great [Tabernacle] Choir. We fondly remember their great strength back at the [Mormon] Pavilion at the World's Fair. They are still talking about it in many of the areas. ¶

It is also a heartfelt joy and blessing to have a living prophet of God on earth today and to have a quorum of Twelve Apostles. This is a unique organization in this world of many varied religions, one that conforms to God's plan and to the scriptures. ¶

Prophets of God

The scriptures and ecclesiastical history reveal that many men are willing and anxious to accept the prophets and apostles of other ages. Many today are willing to accept Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jacob, and others as prophets of God, but few of the people living at the time these prophets lived accepted them as prophets of God. ¶

Many men today accept Jesus Christ as the Savior and Son of God, but few accepted him when he lived on this earth. Many are willing to accept the past prophets but comparatively few are willing to accept and follow the living prophets. Many today are willing to accept Jesus Christ, but few were willing to accept and follow him. ¶

In the Mormon Pavilion at the New York World's Fair many from all sects and religions are asking, "How can we know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and the Son of God, and how can we know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that the restoration of the gospel took place?" ¶

How to Know that Jesus is the Christ

Anyone can know if he truly and sincerely wants to know if a prophet is a false or is a true prophet of God. ¶

Jesus Christ gave us the key of how one may know. He said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¶

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. ¶

Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" (Matt. 7:15-16.) A false prophet is as out of place and out of pattern in God's program as a fig on a thistle or a grape on a thorn. ¶

Jesus continued: "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¶

"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. . . . ¶

"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Ibid., 7:17-18, 20.) A corrupt or false prophet will bring forth evil fruit. A prophet of God will bring forth good fruit or God's program. ¶

Prophets True and False

A false prophet will not build the kingdom of God but will build in opposition to God's program and will build the kingdom of false men and Satan. A true prophet will not build the kingdom of Satan. A true prophet will help build the kingdom of God. ¶

He will teach the teachings and doctrines of Jesus Christ. He will teach the God-inspired scriptures. Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters: . . ." ¶

(Ibid., 6:24.) Many have tried, but the statement of the great Teacher still stands. ¶

A fine couple came into my office in the Mormon Pavilion recently, and the husband was concerned because his wife who had visited the Pavilion a few weeks before had recently joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, and she was filled with peace, joy, and satisfaction. He said, "My wife seems to know, but I do not know, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I do not know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I would like to know the truth." ¶

He said, "I do believe that there is a God or a Creator." ¶

In answer I said, "Your Father in heaven has a greater desire that you know that Jesus Christ is literally his Son and that he is the Savior, and he desires that you know the prophets, even more than you desire to know, but you must be ready to accept and follow the Savior." ¶

Jesus Christ gave us the key of how we can know, and this has been repeated, and I think it is rather significant. It has been mentioned in this conference several times. I think it has great import and is very essential in the great missionary program because no convert can come into this Church, knowing the truth and knowing what is essential, unless he follows and understands what the Savior mentioned. ¶

Picture the Savior with his apostles, living here in mortality, the very God that the people thought they were worshiping, the very Messiah they were looking for. And the Savior said to his apostles: ¶

"Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" (Ibid., 16:13.) Well, you know the answer. It is well known. The people did not know who he was. I wonder if we would. ¶

He was the carpenter's son across the street, claiming to be the Son of God. ¶

Peter's Testimony

Jesus turned to the apostles, "But whom say ye that I am? ¶

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." {Ibid., 16:15-16.) Peter knew. Many of us know, and all who wish the truth would like to know. And here is the key, as you know. Jesus then revealed a great gem of truth and a treasure of knowledge of God the Eternal Father's relationship and responsibility to his children. ¶

Our Father in heaven is not without responsibility. ¶

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: ¶

for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Ibid., 16:17.) ¶

How Peter Knew

The knowledge and testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God cannot come from flesh and blood but must be revealed from our Father which is in heaven. The children of God must receive this knowledge literally from their Creator. ¶

I said to my friend, "Do you sincerely want to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God?" ¶

He said, "Above all else." ¶

"Do you know how to pray?" ¶

He said, "I have never prayed." ¶

"Would you like to talk to your Father in heaven?" ¶

"Of course I would." ¶

"Did Jesus Christ pray?" ¶

The Lord's Prayer

"Yes, he prayed." ¶

Jesus Christ taught us how to pray. ¶

Many know the Lord's prayer, but few really comprehend its great significance. To many it has been a pattern of repetition, but not a pattern literally of the great sequence of prayer from God's children to their Heavenly Father. ¶

Let's just briefly analyze it. First, we pray to our Father in heaven: "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." (Ibid., 6:9.) Then we pray to help build the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. And you cannot pray to bring it without being blessed. We pray to help build God's kingdom on earth. ¶

Then one prays to do the will of God. ¶

What a difference this is over always praying for the Lord to give us blessings. "Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heaven." (Ibid., 6:10.) Then we thank God for our blessings, for our daily bread. You ask your Father in heaven to forgive you for your debts, your sins and weaknesses, and likewise you will forgive anyone that has injured or offended you, so that your heart will be ready to receive the blessings. ¶

You ask the Lord to help you when you are tempted with evil. You ask your Father to deliver you from evil. ¶

This is a tremendous request. ¶

Then the prayer closes. No one praying can keep from the great significance of the three closing thoughts: ". . . For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever." (Ibid., 6:13.) Jesus also said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. ¶

". . . ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:23-24.) I asked my friend again, "Do you want your joy to be full?" ¶

And of course he said that he did. ¶

"You must ask in the name of Jesus Christ when you pray to God for his blessings." ¶

Then he said, "I would like to read all the church books I can get ahold of." ¶

This revealed one of the little secrets that was keeping this young man from the Church. His desire was good, which is very important; he had a marvelous attitude, but he wanted a witness through his own mind, from his own reading, through his own understanding, even though we had been speaking about the message the Lord gave of how we can know. This witness cannot come from flesh and blood but must come from God the Eternal Father. ¶

I again asked him if he would privately and secretly fast and pray from his heart to God, so that he might know the truth. He said, "I will do the best I can, but I assure you I will pray." ¶

One week later he was baptized, and with tears in his eyes and joy in his heart he knew that Jesus Christ was his Savior and that he was literally the Son of the living God. His Father in heaven also revealed to him that Joseph Smith was a prophet; he also knew that the Book of Mormon was scripture and was the word of God. ¶

That came as an answer from his Father in heaven, and he was thrilled to get acquainted with it. He told me, "Life has greater meaning." ¶

Mankind Desires to Know the Truth

Fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ, many of your neighbors desire to know the truth. The World's Fair has proven that the people are hungry for righteousness, hungry for the truth, but there are few to teach them. It is God's plan and program for this life. Many have been misled, even as Jesus said the religious Pharisees were misled by the traditions and doctrines of men. ¶

The Book of Mormon

The doctrines and ordinances and commandments of God and Jesus Christ, again, I repeat, are found in the holy scriptures. Encourage your friends with love, kindness, and neighborliness to read the scriptures, to read the Bible and the Book of Mormon. All Saints should give their friends a copy of the Book of Mormon. ¶

This program has started. See how beautifully it works. Can you picture a million members of this Church with a testimony, with a witness from God, giving the great tangible witness to their neighbors, and then individually following through, encouraging their neighbors to pray, with love and kindness building within them the knowledge that this great book is the second great witness of God's program here upon the earth, along with the Bible? It may not be second, but is a witness with the Bible. It works. ¶

A million copies! And it depends on you. Here the majority of the leadership of God's program on earth is represented. Everyone can be a missionary, and the Book of Mormon a little tool, and then with the follow-up, you will be surprised. The Book of Mormon will draw tears to the eyes of the honest in heart. After they have read this book they will know that Jesus Christ lives and that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the gospel has been restored. ¶

In closing, I would just like to say that in a few days one of the greatest missionary tools of all time, the Pavilion at the World's Fair, where we have had the opportunity of meeting and touching the hearts of millions, will be closed and dismantled, but its strength and its potency and what it has done will live indefinitely. It is good to have been a part of it. ¶

May the Lord bless all of us to be about our Father's business, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶