When The Savior Walked The Earth He...

• When the Savior walked the earth, he chose twelve men and placed them in charge of his Church. These men were the Twelve Apostles. They were also designated especial witnesses. They testified that Jesus was the Christ. ¶

They directed all the work of the Church. ¶

Calling of Seventy by Christ

Luke tells us, in a sketchy account, of another body of men likewise called to a special calling. No doubt these men were to assist the Twelve. ¶

"After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. ¶

"Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest." (Luke 10:1-2.) It is recorded later in this same chapter: ¶

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." (Luke 10:17.) During the subsequent apostasy that followed the establishment of the Church, an understanding of this priesthood office and the duties of the seventy was lost to the world. Without revelation men could know neither the duties nor power of the seventy. ¶

First Quorum of the Seventy

When the gospel was restored in our day, a knowledge of the proper place and function of priesthood offices was revealed. Apostles and prophets were again placed at the head of the Church, with power to administer all the affairs of the kingdom. ¶

Two weeks after the calling of the Twelve, another body of men was called and organized. This body was the First Quorum of the Seventy. Their duties, and the duties of seventies in general, were unfolded in revelations to the modern prophet. Several things were made clear: ¶

First, that the presiding officers of this quorum were constituted different from those of any other quorum: ¶

"And it is according to the vision showing the order of the Seventy, that they should have seven presidents to preside over them, chosen out of the number of the seventy; "And the seventh president of these presidents is to preside over the six." (D&C 107:93-94.) ¶

Second, that these brethren were to act under the direction of the Twelve: ¶

"The Seventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve or the traveling high council, in building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and then to the Jews." (D&C 107:34.) The third thing made clear was that other seventy also were to be called: ¶

"And these seven presidents are to choose other seventy besides the first seventy to whom they belong, and are to preside over them; "And also other seventy, until seven times seventy, if the labor in the vineyard of necessity requires it. ¶

"And these seventy are to be traveling ministers, unto the Gentiles first and also unto the Jews." (D&C 107:95-97.) ¶

Special Duties Designated

Their special duties were designated: ¶

"The Seventy are also called to preach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world — thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling." (D&C 107:25.) And so it is today. The first seven presidents of the First Quorum of the Seventy act under the direction of the Twelve. We consider it an honor to serve under the inspired leadership of these great men. We wholeheartedly sustain the leadership they give to the great missionary program of the Church, in both the full-time and the stake missionary work. ¶

Worldwide Missionary Work

Worldwide missionary work actually began when the Savior introduced an apostolic dispensation in the meridian of time. His commission to his Twelve was: ¶

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ¶

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. . . ." (Matt. 28:19-20.) ¶

With the restoration of the gospel, that same commission was announced. ¶

"Verily, verily, I stay unto you, they who believe not on your words, and are not baptized in water in my name, for the remission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned, and shall not come into my Father's kingdom. . . . ¶

"And this revelation unto you, and commandment, is in force from this very hour upon all the world, and the gospel is unto all who have not received it. ¶

"But, verily I say unto all those to whom the kingdom has been given — from you it must be preached unto them. . . ." (D&C 84:74-76. Italics added.) ¶

A Divine Commission

Our mandate is clear. We have a divine commission. We have been counseled by modern prophets that every member has a missionary obligation. Today, in the new Priesthood Missionary Handbook, a program is outlined that can make that great concept become a reality. The program rests on the members of the priesthood. ¶

Since the seventies have a special missionary calling, the Brethren have placed the primary responsibility upon the seventies quorums in the Church. ¶

As the First Council of the Seventy, we are determined to accomplish the mission the Twelve have given us. We now call upon all seventies everywhere to learn their duty and to be anxiously engaged in doing it. We propose to have this great work go forward in a better, more effective way than ever before. ¶

Some presidents of the seventies will remember a meeting held in the Assembly Hall in 1965. At that meeting President Harold B. Lee said: ¶

"The door is opening for you as leaders to bring your seventies and walk through that open door. You must see to it that with all the strength you possess from training, from an understanding of the gospel, to support the leadership of the First Council of the Seventy, acting under the direction of the Twelve and the First Presidency . . . walk through that open door and demonstrate now that never again so far as you have strength will you lose your grasp upon the opportunity that is now being offered to you." ¶

Program for Seventies

We have been heartened, brethren, by the response which you have given to the various projects which we have administered in the past. In reality, they have been training exercises to strengthen us for this great task which the Twelve have now laid upon our shoulders. I quote excerpts from the new Priesthood Missionary Handbook: ¶

"Seventies serve as stake missionaries by virtue of their priesthood office without being set apart. . . ." ¶

". . . the stake mission presidency are . . . [to] serve ... as presidents in the seventies quorum. . . ." ¶

". . . Seventies and stake and full-time missionaries ... are to coordinate with home teachers, under the direction of the bishop and quorum leaders, . . ." ¶

— thereby helping families to discharge their missionary responsibility. ¶

". . . missionary work should be done on a ward basis." ¶

"The seventies group leader . . . serves as the ward mission leader." ¶

". . . the ward mission leader should conduct among the Seventies the program for finding families, and may be invited to train High Priests and others to assist in this program and in various other ways of finding the investigator." ¶

As you can see, the work is to go forward in an orderly and systematic way. ¶

The Regional Representatives of the Twelve will soon come to stake leaders with a full explanation of this program. ¶

Stake mission presidents will be invited to attend these regional meetings during the first six months of 1971. ¶

Time to Magnify Assignment

This is the decade of the seventies! ¶

This is the time to step forward, to honor the confidence placed in us by the Twelve. This is the time to magnify the priesthood assignment given to us through revelation today. We are confident, brethren of the seventies, that you will accept and accomplish this work. ¶

"Therefore, let every man stand in his own office, and labor in his own calling; . . . that the system may be kept perfect." (D&C 84:109-110.) There is reason for this great emphasis upon missionary work in the world today. The Lord gave that reason in the eighteenth section of the Doctrine and Covenants: ¶

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" (D&C 18:10, 15.) Some may wonder how one soul could be worth the labor of a lifetime. ¶

We live in a world of temporal and transitory things. Many fail to understand the nature of man — that his soul is eternal! Man's soul is indeed worth a lifetime of effort to save. ¶

One other thing — the saver of souls, together with him who is saved, shall be found in the kingdom of our Father. ¶

Pledge of Effort

To you brethren of the Twelve, we of the First Council pledge our greatest effort to bring many souls into the kingdom. We will move forward in faith in this ministry of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. We feel humble as we view the magnitude of the task you have assigned us. We nevertheless have courage and confidence that because this is the work of the Lord, and because you and we are his servants, there will be a plenteous harvest. ¶

As for myself, I really want to help save a soul. I would like to have some one person stand in the congregation of the righteous at that great day and say, "He it was who brought me into the kingdom." ¶

In the name of Jesus Christ. ¶

Amen. ¶