I Stand Here In A Great Presence...

• I stand here in a great presence, surrounded by the First Presidency and the other General Authorities of the Church. Sitting before me are those who are appointed to administer the affairs of the Church in the stakes, missions, temples, wards, priesthood, and other organizations of the Church. ¶

In addition are faithful, devoted Latterday Saints and other good people who are in this great assembly and those listening in on the air. It is a weighty responsibility and a humbling experience. I am dependent upon the Lord, in whose presence I also stand, as his Spirit is most certainly here. I depend also upon your faith and prayers. ¶

Library Of The Mind

Someone has said that memory is the library of the mind and recollection is the librarian. There are stored in that library things we have read and information that has come to us in many other ways. Sometimes when we call upon the librarian for help, he is slow to bring to us the things we would like to have. And sometimes he brings to us material that would better be forgotten. ¶

Recollection Of Experiences

As I stand before you today, the librarian brings from the library of the mind some wonderful, impressive, and enduring experiences. I recall many years of close and intimate acquaintance and association with great men of the past and present. Twenty-three years of unforgettable experience with President Heber J. Grant, one of the sweetest associations that man could have, and with that memory comes the recollection of a wonderful association with his counselors during those years. ¶

From the memory of the past comes to mind an association with President George Albert Smith and his counselors. President David O. McKay completed in January of this year an administration of nearly 19 years, and the association with him and the counselors he has had during that period has been a glorious experience and privilege. I have known their hearts and their innermost desires; they have been and are good and righteous men. ¶

While not knowing them personally, I have become acquainted, through a perusal of the records they have left, with the Presidents of the Church and their counselors and brethren of the Twelve who have preceded those whom I have named; and I bear testimony that they too were inspired men, prophets of God, whose actions and teachings were in harmony with the lives of those with whom I have had personal acquaintance over the years. ¶

Present Administration

And now we are blessed with the administration of President Joseph Fielding Smith and his counselors, Presidents Harold B. Lee and Nathan Eldon Tanner. I testify to you that they too are men whom the Lord loves, men called of God to preside over his church here upon the earth, prophets, seers, and revelators; and that great strides are being made in the work of proclaiming the gospel to the nations of the world and carrying out the Lord's program for his church in these the latter days. ¶

In addition, I think of the brethren of the Twelve Apostles whom I have known intimately over these many years, many of whom have passed to the great beyond, and those who are with us today. I think too of all the other General Authorities of the Church. It has been a unique experience, a beloved experience, one that I truly treasure more than my weak words can express. I have loved them all, each and every one, and I have gained great benefit, blessing, and inspiration from each. ¶

The Lord's Mandate

One of the sweetest and most profitable experiences in life is the association with great and good people. I can testify to you in all sincerity and soberness that these men are and have been men of God, God's noblemen, men raised up in this, the last dispensation, the dispensation of the fulness of times, to carry out the Lord's mandate as set forth in the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which is a marvelous revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith and "constitutes the Lord's Preface to the doctrines, covenants, and commandments given in this dispensation": ¶

"Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; "And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets — "The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh — "But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; "That faith also might increase in the earth; "That mine everlasting covenant might be established; "That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers. ¶

"For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion. ¶

"And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world." ¶

(D&C 1:17-23; 35-36.) ¶

Principles Of Eternal Life

I thank the Lord for faith — faith in our Heavenly Father and in his Son Jesus Christ. I thank him for inspired leadership. ¶

I thank the Lord for faith in and knowledge of the truth of the restored gospel. As the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "I can taste the principles of eternal life, and so can you. They are given to me by the revelation of Jesus Christ. . . . You say that honey is sweet, and so do I I can taste the spirit of eternal life. I know it is good." ¶

Visits To Stakes

I am enjoying visiting the members of the Church and their leaders in the stakes of the Church. To me there is no experience sweeter than that which comes from mingling with good people, faithful and devoted people, who love the Lord and whose hearts have been and are touched with the fire of the Holy Ghost, whose souls are filled with gratitude for the knowledge and understanding that have come to them through the operation of the Holy Spirit, which has borne witness to them that this is the truth, revealed from heaven in answer to sincere and earnest prayer. As stated by President Brigham Young on one occasion, in answer to the question as to what is the difference between our church and other churches, "We have the truth, the Gospel includes all truth, wherever found, in all the works of God and man, visible or invisible to the naked eye." ¶

Appreciation For Family

I want to express appreciation for my wife, my family, and my loved ones, who have blessed me by their love and confidence. As the song says, "No man is an island." We are all, in part at least, the product of our environment, the result of the influence upon us by our friends and associates, and of course the inheritance we obtained from our progenitors. ¶

I am thankful for the library of the mind and the rich treasures that are stored therein, the treasured memory of association with prophets called of the Lord in this dispensation, and the words of eternal life that are inspiring and cause me to rejoice more and more each day. ¶

Call To Serve

I am highly honored and yet greatly subdued in my feelings that I should be considered worthy of the love and confidence of the Lord and of his living prophets to receive the call that has come to me to serve as one of the chosen servants of the Lord. I am humbled by my inadequacy, and my constant prayer is and will be that the Lord will qualify me to do my part in assisting in the rolling forth of this great work in which we are engaged. ¶

I love the Lord, I love the gospel, and I love the Brethren. ¶

Testimony Of Work

I bear witness that God lives; that Jesus is his Beloved Son, the Redeemer and Savior of the world; that as proclaimed by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify it from all unrighteousness; that through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him. ¶

I testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God raised up in this dispensation, the dispensation of the fulness of times, to lay the foundation for this great work upon the earth preparatory to the coming of the Son of Man, our Lord and Savior, to reign upon the earth in peace and righteousness; and that these men of whom I have spoken have been called of God to represent our Savior in building up the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth. ¶

Of these things I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶