October 6, 1972 General Conference
President Harold B. Lee
                    "May the Kingdom of God Go Forth"
                         President Harold B. Lee

	Today, at the greatest moment of my life, I find myself without words
to express my deep and innermost feelings. What I may say, therefore, must
be actuated by the Spirit of the Lord, that you, my beloved Saints of the
Most High God, may feel the depths of my soul-searching on this momentous
and historic occasion.

	As I have participated with you in this moving experience of a solemn
assembly, there has been brought more forcibly than ever to my mind the
significance of the great revelation of the Lord given to the Church in
1835. In this revelation the Lord gave specific instructions setting forth
the order of the priesthood in the government of the church and kingdom of
God.

	In this revelation the Lord specified four requisites in the
establishment of the First Presidency, or the presidency of the
Melchizedek, or High, Priesthood of the Church, as the Lord speaks of it.
(D&C 107:22.)

	First, it was requisite that there be three presiding high priests.

	Second, they were to be chosen by the body (which has been construed
to be the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles).

	Third, they must be appointed and ordained by the same body--the
Quorum of the Twelve.

	Fourth, they must be upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayers of
the Church.

	All of these steps were taken in order that the quorum of the First
Presidency could be formed to preside over the Church.

	Those first steps were taken by action of the Twelve and they were
attended to in a sacred meeting convened in the temple on July 7, 1972,
where the First Presidency were named.

	Today, as never before, have I more fully realized the importance of
that last requirement: that this presidency, in the Lord's language, must
be upheld by the confidence, the faith, and the prayers of the
Church--which means, of course, the entire membership of the Church.

	We witnessed a short while ago the outpouring of love and fellowship
that was in evidence in the great regional conference of our wonderful
Lamanite Saints from Central America and Mexico, assembled in Mexico City
in August. Over 16,000 Saints were gathered together in a great
auditorium, where they sustained their General Authorities.

	Again, in the mighty demonstration of this solemn assembly, I am
moved with emotions beyond expression as I have felt the true love and
bonds of brotherhood. There has been here an overwhelming spiritual
endowment, attesting, no doubt, that in all likelihood we are in the
presence of personages, seen and unseen, who are in attendance. Who knows
but that even our Lord and Master would be near us on such an occasion as
this, for we, and the world, must never forget that this is his church,
and under his almighty direction we are to serve! Indeed, I would remind
you what he declared in a similar conference of Saints in Fayette, New
York, and undoubtedly would remind us again today. The Lord said: "Behold,
verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your
midst and ye cannot see me." (D&C 38:7.)

	On the sacred occasion three months ago when I began to sense the
magnitude of the overwhelming responsibility which I must now assume, I
went to the holy temple. There, in prayerful meditation, I looked upon the
paintings of those men of God--true, pure men, God's noblemen--who had
preceded me in a similar calling.

	A few days ago in the early morning hours, in my private study at
home and all alone with my thoughts, I read the tributes paid to each of
the Presidents by those who had been most closely associated with each of
them.

	Joseph Smith was the one whom the Lord raised up from boyhood and
endowed with divine authority and taught the things necessary for him to
know and to obtain the priesthood and to lay the foundation for God's
kingdom in these latter days.

	There was President Brigham Young, who was foreordained before this
world was, for his divine calling to lead the persecuted Saints in fleeing
from the wrath that threatened the Saints in those early gathering places
in Missouri and Illinois and to pioneer the building of an inland
commonwealth in the tops of these majestic mountains, to fulfill God's
purposes.

	To look upon the features of President John Taylor was to gain a
realization that here was one, as President Joseph F. Smith spoke of him,
"One of the purest men I ever knew. ..."

	As I saw the sainted face of President [p. 24] Wilford Woodruff, I
was aware that here was a man like Nathanael of old, in whom there was no
guile, and susceptible to the impressions of the Spirit of the Lord, by
whose light he seemed to almost always walk "not knowing beforehand the
thing he was to do."

	While President Lorenzo Snow had but a brief administration, he had a
special mission to establish his people on a more solid temporal
foundation by the determined application of the law of sacrifice, to
relieve the great burdens placed upon the Church because of mistakes and
errors which had unwittingly crept in.

	When I want to seek for a more clear definition of doctrinal
subjects, I have usually turned to the writings and sermons of President
Joseph F. Smith. As I looked upon his noble stature, I thought of the
nine-year-old boy helping his widowed mother across the plains and the
15-year-old missionary on the slopes of Haleakala on the isle of Maui
being strengthened by a heavenly vision with his uncle, Joseph Smith. It
was he who presided during the stormy days when an antagonistic press
maligned the Church, but his was the steady arm by the Lord's appointment
to carry off the Church triumphantly.

	I suppose I never drew closer to the meaning of a divine calling than
when President Heber J. Grant placed his hands upon my shoulders and, with
a deep feeling akin to mine, announced my calling to be an apostle of the
Lord Jesus Christ. As his picture looked down upon me, there came again to
my mind the prophetic words of his inspired blessing when I was ordained
in the holy temple under his hands.

	President George Albert Smith was a disciple of friendship and love.
He was indeed a friend to everyone. My gaze at his likeness seemed to give
me a warmth of that radiance which made every man his friend.

	Tall and impressive was President David O. McKay, as he now looked at
me with those piercing eyes, which always seemed to search my very soul.
Never was I privileged to be in his presence but that I felt for a brief
moment, as I had done on so many occasions, that I was a better man for
having been in his company.

	To him who sought no earthly honors, but whose whole soul delighted
in the things of the spirit, President Joseph Fielding Smith was there
with his smiling face, my beloved prophet-leader who made no compromise
with truth. As "The finger of God touched him and he slept," he seemed in
that brief moment to be passing to me, as it were, a sceptre of
righteousness as though to say to me, "Go thou and do likewise."

	Now I stood alone with my thought. Somehow the impressions that came
to me were, simply, that the only true record that will ever be made of my
service in my new calling will be the record that I may have written in
the hearts and lives of those whom I have served and labored, within and
without the Church.

	The day after this appointment, following the passing of our beloved
President Smith, my attention was called to a paragraph from a sermon
delivered in 1853 in a general conference by Elder Orson Hyde, then a
member of the Twelve. This provoked some soul-searching in me also.

	The subject of his address was "The Man to Lead God's People," and I
quote briefly from his sermon: "... it is invariably the case," he said,
"that when an individual is ordained and appointed [p. 25] to lead the
people, he has passed through tribulations and trials, and has proven
himself before God, and before His people, that he is worthy of the
situation which he holds. ... that when a person has not been tried, that
has not proved himself before God, and before His people, and before the
councils of the most High, to be worthy, he is not going to step in and
lead the Church and people of God. It has never been so, but from the
beginning someone that understands the Spirit and counsel of the Almighty,
that knows the Church, and is known of her, is the character that will
lead the Church." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 123.)

	As I have known of the lives of those who have preceded me, I have
been made aware that each seemed to have had his special mission for his
day and time.

	Then, with searching introspection, I thought of myself and my
experiences of which Orson Hyde's appraisal had made reference. Then I
recalled the words of the prophet Joseph's characterization of himself,
which seemed somewhat analogous to myself. He said:

	"I am like a huge rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and
the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in
contact with something else, striking with accelerated force against
religious bigotry, priestcraft, lawyer-craft, doctor-craft, lying editors,
suborned judges and jurors, and the authority of perjured executives,
backed by mobs, blasphemers, licentious and corrupt men and women--all
hell knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus will I become a
smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty. ..." (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 304.)

	These thoughts now running through my mind begin to give greater
meaning to some of the experiences in my life, things that have happened
which have been difficult for me to understand. At times it seemed as
though I too was like a rough stone rolling down from a high mountainside,
being buffeted and polished, I suppose, by experiences, that I too might
overcome and become a polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty.

	Maybe it was necessary that I too must learn obedience by the things
that I might have suffered--to give me experiences that were for my good,
to see if I could pass some of the various tests of mortality.

	In the selection of my noble counselors, President N. Eldon Tanner
and President Marion G. Romney, I learned that I was not alone with a rich
measure of the gift of prophecy. They too had passed the tests, and before
the Lord they had not been found wanting. How grateful I am for these
noble men of the First Presidency and the Twelve and the other General
Authorities.

	The morning after my call came, as I knelt with my dear companion in
prayer, my heart and soul seemed to reach out to the total membership of
the Church with a special kind of fellowship and love which was like the
opening of the windows of heaven, to give me a brief feeling of belonging
to the more than three million members of the Church in all parts of the
world.

	I repeat what I have said on other occasions, that I most fervently
seek to be upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayers of all the
faithful Saints everywhere, and I pledge to you that as you pray for me, I
will earnestly try to so live that the Lord can answer your prayers
through me.

	In these last months, there seem to have been awakened in me new
wellsprings of spiritual understanding also. I know full well the truth of
what the Prophet Joseph told the early missionaries to Great Britain: "The
nearer a person approaches the Lord, a greater power will be manifested by
the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of His purposes." (Orson F.
Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball [Bookcraft, 1967], p. 131.)

	There is no shadow of doubt in my mind that these things are as
certain today as in that day, but also I am certain that, as the Lord
said, "No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; And if any man
lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time."
(D&C 71:9-10.)

	How grateful I am for your loyalty and your sustaining vote! I bear
you solemn witness as to the divine mission of the Savior and the
certainty as to his guiding hand in the affairs of his church today, as in
all dispensations of time.

	I know, with a testimony more powerful than sight, that as the Lord
declared, "The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the
earth [from the Prophet Joseph Smith through his successors down to the
present], and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the
earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall
roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.

	"Wherefore, may the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of
heaven may come. ..." (D&C 65:2, 6.)

	I bear that testimony with all the conviction of my soul and leave my
blessing upon the membership of the Church and the pure in heart
everywhere, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

October 7, 1972 General Conference
President Harold B. Lee
                         Saturday morning session
                             October 7, 1972

                      Teach the Gospel of Salvation
                         President Harold B. Lee

	My beloved brothers and sisters and friends who may be listening in
over the radio or television:

	I seek for the inspiration of this great conference during these few
moments.

	On the day the Church was organized, and shortly thereafter, the word
of the Lord came to the prophet-leader of this dispensation. After the
announcement of the establishment of the church of Christ in these latter
days, the Lord gave to the President of the Church commandment, and "gave
him power from on high," first, to bring forth "a record of a fallen
people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ" (D&C 20:8-9); then,
to be a light to the world and a standard for Church members and for those
who are not members to seek for it (D&C 45:9); third, to prepare a people
ready to receive the coming of the Lord; and finally, to teach the
fullness of the gospel with power unto all nations (see Documentary
History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 537).

	In our day, when grave problems are before the nation and the world,
men everywhere are seeking panaceas for the ills that afflict mankind and
the answers to world problems that remain unanswered.

	The ancient prophets seemed to have foreseen our day of complete
frustration, when men would be looking for answers in the wrong places and
the solutions to their problems in the wrong way. The prophets foresaw the
day when there would be "a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor
a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord." Furthermore,
said the prophet, "... they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the
Lord, and shall not find it." (Amos 8:11-12.)

	It seems that in these days of frustration, from every side we are
being asked such questions as:

	What does the Church think about the Vietnam war?

	What is the stand of the Church on overpopulation and birth control?

	What is the position of the Church relative to abortion?

	How should we combat the threat of Communism throughout the world?

	What are the views of the Church relative to the crime wave and the
increase of juvenile delinquency?

	What can be done to strengthen family ties and reduce the wave of
immorality, to teach self-reliance and responsibility and moral and
physical discipline?

	Are there no solutions to these problems?

	To set the theme for my few remarks, may I repeat something of vital
importance that was said from this pulpit almost ten years ago by a former
President of the Church, President David O. McKay:

	"In these days of uncertainty and unrest, liberty-loving peoples'
greatest responsibility and paramount duty is to preserve and proclaim the
freedom of the individual, his relationship to Deity, and the necessity of
obedience to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only thus will
mankind find peace and happiness." (Improvement Era, December 1962, p.
903.)

	Then comes the question, what shall we do about all this?

	When Paul the apostle was a prisoner in Rome, he sent a letter to
Timothy, saying:

	"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reproach,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

	"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine: but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears;

	"And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be
turned unto fables." (2 Tim. 4:2-4.)

	Quoting again from President McKay's remarks:

	"It is just as important today as when Paul wrote that farewell
message to Timothy that ... members everywhere `preach the word; be
instant [that is, to be eager, earnest] in season, [and] out of season.'

	"Today, in the midst of the world's perplexity there should be no
question in the mind of any true Latter-day Saint as to what we shall
preach. The answer is as clear as the noonday sun in a cloudless sky. ...

	"In simple words, then, this is the word that we should preach--the
gospel plan of salvation.

	"The founders of this great republic had faith in the economic and
political welfare of this country because they had faith in God. Today it
is not uncommon to note an apologetic attitude on the part of men when
they refer [p. 61] to the need of God's governing in the affairs of men.
...

	"But I say to you, preach in season and out of season belief in God
the Eternal Father, in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

	"Proclaim that fundamental in the gospel plan is the sacredness of
the individual; that God's work and glory is `to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man.' (Moses 1:39)

	"Proclaim that God lives, and that his Beloved Son is the Redeemer
and Savior of mankind; that he stands at the head of his Church that bears
his name; that he guides and inspires those who are authorized to
represent him here on earth. ...

	"Preach that the responsibility of declaring this plan of life, this
way of life, this plan of salvation, rests upon the entire membership of
the Church, but most particularly upon those who have been ordained to the
priesthood and who have been called as leaders and servants of the
people." (Improvement Era, December 1966, p. 1093.)

	These eternal verities are as applicable in the year 1972 as they
were when Jesus first promulgated them, and they will remain fundamental
and essential in man's progress and happiness as long as life and being
last.

	Then reference was made to a quotation from an eminent educator, who
said:

	"If there is to be social and political regeneration in our Republic
and in the rest of the world, it must be by tremendous regeneration of
moral ideals." (Dr. J. William Hudson, University of Missouri.)

	The scoffer will immediately and invariably brand such a statement as
naive and coming from one who has lost step with the realities of our
times, as was demonstrated by some of our social science students recently
who apparently haven't learned that their little learning is not a
dangerous thing, if they were only to realize that what they know is only
a little learning.

	Time will permit but a few observations with reference to some of
these startling challenges to our present generation.

	In the midst of the early persecutions of this church, the Saints
sought earnestly from the Lord as to how they were to meet the threats of
their enemies.

	The answer came: "Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and
seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and
the hearts of the fathers to the children." (D&C 98:16.)

	And then came this significant promise:

	"And again I say unto you, if ye observe to do whatsoever I command
you, I, the Lord, will turn away all wrath and indignation from you, and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against you." (D&C 98:22.)

	Early in the history of the Church came the enlightening word of the
Lord:

	"Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws
of God hath no need to break the laws of the land.

	"Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until he reigns whose
right it is to reign and subdues all enemies under his feet." (D&C 58:
21-22.)

	The inspired prophet-leader of this dispensation declared the faith
of this people in what we call the Articles of Faith:

	"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and
magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." (Article of
Faith 12.) Obedient to that declaration, even in times of national
emergency, we yield obedience to civil authority.

	In plain language, then, the Saint, were told that to avoid war with
their enemies they must renounce war and proclaim peace and to see that
this was to begin within the home where fathers and children would be at
peace with each other.

	The Lord gave a further promise, saying that when and if all wrath
and indignation would be conquered within themselves, the evils of Satan's
powers could not successfully assail them.

	He didn't leave us with any question as to the prime place in his
church and in the world where this preparation and the battle against
evil--unless curbed in the beginning--would break out into armed conflict.

	After giving his law to parents to teach and train their children to
walk uprightly before the Lord, he indicated his displeasure relative to
those among us who, in his language, "are idlers ... and [our] children
are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches
of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness." (D&C 68:31.)

	If these words are clearly understood, we have been told where the
roots of all evil are to be found. Our children have not been properly
taught by parents in the home. Our communities have adopted policies which
encourage idleness instead of work for those who want to work for what
they need, and have failed to adopt measures to see that idleness and
unemployment are reduced to the absolute minimum.

	In our own day a pioneer leader, President Brigham Young, spoke as a
pioneer statesman about the importance of work. Said he:

	"My experience has taught me, and it has become a principle with me,
that it is never any benefit to give, out and out, to man or woman, money,
food, clothing, or anything else, if they are able-bodied, and can work
and earn what they need, where there is anything on the earth, for them to
do. This is my principle, and I try to act upon it. To pursue a contrary
course would ruin any community in the world and make them idlers."
(Discourses of Brigham Young [Deseret Book Co., 1943], p. 274.)

	Now I want to digress for just a moment and repeat something that was
said in a previous meeting this morning where the leaders just a few years
ago, when the welfare program was instituted, said this:

	"This is the essence of the Church security program, not merely that
men should be fed and clothed, we know that this is important, but that
the eternal man should be built up by self-reliance, by creative activity,
by honorable labor, by service; a generation raised in idleness cannot
maintain its integrity." (Richard L. Evans, Improvement Era, vol. 39
[1936], p. 768.)

	"From the beginning the long-range objective of the Welfare Plan was
to build character in the members of the Church, both givers and receivers
alike, thus rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them and
bringing to flower and fruitage the ladened richness of the spirit, which
after all is the mission and purpose and reason for the being of this
Church." (Albert E. Bowen, Church Welfare [Deseret Sunday School Union,
1946], p. 44.)

	You in the Church must realize [p. 62] now that in order to put these
divinely inspired admonitions into practice as they have come from
heaven-inspired leaders, the members of the Church have been given the
family home evening plan for family instruction and involvement. Linked
with that, he has given us the plan of temporal salvation in the
churchwide welfare program, where everyone is to give in labor, money, or
service to the full extent of his ability and then receive from out of the
bounties, of which each one who needs has been a producer, and then
without embarrassment or reticence, he receives according to his need.

	Beyond this the Lord has directed the establishment of children and
youth activities and of instruction to mothers and fathers in the
auxiliaries and priesthood quorum organizations of the Church, where every
means is provided to give to all, as an outside observer said, speaking of
the youth activities provided by the Church, "the opportunity to
participate in so many good things that they have little or no time for
the evil activities."

	Any thinking person can see that if these fundamentals of sound
social principles are not employed in every community to deal with crime,
unemployment, and juvenile delinquency, then the seeds of unrest and
bitterness would lead to the ultimate, of which the Lord warned. When
these principles of right living and the application of his doctrines of
salvation are not heeded, then we must expect that the power of evil will
lead to conflict in the family, in the nation, and throughout the world.

	Here are the Lord's own prophetic words that, instead of peace, there
would be a sword; a son would be "at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
(Matt. 10:35-36.)

	Are you aware that this is what is happening in many families
throughout the world? Do I need to say more to bring us back to the
complete application of the Lord's plan to save mankind and the world? If
this people will heed this counsel from your leaders, you have the promise
that, as the Lord said:

	"... the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the
Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause
the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory." (D&C 21:6.)

	We would be so bold also to invite the honorable of the earth
everywhere to follow a similar course to the blessing of all mankind.

	But now the members of this church throughout the world must brace
themselves for the never-ending contest between the forces of
righteousness and the forces of evil. The Prophet Joseph Smith made this
declaration to the Twelve borne out of his experience, and to which many
of us since that time can testify. He said:

	"You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite
as necessary that you be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God
and ... God will feel after you, and he will take hold of you and wrench
your very heart strings and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for
an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God." (John Taylor, in Journal
of Discourses, vol. 24, p. 197.)

	Now again, where there is abject poverty in some heavily populated
countries, we declare it is a grievous sin before God to adopt restrictive
measures in disobedience to God's divine command from the beginning of
time to "multiply and replenish the earth." Surely those who project such
measures to prevent life or to destroy life before or after birth will
reap the whirlwind of God's retribution, for God will not be mocked.

	What is sorely needed is a worldwide movement, with every means
possible, to overcome the ignorance to be found among these unfortunate
peoples, where the fundamental principles of right living and self-control
and sound economic principles, patterned after the Lord's plan of
salvation, must be adopted.

	This church must be in the forefront [p. 63] in showing the way. If
we will do this, we will begin to see the beginning of the fulfillment of
the ancient prophecy when, as the prophets said, the "mountain of the
Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, ... nations
shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us
go up to the mountain of the Lord ... and he will teach us of his ways,
and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isa. 2:2-3. See also Mic. 4:1-2.)

	With regard to the political turmoil among the nations, we would
earnestly pray that if this and other nations would be constrained to live
by and adopt governmental systems where civil and political liberties are
secure, we could then hopefully look for the fulfillment of the ancient
prophecy of the prophets Isaiah and Micah, to which I have already made
reference, "that out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the
Lord from Jerusalem." When that day comes, the blessings and freedoms of
the free world will then be realized.

	Now a final word about one of the great dangers of some of the widely
disseminated doctrines of the enemies of freedom which in essence have
been characterized by our beloved prophet-statesman, President J. Reuben
Clark, Jr., as but "a clumsy attempt of Satan to counterfeit the Lord's
plan of the United Order, as defined in the Holy Scriptures." Our present
welfare plan could well be the "setting-up" exercises to see how prepared
this church is to live this plan, so that, as was the joyous realization
of a people on this continent, as recorded in an ancient scripture we call
the Book of Mormon, after they were all converted to the Lord, "there were
not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all ... partakers of the
heavenly gift" and "surely there could not be a happier people" on the
face of the earth (4 Ne. 3, 16), by living fully the law of sacrifice and
consecration.

	There are some well-intentioned persons within the Church who seem to
have taken upon themselves to substitute for the great principles of the
gospel of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God what some have characterized
as "cults"--the results of which, no matter how sincere, have caused
confusion by using other organized bodies than those of the priesthood of
God to combat these dangers. In doing so they have set brothers against
brothers in the Church and thus weakened the unity of the greatest weapon
the Lord has already provided against these evils, through the priesthood
organization of the Church and kingdom of God. Some such groups, by
adopting counterfeit measures and procedures, have been led away and have
apostatized and been excommunicated from the Church.

	If we follow the leadership of the priesthood, the Lord will fulfill
his promise contained in the preface to his revelations, when Satan would
have power over his own dominion. This was his promise: "... the Lord
shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and
shall come down in judgment upon the world." (D&C 1:36.)

	I earnestly urge all our people to unite under the true banner of the
Master, to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ so powerfully that no truly
converted person could ever be aligned with these controversial concepts
and procedures contrary to the Lord's plan of salvation.

	The Lord does reign in the midst of his Saints through his
priesthood, which he delegates to man rather than through other man-made
organizations the like of those to which I have made reference.

	Now, in conclusion, may I offer a humble prayer in behalf of the
Church and the nation and the world. I realize that there is much more
that might be said, but in this prayer may I indulge and ask that you
might unite your faith with mine for a few moments:

	"Our heavenly and eternal Father, hear our prayer this day and
sanctify to our good all that is being done by righteous men and women in
the Church and throughout the world to bring to naught the evils that are
rolling over the world like an avalanche. Increase within us the zeal to
bring thy great plan of redemption to every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people, looking to that glorious day when thy prophecy will be realized
when truth will cover the earth as waters cover the mighty deep.

	"We appeal to the protection of thy almighty power to that end which
accords with thy purpose concerning us and thy work. We put ourselves
under the surveillance of thy watchful eye and pray that thou will never
leave us alone, and continue to give the guidance necessary to the
accomplishment of thy purposes."

	I add to that humble prayer my witness to the members of this church
and to the world that through the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, "all
mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the
Gospel." (Article of Faith 3.)

	This is indeed the Lord's work in which we are engaged. He lives and
is ever ready to draw near to us when we prepare ourselves to be worthy to
draw close to him.

	From my own personal experience, I know this which I declare in all
soberness to be true, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

October 7, 1972 General Priesthood Meeting
President Harold B. Lee
                  Admonitions For The Priesthood Of God
                         President Harold B. Lee

	I have some thoughts--notes that I thought I might be prompted to use
tonight. So, if the Lord is willing, I should like to talk to you now for
a few minutes in this great conference.

	I had a lesson years ago as to the greatness of priesthood. It had to
do with the call of the First Presidency for me to come to their office on
a day that I shall never forget--April 20, 1935. I was city commissioner
in Salt Lake City. I was a stake president.

	We had been wrestling with this question of welfare. There were few
government work programs; the finances of the Church were low; we were
told that there wasn't much that could be done so far as the finances of
the Church were concerned. And here we were with 4,800 of our 7,300 people
who were wholly or partially dependent. We had only one place to go, and
that was to apply the Lord's program as set forth in the revelations.

	It was from our humble efforts that the First Presidency, knowing
that we had had some experience, called me one morning asking if I would
come to their office. It was Saturday morning; there were no calls on
their calendar, and for hours in that forenoon they talked with me and
told me that they wanted me to resign from the city commission, and they
would release me from being stake president; that they wished me now to
head up the welfare movement to turn the tide from government relief,
direct relief, and help to put the Church in a position where it could
take care of its own needy.

	After that morning I rode in my car (spring was just breaking) up to
the head of City Creek Canyon into what was then called Rotary Park; and
there, all by myself, I offered one of the most humble prayers of my life.

	There I was, just a young man in my thirties. My experience had been
limited. I was born in a little country town in Idaho. I had hardly been
outside the boundaries of the states of Utah and Idaho. And now to put me
in a position where I was to reach out to the entire membership of the
Church, worldwide, was one of the most staggering contemplations that I
could imagine. How could I do it with my limited understanding?

	As I kneeled down, my petition was, "What kind of an organization
should be set up in order to accomplish what the Presidency has assigned?"
And there came to me on that glorious morning one of the most heavenly
realizations of the power of the priesthood of God. It was as though
something were saying to me, "There is no new organization necessary to
take care of the needs of this people. All that is necessary is to put the
priesthood of God to work. There is nothing else that you need as a
substitute."

	With that understanding, then, and with the simple application of the
power of the priesthood, the welfare program has gone forward now by leaps
and bounds, overcoming obstacles that seemed impossible, until now it
stands as a monument to the power of the priesthood, the like of which I
could only glimpse in those days to which I have made reference.

	Now, with that understanding of priesthood power, let me speak of a
few other matters that have come to my mind tonight.

	There are two scriptures I would have you think of as applicable
today as they were in the period following the advent of the Savior in the
meridian of time in the post-apostolic period. In the Acts of the
Apostles, the apostle Paul gave these charges to the elders of Israel. He
said:

	"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God.

	"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter
in among you, not sparing the flock.

	"Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things,
to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:28-30.)

	And then the apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians:

	"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into
the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

	"Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would
pervert the gospel of Christ.

	"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

	"As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other
gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

	"For ... I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of [p. 105] me is not after man.

	"For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by
the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Gal. 1:6-12.)

	Today those warnings are just as applicable as they were in that day
in which they were given.

	There are some as wolves among us. By that, I mean some who profess
membership in this church who are not sparing the flock. And among our own
membership, men are arising speaking perverse things. Now perverse means
diverting from the right or correct, and being obstinate in the wrong,
willfully, in order to draw the weak and unwary members of the Church away
after them.

	And as the apostle Paul said, it is likewise a marvel to us today, as
it was in that day, that some members are so soon removed from those who
taught them the gospel and are removed from the true teachings of the
gospel of Christ to be led astray into something that corrupts the true
doctrines of the gospel of Christ into vicious and wicked practices and
performances.

	These, as have been evidenced by shocking events among some of these
splinter groups, have been accursed, as the prophets warned; and they are
obviously in the power of that evil one who feeds the gullible with all
the sophistries which Satan has employed since the beginning of time.

	I should like now to make reference to some of these. The first is
the spread of rumor and gossip (we have mentioned this before) which, when
once started, gains momentum as each telling becomes more fanciful, until
unwittingly those who wish to dwell on the sensational repeat them in
firesides, in classes, in Relief Society gatherings and priesthood quorum
classes without first verifying the source before becoming a party to
causing speculation and discussions that steal time away from the things
that would be profitable and beneficial and enlightening to their souls.

	Just an example: I understand that there is a widely circulated story
that I was alleged to have had a patriarchal blessing (I don't know
whether any of you have heard about that) that had to do with the coming
of the Savior and the ten tribes of Israel.

	In the first place, a patriarchal blessing is a sacred document to
the person who has received it and is never given for publication and, as
all patriarchal blessings, should be kept as a private possession to the
one who has received it.

	And second, with reference to that which I was alleged to have had,
suffice it to say that such a quotation is incorrect and without
foundation in fact.

	There is one thing that shocks me: I have learned, in some instances,
that those who have heard of these rumors are disappointed when I tell
them they are not so. They seem to have enjoyed believing a rumor without
substance of fact. I would earnestly urge that no such idle gossip be
spread abroad without making certain as to whether or not it is true.

	The First Presidency in August 1913 issued a warning to the members
of the Church which could bear repeating today. Let me read you a few
things that were said then:

	"To the officers and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints:

	"From the days of Hiram Page (D&C 28), at different periods there
have been manifestations from delusive spirits to members of the Church.
Sometimes these have come to men and women who because of transgression
became easy prey to the Arch-Deceiver. At other times people who pride
themselves on their strict observance of the rules and ordinances and
ceremonies of the Church are led astray by false spirits, who exercise an
influence so imitative of that which proceeds from a Divine source that
even these persons, who think they are `the very elect,' find it difficult
to discern the essential difference. Satan himself has transformed himself
to be apparently "an angel of light."

	"When visions, dreams, tongues, prophecy, impressions or an
extraordinary gift or inspiration convey something out of harmony with the
accepted revelations of the Church or contrary to the decisions of its
constituted authorities, Latter-day Saints may know that it is not of God,
no matter how plausible it may appear. Also, they should understand that
directions for the guidance of the Church will come, by revelation,
through the head. All faithful members are entitled to the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit for themselves, their families, and for those over whom
they are appointed and ordained to preside. But anything at discord with
that which comes from God through the head of the Church is not to be
received as authoritative or reliable. In secular as well as spiritual
affairs, Saints may receive Divine guidance and revelation affecting
themselves, but this does not convey authority to direct others, and is
not to be accepted when contrary to Church covenants, doctrine or
discipline, or to known facts, demonstrated truths, or good common sense.
No person has the right to induce his fellow members of the Church to
engage in speculations or take stock in ventures of any kind on the
specious claim of Divine revelation or vision or dream, especially when it
is in opposition to the voice of recognized authority, local or general.
The Lord's Church "is a house of order." It is not governed by individual
gifts or manifestations, but by the order and power of the Holy Priesthood
as sustained by the voice and vote of the Church in its appointed
conferences.

	"The history of the Church records many pretended revelations claimed
by impostors or zealots who believed in the manifestations they sought to
lead other persons to accept, and in every instance, disappointment,
sorrow and disaster have resulted therefrom. Financial loss and sometimes
utter ruin have followed."

	This is something that is recurring time and time again, and we call
upon you holders of the priesthood to stamp out any such and to set to
flight all such things as are creeping in, people rising up here and there
who have had some "marvelous" kind of a manifestation, as they claim, and
who try to lead the people in a course that has not been dictated from the
heads of the Church.

	As I say, it never ceases to amaze me how gullible some of our Church
members are at broadcasting these sensational stories, or dreams, or
visions, some alleged to have been given to Church leaders, past or
present, supposedly from some person's private diary, without first
verifying the report with proper Church authorities.

	If our people want to be safely guided during these troublous times
of deceit and false rumors, they must follow their leaders and seek for
the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord in order to avoid falling prey to
clever manipulators who, with cunning sophistry, seek to draw attention
and gain a following [p. 106] to serve their own notions and sometimes
sinister motives.

	The Lord has very plainly set forth a test by which anyone may
challenge any and all who may come claiming, clandestinely, to have
received some kind of priesthood authority. Now this is what the Lord said
in the 42nd section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 11:

	"Again, I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go
forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained
by someone who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has
authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church."

	Now, if one comes claiming that he has authority, ask him, "Where do
you get your authority? Have you been ordained by someone who has
authority, who is known to the Church, that you have authority and have
been regularly ordained by the heads of the Church?" If the answer is no,
you may know that he is an imposter. This is the test that our people
should always apply when some imposter comes trying to lead them astray.

	Now there is another danger that confronts us. There seem to be those
among us who are as wolves among the flock, trying to lead some who are
weak and unwary among Church members, according to reports that have
reached us, who are taking the law into their own hands by refusing to pay
their income tax because they have some political disagreement with
constituted authorities.

	Others have tried to marshal civilians, without police authority, and
to arm themselves to battle against possible dangers, little realizing
that in so doing they themselves become the ones who, by obstructing the
constituted authority, would become subject to arrest and imprisonment.

	We have even heard of someone claiming Church membership in protest
against pornographic pictures being displayed in theaters, having planted
bombs, and therefore becoming subject to punishment by the law and
subsequent standing judgment before the disciplinary bodies of the Church.

	While we must stand solidly behind those who are trying to stamp out
the filthy and provocative display of so-called pornographic materials, we
have but one answer to all those who thus take such radical measures, and
this is the word of the Lord:

	"Let no man think he is ruler; but let God rule him that judgeth,
according to the counsel of his own will, or, in other words, him that
counseleth or sitteth upon the judgment seat.

	"Let no man break the laws of the land ... until he reigns whose
right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under his feet." (D&C
58:20-22.)

	I want to warn this great body of priesthood against that great sin
of Sodom and Gomorrah, which has been labeled as a sin second only in
seriousness to the sin of murder. I speak of the sin of adultery, which,
as you know, was the name used by the Master as he referred to unlicensed
sexual sins of fornication as well as adultery; and besides this, the
equally grievous sin of homosexuality, which seems to be gaining momentum
with social acceptance in the Babylon of the world, of which Church
members must not be a part.

	While we are in the world, we must not be of the world. Any attempts
being made by the schools or places of entertainment to flaunt sexual
perversions, which can do nothing but excite to experimentation, must find
among the priesthood in this church a vigorous and unrelenting defense
through every lawful means that can be employed.

	The common judges of Israel, our bishops and stake presidents must
not stand by and fail to apply disciplinary measures within their
jurisdiction, as set forth plainly in the laws of the Lord and procedures
as set forth in plain and simple instructions that cannot be
misunderstood. Never must we allow supposed mercy to the unrepentant
sinner to rob the justice upon which true repentance from sinful practices
is predicated.

	One more matter: There are among us many loose writings predicting
the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of these have been
publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the
horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which
there cannot be unquestioned reliance.

	Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we need no such
publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the
scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?

	Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which you should rely
for your guide instead of these strange sources which may have great
political implications.

	Read the 24th chapter of Matthew--particularly that inspired version
as contained in the Pearl of Great Price. (Joseph Smith 1.)

	Then read the 45th section of the Doctrine and Covenants where the
Lord, not man, has documented the signs of the times.

	Now turn to section 101 and section 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants
and hear the step-by-step recounting of events leading up to the coming of
the Savior.

	Finally, turn to the promises the Lord makes to those who keep the
commandments when these judgments descend upon the wicked, as set forth in
the Doctrine and Covenants, section 38.

	Brethren, these are some of the writings with which you should
concern yourselves, rather than commentaries that may come from those
whose information may not be the most reliable and whose motives may be
subject to question. And may I say, parenthetically, most of such writers
are not handicapped by having any authentic information on their writings.

	As the Lord has admonished priesthood bearers from the beginning:
"Wherefore, gird up your loins and be prepared. Behold, the kingdom is
yours, and the enemy shall not overcome.

	"Verily I say unto you, ye are clean, but not all; and there is none
else with whom I am well pleased;

	"For all flesh is corrupted before me; and the powers of darkness
prevail upon the earth, among the children of men, in the presence of all
the hosts of heaven--

	"Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained. ..."
(D&C 38:9-12.)

	Now brethren, I have spoken plainly to you in this priesthood
session. Let what has been said by all the brethren tonight, and in this
conference, not fall on deaf ears. Let these admonitions be received as
the Lord directed they should be received, in an early revelation, to
which President Tanner has already made reference, "as if from [p. 107]
mine own mouth, in all patience and faith." (D&C 21:5.)

	Only by so doing can we be truly one as a body of priesthood, by
following the leadership that the Lord has established in our day in order
that we may be one. And he warns us if we are not one, we are not his, as
he has declared in the Doctrine and Covenants.

	There are one or two things I should like to say about myself and
this present responsibility. Never had I thought of myself as one day
becoming the President of the Church. As a boy in my rural community, I
used to hear the brethren talk about a "pillar" in the Church. I wondered
what in the world it meant. It must be something great to be a pillar in
the Church. Well, now, maybe I am beginning to realize something about
what that means, but I know this: those who try to guess ahead of time as
to who is going to be the next President of the Church are just gambling
as they might be on a horse race, because only the Lord has the time
table.

	I remember one time Elder Charles A. Callis in a Council of the
Twelve meeting. There was a rather spirited discussion on some questions.
One of the Brethren said, "You had better listen to Brother George Albert
Smith, the President of the Twelve, because he may be the next President
of the Church."

	Brother Calls smiled and said, "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure. Three
times in my life I have chosen the next President of the Church, and all
three of them died before they came to the presidency." The Lord only
knows, and for us to speculate or to presume is not pleasing in the sight
of the Lord.

	I have one other thought I should like to express. Brigham Young was
a great defender of the Prophet Joseph Smith. There were Judases in the
ranks in that day, just as there were in the Savior's day, and just as we
have today, some who are members of the Church who are undercutting us,
who are betraying their trusts. We are shocked when we see the places from
which some of these things come.

	Brigham Young was invited by some of these men who were trying to
depose the Prophet Joseph from his position as President of the Church;
but they made a mistake by inviting President Brigham Young into their
circle. And after he had listened to what their motives were, he said
something to this effect: "I want to say something to you men. You cannot
destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you can cut the thread
that binds you to the prophet of God, and sink yourselves to hell."

	There was a pugilist there by the name of Jacob Bump, so the story
goes who doubled up his fists and started toward President Young, who
replied to this man's threats: "I would like to lay hands on a man like
you in defense of the Prophet Joseph Smith."

	Remember that, brethren. You cannot destroy the appointments of the
prophets of God. The Lord knows whom he wants to preside in his church,
and sometimes it takes a lot of practicing, guiding, testing, before he
may know whether or not one of us is prepared for the present assignment.

	Now I think it is folly for one to compare one President of the
Church with another. No one takes the place of another President of the
Church. Each President has his own place. I had a lesson taught me some
years ago when, in company with one of the brethren, I had reorganized the
presidency of the Ensign Stake. We had named the bishop of one of the
wards as stake president. It was near the end of the year, and he elected
to remain as bishop, along with his first counselor, who was a bishop,
until they had closed the books at the end of the year.

	Six weeks after they were sustained, the stake president suddenly
passed away.

	Then I began to receive a barrage of letters. Where in the world was
the inspiration for you to call a man whom the Lord was going to let die
in six weeks? They invited me to talk at his services, and some seemed to
be expecting me to try to explain why I had appointed a man that the Lord
was going to take home in six weeks.

	President Joseph Fielding Smith sat on the stand and heard my attempt
to satisfy these people, and he said to me, "Don't you let that bother
you. If you have called a man to a position in this church and he dies the
next day, that position would have a bearing on what he will be called to
do when he leaves this earth."

	I believe that. I believe that every President of this church, every
apostle of this church, every bishop, every stake president, every
presiding position will have a bearing on what one is called to do when he
leaves this earth.

	And so, when you think of one President taking the place of another,
he doesn't. That President maintains his own place. We shouldn't try to
compare one as being greater than this one or greater than the other,
because each one is, in the eyes of the Lord, in his own time the one most
needed for that particular time. You may be sure of that.

	Now, just one final thought. I sat in a class in Sunday School in my
own ward one day, and the teacher was the son of a patriarch. He said he
used to take down the blessings of his father, and he noticed that his
father gave what he called "iffy" blessings. He would give a blessing, but
it was predicated on "if you will not do this" [p. 108] or "if you will
cease doing that." And he said, "I watched these men to whom my father
gave the `iffy' blessings, and I saw that many of them did not heed the
warning that my father as a patriarch had given, and the blessings were
never received because they did not comply."

	You know, this started me thinking. I went back into the Doctrine and
Covenants and began to read the "iffy"' revelations that have been given
to the various brethren in the Church. If you want to have an exercise in
something that will startle you, read some of the warnings that were given
through the Prophet Joseph Smith to Thomas B. Marsh, Martin Harris, some
of the Whitmer brothers, William E. McLellin --warnings which, had they
heeded, some would not have fallen by the wayside. But because they did
not heed, and they didn't clear up their lives, they fell by the wayside,
and some had to be dropped from membership in the Church.

	Now, there is one thing that I think we should all be mindful of. I
was with a group of missionaries in the temple one day. A question was
asked by one of the sisters about the Word of Wisdom, concerning the
promise made that if one would keep the Word of Wisdom he should run and
not be weary and should walk and not faint. And she said, "How could that
promise be realized if a person were crippled? How could he receive the
blessing that he could run and not be weary, and walk and not faint if he
were crippled?"

	I answered her, "Did you ever doubt the Lord? The Lord said that."

	The trouble with us today, there are too many of us who put question
marks instead of periods after what the Lord says. I want you to think
about that. We shouldn't be concerned about why he said something, or
whether or not it can be made so. Just trust the Lord. We don't try to
find the answers or explanations. We shouldn't try to spend time
explaining what the Lord didn't see fit to explain. We spend useless time.

	If you would teach our people to put periods and not question marks
after what the Lord has declared, we would say, "It is enough for me to
know that is what the Lord said."

	Elder Gordon B. Hinckley told a story after going into Vietnam that
to me was a great lesson. There was a young man, as I remember it, who was
in the military service in Vietnam and who joined the Church and was now
about to go back to his home country in Southeast Asia.

	Brother Hinckley said to him, "What is it going to do to you when you
get back home now that you have joined the Church?"

	"Oh," said the youth, "I will be cast out. My family will disown me.
I will have difficulty in school. I will have no military rank."

	Elder Hinckley then asked, "Isn't that a pretty big price to pay?"

	And this young man looked at Elder Hinckley and said, "Well, the
gospel is true, isn't it?"

	That was a soul-searching question for Brother Hinckley, who replied:
"Yes, my boy, with all my soul, the gospel is true."

	And then this young man said, "Well, what else matters then?"

	Brethren of the priesthood, if the gospel of Jesus Christ is
true--and it is true--what else matters? The Lord may bless us with that
rock-bottom testimony that will guide us through all the perils of life if
we will just continue to say to ourselves, "Because I know that the gospel
is true, nothing else matters."

	I bear you my solemn witness that it is true, that the Lord is in his
heavens; he is closer to us than you have any idea. You ask when the Lord
gave the last revelation to this church. The Lord is giving revelations
day by day, and you will witness and look back on this period and see some
of the mighty revelations the Lord has given in your day and time. To that
I bear you my witness, and leave with you my testimony this night, in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.


October 8, 1092 General Conference
President Harold B. Lee
                        A Blessing For The Saints
                         President Harold B. Lee

	I wanted you to feel the spirit of these splendid new men, whom the
Lord has brought to his service by the gift of prophecy. To that I bear
humble witness. My brethren, I am sure, understand that, and they know the
way by which these brethren have been called.

	We now come to the closing moments of a momentous conference, history
making and in many ways a conference that has great significance because
of the time in which we live. Perhaps never have we turned a page of the
history of the Church with greater challenge, with greater problems, or
with greater promise for the future.

	I have listened with great satisfaction to the testimonies of my
brethren. I believe you have felt the unity in your First Presidency,
these noble men, President Tanner and President Romney, and the feeling of
oneness that has been expressed by the Twelve and all of these brethren of
the General Authorities. There is a bond that is to be found among those
called to these positions that is stronger than the ties of blood
relationship, so deep, so wonderful, so strengthening, except for which we
probably couldn't walk the path that we are asked to walk at these times.

	In the midst of similar circumstances the Prophet Joseph Smith was in
the Liberty jail trying to think of something he could do to strengthen
his people. He wrote some significant words. He said:

	"Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing
to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they
are truly manifest from heaven--

	"These should then be attended to with great earnestness. ...

	"You know, brethren," he wrote, "that a very large ship is benefited
very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept
workways with the wind and the waves.

	"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things
that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost
assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
(D&C 123:13-14, 16-17.)

	I was at Manti, Utah, some years ago. As we came out of the Saturday
night leadership meeting, there was a heavy snowstorm. As we drove to the
home of the stake president, he stopped his car and turned back to the
temple hill. There the lighted temple was standing majestically. We sat
there in silence for a few moments, inspired by the sight of that
beautiful, sacred place. He said, "You know, Brother Lee, that temple is
never more beautiful than in times of a dense fog or in times of a heavy,
severe storm."

	Just so, never is the gospel of Jesus Christ more beautiful than in
times of intense need, or in times of a severe storm within us as
individuals, or in times of confusion and turmoil.

	I come now to the closing moments of this session when I have time
for some sobered reflections. Somehow I have had the feeling that during
the expressions here, whenever my name has been mentioned, they were
talking of somebody other than myself. And I really think that is so,
because one cannot go through the experience that I have gone through
these last three days and be the same as before. I am different than I was
before Friday morning.

	I cannot go back to where I was because cause of the love and faith
and confidence that you, the people of the Lord, have reposed in me. So
you have been talking of somebody else. You have been talking of somebody
that you want me to become, which I hopefully pray God I may, with his
help, become.

	We have announced time and again the great coverage of this
conference. Millions have been listening. You know we are being judged by
what emanates from this tabernacle. I held a meeting with some new
missionaries recently. Their attention was called to something that I may
have the temerity to mention to you today. The Lord said here in a great
revelation, "Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all
laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and
lightmindedness, and from all your wicked doings." (D&C 88:121.)

	I wonder sometimes if we forget that all we say in this sensitive
building is going out over the air from a sacred assembly. It doesn't mean
that we should be long-faced, should not show our joy, but we ought to
couch our expressions of joy not with the audible expression that swells
up to a great crescendo that might be mistaken by those who are listening
on the outside. I think it would be well for us to remember that, with a
sense of our responsibility [p. 134] to the most high God. We should be an
example of what the Lord in this revelation has counseled us to be when we
are in his service.

	Some great compensations have come to me in these last few days.
Never has my family, the intimate family of mine, been drawn more closely
together. One by one these precious children, grandchildren of mine, and
my own dear companion have drawn closer, and I have reason to believe that
those beyond sight have been very near to us, their families and mine.
There has been a unity and a pledge to me that they feel that this is
their call. I have said to them, "My sermons will be no better than the
lives of the members of my family." I am pleading with them to set an
example before the Church.

	And so I come to you in these closing moments; and as one who is a
patriarch to the Church holding this position, I have a right to extend a
blessing to you. I am not concerned about how much you remember in words
of what has been said here. I am concerned about how it has made you feel.
What are you going to take back with you when you go? What are you going
to give to your families? What are you going to give to your members and
to your wards and stakes and missions?

	If you can catch the spirit of what has gone on here during this
conference and can feel that great unity now, then take to them my love
and blessing. Assure them that the presidency of the Church and the
General Authorities really love the members of the Church everywhere, the
lowly, the mighty, the educated, the uneducated, wherever they are. Will
you please assure them of our love and our concern about them and their
welfare.

	There has come to me in these last few days a deepening and
reassuring faith. I can't leave this conference without saying to you that
I have a conviction that the Master hasn't been absent from us on these
occasions. This is his church. Where else would he rather be than right
here at the headquarters of his church? He isn't an absentee master; he is
concerned about us. He wants us to follow where he leads. I know that he
is a living reality, as is our Heavenly Father. I know it. I only hope
that I can qualify for the high place to which he has called me and in
which you have sustained me.

	I know with all my soul that these sayings are true, and as a special
witness I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that there is no
shadow of doubt as to the genuineness of the work of the Lord in which we
are engaged, the only name under heaven by which mankind can be saved.

	My love goes out to my own family, to my associates, to all within
the sound of my voice, even the sinners; I would wish that we would reach
out to them, and those who are inactive, and bring them into the fold
before it is too late.

	God be with you. I have the same feeling as perhaps the Master had
when he bid goodbye to the Nephites. He said he perceived that they were
weak, but if they would go to their homes and ponder what he said, he
would come again and instruct them on other occasions. So likewise, you
cannot absorb all that you had heard and that we have talked about, but go
to your homes now and remember what you can, and get the spirit of what
has been done and said, and when you come again, or we come to you, we
will try to help you further with your problems.

	I bear you my witness to these things and leave you my blessing in
the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

April 6, 1973 General Conference
President Harold B. Lee
                      STRENGTHEN THE STAKES OF ZION
                         President Harold B. Lee

	It is a great delight to meet here today. and to those who may be
listening from far and near, we assure you that we welcome you likewise.

	This is the annual conference of the Church. April 6, 1973, is a
particularly significant date because it commemorates not only the
anniversary of the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in this dispensation. but also the anniversary of the
birth of the Savior, our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith wrote
this, preceding a revelation given at that same date:

	"The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one
thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and
established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and
commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the
month which is called April." (D&C 20:1.)

	Traditionally since that time, the spring conferences of the Church
[p. 3] are held on the days of each year which include April 6.

	Two years later another revelation followed, which had great
significance then, and today has even greater meaning as viewed in the
light of the demands of the increasing membership in the Church. This is a
quotation which may be something of a text for my next few remarks today:

	"For Zion must increase in beauty, and in holiness, her borders must
be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened, yea, verily I say unto you,
Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments." (D&C 82:14.)

	Zion, as used here, undoubtedly had reference to the Church. At that
time there was but a small body of Church members just beginning to emerge
as an organization, after having experienced harsh treatment from enemies
outside the Church, who had then been directed to gather together in
Jackson County, Missouri, which the Lord had designated as the "land of
Zion."

	As though to impress upon these early struggling members their
destiny in the world, the Lord in another revelation told them this:

	"Therefore, verily. thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this
is Zion--PURE IN HEART; therefore, let Zion rejoice, while all the wicked
shall mourn." (D&C 97:21.)

	To be worthy of such a sacred designation as Zion, the Church must
think of itself as a bride adorned for her husband, as John the Revelator
recorded when he saw in vision the Holy City where the righteous dwelled,
adorned as a bride for the Lamb of God as her husband. Here is portrayed
the relationship the Lord desires in his people in order to be acceptable
to our Lord and Master even as a wife would adorn herself in beautiful
garments for her husband.

	The rule by which the people of God must live in order to be worthy
of acceptance in the sight of God is indicated by the text to which I have
made reference. This people must increase in beauty before the world; have
an inward loveliness which may be observed by mankind as a reflection in
holiness and in those inherent qualities of sanctity. The borders of Zion,
where the righteous and pure in heart may dwell, must now begin to be
enlarged. The stakes of Zion must be strengthened. All this so that Zion
may arise and shine by becoming increasingly diligent in carrying out the
plan of salvation throughout the world.

	While the Church was in its infancy, the Lord pointed to a time when
those earlier gathering places would not have room for all who would be
gathered for reasons for which he declared that his church should be
united. Here are his words:

	"For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." And then this command: "Arise and
shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations." (D&C
115:4-5.)

	Here is clearly inferred that the coming forth of his church in these
days was the beginning of the fulfillment [p. 4] of the ancient prophecy
when "the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of
the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall
flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up
to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. (Isa. 2:2-3.)

	In these revelations the Lord speaks of organized units of the Church
which are designated as stakes. each of which those not of our faith may
think of as a diocese. These units so organized are gathered together for
these fundamental purposes: first, for a defense against the enemies of
the Lord's work, both the seen and the unseen.

	The apostle Paul said with reference to these enemies about which we
should be concerned:

	"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12.)

	These organizations were to be as stated in the revelation noted
earlier, as a "refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be
poured out without mixture upon the whole earth." (D&C 115:6.)

	In the preface to all the Lord's revelations that he gave from the
beginning of this dispensation, he is sued this fateful warning, which
must never be absent from our minds. This prophetic warning of 1831 was
given, as the Lord declared, so 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." (D&C 1:35.)

	Now 142 years later we are witnessing the fury of this time, when
Satan has power over his own dominion, with such might that even the
Master in his day referred to him as the "prince of this world," the
"enemy of all righteousness."

	Despite these dire predictions and the evidences of their fulfillment
truly before us today, there is promised in this same revelation even a
greater power to thwart Satan's plans to destroy the work of the Lord.
Here the Lord makes this promise to the Saints of the Most High God, to
the righteous in heart to whom he has referred as "the people of Zion."
This is what he said:

	"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 1:36.)

	This has reference to the world in the same sense as when the Master
spoke of the worldliness from which he warned his disciples, that while
they would be engulfed in the world, they must keep themselves from the
sins to be found therein.

	I believe there has never been a time since the creation that the
Lord has left the dominion of the devil to destroy his work without his
power being manifest in the midst of the righteous to save the works of
righteousness from being completely overthrown.

	Today we are witnessing the promise of the Lord that "if your eye be
single to my glory," which he declared to the prophet Moses was "to bring
to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 2:39), "your whole
bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you;
and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things." (D&C
88:67.)

	We have also been promised by the Lord: "Behold, and lo, I will take
care of your flocks, and will raise up elders and send unto them. Behold,
I will hasten my work in its time." (D&C 88:72-73.)

	Today we are witnessing the demonstration of the Lord's hand even in
the midst of his saints, the members of the Church. Never in this
dispensation, and perhaps never before in any single period, has there
been such a feeling of urgency among the members of this church as today.
Her boundaries are being enlarged, her stakes are being strengthened. In
the early years of the Church specific places to which the Saints were to
be gathered together were given, and the Lord directed that these
gathering places should not be changed, but then he gave one
qualification' "Until the day cometh when there is found no more room for
them; and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and
they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion."
(D&C 101:21.)

	At the Mexico City Area Conference last August, Elder Bruce R.
McConkie of the Council of the Twelve, in a thought-provoking address,
made some comments pertinent to this subject, and I quote a few sentences
from his address:

	"Of this glorious day of restoration and gathering, another Nephite
prophet said: `The Lord . . . has covenanted with all the house of
Israel,' that `the time comes that they shall be restored to the true
church and fold of God'; and that `they shall be gathered home to the
lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in all their lands of
promise.' (2 Ne. 9:1-2.)

	"Now I call your attention to the facts, set forth in these
scriptures, that the gathering of Israel consists of joining the true
church; of coming to a knowledge of the true God and of his saving truths;
and of worshiping him in the congregations of the Saints in all nations
and among all peoples. Please note that these revealed words speak of the
folds of the Lord; of Israel being gathered to the lands of their
inheritance; of Israel being established in all their lands of promise;
and of there being congregations of the covenant people of the Lord in
every nation, speaking every tongue, and among every people when the Lord
comes again.

	Elder McConkie then concluded with this statement, which certainly
emphasizes the great need for the [p. 5] teaching and training of local
leadership in order to build up the church within their own native
countries:

	"The place of gathering for the Mexican Saints is in Mexico; the
place of gathering for the Guatemalan Saints is in Guatemala; the place of
gathering for the Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; and so it goes throughout
the length and breadth of the whole earth. Japan is for the Japanese;
Korea is for the Koreans; Australia is for the Australians; every nation
is the gathering place for its own people."

	The most frequently asked question from inquirers is, "How do you
account for the phenomenal growth of this church when so many others are
on the decline?"

	Among the primary and many factors which account for the continued
growth of the Church, I will mention only a few, for those who would ask
this question to ponder.

	No longer might this church be thought of as the "Utah church," or as
an "American church," but the membership of the Church is now distributed
over the earth in 78 countries, teaching the gospel in 17 different
languages at the present time.

	This greatly expanded church population is today our most challenging
problem, and while we have cause for much rejoicing in such a widespread
expansion, it does pose some great challenges to the leadership of the
Church to keep pace with the many problems.

	Two basic principles have always guided the leaders of the Church in
their planning to meet these circumstances. The first that might be called
to the attention of those who would be interested is the basic principle
of the plan of salvation from before the foundation of the world, for the
redemption of mankind and which has been revealed to the prophets of this
dispensation and has not been changed, for as the apostle Paul declared in
his day, so do we declare today:

	"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. . . .

	"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of
me is not after man.

	"For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by
the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Gal. 1:8, 11-12.)

	If we were to answer those who ask us why the steady growth, we would
answer that the first fundamental reason would be that we have held our
course in teaching the fundamental doctrines of the Church. We declare in
one of our Articles of Faith:

	"We believe [and, we might add, teach] all that God has revealed, all
that He does now reveal and we believe that He will yet reveal many great
and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (Article of Faith
9.)

	In one of the latest of the Lord's revelations in this dispensation,
he gave the reason for the confusion among the many churches then in
existence: because they have, as he said, "strayed from mine ordinances,
and have broken mine everlasting covenant; They seek not the Lord to
establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and
after the image of his own God, whose image is in the likeness of the
world. (D&C 1:15-16.)

	Therefore a new restoration was necessary, as he plainly declared:

	"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.

	"But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord even the
Savior of the world;

	"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.

	". . . after the manner of their language, that they might come to
understanding." (D&C 1:17-18; 20, 23-24.)

	There are those who speak of an ecumenical movement, where
theoretically, it is supposed, all churches would be brought together into
a universal organization. In essence it probably would contemplate that
they would give up their basic principles and be united in a nebulous
organization which would not necessarily be founded on the principles as
have traditionally been the doctrines of the church of Jesus Christ from
the beginning.

	When the revelations of the Lord are clearly understood, there is set
forth the only basis of a united and universal church. It could not be
accomplished as set forth by a man-made formula; it could only be
accomplished when the fullness of the principles of the gospel of Jesus
Christ are taught and practiced, as declared by the apostle Paul to the
Ephesians, who said that the church is "built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."
(Eph. 2:20.)

	The mission of the Church has also been defined:

	"And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of
my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.

	"Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth that
all that will hear may hear." (D&C 1:4, 11.)

	Obedient to that instruction, and from the beginning of the Church,
there have been missionaries sent to all parts of the world. Today we have
increasing numbers of missionaries, mostly younger men, who have been
schooled from their childhood to prepare themselves for a call to serve as
missionaries.

	From a hand of missionaries in the early days of the Church, this
number has been increased to over 17,000 serving today, each at his own
expense, or at the expense of his immediate family, for a period of two or
more years, each with a conviction in his heart that one so called has the
divinity of his calling in his mind as he may go forth into any part of
the world to which he may be called.

	Another reason that might be given for the increase in the Lord's
work: perhaps as never before have there been so many people of the world
searching for answers to the many perplexing problems.

	While the principles of the gospel [p. 6] of Jesus Christ have not
changed, the methods in meeting these challenges of the needs of today's
world must respond to the demands of our time. Fortunately the Lord has
given, in the revelations to this church, the guidelines by which we
should respond to the demands of the times. The plan of salvation has
defined the way by which he would have us deal with the temporal needs of
the people. The welfare plan of the Church seeks out those in distress.
Where the newly found members are located, the plan of temporal salvation
is, primarily, to teach the individuals how to take care of themselves.
The Lord has provided a hedge against the terrifying impact upon the
sanctity of the home and marriage, by strengthening the home and by
providing guidelines to parents to teach their children the basic
principles of honesty, virtue, integrity, thrift, and industry.

	There is a concern of the Church for the individual members, from
childhood to youth, and from among the youth into adulthood, to respond to
the needs of members of the Church of every age.

	In answer to the questions as to whether or not there may have been
any dropouts or members who have fallen away, our answer has always been
to recall the Master's parable of the sower, where the sower went out to
sow. Some of the seeds fell on fertile ground, but among the seeds which
fell on fertile ground, some produced thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some
ninety-fold, So today, in about that same ratio, we have some who are
partially active, some are more so, and some who are thoroughly active in
the Church, but we are always reaching out to the ones who have strayed
away, and we are constantly trying to bring them back into full activity.

	But perhaps the most important reason of all for the growth of the
Church is the individual testimonies of the divinity of this work, as
would be multiplied in the hearts of the individual members of the Church.
For the strength of the Church is not in the numbers, nor in the amount of
tithes and offerings paid by faithful members, nor in the magnitude of
chapels and temple buildings, but because in the hearts of faithful
members of the Church is the conviction that this is indeed the church and
kingdom of God on the earth. Without that conviction. as one of my eminent
business associates remarked, "The welfare plan of the Church would be but
a shambles"; also missionary work would not flourish; and members would
not be faithful in making generous contributions to the Church to finance
its many operations. The secret of the strength of this church may be
found in the statement of a president of a student body at one of our
state-operated universities, whose identity, of course, is confidential.
This is a quotation front his personal letter addressed to me:

	"With the rule of the radical ideas which are sweeping the country,
there has come a breakdown of family ties which is despised in many
intellectual circles. The country is seemingly plied with sex education,
abortion, planned parenthood, pornography, women's liberation, communal
living, premarital sex, and post-marital permissiveness. . . ."

	And then this young college student leader concludes with this
heartwarming declaration, which I know came from the depths of his soul.
This is what he wrote:

	"President Lee, I want you to know that the Latter-day Saint students
on campus who keep the commandments are 100 percent behind you. Thank God
we have leaders who stand firm against the subtle battle of the adversary
who is striking at the home, the most vital unit of the world. Thank you
for being the kind of a person that we, as young people growing up in this
mixed-up world, can understand and can follow."

	By that same token, and in the language of that brilliant college
student, I am convinced that the greatest of all the underlying reasons
for the strength of this church is that those who keep the commandments of
God are 100 percent behind the leadership of this church. Without that
united support it would be readily understood that this church could not
go forward to meet the challenges of the day. Our call is for the total
membership of the Church to keep the commandments of God, for therein lies
the safety of the world. As one keeps the commandments of God, he is not
only persuaded as to the righteousness of the course that is being
followed under the leadership of the Church, but also will have the Spirit
of the Lord to guide hint in his individual activities, for each baptized
member has been given a sacred endowment when he was baptized and which
has been committed to every baptized member of the Church by the authority
of the priesthood: the gift of the Holy Ghost, which, as the Master
declared, would teach all things, would bring all things to their
remembrance, and even show them things to come. (See John 14:26.)

	It will be clearly understood, then, that the great responsibility
that the leaders and teachers in the Church have is to persuade, to teach,
to direct aright, that the commandments of Almighty God will be so lived
as to prevent the individual from falling into the trap of the evil one
who would persuade him not to believe in God and not to follow the
leadership of the Church.

	I want to bear my sacred witness that because I know of the divinity
of this work, I know that it will prevail; and that though there may be
enemies within and without the Church who would seek to undermine and
would seek to find fault and try to undermine the influence of the Church
in the world, this church will be borne off triumphantly and will stand
through the test of time when all the man-made efforts and weapons forged
against the Lord's word will fall by the wayside. I know that our Lord and
Master Jesus Christ is the head of this church; that he has daily
communion through agencies known to him, not only to the leaders of the
Church in high positions, but also to individual members as they keep the
commandments of God. To that I bear my sacred witness and leave my
blessing upon all the faithful of the Church, and indeed in the world
everywhere, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

April 7, 1973 General Priesthood Meeting
President Harold B. Lee

                   FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH
                         President Harold B. Lee

	We have here Captain Larry Chesley, Major Jay C. Hess, and Lieutenant
Commander David J. Rollins. Will you stand up, please? Captain Chesley,
United States Air Force, was a prisoner of war for seven years. He comes
from the Burley Stake, Star Ward. Major Jay Hess, United States Air Force,
was a prisoner of war for six years, from Bountiful East Stake. Lieutenant
Commander Rollins, United States Navy, a prisoner of war for six years, is
from the San Diego North Stake.

	These three young men represent many of those boys who have gone
through the fire of adversity. We just want you men to know that our
hearts have been touched by the announcement of your faith, your
confidence in your country and in your commander-in-chief that you have
come through thus far. We want to say to you that we have been praying, we
have been hoping with every means at our command; and we now say to the
priesthood, brethren, will you put your arms around these boys, and help
them now to make their adjustments as [p. 96] may be necessary in their
homecoming.

	The Lord bless you, brethren. We love you and the many others who
have been in these circumstances and have come through the fire, and have
now been prepared to go forward. You will be the kind of men that we look
to for the standards of our youth in the years that lie ahead. Thank you,
brethren. We welcome you home.

	Our hearts go out to the many others, to the mothers and fathers in
the thousands of homes where the boys didn't come home. We are having an
Easter program where they have asked me to respond, seeing what might be
done to ease the aching hearts of the thousands of others who didn't come
home. There is hope. Thank God for the promise of the gospel and the
blessings that lie beyond the grave.

	Just a word now about what has been said regarding the Aaronic
Priesthood MIA and the Melchizedek Priesthood MIA. I am sure that you
listened to President Romney and heard him define that word ponder and
then made its application; that is what we are asking you to do now, and
not go out as a Monday morning quarterback and try to do all the
second-guessing. I want to say to you that there is no topic that has
received longer and more searching, prayerful discussion by the General
Authorities of the Church than the matters that pertain to the young
people of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood groups, and the women of
similar ages.

	May I just make this one statement, so that you will get this thing
in proper focus. These announced Aaronic Priesthood and Melchizedek
Priesthood MIA's do not do away with the Young Men's and Young Women's
Mutual Improvement Associations. What is intended, as you see this unfold,
is that the programs will go forward, but with priesthood identity the
like of which they have not enjoyed before. And we sincerely believe that
if you fully understand and this program is fully comprehended, as the
priesthood identity is now explained, many of those who have not been
active will now be brought into activity; and the priesthood and the youth
and the young adults, and those over 25, and many others who have felt
themselves forgotten souls will now, under the leadership of these great
leaders, move forward. We hope that there will not one be missed, and
everybody will be taken into focus by the great plan of salvation.

	As I have gone out to youth conferences on various occasions. have
asked, "What is your greatest problem?" And surprisingly the leaders have
always said something like this: "We want to have you put all the youth
organizations belonging to the same church together." We have had our
campus stakes, institutes, M Men and Gleaners, Delta Phi, Lambda Delta
Sigma, Latter-day Saint Student Associations, all of them, and sometimes
the same ones clamoring to be with the others in the group.
Institutionalized, these same groups will still function as far as
religious activities are concerned; but so far as the activity part of the
program, the social part, is concerned, we trust that as you see this move
into action, you will see that our youth of these various organizations,
of these various groupings, will now be brought together so that there
will be a wider relationship than there has ever been before. Hopefully
there will be a greater chance for young people to find companionship
within their groups, and eventually, we hope, in temple marriage.

	Suspend judgment, then, and [p. 97] ponder what has been said tonight
until you receive further instructions, which will be given you in detail,
as the brethren have explained.

	I have a letter from some man who seemingly has found something in
the hieroglyphics of some discovery that is the answer to a lot of the
things that lay ahead for the world. And interestingly enough, as I looked
at this, my mind reflected back to an address I heard delivered from this
pulpit by President Anthony W. Ivins on October 4, 1931. Just why I
thought of that I suppose it was intended that I should is because he gave
an address at that conference and used as his text the recently published
book called Our Bible in Stone. Many of you remember this treated
principally the erection, the symbolism, and the prophetic character of
the pyramid of Gizeh, or in Greek, the Cheops. Students of the pyramid,
after a study of the measurements, symbols, and the record of the pyramid,
if it had a record, said that the year 1928 would witness the beginning of
a period of great tribulation, which would culminate with intensity in
1936. That period, according to the reckoning of the students, would close
with the advent of the Lord and the establishment of a period of peace.
happiness, and goodwill among men.

	Then President Ivins gave these wise words of counsel with reference
to this book: "Now, my brethren I have referred to this little book and
its contents as I desire that you might understand. It will undoubtedly go
into the mission field and our elders may make use of it. I simply want to
warn you against sensationalism of any kind. I do not say that his
conclusions are wrong, but I do say that they do not come to us as the
voice of the Church, nor are they to be accepted as such."

	Then he said something that seems very significant to me. He said:
"Brother J. Golden Kimball told us yesterday that he was a great believer
in dreams that come true." I wish you would think of that. That accords
with my feelings. I am a great believer in dreams that have come true.

	"I am reminded of the fact," he said, "that immediately after the
close of the World War these students of the Pyramids announced and
published it that according to their measurements and calculations there
would begin in the year 1928 a period which would bring tribulation and
sorrow to the people of the world; that they would be required to humble
themselves before the Lord, and that that period of tribulation would
continue until the year 1936. . . . We all know that a part of this dream
at least has come true."

	After commenting on the financial condition throughout the nations at
that time, in the 1930's, President Ivins then concluded his remarks with
these profound words of wisdom: "Well, now, my brethren and sisters, what
about it all? Just be calm and turn to the Lord. . . . I pleaded with the
people to put their houses in order and get out of debt, for I knew this
was coming, because God himself through his Only Begotten Son had declared
it.

	"Now, my brethren and sisters, if the Church has anything to say to
you it will come from them direct and not from the writings of other men.
It will come to you in a manner that you will understand it. It will not
be speculative. It will come to you philosophically, truthfully, and
governed by common sense. God bless you," he said, "is my humble prayer. .
. ." (Conference Report, October 1931, pp. 87-94.)

	Now this is something that needs repeating to this great body of
priesthood, because we have a rash of writings by certain persons who
claim to be of good standing in the Church, going into considerable detail
as they recite their past and present Church affiliations and activities
in the foreword, interlude, and advertising. There are sensational
predictions and observations, and to make their writings appear to have
Church sanction, they use quotations and addresses from Church leaders,
past and present, taken out of context in such a way as to make it appear
as though these quotations were the endorsement of the book they wish to
sell to Church members, who may thereby be induced to accept their
writings as from unquestioned sources.

	Now we have also had some who claim to be in good standing in order
to take advantage of the gathering of the Saints at some of our general
conferences, and who have gone so far as to program group meetings for
their own interest, with the obvious hope that by doing so, many of our
conference visitors may be urged to attend their meetings, even if it may
have necessitated their absence from vitally important instructional
sessions of the conference.

	Furthermore, some designing individuals have solicited opportunities
to speak at church gatherings, firesides, priesthood quorums, sacrament
meetings. Now, brethren, we feel it is of the utmost importance to lift a
warning voice so that our people will be safeguarded against such tactics
as an all too obvious self-seeking opportunity to spread their own
propaganda for their own interests.

	We must urge that priesthood leaders use careful discretion in
screening out those whose motives may be subject to serious questions.

	Now a word about magnifying the priesthood. Much has been said about
that tonight. I would like to read a portion of a short revelation given
through the Prophet Joseph Smith to Edward Partridge in 1830:

	"Thus saith the Lord God, the Mighty One of Israel: Behold, I say
unto you, my servant Edward, that you are blessed, and your sins are
forgiven you, and you are called to preach my gospel as with the voice of
a trump;

	"And I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant Sidney
Rigdon, and you shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the
Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom;

	"And now this calling and commandment give I unto you concerning all
men--

	"That as many as shall come before my servants Sidney Rigdon and
Joseph Smith, Jun., embracing this calling, . . . shall be ordained and
sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel among the nations. . . .

	"And this commandment shall be given unto the elders of my church,
that every man which will embrace it with singleness of heart may be
ordained and sent forth, even as I have spoken.

	"I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God; wherefore, gird up your loins,
and I will suddenly come to my temple. (D&C 36:1-2, 4-5, 7-8.)

	Now, I want to refer particularly to this one verse, and then make a
few comments about magnifying the priesthood. Notice what the Lord said:
"And I will lay my hand upon you [Edward Partridge] by the hand of my
servant Sidney Rigdon, and you shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost,
even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the
kingdom." The other night I had a group of young Cub Scouts, who are about
the age to become ordained deacons, and I said to these young men, "When
you get to be deacons, what will be the duties of a deacon?"

	And they all said, "The duty of the deacon is to pass the sacrament."

	And I said, "Now I would like you to think of this a little
differently. That isn't the way to explain the duty of a deacon. What does
it mean to pass the sacrament? When a deacon carries the emblems of the
bread and water which have been blessed to the good of those to whom it
shall be passed, it is then a renewal of a covenant that if they will keep
the commandments of God and remember the Lord Jesus Christ, for whom those
emblems stand, they will have the Spirit of the Lord to be with them."

	A deacon, then, has the responsibility of representing the Lord to
carry these emblems and thus be the Lord's agent in submitting these to
the body of the Church.

	When you ask a teacher what are his duties, he may answer, "Well,
it's to do home teaching. But suppose you say to him, "When you do home
teaching you are representing the Lord, to visit the home of each member,
to see that they are doing their duty, and to see that they are all
keeping the commandments of God." The duties of a priest: The priest is to
preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament;
and to visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and
in secret and attend to all family duties." (D&C 20:46-47.) They should
have in mind when they are acting in those capacities it is as though they
were acting for and responsible to the Lord.

	When we officiate in the name of the Lord, as holders of the
priesthood, we are doing it in the name and in behalf of our Heavenly
Father. Priesthood is the power by which our Heavenly Father works through
men, through deacons, through teachers, through priests, and I have a
feeling that we are not impressing that upon our young men. They are not
taking the understanding of their priesthood as seriously as they might.
If they did, they would always want to appear as President Tanner has said
of Bishop Featherstone. They would always want to appear at their best
when they are exercising their priesthood. Their hair would be properly
groomed; their clothing and appearance would reflect the sanctity they
should feel in the performance of their priesthood duties. I have had that
same feeling. I have never performed an ordinance, such as administering
to the sick, without first excusing myself, if I were out in the garden or
somewhere, until I was properly clothed, to make the best appearance I
could, because I felt in so doing I was drawing close to the Lord himself,
and I want to appear at my best in his presence.

	Brethren, I am afraid that some of our elders do not understand this,
that when they are officiating as elders of the Church, or as seventies or
as high priests, it is as though when they perform the ordinance. the Lord
through them is acting upon the heads of those for whom they minister. I
have often thought one of the reasons why we are not magnifying our
priesthood is because we don't understand that as holders of the
priesthood, He is working through us by the power of the holy priesthood.
and I would wish that we could all have that feeling, and so teach our
young people what it means to hold the priesthood and to magnify it.

	Now tonight, brethren, we have touched a number of subjects. We come
to you, one of the greatest bodies of priesthood that has ever been
assembled, so we understand. What an influence! At the sessions of this
conference you have had your attention called to some of the most
dangerous trends in our public life sex education, pornography,
permissiveness running rampant over the world. Brethren of the priesthood,
this army, if they would reach out with all the influence that they could
wield and really magnify their priesthood as the representatives of our
Heavenly Father, could engender such a power and might that by the use of
our priesthood in our various communities, these things would not be
allowed to continue without a sturdy defense on the part of the priesthood
of the living God.

	We must call ourselves to new service and new responsibilities, and
not stand idly by and let these things go without challenge. Our youth are
in danger. Keep your home ties strong. brethren. See to it as we have all
tried to say, and as I have repeated it many times and some have quoted it
in this conference, that "the greatest of the Lord's work you brethren
will ever do as fathers will be within the walls of your own home." Don't
neglect your wives. you brethren. Don't neglect your children. Take time
for family home evening. Draw your children around about you. Teach them,
guide them, and guard them. There was never a time when we needed so much
the strength and the solidarity of the home. If we will do that, this
church will grow by leaps and bounds in strength and influence throughout
the world. No longer need you be considered as a hiss and byword. We [p.
99] should stand four-square for the things that are honorable, righteous,
pure, virtuous, and true.

	Brethren of the priesthood, we love you. We stand ready. As you pray
for us, we will try to meet that high expectation, God being our helper.
We realize the magnitude of the responsibility we bear, and except we can
be assured of your faith and your loyalty, and your unquestioned one
hundred percent keeping of the commandments of God, we cannot meet it.

	I quoted in the opening session of this conference a wonderful letter
that I received from a student body president who is greatly concerned
about things going on on the campus and round about in the society where
he moves, and then his statement was, "I can assure you that every
Latter-day Saint on this campus who is keeping the commandments of God one
hundred percent is supporting and sustaining you." Brethren, I know that
that is true throughout this whole church. Every Latter-day Saint who is
keeping the commandments is following the leadership of the Church. By
that same token, if you find those who are not willing to follow the
leadership of the Church, you may be sure it is a certainty that they are
not keeping the commandments of God one hundred percent.

	So it is a call to arms--arms to do what? To keep the commandments of
God in order that we might lay claim to the blessings we need so much in
this day of uncertainty, in this crazy mixed-up world, as some have spoken
of it, and our youth have seemed to feel. In these new movements with our
young people, our only hope is that by intensifying the responsibility of
the priesthood with the youth organizations we can strengthen their hands
and reach out to these young men and women who need so much the
shepherding influence of the priesthood, for in so doing we feel sure we
can help to raise up a righteous generation that will carry on the work
throughout the ages that lie ahead of us.

	I bear you my solemn witness, my beloved brethren, that these things
that have been spoken tonight have been spoken under the inspiration of
the Lord, and we give it to you for your pondering, for your prayerful
consideration, suspending judgment, and not raising your voices in
criticism, but carrying on the youth organizations as they now exist until
these brethren have given you the full details of just what lies ahead;
then you can begin to see the merits of what it is all about.

	So I bear you that witness and leave you my blessing this night, and
pray God's blessings upon you, the priesthood of the Church, the strength
of Zion, the backbone of the kingdom of God on earth. So I pray and leave
you my blessing, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


April 8, 1973 General Conference
President Harold B. Lee

                        "STAND YE IN HOLY PLACES"
                         President Harold B. Lee

	We are grateful to all who have contributed to the success and
inspiration of this conference, especially to our General Authorities who
have delivered such timely, inspired messages. Sitting where we do as the
First Presidency, we have been aware these last six months that there has
been such a feeling of need to have questions answered, to have spoken
front this pulpit at this conference things that are needed by so many in
this mixed-up world, to help them to set guidelines for their own lives.

	I believe I have never known when the General Authorities have so
completely covered the various areas where we have had great concern. If
you want to know what the Lord has for this people at the present time, I
would admonish you to get and read the discourses that have been delivered
at this conference; for what these brethren have spoken by the power of
the Holy Ghost is the mind of the Lord the will of the Lord, the voice of
the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation. I am sure all who have
listened, if they have been in tune, have felt the sincerity and the deep
conviction from those who have spoken so appropriately and so effectively.

	My soul is filled with joy as I think of these great men whom the
Lord has brought to the service of the Church as General Authorities and
all others who have served, our Regional Representatives of the Twelve,
our Mission Representatives of the Twelve and the First Council of
Seventy, and all who serve in the various organizations. As we have seen
them being brought into key positions, we have marveled as to how, when we
have need of a man or person for a particular office, the man of the hour
seems to have been brought to us. almost in a miraculous way.

	As I have listened to the brethren, and feeling the concern that has
been so frequently referred to. I have remembered the instruction that was
given by the prophet Alma as a group of those who had been converted
waited on the banks for baptism; and as he explained to them the nature of
the covenant in which they were to enter as baptized members, he said:

	". . . as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be
called his people. and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that
they may be light:

	"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn: yea. and
comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of
God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, .
. .

	"Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have
you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before
him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him
and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly
upon you?" (Mosiah 18:8-10.)

	I call your attention to one of these requirements, particularly that
which has been stressed by direct and indirect words in this conference:
"are willing to bear one another's burdens that they may be light." If I
were to ask you what is the heaviest burden one may have to bear in this
life, what would you answer? The heaviest burden that one has to bear in
this life is the burden of sin. How do you help one to bear that great
burden of sin, in order that it might be light?

	Some years ago, President Romney and I were sitting in my office. The
door opened and a fine young man came in with a troubled look on his face,
and he said "Brethren, I am going to the temple for the first time
tomorrow. I have made some mistakes in the past, and I have gone to my
bishop and my stake president, and I have made a clean disclosure of it
all; and after a period of repentance and assurance that I have not
returned again to those mistakes, they have now adjudged me ready to go to
the temple. But, brethren, that is not enough. I want to know, and how can
I know, that the Lord has forgiven me, also."

	What would you answer one who would conte to you asking that
question? As we pondered for a moment, we remembered King Benjamin's
address contained in the book of Mosiah. Here was a group of people who
now were asking for baptism, and they said they viewed themselves in their
carnal state:

	". . . And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy,
and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of
our sins, and our hearts may be purified;

	". . . after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came
upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of
their sins, and having peace of conscience. (Mosiah 4:2-3.)

	There was the answer.

	If the time comes when you have done all that you can to repent of
your sins, whoever you are, wherever you are, and have made amends and
restitution to the best of your ability; if it be something that will
affect your standing in the Church and you have gone to the proper
authorities, then you will want that confirming answer as to whether or
not the Lord has accepted of you. In your soul-searching, if you seek for
and you find that peace of conscience, by that token you may know that the
Lord has accepted of your repentance. Satan would have you think otherwise
and sometimes persuade you that now having made one mistake, you might go
on and on with no turning back. That is one of the great falsehoods. The
miracle of forgiveness is available to all of those who turn from their
evil doings and return no more, because the Lord has said [p. 123] in a
revelation to us in our day: . . . go your ways and sin no more; but unto
that soul who sinneth [meaning again] shall the former sins return, saith
the Lord your God." (D&C 82:7.) Have that in mind, all of you who may be
troubled with a burden of sin.

	And to you who are teachers, may you help to lift that great burden
from those who are carrying it, and who have their conscience so seared
that they are kept from activity, and they don't know where to go to find
the answers. You help them to that day of repentance and restitution, in
order that they too may have that peace of conscience, the confirming of
the Spirit of the Lord that he has accepted of their repentance.

	The great call has come now in the sermons of the brethren to aid
those who are in need of aid, not just temporal aid, but spiritual aid.
The greatest miracles I see today are not necessarily the healing of sick
bodies, but the greatest miracles I see are the healing of sick souls,
those who are sick in soul and spirit and are downhearted and distraught,
on the verge of nervous breakdowns. We are reaching out to all such,
because they are precious in the sight of the Lord, and we want no one to
feel that they are forgotten.

	I read again and again the experience of Peter and John, as they went
through the gate beautiful on the way to the temple. Here was one who had
never walked, impotent from his birth, begging alms of all who approached
the gate. And as Peter and John approached, he held out his hand
expectantly, asking for aIms. Peter, speaking for this pair of
missionaries--church authorities --said, "Look on us." And, of course,
that heightened his expectation. "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I
none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth rise up and walk." (Acts 3:4, 6.)

	Now in my mind's eye I can picture this man, what was in his mind.
"Doesn't this man know that I have never walked? He commands me to walk."
But the biblical record doesn't end there. Peter just didn't content
himself by commanding the man to walk, but he "took him by the right hand,
and lifted him up." (Acts 3:7.)

	Will you see that picture now of that noble soul, that chiefest of
the apostles, perhaps with his arms around the shoulders of this man, and
saying. "Now, my good man, have courage, I will take a few steps with you.
Let's walk together. and I assure you that you can walk, because you have
received a blessing by the power and authority that God has given us as
men, his servants." Then the man leaped with joy.

	You cannot lift another soul until you are standing on higher ground
than he is. You must be sure, if you would rescue the man, that you
yourself are setting the example of what you would have him be. You cannot
light a fire in another soul unless it is burning in your own soul. You
teachers, the testimony that you bear, the spirit with which you teach and
with which you lead. is one of the most important assets that you can
have, as you help to strengthen those who need so much, wherein you have
so much to give. Who of us, in whatever station we may have been in, have
not needed strengthening?

	May I impose upon you for a moment to express appreciation for
something that happened to me some time ago. years ago. I was suffering
from an ulcer condition that was becoming worse and worse. We had been
touring a mission; my wife, Joan, and I were impressed the next morning
that we should get home as quickly as possible, although we had planned to
stay for some other meetings.

	On the way across the country, we were sitting it the forward section
of the airplane. Some of our Church members were in the next section. As
we approached a certain point en route, someone laid his hand upon my
head. I looked up; I could see no one. That happened again before we
arrived home, again with the same experience. Who it was, by what means or
what medium. I may never know, except I knew that I was receiving a
blessing that I came a few hours later to know I needed most desperately.

	As soon as we arrived home, my wife very anxiously called the doctor.
It was now about 11 o'clock at night. He called me to come to the
telephone, and he asked me how I was; and I said, "Well, I am very tired.
I think I will be all right." But shortly thereafter, there came massive
hemorrhages which, had they occurred while we were in flight. I wouldn't
be here today talking about it.

	I know that there are powers divine that reach out when all other
help is not available. We see that manifest down it the countries we speak
of as the underprivileged countries where there is little medical aid and
perhaps no hospitals. If you want to hear of great miracles among these
humble people with simple faith, you will see it among them when they are
left to themselves. Yes, I know that there are such powers.

	As I came to realize the overwhelming magnitude of the responsibility
that now has been given to me, if I were to have sat down and tried to
think of the burden, I would have been devastated and wholly incapable of
carrying it. But when I was guided by the Spirit to name two noble men,
whose powerful words of teaching and testimony you have heard today,
President N. Eldon Tanner and President Marion G. Romney, I realized that
mine was not the responsibility to carry these responsibilities alone. And
then as we meet week by week in the temple and look across the room and
see 12 stalwart men, men chosen from out the world and given the power of
the holy apostleship, I am aware that no greater men walk the earth than
these men.

	Once each month on the first Thursday (it was a week ago last
Thursday because of conference), we meet with all the General Authorities,
except a few that are not able to be with us.

	We have been glad that we had the appearance briefly of President [p.
124] Hugh B. Brown at this conference. We wish that Brother Alvin R. Dyer
could have been here. Brother Alma Sonne has been able to be with us. We
have talked with Sister Dyer, and we are praying earnestly that Brother
Dyer may soon be recovered to his normal strength. These men and their
families are carrying great burdens and responsibilities.

	The other day we met in the seminar for Regional Representatives of
the Twelve. These are men who are fanning out over the whole earth now, to
every corner of the earth. Newly baptized members who know little about
the gospel and much less about the disciplines of the Church must be
taught if the Church is to be safely led. These men who have been chosen
from out of the strongest men we have in the Church now are going out now
under the direction of the Council of the Twelve. And there are also the
Mission Representatives of the Twelve and the First Council of the Seventy
associated with them. They are going out to the humblest everywhere and
teaching them these fundamental principles, teaching them, as the Prophet
Joseph answered when asked, "How do you govern your people?" His answer
was, "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves."

	They are not going out to do the work themselves. As we have said to
them, they are standing as "coaches" rather than as "quarterbacks" on the
football team, teaching the quarterbacks how to direct, teaching them
correct principles. They are men of faith. And how grateful we are for all
these auxiliary workers who have gone out, likewise at great expense,
great travel, and sacrifice on the part of their businesses and their
families.

	To you great leaders, stake presidencies mission presidencies,
bishoprics, priesthood quorum leaders, all of you, the faithful Saints
everywhere, you who pray for us, I want you to know that we pray earnestly
at the altars of the temple for all of you faithful who pray for us. How
grateful we are for you!

	As I come to you at the closing moments of this conference, I would
like to take you back now to just one incident, and I am sorry that I can
tell you only a part of it because of the limitations of some things
contained therein.

	It was just before the dedication of the Los Angeles Temple. We were
all preparing for that great occasion. It was something new in my life,
when along about three or four o'clock in the morning, I enjoyed an
experience that I think was not a dream, but it must have been a vision.
It seemed that I was witnessing a great spiritual gathering, where men and
women were standing up, two or three at a time, and speaking in tongues.
The spirit was so unusual. I seemed to have heard the voice of President
David O. McKay say, "If you want to love God, you have to learn to love
and serve the people. That is the way you show your love for God." And
there were other things then that I saw and heard.

	And so I come to you today, with no shadow of doubting in my mind
that I know the reality of the person who is presiding over this church,
our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. I know that he is. I know that he is
closer to us than many times we have any idea. They are not an absentee
Father and Lord. They are concerned about us, helping to prepare us for
the advent of the Savior, whose coming certainly isn't too far away
because of the signs that are becoming apparent.

	All you need to do is to read the scriptures, particularly the
inspired translation of Matthew, the twenty-fourth chapter, found in the
writings of Joseph Smith in the Pearl of Great Price, where the Lord told
his disciples to stand in holy places and be not moved, for he comes
quickly, but no man knows the hour nor the day. That is the preparation.

	Go home now to your people, I pray you, and say as did Joshua of old:
as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh. 24:15.) Teach your
families in your family home evening, teach them to keep the commandments
of God, for therein is our only safety in these days. If they will do
that, the powers of the Almighty will descend upon them as the dews from
heaven, and the Holy Ghost will be theirs, which has been spoken of so
excellently by Elder Franklin D. Richards. That can be our guide. and that
kind of Spirit shall guide us and direct us to his holy home.

	And so as it is my privilege to do, I give you faithful members of
the Church everywhere my blessing. God bless you, take care of you,
preserve you as you travel home, that there may be no accident or no
untoward experience. Take to your people out in the far reaches the
feeling of love that we have for all of them; and indeed, as the
missionaries go out, that love extends not only to those of our Father's
children who are already members of the Church, but those who are our
Father's children to whom he would have us bring the gospel of truth; make
them also to enjoy all the blessings that we now have.

	May the Lord help us so to understand and do, and fill our stations,
and not be found wanting in the day of judgment that we have not done all
we know how to do to advance his work in righteousness. I humbly pray in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

October 5, 1973 General Conference
President Harold B. Lee
               UNDERSTANDING WHO WE ARE BRINGS SELF-RESPECT
                         President Harold B. Lee

	My beloved brothers and sisters and friends who are listening by
radio and television, may I now for a few moments make some comments about
a condition which is of great concern to all of us today. I speak of the
shocking lack of self-respect by so many individuals, as is evidenced by
their dress, their manner, and engulfing waves of permissiveness which
seem to be moving over the world like an avalanche.

	We see among us 50 many who seem to be forsaking standards of decency
or an understanding of the meaning of time-honored words which, since the
beginning of time, have had real meaning to our forebears; words that have
made for strength of character and righteousness and harmony and unity and
peace in the world.

	There are eternal words which, if understood and taught and
practiced, would bring salvation to every man, woman. boy and girl who
does now live or has lived or will yet live in the world.

	To some it may seem old-fashioned to speak of virtue and chastity,
honesty, morality, faith, character, but these are the qualities which
have built great men and women and point the way by which one may find
happiness in the living of today and eternal joy in the world to come.
These are the qualities which are the anchors to our lives, in spite of
the trials, the tragedies, the pestilences, and the cruelties of war which
bring in their wake appalling destruction, hunger, and bloodshed.

	To those who fail to heed the warnings of those who are striving to
teach these principles and choose to go in the opposite course, they will
eventually find themselves in the pitiable state which you are witnessing
so often among us. The prophet Isaiah described the tragic result most
dramatically when he repeated the words of God which came to him as he
sought to fortify his people against the wickedness of the world, and I
quote his words:

	". . . Peace, peace to him that is far off, ind to him that is near,
saith the Lord; and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the troubled
sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no
peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (Isa. 57:19-21.)

	Other prophets have declared likewise, so forcibly as to not be
misunderstood, that "wickedness never was happiness." (Al. 41:10.)

	As I have prayerfully thought of the reasons why one chooses this
course which is dramatically described by the prophet Isaiah--when one who
has departed from the path which would have given him peace is like the
troubled sea, casting up mire and dirt--it seems to me that it all results
from the failure of the individual to have self-respect. Listen to these
words of wisdom from those whose lives have been worthy of emulation and
who have experienced the realities of the periods of time from [p. 3]
which they speak. I quote:

	"Self-respect--that corner-stone of all virtue." --Sir John Frederick
William Herschel

	Others have declared:

	"Self-respect is the noblest garment with which a man can clothe
himself the most elevating feeling with which the mind can be inspired."
--Samuel Smiles

	"Every man stamps his value on himself. The price we challenge for
ourselves is given us by others.--Man is made great or little by his own
will." --Johann von Schiller

	A lovely mother in a nearby community wrote this to me, "I love
America, I love my husband, I love my children, I love my God, and why is
this possible? Because I truly love myself."

	Such are the fruits of self-respect. Conversely, when one does not
have that love for himself of which this sister speaks, other consequences
can be expected to follow. He ceases to love life. Or if he marries, he
has lost his love for his wife and children--no love of home or respect
for the country in which he lives, and eventually he has lost his love of
God. Rebellion in the [p. 4] land, disorder and the lack of love in the
family, children disobedient to parents, loss of contact with God, all
because that person has lost all respect for himself.

	I recall an invitation I had to speak to men who, for the most part,
had not been advanced in the Church because of their lack of desire or
their lack of understanding of the importance of conforming to certain
standards required for advancement. The subject on which I was to speak
was "Who Am I?" As I pondered this subject and searched the word of God to
prepare for this assignment, I immediately sensed that I was to talk about
a subject that is of first importance to each of us as it was to those men
among whom, no doubt, there were some who had not found themselves and
lacked the basis of a solid foundation upon which to build their lives.

	The rowdiness of children, the incorrigibility of adolescence are
more often than not a bid for a kind of attention or popularity that
physical and mental endowments do not invite. So the blast girl and the
unkempt boy are often but a reflection of an individual who is seeking, by
superficial adornment or by abnormal conduct (in a strange way), to supply
that indefinable quality they may think is charm--a clumsy attempt to draw
attention by conduct which certainly reflects that inward frustration
because of the lack of understanding of their true identity as a human
being.

	Well, then, "Who am I?" Those lacking in that important
understanding, and, consequently, in some degree [those] failing to hold
themselves in the high esteem which they would have if they did
understand, are lacking self-respect.

	May I begin to answer that question by posing two questions from
scriptural texts which should be impressed upon every soul.

	The psalmist wrote: What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and
the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little
lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (Ps.
8:4-5.)

	And the next is the question the Lord posed to Job: "Where wast thou
when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast
understanding. . . . [of] when the morning stars sang together, and all
the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7.)

	Reduced to more simple language than the words of those questions
from the scriptures, the prophets in these quotations are simply asking
each of us, "Where did you come from? Why are you here?"

	A great psychologist, MacDougall, once said: "The first thing to be
done to help a man to moral regeneration is to restore if possible his
self-respect." Also I recall the prayer of the old English weaver, "O God,
help me to hold a high opinion of myself." That should be the prayer of
every soul; not an abnormally developed self-esteem that becomes
haughtiness, conceit, or arrogance, but a righteous self-respect that
might be defined as belief in one's own worth, worth to God, and worth to
man."

	Now, consider these answers to the searching questions which must be
burned into the consciousness of all those who have strayed away or who
have not arrived at a true evaluation of themselves in this world of
chaos. In the limited time allotted me, I hope that in some measure my
voice will be heard above the dismal dreariness of this troubled world.

	The apostle Paul wrote: "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh
which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather
be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" (Heb. 12:9.)

	This suggests that all who live upon the earth, who have fathers on
earth, likewise have a father of their spirits. So did Moses and Aaron, as
they fell upon their faces, cry out: "O God, the God of the spirits of all
flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the
congregation? (Num. 16:22.)

	Note how they addressed the Lord, ". . . the God [Father] of the
spirits of all flesh [mankind]. . . ."

	From the revelations through Abraham, we get a glimpse of who and
what the spirit is:

	"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were
organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the
noble and great ones;

	"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the
midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood
among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said
unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast
born." (Abr. 3:22-23.)

	There we are told that the Lord promised that those who were faithful
in that premortal world would be added upon, by having a physical body in
this second estate of this earth's existence and, furthermore, if they
would keep the commandments as God taught by the revelations, they would
have "glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." (Abr. 3:26.)

	Now, there are several precious truths in that scripture. First, we
have a definition of what a spirit is, as it relates to our physical body.
What did it look like in that premortal world (if we could see it apart
from our mortal body)? A modern Latter-day prophet gives us an inspired
answer:

	". . . that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is
temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is
spiritual; the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the
spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created." (D&C
77:2.)

	The next truth we learn from this scripture is that you and I, having
been spirits and now having bodies, were among those who passed that first
test and were given the privilege of coming to earth as mortal
individuals. If we hadn't passed that test, we wouldn't be here with
mortal bodies, but would have been denied this privilege and would have
followed Satan or Lucifer, as he came to be known, as did one-third of the
spirits created in that premortal existence who were deprived of the
privilege of having mortal bodies. These are now among us, but only in
their spiritual form, to make a further attempt to thwart the plan of
salvation by which all who would obey would have the great glory of
returning to God our Father who gave us life.

	So the Old Testament prophets declared with respect to death: "Then
shall the dust [meaning our mortal bodies] return to the earth as it was:
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Eccl. 12:7.)

	Obviously we could not return to a place where we had never been, so
we are talking about death as a process as miraculous as birth, by which
we return to "our Father who art in heaven," as the Master taught his
disciples to pray.

	A further truth is clearly set forth in that scripture [Abr.
3:22-23], that [p. 5] many were chosen, as was Abraham, before they were
born, as the Lord told Moses and also Jeremiah. This was made still more
meaningful by the Latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith, who declared, "I
believe that every person who is called to do an important work in the
kingdom of God, was called to that work and foreordained to that work
before the world was." Then he added this, "I believe that I was
foreordained to the work that I am called to do." (See Documentary History
of the Church, vol. 6, p. 364.)

	But now there is a warning: Despite that calling which is spoken of
in the scriptures as "foreordination," we have another inspired
declaration: "Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. . . ."
(D&C 121:34.)

	This suggests that even though we have our free agency here, there
are many who were foreordained before the world was, to a greater state
than they have prepared themselves for here. Even though they might have
been among the noble and great, from among whom the Father declared he
would make his chosen leaders, they may fail of that calling here in
mortality. Then the Lord poses this question: ". . . and why are they not
chosen?" (D&C 121: 34.)

	Two answers were given--First, "Because their hearts are set so much
upon the things of this world. And second, they aspire to the honors of
men." (D&C 121:35.)

	Now then, to make a summary of what I have just read, may I ask each
of you again the question, "Who are you?" You are all the sons and
daughters of God. Your spirits were created and lived as organized
intelligences before the world was. You have been blessed to have a
physical body because of your obedience to certain commandments in that
premortal state. You are now born into a family to which you have come,
into the nations through which you have come, as a reward for the kind of
lives you lived before you came here and at a time in the world's history,
as the Apostle Paul taught the men of Athens and as the Lord revealed to
Moses, determined by the faithfulness of each of those who lived before
this world was created.

	Hear now the significant words of that powerful sermon to "The
Unknown God" preached by the apostle Paul, to those who were ignorantly
worshipping images of stone and brass and wood, and I quote:

	"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is
Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

	"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all
the face of the earth [now mark you this], and hath determined the times
before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation

	"That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him,
and find him, though he be not far from every one of us." (Acts 17:24,
26-27.)

	Here then again we have the Lord making a further enlightening
declaration to Moses as recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy:

	"When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he
separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to
the number of the children of Israel." (Deut. 32:8.)

	Now, mind you, this was said to the children of Israel before they
had arrived in the "Promised Land," which was to be the land of their
inheritance.

	Then note this next verse: "For the Lord's portion is his people;
Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." (Deut. 32:9.)

	It would seem very clear, then, that those born to the lineage of
Jacob, who was later to be called Israel, and his posterity, who were
known as the children of Israel, were born into the most illustrious
lineage of any of those who came upon the earth as mortal beings.

	All these rewards were seemingly promised, or foreordained, before
the world was. Surely these matters must have been determined by the kind
of lives we had lived in that premortal spirit world. Some may question
these assumptions, but at the same time they will accept without any
question the belief that each one of us will be judged when we leave this
earth according to his or her deeds during our lives here in mortality.
Isn't it just as reasonable to believe that what we have received here in
this earth life was given to each of us according to the merits of our
conduct before we came here?

	Now there is another important understanding that we have from the
scriptures. We are all free agents, which means to some people who
manifest a spirit of rebellion that they are free to do anything they
please, but that is not the correct meaning of free agency as the prophets
have declared in the scriptures where free agency has been defined. I
quote:

	"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are
given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose
liberty and eternal life, through the great mediation of all men, or to
choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the
devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."
(2 Ne. 2:27.)

	The apostle Paul impressed the sacredness of our individual bodies in
this statement: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." (1
Cor. 3:16-17.)

	And, again, he said further to those who had been baptized members of
the church that they had received the gift of a special endowment known as
the Holy Ghost. This was his teaching: "What? know ye not that your body
is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and
ye are not your own? . . . therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God's." (1 Cor. 6:19-20.)

	If we can get a person to think what those words mean, then we can
begin to understand the significance of the words of the renowned
psychologist, MacDougall, from whom I have previously quoted, "The first
thing to be done to help a man to moral regeneration is to restore, if
possible, his self-respect." How better may that self-respect be restored
than to help him to fully understand the answer to that question, "Who am
I?"

	When we see one devoid of respect for himself as indicated by his
conduct, his outward appearance, his speech, and his utter disregard of
the basic measures of decency, then certainly [p. 6] we are witnessing the
frightening aspect of one over whom Satan has achieved a victory, as the
Lord declared he would try to do "to deceive and to blind men, and to lead
them captive at his will . . . to destroy the agency of man." (See Moses
4:1-4.) This is the fate of "even as many as would not hearken unto my
voice" (Moses 4:4), so declared the Lord to Moses.

	Some years ago I read a report from a survey made by ministers who
had studied a number of cases of students who had committed suicide. This
was their firm conclusion after an exhaustive study: "The philosophy of
the students who took their lives was so lacking that when a severe crisis
came in their lives, they had nothing to hold fast to, and so they took
the coward's way out."

	Such could be the awful state of those described by the Master in a
parable with which he concluded the Sermon on the Mount:

	"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them
not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the
sand:

	"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and
beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matt.
7:26-27.)

	The Lord's eternal purpose with respect to his plan of salvation was
declared to Moses: "For behold, this is my work and my glory to bring to
pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39.)

	The first goal in that eternal plan was for each of us to come to
earth and gain a physical body, and then, after death and the resurrection
which would follow, the spirit and the resurrected body would not
thereafter be subject to death. All of this was a free gift to every
living soul as Paul declared: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive." (1 Cor. 15:22.)

	What this means to one dying with a malignant malady or to a mother
bereft of a child may be illustrated by the expressions of a young mother
whom I visited in the hospital some years ago. She said to me, "I have
thought all this through. It doesn't make any difference whether I go now
or whether I live to 70, 80, or 90. The sooner I can get to a place where
I can be active and doing things that will bring me eternal joy the better
for all concerned." She was comforted by the thought that she had lived
such a life as to be worthy to enter into the presence of God, which is to
enjoy eternal life.

	The importance of taking advantage of every hour of precious time
allotted to each of us here was impressed forcibly upon me by an incident
in my own family. A young mother came with her beautiful flaxen-haired
six-year-old daughter to her grandparents. The mother asked if we would
like to hear a beautiful new children's song which the daughter had just
learned in her Primary class. While the little mother accompanied her, she
sang:

	"I am a child of God,
     And he has sent me here,
     Has given me an earthly home
     With parents kind and dear.

	"I am a child of God,
     And so my needs are great;
     Help me to understand His words
     Before it grows too late.

	"I am a child of God,
     Rich blessings are in store;
     If I but learn to do His will
     I'll live with him once more.

	(Chorus)
     "Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
     Help me find the way.
     Teach me all that I must do
     To live with him some day."
                         --Sing with Me, no. B-76

	Her grandparents were in tears. Little did they know then, that
hardly before that little girl would have had the full opportunity for her
mother to teach her all that she should know in order to return to her
heavenly home, that the little mother would be suddenly taken away in
death, leaving to others the responsibility of finding the answer to the
pleadings of that childhood prayer, to teach and train and to lead her
through the uncertainties of life.

	What a difference it would make if we really sensed our divine
relationship to God, our Heavenly Father, our relationship to Jesus
Christ, our Savior and our elder brother, and our relationship to each
other.

	Contrasted with the sublime peace to one such as that wonderful
sister I visited in the hospital is that terrifying state of those who do
not, as they approach death, have that great comfort, for as the Lord has
told us plainly: "And they that die not in me, wo unto them, for their
death is bitter." (D&C 42:47.)

	It was George Bernard Shaw who said, "If we all realized that we were
the children of one father, we would stop shouting at each other as much
as we do."

	Now, as I come to the closing of this address, I trust that I might
have given to you and others who have not yet listened to such counsel,
something to stimulate some sober thinking as to who you are and from
whence you came; and, in so doing, that I may have stirred up within your
soul the determination to begin now to show an increased self-respect and
reverence for the temple of God, your human body, wherein dwells a
heavenly spirit. I would charge you to say again and again to yourselves,
as the Primary organization has taught the children to sing "I am a [son
or a daughter] of God" and by so doing, begin today to live closer to
those ideals which will make your life happier and more fruitful because
of an awakened realization of who you are.

	God grant that each of us here today may so live that all among us,
and with us, may see, not us, but that which is divine and comes from God.
With that vision of what those who have lost their way may become, my
prayer is that they may receive strength and resolution to climb higher
and higher and upward and onward to that great goal of eternal life and
also that I may do my part in seeking to show by example, as well as by
precept, that which will be the best of which I am capable of doing.

	I again bear my solemn witness to the great truth of the Master's
profound words to the sobbing Martha: "I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."
(John 11:25.)

	I thank God that I too can say, with the same spirit as did Martha,
who bore her testimony as the Spirit witnessed to her from the depths of
her soul:

	"Yea, Lord: I [too know] that thou art the Christ, the Son of God,
which [came] into the world." (See John 11: 27.)

	In the name of our Lord and Master, Jesus, the Christ, the Savior of
the world, even so. Amen.

October 6, 1973 General Priesthood Meeing
President Harold B. Lee
           PRESIDENT HAROLD B. LEE'S GENERAL PRIESTHOOD ADDRESS
                         President Harold B. Lee

	My brethren of the priesthood: We have met here tonight in a great
assembly. You didn't come here to be entertained. You came here,
presumably, because you wanted to be instructed, and you wanted some
guidelines. You have received from those who have spoken to you some very
important things for you to think about. I commend all that has been said
for your very serious thinking.

	There are a few matters that I should like to talk about before we
close this meeting.

	We have just come from a great experience at an area conference in
Munich, Germany. There we had 14,000 saints gathered from more than eight
European countries. including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria,
Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland. Besides that, there was a large
representation from the German Democratic Republic. They permitted a
number of our people to come from behind what we call the "iron curtain."
In addition, of course, were a number of us from America. This required
some very careful and extensive preparations for translating into five
different languages, six including English.

	It was a tremendous challenge, and we said as we closed the
conference, "Now brothers and sisters, it is impossible for the General
Authorities to learn seventeen different languages, the number of
languages in which we are [p. 97] teaching the gospel today. But how
simple it would be if all of you would try to learn English besides your
own mother tongue. Surely you could learn one language, English, rather
than to expect the General Authorities to learn seventeen different
languages."

	Apparently somebody listened because we have been hearing since that
in their fast and testimony meetings in these countries they have said,
"Now we have been told that we should learn English, so we had better get
busy and do something about it." And I think that is the feeling that has
been engendered. These people came wanting to know clear signals of what
they ought to do.

	Think of the wars in the past, involving these very countries,
political differences where some of these countries have been at war, and
now we assemble them all under one roof. We quoted to them what the
Apostle Paul had said to the Galatians, "There is neither Jew nor Greek.
there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye
are all one in Christ Jesus . . . and heirs according to the promise."
(Gal. 3:28-29.)

	Then we paraphrased saying, "Now you are neither English, nor German,
nor French, nor Spanish. nor Italian, nor Austrian, nor Belgian, nor
Dutch, but you are all one as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Despite the political differences that you have had
with various countries, in you now, because you are all members of The
Church of Jesus Christ, the war must end so far as you are concerned."

	If we could think of that as we felt the united brotherhood as these
from various countries mingled together we came away with a feeling that
if--as I quoted in my first talk at this conference--as George Bernard
Shaw said, "If we all realized that we were the children of one father, we
would stop shouting at each other as much as we do." We are all of one
great family. And that should apply not only in political matters, but it
should apply in our dealings with each other. What we may do as
politicians. or as those who are engaged in competitive temporal
activities, we must say, "Because I am a holder of the priesthood of the
living God, I am a representative of our Heavenly Father and hold the
priesthood by which He can work through me; I can't stoop to do some of
the things that I might have done otherwise because of my fellowship with
the priesthood of God."

	As we witnessed the feeling that was there, we have felt that we
should continue these area conferences. The first such conference was held
in Manchester, England, where we had about 14,000 there. We were in Mexico
City next, were we had representatives from all the Central American
countries and from Mexico. There we had 16,000. and to see what had
happened from the time I first went down there in 1945 was an inspiration.
To see congregations that at that time were meeting many times in houses
with dirt floors! Many of the women came barefooted, showing the extremes
of poverty; very few leaders and now to go back after these few years and
see under one roof well-dressed, fine-looking leaders taking their own
responsibilities as bishoprics, stake presidencies, high councilors, stake
mission presidents it is one of the miracles. The world is asking the
question, "How are you able to do it?" and there is only one answer: that
when we become fellow citizens in the kingdom of God we must be men and
women different. And that is what the holders of the priesthood must say
to themselves: "We can't be holders of the priesthood and be like other
men. We must be different, because priesthood means a fellowship in the
royal household of the kingdom of God."

	There is another matter I would like to talk about Last June we
announced some changes in the structuring of the MIA. The Aaronic
Priesthood MIA is now for those 12 to 18 years of age; and the Melchizedek
Priesthood MIA is for those from 18 to 25 for Young Adults: those 26 and
over for Special Interest. And the announced purpose of this last grouping
was to focus attention upon those who have not, up to this time, been
involved. They have come to us many times in the last few years saying,
"We have nowhere to go. We don't relate to the Relief Society. We are not
young adults. We go to sacrament meeting, we go to Sunday School. Why
can't we have a program that is suited to our needs?" And so this
organization. as set up, is now moving forward and is designed to focus on
every individual, and to make everyone feel that they are wanted; and the
leaders of the Church must be in the forefront in carrying out these
programs suited to the needs of those in these age groups.

	There is evidence of much enthusiasm for those who are now involved,
but unfortunately we are getting some feedback over the Church, where some
who have heard of this program are writing to us. Brethren, may I read one
or two comments, and if these could be true as a sampling, I hope would
not be repeated too many times.

	Here is a sister who writes to us and says, "While I have greater
peace of mind, there are times I do get discouraged. My bishop informed me
of the Special Interest group in the Church. In this area, the program is
still quite new and many people have never heard of it yet. I didn't know
it existed until about a month ago. I am sure there are many who need this
program but they have been cheated because many of the bishops where we
are are not converted to it. Therefore, they are not really trying to take
the leadership in getting this thing started."

	"If anyone is to attain the highest degree of the celestial kingdom,
one has to be married to a worthy companion," another sister writes, "as
well as being worthy individually. We sometimes make mistakes in choosing
a companion, which sometimes results in a divorce. Or we may be widowed,
and there are some who just haven't found the right companion at
twenty-five years of age."

	"Whatever the reason," another writes "The want to be `needed' is a
very strong force. Without the Special Interest group a mingle person
after the age of 25 is like a fifth wheel. As a Church, most of the talks
are centered around the complete family unit. This concept I fully agree
with, and certainly should be encouraged."

	Then we have here a sister who tells about her experience. Her
husband passed away, and then she writes, "After the funeral services were
over I took my five children and went home, and was left to sink or swim.
And I sank; I was all alone. How was I going to look after those five
children? Oh, sure the bishop would see that I didn't go hungry and that
we were taken care of, and we had enough food to eat, and so on, but we
needed something more than that."

	And then she said this. "I need Special Interests because I need to
know that there are other people in the world with feelings like mine. I
need to meet other widows who have managed to raise their children alone
successfully, without the hang-ups psychologists insist they will have. I
need to know that some people's problems are worse than mine, so I can
recognize and count my blessings. I need people to talk to who fully
understand my problems and needs. I need Special Interests because I have
to learn how to handle my own problems. The first thing I learned as a
widow was that no one else will help except in emergencies, and sometimes
not then. As soon as the funeral was over, I repeat. I was left on my own
either to sink or swim.

	"Then," she said. "your classes geared to the whole families don't
help us a bit, but a class I took this fall with the Special Interests
showed me how I can communicate with my family and friends. There is no
way you can filly understand our needs or problems, except you go through
it yourself. Do you know what it is like to lose your wife or husband in
death? It is nothing like losing your father or even your daughter. I
know: I lost both before I lost my husband. Do you know what it is like to
go through the hell of a divorce? Do you know what it is like to be a girl
over 26, and still be single? You can't know. We need each other. Some of
us need small group activities. Some of us need large group activities
where we can go and have to talk to people and visit. Sometimes we don't
feel like talking. Special Interests is not a dating bureau or a marriage
bureau. As such it would be a complete failure. There are women in our
stake who like to go places, but not alone. They come to our small
activities hoping to meet other women with similar interests to go places
with. One lady buys a season pass to the symphony every year, and she is
still looking to someone to go with her.

	"We resent being invited to the Young Marrieds activities. To me it
is like a slap in the face to have the Young Marrieds or elders announce
that Special Interests are invited to their party. I know you may not
understand why I feel so strongly about it, but other Special Interests I
have talked to understand, and most of the others feel the same way. I
feel like this new Special Interest program is inspired of God. It is what
we need, if it is done like it should be. I needed it eight-and-a-half
years ago. Thank the Lord my president is working hard on it to do his
part. Will you recognize us as a special group of people, long ignored and
neglected with special problems and special needs and special interests?
Some of us are raising special children, boys without fathers, girls
without mothers. They have special problems and special needs. If our
needs aren't met, you are also neglecting some of their needs."

	Now brethren of the priesthood, if you knew the processes by which
these new programs came into being, you would know that this just didn't
come out of a brainstorm the figment of somebody's imagination; this was
done after some of the most soulful praying and discussing that I believe
I have ever experienced. We know, and we announced when it was given that
this came from the Lord. This was an evidence of a thing that the Lord was
giving us to do to meet a special need. But it troubles me when I read
some of these things where sisters are pleading with us to try to do
something to stimulate the activities where the bishops or stake
presidents have not caught on to what it is all about.

	In the early days of the Welfare Program, everywhere I went people
were saying to me, "Brother Lee, how is the Welfare Program going?" And I
would answer, "Just as well as the individual bishop of each ward makes it
go. In some wards it is an absolute failure. In other wards it is going
great guns." And that is exactly what is happening with what we are now
launching.

	In some places we see the enthusiasm; if you were to start these
activities now you would catch the enthusiasm of the young people, and
these young widows, divorcees, those who haven't found companions. If we
can catch them while their enthusiasm and anticipation are great, great
things will come out of it; and we must ask you brethren now to remember
that these things come from a source from which you brethren want to
receive instruction. Please, I beg of you, don't let these people down,
who are pleading that you listen to your leaders, and follow the counsel
that has been given in these Special Interest activities.

	Now, there is another matter that I would like to talk about. There
are some examples that point up an area of need which applies directly to
young men in the past-25-age, who for some reason, and hard to understand,
as holders of the priesthood, are shirking their responsibilities as
husbands and fathers.

	President Joseph F. Smith said, "The house of the Lord is a house of
order and not a house of confusion; and that means," as the Lord has said,
"that the man is not without the woman in the Lord, neither is the woman
without the man in the Lord; and that no man can be saved and exalted in
the kingdom of God without the woman, and no woman can reach perfection
and exaltation in the kingdom of God, alone. That is what it means. God
instituted marriage in the beginning." (Conference Report, April 1913, p.
118.)

	President Joseph F. Smith further said this, which strikes right at
the heart of what I want to emphasize: "I desire to emphasize this I want
the young men of Zion to realize that this institution of marriage is not
a man-made institution. It is of God. It is honorable, and no man who is
of marriageable age is living his religion who remains single. It is not
simply devised for the convenience alone of man, to suit his own notions,
and his own ideas: to marry and then divorce, to adopt and then to
discard, just as he pleases. Marriage is the preserver of the human race.
Without it, the purposes of God would be frustrated; virtue would be
destroyed to give place to vice and corruption, and the earth would be
void and empty.

	Now, every young person throughout the Church should understand this
very thoroughly. The Church authorities and the teachers of our
associations should inculcate the sacredness, and teach the duty of
marriage, as it has been revealed in the latter days to us. There should
be a reform in the Church in this regard, and a sentiment created in favor
of honorable marriage, and that would prevent any young man, or any young
woman, who is a member of the Church, from marrying except by that
authority which is sanctioned of God. And no man holding the priesthood
who is worthy and of age should remain unmarried. . . .

	"Many people," he continues, "imagine that there is something sinful
in marriage there is an apostate tradition to that effect. This is a false
and very harmful idea. On the contrary. God not only commends but he
commands marriage." (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., pp.
270-274.)

	I had come to my office the other night a beautiful mother and seven
children. I think I am far enough away, and probably no one would guess of
whom I am speaking. She is a very talented young woman, but she said, "I
have come to a time where I believe that I must think of divorcing my
husband." So I began to ask about her husband. In answer to my questions,
she said he was kind to her. He was a good provider, but somehow the
luster of the romance of marriage, now that their children were pretty
well grown, had now brought her to a point where she had begun to think
that maybe if she were footloose she could do better than she was able to
do with the husband who was the father of her children. We had quite a
talk about it; but the [p. 99] other morning, after the first session of
the conference, this lovely young woman met me and she said, with tears
rolling down her cheeks, "I have had the answer to every problem This
session has changed my life. I am a woman different now, because I have
understanding that I never had before. I am going back. I am going to take
care of my family. I am going to love my husband, and I am going to
correct the mistakes that are in me, where I think most of the problem
lies."

	Brethren, we are living where there may be many like that, where a
husband now may be in the change of life like women are at a certain age,
and maybe the zest for the intimacies of married life has passed him. But
here she is now and she might say, "Well I yet have some good looks and
some youth left: maybe I should cut loose and find other companionship."
That is the frivolous sort of thinking that some women go through, so we
are told by psychologists. That must never find root in this Church.

	I performed a marriage some ten or fifteen years ago for a couple. I
received a letter not long ago from this mother. As the letter began I
thought. "Well, here goes another one of the temple marriages that has
failed." But then the tone of the letter began to change. She said, "When
we thought that the end was here and that there was only one thing to do
and that was to get a divorce, we had been told that we should counsel
with our bishop. At first thought we hesitated, because he was just a
young man. He was younger than we are. But he was our bishop so we went to
see him. We poured out our souls to our young bishop. He sat and listened
silently. and when we ran out of conversation he said, simply. `Well, my
wife and I, we had problems, too, and we learned how to solve our
problems.' That is all in the world he said. But you know there was
something that happened as a result of that young bishop's statement. We
walked out of there and we said, `Well, if they can solve their problems,
what is the matter with us?'

	Teach those who are having problems to go to the father of the ward,
their bishop, for counsel. No psychiatrist in the world, no marriage
counselor, can give to those who are faithful members of the Church the
counsel from one any better than the bishop of the ward. Now, you bishops
don't hesitate to say, marriage is the law of God, and is ordained by him
and man and wife are not without each other in the Lord, as the apostle
Paul declared.

	Now, let me say just a bit more about this matter of marriage. This
may sound a little bit bold to urge marriage for those who are past the
marriageable age; but in some of our countries, where we are bringing in
new converts, we are shocked to know that some men are delaying marriage
until their later thirties or into their forties, and they have never
talked of marriage. Here I have quoted from a president of the Church,
President Joseph F. Smith, who has told us in plainness that today a flood
of iniquities is overwhelming the civilized world and that one great
reason therefore is the neglect of marriage. It has lost its sanctity in
the eyes of the great majority. It is at best a civil contract, but more
than often an accident, or a whim, or a means of gratifying the passions:
and when the sacredness of the covenant is ignored or lost sight of, then
a disregard of the marriage vows under the present moral training of the
masses a mere triviality, a trifling indiscretion.

	Brethren, we must again think of our responsibilities as holders of
the priesthood. I believe I have a letter here from a sister that
pinpoints something that some of these girls are going through. I think I
can read this without divulging any confidence, without telling her name.
She is talking about an experience she has gone through, and others she
meets with tell her the same thing. There is a man who has been dating her
for years and he comes especially at meal time. She is a 27-year-old
woman.

	Here is another one who says. "I am a 40-year-old single woman."
Another one says, "I am a 30-year-old single woman." And then they all say
about the same thing, and without repeating these stories, they all read
about the same: "For the past year and a half I have been dating a fellow
who is 33. We see each other almost every day. I have sought counsel from
my bishop; and although he has been very kind, patient, and understanding,
he really doesn't know how or what to advise me. I have tried to terminate
the relationship, but it seems to drag on. There is no commitment;
realistically. there is also very little hope."

	Pages could be filled with similar cases, each a little different and
yet all so similar.

	"He has a job; he hangs around; he is playing marriage. His lifestyle
seems to be an adaptation of that of worldly couples who live together
without benefit of or commitment to marriage. There probably is no
immorality involved in many cases but it is a degenerative condition and
does not by any means `avoid the appearance of evil.' And the girls are
probably as guilty as the fellows for allowing such conditions to exist;
however, they are limited in their efforts to bring about satisfactory
solutions."

	I think that is enough to give you the other side of the story from
the girls who are frustrated. All women have a desire for companionship.
They want to be wives; they want to be mothers: and when men refuse to
assume their responsibility of marriage, for no good reason, they are
unable to consummate marriage. Brethren, we are not doing our duty as
holders of the priesthood when we go beyond the marriageable age and
withhold ourselves from an honorable marriage to these lovely women, who
are seeking the fulfillment of a woman's greatest desire to have a
husband, a family, and a home.

	Now don't misunderstand me. I am not trying to urge you younger men
to marry too early. I think therein is one of the hazards of today's
living. We don't want a young man to think old marriage until he is able
to take care of a family, to have an institution of his own, to be
independent. He must make sure that he has found the girl of his choice,
they have gone together long enough that they know each other, and that
they know each other's faults and they still love each other. I have said
to the mission presidents (some of whom have been reported to us as saying
to missionaries. "Now, if you are not married in six months, you are a
failure as a missionary"), Don't you ever say that to one of your
missionaries. Maybe in six months they will not have found a wife; and if
they take you seriously, they may rush into a marriage that will be wrong
for them."

	Please don't misunderstand what we are saying; but, brethren, think
more seriously about the obligations of marriage for those who bear the
holy priesthood at a time when marriage should be the expectation of every
man who understands the responsibility: for remember, brethren, that only
those who enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in the
temple for time and eternity, only those will have the exaltation in the
celestial kingdom. That is what the Lord tells us.

	Now, brethren, will you think seriously about that, and take from us
our counsel, and don't rush hastily into it. Take time, yes, but don't
neglect your responsibility and your obligations as holders of the holy
priesthood.

	Brethren, we look to you to carry the banner of the holy priesthood
of God. What a force, 185,000 is the estimated number of you who are
within the sounds of our voices tonight. [p. 100] Brethren, let us have
our eyes fixed on the eternal value of things, with an eye single to the
glory of God, and say each to himself, that "from now on, God being my
helper, I am not going to engage in any activity unless it helps me to
move myself farther toward that goal of eternal life eventually to return
back to the presence of my Heavenly Father."

	Brethren of the priesthood, you who are home teachers, when you see
families that are on the verge of divorce, when you see incorrigible
children that haven't found their way, parents who seem to have lost
contact with their children brethren of the priesthood, you have a
responsibility to stay with those families and not let them drift apart
until you have done everything within your powers to stop this trend of
divorce.

	One of the painful things that I have as a responsibility is to have
a flood of recommendations for cancellations of sealings of those who have
been married in the temple. It is frightening, brethren, and much of it
stems from one of the greatest of all the sins next to murder, the sin of
adultery, that is running rampant throughout the Church. Brethren, we must
ourselves resolve anew that we are going to keep the law of chastity: and
if we have made mistakes, let's begin now to rectify these mistakes. Let's
walk towards the light; and for goodness sake, brethren, don't prostitute
the wonderful opportunity you have as men, as those who may link hands
with the Creator in the procreation of human souls, by engaging in a kind
of unlawful relationship that will only go down to disgrace and break the
hearts of your wives and your children. Brethren, we plead with you to
keep yourselves morally clean, and walk the path of truth and
righteousness, and thereby gain the plaudits of a Heavenly Father whose
sons you are.

	I bear you my witness, brethren, and want you to know of our love for
you brethren of the priesthood. But we want you to rise to your
responsibilities, brethren, and keep yourselves in tune with the Spirit of
the Lord. One of the greatest and saddest things that we can see is one
who has had the Spirit of the Lord and then has lost it by sin, and they
stand now in the dark and are turned over to the buffetings of Satan, and
then experience the torture chambers of the hell in which they must live,
which is terrible indeed as the Lord has warned. Brethren, let us try to
catch people on the way down before they reach that kind of a goal, and
where you see them going in that direction, brethren, rise to your
responsibilities and try to save the manhood of this Church.

	I plead with you, my brethren, and leave with you ny blessing, and
bear you my witness this night, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

October 7, 1973 General Conference
President Harold B. Lee

                PRESIDENT HAROLD B. LEE'S CLOSING REMARKS
                         President Harold B. Lee

	If the Lord will give me utterance, there are a few things I should
like to say to you. We have members of the Church in all parts of the
world. One of the anxious centers right today is over in Israel, where a
war is raging. As yet we don't know very much about the extent of it, but
it seems that Egypt and Syria are moving into areas of Israel.

	We have a number of our BYU students there, and also we have a branch
of the Church organized in Jerusalem. We have had anxious parents who have
been wondering, watching, waiting. The word has come to us that they are
all safe and they are being watched over. You can be sure that we have
shepherds of the flock, and we will continue to pray with you that no harm
will come to any of them.

	There has been turmoil down in Chile, where we have thousands of
members of the Church and almost two hundred missionaries. The word comes
to us, from one of the presiding authorities who has been here from
Santiago, that there has been no loss of life as far as we know. Our
people are holding fast, not taking part in the political turmoil, rising
above it, as true members of the Church of Jesus Christ are expected to
do, giving allegiance to those who are in command, and not wishing to take
sides, but merely to bow their heads and yield obedience to the authority
of the government [p. 126] where they are.

	We pray for our Saints everywhere, pray that they will hold
steadfast. But, some of the greatest of our enemies are those within our
own ranks. It was the lament of the Master, as he witnessed one of those
chosen men, who under inspiration he chose as one of the Twelve, betray
him with a kiss and for a few paltry pieces of silver turn him over to his
enemies. Judas then stood by and, realizing the enormity of what he had
done, took the only escape out to sacrifice himself. And Jesus could only
explain that of the Twelve, meaning Judas, he had a devil.

	When we see some of our own today doing similar things, some who have
been recognized and honored in the past as teachers and leaders who later
fall by the wayside, our hearts are made sore and tender. But sometimes we
have to say just like the Master said, "The devil must have entered into
them."

	A few years ago, we had a woman who had written some scurrilous
things about the Prophet Joseph Smith. (Mention was made of it here in the
conference at that time.) Shortly thereafter, I met someone on the street
and they asked me if there had been a revelation or an utterance at the
recently concluded general conference that might be considered as a
prophecy. And I said, "Did you hear the closing remarks of President
George Albert Smith as he closed this conference? If you did, you heard a
prophet speaking, and let me tell you what he said." I happened to have a
clipping in my wallet. This is what President George Albert Smith said:

	"Many have belittled Joseph Smith, but those who have will be
forgotten in the remains of mother earth, and the odor of their infamy
will ever be with the, but honor, majesty, and fidelity to God,
exemplified by Joseph Smith and attached to his name, will never die."

	No truer words were ever spoken, and that person fell just as all
others will fall who try to tear down the work of the Lord.

	We have had some who, writing in the public press occasionally, are
among those who have fallen by the wayside. They befoul the honored family
names that they have. They have disgraced the honors that we had given to
them in times past. They are trying to join the forces of the enemy
against the work of the Lord. And we can say to them, as President George
Albert Smith said then, "Those who have will be forgotten in the remains
of mother earth, and the odor of the infamy will ever be with them, but
honor, majesty, and fidelity to God, exemplified by the leaders of this
church and attached to their names will never die."

	I always remember the word of the Lord when I hear these things said
by those who are trying to tear down his work. The Lord has said:

	"Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in
public and in private; . . ."

	"Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the
Lord.

	"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you--there is no weapon that is
formed against you, shall prosper;

	"And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in
mine own due time.

	"Wherefore, keep my commandments. . . ." (D&C 71:7-11.)

	What he is trying to have us understand is that he will take care of
our enemies if we continue to keep the commandments. So, you Saints of the
Most High God, when these things come, and they will come--this has been
prophesied--you just say,

	"No weapon formed against the work of the Lord will every prosper,
but all glory and majesty of this work that the Lord gave will long be
remembered after those who have tried to befoul their names and the name
of the Church will be forgotten, and their works will follow after them."

	We feel sorry for them when we see these things happen.

	Now, one thing more I should like to say. I am sure that many people
came to this conference with many questions on their minds, seeking to
know the answers to some of the troublesome things about them, wanting to
know what to do in this case or in that case, how to act under these
circumstances. As we have listened to their questions, we have remembered
what the Lord said here in the preface to the revelations. He said:

	"And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that
they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his
servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles,
shall be cut off from among the people." And then he continued, "What I
the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though
the heavens and the earth pass away, my work shall not pass away, but
shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my
servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:14, 38.)

	In another great revelation he explained something else that we would
have the Saints remember today. Where are you going to go to hear and find
out what the Lord wants you to do today? The Lord declared again:

	"And this is the ensample unto them [he is talking now to those who
are leaders of the Church], that they shall speak as they are moved upon
by the Holy Ghost.

	"And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost
shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of
the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto
salvation." (D&C 68:3-4.)

	To the Twelve shortly after the organization of the Church, he said
something else that I would like you to remember before I draw one or two
conclusions from what the Lord has told us. The Lord here is talking about
the revelations that had been compiled up to that time in the Doctrine and
Covenants.

	First may I quote something that the Prophet Joseph Smith said about
the Book of Mormon: "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the
most correct book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man
would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other
book." (Documentary History of the Church, Vol 4, p. 461.) And then he
added, "If we didn't have the Book of Mormon and the revelations of God,
we would have nothing." (See DHC, vol 2, p. 52.)

	It is that foundation upon which the Church and kingdom of God is
built in our day; and so with respect to these revelations the Lord said
this, as may be found in the eighteenth section of the Doctrine and
Covenants:

	"And now I speak unto you, the Twelve--Behold my grace is sufficient
for you,; you must walk uprightly before me and sin not.

	"And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and you God, have spoken it.

	"These words [meaning the revelations] are not of men nor of man, but
of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man.

	"For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given
by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another;
and save it were by my power you could not have them." (D&C 18: 31,
33-35.)

	And then he added this, listen: "Wherefore, you can testify [meaning
that one stands in the pulpit and reads from these revelations] that you
have heard my voice, and know my words." (D&C 18:36.) For as I have
already quoted, he said, ". . . whether by mine own voice or by the voice
of my servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38.)

	Now, you Latter-day Saints, I think you have never attended a
conference where in these three days you have heard more inspired
declarations on most every subject and problem about which you have been
worrying. If you want to know what the Lord would have the Saints know and
to have his guidance and direction for the next six months, get a copy of
the proceedings of this conference, and you will have the latest word of
the Lord as far as the Saints are concerned. And [also] all others who are
not of us, but who believe what has been said has been "the mind of the
Lord, the will of the Lord, and the voice of the Lord, and the power of
God unto salvation." (See D&C 68:4.)

	As I say, realizing that is a very bold statement to make, I have
thought of a great revelation where the Lord said something about the
creation of the universe. In the eighty-eighth section of the Doctrine and
Covenants, the Lord said:

	"The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day,
and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their
light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the
power of God.

	"Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?

	"Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the
least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power." (D&C
88:45-47.)

	Likewise I say to you, as I stand with you and see the moving hand of
the Lord in the affairs of the nations of the world today, we are seeing
the signs of our times as foretold by the prophets and by the Master
himself, and we see what is happening and the things transpiring before us
in our day. In the Church, we have been witnessing some of the most
dramatic things, and I can testify that you are seeing what the Lord is
revealing for the needs of this people today.

	May I paraphrase what the Lord has said in this great revelation from
which I have quoted: any man who has seen any of the least of these
happenings among us today, has seen God today moving in his majesty and in
his power. Let us make no mistake about that.

	WHere else can you go for guidance? Where is there safety in the
world today? Safety can't be won by tanks and guns and the airplanes and
atomic bombs. There is only one place of safety and that is within the
realm of the power of Almighty God that he gives to those who keep his
commandments and listen to his voice, as he speaks through the channels
that he has ordained for that purpose.

	In the answer that he gave to his disciples, when he told them that
he was coming again, he explained some important things to them. The
disciples asked him, ". . . Tell us, when shall these things be and the
end of the world or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the
world?" (See Matt. 24:3.) In their question, you have the definition of
what it means to say "the end of the world."

	And then he gave to his disciples what we read in the twenty-fourth
chapter of the Book of Matthew, what may be better understood from the
Inspired Version, which is found in the Pearl of Great Price. He said,
when the fig tree "begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer is
nigh at hand." (Joseph Smith 1:39.)

	He gave them certain signs by which they might know that his coming
was nigh, even at their very doors. There will be great tribulation upon
the Jews and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "such as was not before
sent upon Israel, of God, since the beginning of their kingdom until this
time; no, nor ever shall be sent again upon Israel." (Joseph Smith 1:18.)

	"And except those days should be shortened, there should none of
their flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake, according to the covenant,
those days shall be shortened.

	"Behold, these things I have spoken unto you concerning the Jews; and
again, after the tribulations of those days which shall come upon
Jerusalem, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there,
believe him not;

	"For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if
possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according
to the covenant." [That means the members of the Church.]

	"Wherefore, if they shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the desert;
go not forth; Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not;

	"For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east and shineth
even unto the west, . . . so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be."
(Joseph Smith 1:20-22, 25-26.)

	Then he speaks of the wars that shall come: ". . . for nations shall
rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famines,
and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

	"And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.

	"And again, this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the
world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the
destruction of the wicked;

	"And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall
be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

	"Verily, I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall
be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be
fulfilled.

	"But of that day, and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God
in heaven, but my Father only.

	"But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming
of the Son of Man;

	"For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before
the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were
eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;

	"And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall
also the coming of the Son of Man be.

	"Then shall be fulfilled that which is written, that in the last
days, two shall be in the field, the one shall he taken, and the other
left;

	"Two shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall he taken, and the
other' left;

	"And what I say unto one, I say unto all men; watch, therefore, for
you know not at what hour your Lord doth come.

	"Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the
Son of Man cometh." (Joseph Smith 1:29-31, 33-34, 40-46.)

	Brothers and sisters, this is the day the Lord is speaking of. You
see the signs are here. Be ye therefore ready. The Brethren have told you
in this conference how to prepare to be ready. We have never had a
conference where there has been so much direct instruction, so much
admonition; when the problems have been defined and also the solution to
the problem has been suggested.

	Let us not turn a deaf ear now, hut listen to these as the words that
have come from the Lord, inspired of him, and we will be safe on Zion's
hill, until all that the Lord has for his children shall have been
accomplished.

	And so, in the closing moments of this conference, I have been moved
as I think I have never been moved before in all my life. If it were not
for the assurance that I have that the Lord is near to us, guiding,
directing, the burden would be almost beyond my strength, hut because I
know that he is there, and that he can be appealed to, and if we have ears
to hear attuned to him, we will never be left alone.

	I am grateful for strong men like President Tanner and President
Romney and the Twelve and all the General Authorities, who are united more
so than I have ever experienced before during my lifetime. The General
Authorities are united and working together and are speaking with one
voice to the world.

	Follow the Brethren, listen to the Brethren. I bear you my witness as
one whom the Lord has brought to this place, as Brother Gordon Hinckley
has said. I thank the Lord that I may have passed some of the tests, but
maybe there will have to be more before I shall have been polished to do
all that the Lord would have me do.

	Sometimes when the veil has been very thin, I have thought that if
the struggle had been still greater that maybe then there would have been
no veil. I stand by, not asking for anything more than the Lord wants to
give me, but I know that he is up there and he is guiding and directing.

	I extend my blessings to you wonderful Saints. Go back to your homes
now. Take the love of the General Authorities to your people. We extend to
those who are not members of the Church the hand of fellowship. May we
reach out to those who have lost their sense of direction and, before it
is too late, try to win them back into the fold; because they are all
God's children, and he wants us to save all of them.

	Peace be with you, not the peace that comes from the legislation in
the halls of congress, but the peace that comes in the way that the Master
said, by overcoming all the things of the world. That God may help us so
to understand and may you know that I know with a certainty that defies
all doubt that this is his work, that he is guiding us and directing us
today, as he has done in every dispensation of the gospel, and I say that
with all the humility of my soul, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Amen.