John Longden

Assistant to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles (October 6, 1951 – August 30, 1969)

General Conference Addresses

  • April 1969 General Conference
    • The Use of Our Personal Influence
      • “Always, when I hear tributes like this, I find myself applying them to the great men I sustain as prophets of God. Today, and in past years, this same tribute and much more can be said of the men who are prophets in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each of these great men has given us, in the past days, so much food for thought. Each, in his own right, is a great leader. How are we at following leadership?”
  • October 1968 General Conference
    • The Tie That Binds
      • “This word of God is contained in the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ as it has been restored to the earth in this day. It is going forth at this very moment in many tongues to many peoples. Obedience to the word of God is the tie that will bind people, cities, communities, states, and nations together. It will tie up the wounds of an ailing world and bring peace on earth.”
  • April 1968 General Conference
    • Prepare Ye
      • “Preparedness means to get ready for a given event; if we are entertaining friends in our homes, we make ready the home and the refreshments, and so forth.”
  • April 1967 General Conference
    • Obedience to Law
      • “True obedience to the Lord’s commands is an indication of moral courage, strength, and power.”
      • “Applying this principle of obedience to organizations of a civil and business character, confusion and weakness result from men refusing their support to the decision of the presiding authority or of the majority where the action is left to popular vote.”
      • “Obedience is essential to salvation, essential to success in every avenue of human enterprise, whether rendered to the laws of God direct in their moral and spiritual phases or to his authority vested in man. Obedience must be implicit.”
  • October 1966 General Conference
    • Resurrection
      • “To the Latter-day Saints, the doctrine of the resurrection is a living, tangible reality, because added to the testimonies of the Jewish scriptures, the Old and the New Testaments, and the Book of Mormon which corroborates the Bible, we have the testimony of men in this day who have seen the living bodies of resurrected beings. Joseph Smith was a man of unblemished character. His veracity was never impeached. His honor in religion, in morality, and in business transactions, as attested by friend and foe, was unsullied to the end of his mortal career, when he sealed his testimony with his innocent blood. His testimony is that he saw God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, the latter on several occasions.”
  • April 1966 General Conference
    • Time is of the Essence
      • “Most of us waste an inexcusable amount of time. We go along using time thoughtlessly and failing to get out of it either enjoyment of life or the satisfaction of accomplishments.”
      • “Spare minutes are the gold-dust of time; the portions of life most fruitful in good or evil; the gaps through which temptations enter.”
      • “Some can see the greatness of the past, some can sense the potential of the future, but few are able to recognize the greatness of the present.”
  • April 1965 General Conference
  • April 1964 General Conference
    • The Second Coming of Christ
      • “It appears that the trouble brewing in this world in which the hearts of men are failing them is here, and other even greater manifestations of the near approach of the Lord are yet to come.”
      • “True, the precise time of Christ’s coming has not been made known to man. Yet I have no fear in my heart. Neither has anyone with a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
  • October 1963 General Conference
    • Love One Another
      • “Surely, if I love my fellow man, I will not cheat him, lie about him, or commit any manner of evil against him. So again, loving all my fellow men, I will truly find happiness, contentment, and a peace that passeth understanding.”
  • April 1963 General Conference
    • Making House a Home
      • “Whether it be a fale in the South Pacific, an igloo in Alaska, a hogan on the reservation, an hacienda in Mexico, a tent, a trailer, a flat, an apartment, or a house in any other part of the world, each in its own place can be a home regardless of the cost of materials that went into its construction or its furnishings. Each can be a home or a castle for the family who lives therein by acceptance and application of the spiritual values taught by the gospel of Jesus Christ. In other words, it will not be a home unless the breath of life is breathed into it through spirituality.”
      • “Here is truly love at home. Theirs is not just a house. They work together and for each other. They forget selfishness.”
      • “With these truths in mind, let us stay close to our children: play, work, pray, and worship together. These values will truly bring living power into the place we live regardless of where it may be and will make it a worthy home for his spirit children. Then our house will be a home—our castle—a sacred place.”
  • October 1962 General Conference
    • Blessed Are the Peacemakers
      • “I believe in the scriptures as they have been restored. I believe that we can have peace in a troubled world. I believe we can have peace in a troubled home. I believe we can have peace in a troubled life. It can be had for the price which I have stated; not for money nor for any material amount.”
  • October 1961 General Conference
    • The World Our Circuit
      • “This Church embodies all truth. Faithful members in this Church know that all truth emanates from God our Eternal Father. He is the fountain source of truth. There is no half-truth or untruth in this Church.”
      • “Yes, this is a gospel of salvation—salvation from the clutches of Satan, salvation from the powers of men, salvation which gives us strength to live by here, and a goal to work toward.”
  • April 1961 General Conference
    • Sharing the Gospel
      • “May we then be wise and follow the teachings of our great prophet and mouthpiece of the Lord today, as well as of those who have been called to labor and serve with him, and the leaders in the missions and in the stakes and wards and branches, and all the auxiliary organizations, for we are being taught and led by authority and not by the teachings of the scribes. We then will be true Latter-day Saints.”
  • October 1960 General Conference
    • Spiritual Survival
      • “We may survive physically and materially but unless we survive spiritually these things avail nothing.”
  • April 1960 General Conference
    • A Marvelous Work
      • “A marvelous work has come forth. In years gone by we have been on the defensive because Satan has done everything in his power to thwart the work of the Lord. We are still on the defensive for he is still endeavoring to weaken the faith and testimony of those whose lives have been touched by the gospel. If we continue working at building faith and testimony, he will not have power over this work.”
  • October 1959 General Conference
    • How Are We Worshiping
      • “It is wonderful to bask in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ which banishes fear, which banishes confusion and frustrations, and, oh, the need for remembering these things today.”
      • “We make no apology for teaching truth, we need make no compromise with the philosophies and teachings of men. The only time we are on dangerous ground is when we pull away from the teachings of the Master, for I assure you the Master does not pull away from us.”
  • April 1959 General Conference
    • The Latter-day Prophets
      • “And so upon the shoulders of nine great men in our day has fallen the mantle of priesthood leadership. The chain is unbroken. God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, bestowed upon Joseph Smith the authority to act in their names. There have been nine prophets who have held the keys of the kingdom—nine Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this generation. None other on the earth has this authority. Each prophet has left behind a monument for good that time cannot efface or obliterate. No individual has ever gone astray by following the counsel of these prophets, but many have experienced tragedy and sorrow by going counter to their counsel.”
      • “I should like to suggest to young people as they study their history lessons that they reserve enough time to the history of the lives of these fine great men and seek a witness of their divine authority.”
  • October 1958 General Conference
    • Words to Live By
      • “There is no hesitancy, no surmising, no groping, but an assurance that God lives, that he is the Father of our spirits and that Jesus is his Divine Son, that they have again appeared in the earth in this dispensation as we have so gloriously sung a few moments ago.”
  • April 1958 General Conference
    • Know and Worship the True and Living God
      • “In the days of Moses the children of Israel merely gave material things to make their golden calf. Today we are giving our precious time. Material things can be replaced, but time cannot be called back, and time is allotted to each of us on an equal basis—twenty-four golden hours each day.”
      • “So if there need be repentance in any of our hearts today, let us exercise the courage and fortitude necessary to turn from our idols to worship and serve the true and living God. If anyone within the sound of my voice has not yet been blessed with membership in the true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I pray that the Spirit of the Lord will prevail upon him to receive the witness that the words spoken from this pulpit are divine and for the benefit of our spiritual and eternal lives.”
  • April 1957 General Conference
    • With a Whole Heart
      • “The principles the Master taught in the temple almost two thousand years ago are just as true today and important to the welfare of our lives as they were to the people whom he taught. There is a promise that if any man will do the will of the Father he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. This is evidence to me that a man may receive a positive assurance of truth if he will but humble himself before the Lord and do the will of the Father.”
  • October 1956 General Conference
    • The Blessings of Temple Marriage
      • “I would encourage young people to prepare for this glorious experience in the temples of the Lord by living clean, good lives, by studying and praying, that Satan may have no power to keep them out of the temple. Just as we are dedicated to getting our young folk into the temple, so is Satan dedicated to keeping them out.”
      • “Too many members of our Church do not understand the principles of temple marriage and succumb to the wiles of Satan in being satisfied with a civil marriage; or worse still, they do not cherish virtue and are not worthy to go into the temple.”
  • April 1956 General Conference
    • Spiritual Growth and Material Progress
      • “How does our spiritual growth compare with our material progress? I realize that there would be those who would pervert the gospel, who would endeavor to weaken faith, who would endeavor to weaken the testimony of you young people as you go to study and improve your minds and to develop the intelligence which God has given you, but I humbly plead that you will always remember and understand who you are as you seek to study and to improve your minds. See that your spiritual growth keeps up with your material and economic progress.”
  • October 1955 General Conference
    • Spiritual Cornerstones of the Church
      • “Brothers and sisters, may we be further resolved today, as we leave this glorious conference, more to spiritualize our lives upon the great truths which are presented for our study, contained in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.”
  • April 1955 General Conference
    • Prayer Makes the Difference
      • “We must have the spirit of humility as we seek God through this channel of prayer to give thanks unto him for all the blessings which are ours, particularly we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that we have membership in his great Church—not the church of man, but the Church of Jesus Christ, for it bears his name.”
      • “It is nothing to be ashamed of that you humble yourself before the Lord in prayer. It is not a sign of weakness. I testify to you that it is a sign of great strength, for the Lord will be your light and your salvation. He is ever ready to assist us to continue in the path of righteousness. He does not fail us.”
  • October 1954 General Conference
    • Jesus the Christ
      • “When I realize that the Prophet of God, who opened this glorious conference this morning, in his wisdom, humbly sought divine aid as he occupied this position, as the others have done who have succeeded him, I more than ever realize the need for that assistance, and I am brought to a consciousness that there is not anything that we do in this Church if we have desire to aid and assist, to benefit and bless people but what we should act under the inspiration of our heavenly Father.”
      • “I have heard so many people say, and you have had the same experience I am sure: “You seem so positive in your testimony or in your statement that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ.” I am positive in my testimony, but I want to assure you that it is not in the spirit of egotism or self-exaltation whatsoever—only in the spirit of humility.”
      • “Would you say that was a positive testimony that Peter had? He knew that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. That came unto him by divine revelation It can come unto every individual who has a desire to serve God, to know his commandments and be submissive to his will and be obedient to the same. Anyone may possess a positive testimony.”
  • April 1954 General Conference
    • Spiritual Power as a Force
      • “Yet, not to throw a negative thought into this lovely meeting, I would remind you that Satan would destroy that which we have heard and felt this morning. That is the mission of Satan in the world—to destroy faith, to destroy a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How grateful I am that the gospel has been restored in its fullness—that we can enjoy the spirit, inspiration, and power of the Holy Ghost and of our Master today, as is true whenever there has been a generation of righteous people on the earth.”
  • October 1953 General Conference
    • Every Member a Missionary
      • “I thrill as I have the privilege of touring missions and visiting in the stakes and mingling with the stake missionary groups to catch the spirit of those who are specifically called to do missionary work.”
      • “It is our great responsibility, as has been outlined here, to be the humble servants in the hands of the Lord in carrying this glorious message to those individuals.”
  • April 1953 General Conference
    • The Same Today, Yesterday, and Forever
      • “Yes we have been made partakers of the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have had great manifestations of the inspiration of our Heavenly Father in these sessions of the conference. I have been reflecting as I have listened to the speakers that there has been no improvement in the Ten Commandments, and it is reported that they are some thirty-five hundred years old. There has been no greater wisdom given than that which was given by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in his great Sermon on the Mount, almost twenty centuries ago. And there has been no greater teaching than that which was given by the Prophet Joseph Smith when he was asked over a hundred years ago what were the tenets of our faith.”
      • “Obedience to the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and our own Articles of Faith revealed in this day will bring the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ into our lives.”
  • October 1952 General Conference
    • Be Ye Therefore Obedient
      • “If we are to be obedient to the truths of the gospel, we must have a deep, abiding testimony and love of truth.”
      • “Yes, my brothers and sisters, we do not deal in half-truths. We deal in the whole truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That only comes to the leadership of this Church because of believing in the divine principle of revelation and being obedient to that principle and teaching. Oh, I realize that we have discouragements. That is only human. They will come just as long as we live in the mortal flesh, because one of the tools of the adversary is to discourage and to give half-truths, and not sustain the full truth.”
  • April 1952 General Conference
    • Requisite for Peace
      • “These men, our leaders, have exemplified to me their love of God and their love for their fellow men, their neighbors, and I shall always be appreciative of the rich experience which was mine in having one assignment with Elder Joseph F. Merrill the first week following the last general conference, and partaking of his spirit. I could not help realizing that here was a man scholastically trained, educated in the sciences and in the engineering field, and yet, young people, he was not swerved from the path of truth and righteousness. He was not ashamed to bear witness that Jesus was the Christ and that the Prophet Joseph Smith was and is in very deed a prophet of God. You young people can take heed of this fine example from such noble leaders, as all these men are who are guiding and directing the work of the Church and kingdom here in the earth.”
      • “Yes, my brethren and sisters, if we truly exemplify this teaching of the Master to love our Heavenly Father sincerely and deeply, then we will love by natural consequence our neighbor. Thus many of the conditions in the world today which are contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ will be overcome. There would not only be peace in the world, but also we would have peace in our hearts and in our souls.”
  • October 1951 General Conference
    • The Spirit Within
      • “I am grateful that I am in your district, brothers and sisters, and that I have had the privilege for about a year and a half of coming into some of the stakes and partaking of your spirit and fine hospitality and kindness. This gives me strength to face the task ahead.”

Other Talks

Articles in Church Publications

Other Publications and Resources

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *