N. Eldon Tanner – Gospel Study

N. Eldon Tanner

First Counselor in the First Presidency (July 7, 1972 – November 27, 1982)

Second Counselor in the First Presidency (October 4, 1963 – July 2, 1972)

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (October 11, 1962 – November 27, 1982)

Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (October 8, 1960 – October 11, 1962)

General Conference Addresses

October 1982 General Conference
- Let Us Do As We Have Been Counseled
  - “I want to thank the Lord personally for all the blessings he has bestowed upon me and my family, and on us as a church. There is no other organization in the world that can offer the sermons we have heard here today. They are the best, and as well done as any I can imagine.”
April 1982 General Conference
- Let Us Improve Ourselves
  - “I have had the great privilege of being a counselor and working very closely with four of our Presidents. These prophets had entirely different personalities, but to see how the Lord works through them is a great privilege, and one can realize why they were chosen. Follow their teachings.”
  - “May the Lord give us a clear understanding of where we should improve to serve him. Start right now, as I have done, to determine to put into practice some of the things that have been taught to us today.”
October 1981 General Conference
- “Remember Who You Are”
  - “I wonder how we would act if we realized every day that we are spirit children of God and that Jesus Christ is our Savior. Would we do some of the things we do? Would we do them more emphatically, or would we not do them at all?”
  - “I ask you to remind people who they are and ask them to act accordingly. If we act accordingly, we will be keeping the commandments of God.”
April 1981 General Conference
- He Is There
  - “God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph—actually appeared to him—and told him they had a work for him to do. He had talked to God; God heard his prayers; his prayers were answered. And I bear testimony to you this morning that these things which I have expressed to you are true. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, under the direction of Christ himself through a prophet of God whom I love, admire, and appreciate.”
October 1980 General Conference
- The Blessing of a Testimony
  - “We know we are spirit children of God, and we were present when it was decided to form an earth here where we could come and dwell and prove ourselves worthy, by keeping the commandments, to go back into the presence of our Heavenly Father. That is why the earth was created.”
April 1980 General Conference
- Celestial Marriages and Eternal Families
  - “Parents have a responsibility to teach their children the importance of keeping themselves clean and pure, with high moral standards, so they will be worthy of the kind of men and women with whom they want to associate and marry.”
October 1979 General Conference
- Constancy Amid Change
  - “We must first seek the kingdom, work and plan and spend wisely, plan for the future, and use what wealth we are blessed with to help build up that kingdom. When guided by this eternal perspective and by building on this firm foundation, we can pursue with confidence our daily tasks and our life’s work, which must be carefully planned and diligently pursued.”
  - “I have discovered that there is no way that you can ever earn more than you can spend. I am convinced that it is not the amount of money an individual earns that brings peace of mind as much as it is having control of his money. Money can be an obedient servant but a harsh taskmaster. Those who structure their standard of living to allow a little surplus, control their circumstances.”
- The Contributions of the Prophet Joseph Smith
  - “Having faith in Christ is essential to our salvation, and the purpose of his mission on earth was to teach us what we must do.”
  - “The gospel message is sweet, it is a message of peace and goodwill, it is the one and only thing that will bring peace to the world, and it offers salvation and exaltation to all who will accept it.”
- The Administration of the Church
  - “At this point I might answer the question of how we deal with a dissenting vote. We had one at the October 1977 conference. Some of you heard the proceedings and will remember that the dissenter wanted his vote recorded. This is the way we deal with a dissenting vote: all the people other than this one voted to sustain those who were presented, so I asked him to see a member of the Twelve. The purpose of asking him to see somebody is so that he can report why he was not prepared to support the slate of officers. That gives him an opportunity, if he knows some good reason why a person should not be or is not qualified to be sustained, to tell the person assigned to see him; this person can then advise the First Presidency.”
  - “As the First Presidency enters this room at ten o’clock on Thursday mornings, we shake hands with all members of the Twelve, then change to our temple robes. We sing, kneel in prayer, and then join in a prayer circle at the altar, after which we change to our street clothes.”
April 1979 General Conference
- New Emphasis on Church Councils
  - “President Kimball has asked me to introduce to you an expansion of the procedure for conducting Church affairs at the area and region levels. With the increased growth and internationalization of the Church and the great responsibility to promote the ecclesiastical and temporal work throughout the world in a more unified fashion, we are introducing an emphasis on the role of councils in Church government.”
- “Put on the Whole Armor of God”
  - “We must put on the whole armor of God, or we will be vulnerable to temptation in those areas where we have weaknesses and where we have failed to give ourselves the protection offered through keeping the commandments.”
  - “We all have different weaknesses and temptations, and we should examine our lives to find out what those weaknesses are and where we should put on extra armor so we can do what is right and not submit to temptation.”
  - “Examine your armor. Is there an unguarded or unprotected place? Determine now to add whatever part is missing. No matter how antiquated or lacking in parts your armor may be, always remember that it is within your power to make the necessary adjustments to complete your armor.”
  - “Through the great principle of repentance you can turn your life about and begin now clothing yourself with the armor of God through study, prayer, and a determination to serve God and keep his commandments.”
- To Those Searching for Happiness
  - “Reasons given by converts who join the Church today are similar and so varied as to lead to the conclusion that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can supply the spiritual as well as the temporal needs of any person who is seeking for the truth.”
October 1978 General Conference
- A Basis for Faith in the Living God
  - “With all this evidence it is hard to understand how some can doubt the very existence of God. The early scriptures do not attempt to demonstrate God’s existence or to argue on the sophistries of atheism, so it seems that the errors of doubt crept in at some later time.”
  - “To those who question or do not understand, let me assure you that every human soul can receive this personal testimony. God may not come in person, as he did to Joseph Smith and others; but through the power of the Holy Ghost, by which all truth is discerned, every person can gain a knowledge for himself that God lives, that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father, and that he came and dwelt among men to give them the plan of life and salvation.”
  - “The rewards for accepting and living the teachings of Jesus Christ will far exceed the riches of the earth, as we lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.”
- The Blessing of Church Interviews
  - “The whole purpose of our mission here upon the earth is to prove ourselves and help others be worthy and prepared to go back into the presence of our Heavenly Father.”
  - “We know there is great evil in the world and great temptation, and it is important that we resist all temptation rather than trifle with it for the sake of being popular.”
- Revelation on Priesthood Accepted
  - “Recognizing Spencer W. Kimball as a prophet, seer, and revelator, and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is proposed that we as a constituent assembly accept this revelation as the word and will of the Lord. All in favor please signify by raising your right hand.”
  - “We announce that some Brethren have been designated as emeritus members of the First Quorum of the Seventy. These Brethren are not being released but will be excused from active service. It is out of consideration for the personal well-being of the individuals, and with deep appreciation for their devoted service, that this designation will be given from time to time to designated members of the General Authorities.”
April 1978 General Conference
- We Are His Stewards
  - “I’d like to bear my testimony to you that this is the church of Jesus Christ. Let me say that again: This is the church of Jesus Christ. This is his program. You are his stewards. We are his stewards, and he will hold us responsible as stewards.”
- Worthy of Proper Recommendation
  - “In the Church, some who are guilty of transgression will lie to be advanced in the priesthood, to go on missions, or to enter the temple. But the Lord knows, and they cannot expect to enjoy his blessings.”
  - “If it is so important to be highly recommended or to have adequate references in order to get employment, how much more important it is that we live worthy of a good or satisfactory recommendation from our Church authorities so that we can progress in the various offices and functions of the priesthood, and eventually gain admission to the kingdom of heaven.”
- “Ye Shall Know the Truth”
  - “This is what Jesus meant when he said he had overcome the world—that he had kept the faith, that he had glorified his Father, that he had done all that had been required of him. Thus he was free from the bands of death and prepared to partake of immortality and eternal life with his Father.”
  - “Freedom is based on truth, and no man is completely free as long as any part of his belief is based on error, for the chains of error bind his mind.”
  - “Repentance embodies a recognition of the transgression, remorse, and a resolve to overcome.”
October 1977 General Conference
- Latter-day Samaritans
  - “My brothers and sisters, the work of this Church is moving forward as perhaps never before. May each of us give of ourselves wherever we can in the building of this kingdom and be fully self-reliant and compassionate; and then, as appropriate, help others help themselves in this great Welfare Services work and maintain their dignity and self-respect.”
- The Light of the Gospel
  - “We know that without physical light we cannot see the things around us or even where we are going; and without spiritual light we cannot have knowledge or understanding. We should note that many who cannot see with their physical eyes are not left in darkness, because they have the same opportunity as others for enlightening their minds through spiritual illumination.”
- Obeying the Right Voice
  - “It is interesting to observe that whether we are in prison or out, there is always someone telling us what to do. The difference lies in who is telling us and what they are wanting us to do. Therein lies the difference between happiness and unhappiness, eternal life with God or some lesser final judgment. The difference is in obedience to the right voice and to the right principle.”
  - “We have pledged to keep the commandments, and God is constantly calling us for one reason or another. When his voice calls, let us drop the bat, or the golf club, or the fishing pole, or whatever else, and hurry to do his bidding. He will reward us with success and happiness as we seek first to build his kingdom.”
April 1977 General Conference
- The Greatest Brotherhood
  - “I might say that the day all priesthood holders of the Church are in step to march as the army of God in doing our duty, helping one another, looking after the Church, fellowshipping all mankind, then we will be accomplishing God’s purposes and doing what he intended for us to do when he established his church.”
- Integrity
  - “Integrity, or the lack of it, touches almost every facet of our lives—everything we say, every thought and desire.”
  - “There is no happiness in sin, and when we depart from the path of righteousness we begin to do those things which will inevitably lead us to unhappiness and misery and loss of freedom.”
October 1976 General Conference
- Go and Do the Work
  - “There’s one thing that hasn’t been emphasized but has been mentioned here this morning, and that is the great importance of maintaining self-respect. That’s so important. Help these people in such a way that they’ll feel that they’re helping themselves and contributing to the welfare program.”
- The Purpose of Conferences
  - “Our members need to understand about the apostasy and the restoration and have a testimony of the divine mission of Joseph Smith. They must understand and live the Word of Wisdom and be fully converted to the concept that the Spirit of God cannot dwell in an unclean body.”
  - “The main purpose of area conferences, the main purpose of general conferences, the main purpose of this conference, is to sound the voice of warning. You who hear and are warned must warn your neighbors. If we fail to heed the warnings given, or fail to warn our neighbors, we all may be lost.”
- Ready to Work Long Hours
  - “This is the church of Jesus Christ, the only church led by and holding the priesthood of God, and it has been given the charge to teach the gospel to all people and prepare them for the second coming of Christ. This can be done only as we honor the priesthood of God and magnify the office and calling which has been given to us individually.”
April 1976 General Conference
- If They Will But Serve the God of the Land
  - “We are all a part of America’s future. Our job is to learn and benefit from the past and to go forward in righteousness, keeping the commandments of God.”
- Are You Taking Your Priesthood for Granted?
  - “The strength of the Church, the growth of the Church, and the building of the kingdom of God here upon the earth depend on how we perform our duty.”
  - “Regardless of the priesthood we hold, if we keep ourselves clean and pure and in tune with the Spirit of the Lord, we find great joy and satisfaction in performing our duties.”
  - “There is no greater quality of character than honesty in all we do.”
  - “Let us always remember that we priesthood holders are the royal army of God. We are all volunteers. We are waging war against the devil and evil of all kinds. This is a struggle of right or wrong, life or death, for eternal life.”
October 1975 General Conference
- For They Loved the Praise of Men More Than the Praise of God
  - “Nothing will bring greater joy and success than to live according to the teachings of the gospel. Be an example; be an influence for good; be prepared and worthy to accept any call that comes from the Lord.”
  - “How important it is that we remember who we are, servants of the Lord, and then act accordingly.”
  - “This craving for praise and popularity too often controls actions, and as they succumb they find themselves bending their character when they think they are only taking a bow.”
- The Laws of God
  - “Law is simply the application of truth.”
  - “Regardless of whether or not we know or understand the laws of nature, they always operate the same. A child, though ignorant of the law, will get burned if he touches a hot stove. If we disregard the law of gravity, we may get seriously hurt. If we know and understand the laws of nature and live by them, we benefit thereby and can be free of the hazards facing those who ignore these laws or go contrary to them.”
  - “The word of the Lord is so clear to us, and his laws so plainly designed for our happiness, that it is difficult to understand why some people feel their own judgment is superior, and disregard God’s laws and bring upon themselves misery and unhappiness by so doing.”
  - “We have the freedom to choose to obey the laws upon which blessings are predicated, and enjoy those blessings; or we can choose to disobey the law, with the result that we will never enjoy the fulness of joy which was intended for us.”
April 1975 General Conference
- Christ in America
  - “All these teachings did Christ give to those Nephite people as he came to them as a resurrected Being. We have these same teachings in his church today, and it is my prayer that we will accept and live them; that we will accept God as our Father and his Son Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world; that we will accept and follow President Spencer W. Kimball as a prophet of God; and that we might enjoy the promised blessings for so doing.”
- Success Is Gauged by Self-Mastery
  - “There are two important elements in self-mastery. The first is to determine your course or set the sails, so to speak, of moral standards; the other is the willpower, or the wind in the sails carrying one forward.”
  - “Nature never pays an unearned account and she never fails to pay one that has been earned.”
  - “The Lord is always looking for men in whom he can place his full confidence, who can represent him in the mission field, and men who can be trusted in every way and who are prepared to help build his kingdom.”
October 1974 General Conference
- Our Responsibility to the Transgressor
  - “Too many young men today who have been raised in the Church seem to take the priesthood for granted and feel that it is a right rather than a privilege for them to hold the priesthood. Many seem to think it is smart to break the Word of Wisdom and be loose in their morals. I want to emphasize that the Lord is not pleased with this. It is most important that a young man live worthy of that priesthood and that he not be advanced until he is worthy.”
  - “It is just not fair to anyone to send a young man into the mission field who is not qualified or worthy. He cannot get the spirit of his calling. And while he is in the mission field he is a burden to the mission president and a deterrent to the missionary work. I know how heartrending it is for a mission president to have to excommunicate and send a missionary home because of transgression.”
  - “It has been reported to me that some bishops and even stake presidents have said that they never have excommunicated or disciplined anyone and that they do not intend to. This attitude is entirely wrong. Judges in Israel have the responsibility to sit in righteous judgment where it becomes necessary.”
- Why Is My Boy Wandering Tonight?
  - “Some wander because they do not understand and refuse to learn the teachings and the importance of keeping the commandments of God which will assure a safe passage through life and a return to the kingdom of our Father from whence we came.”
  - “Hypocrites, by professing one thing and doing another, are themselves wandering away from the straight and narrow path, and taking with them many young and innocent souls who, seeing such dishonesty and distrust rampant in the world, are inclined to lose their faith in mankind and wonder where to turn.”
  - “It is so true that those who keep on the straight and narrow path and realize that detours are very dangerous are those who succeed in life and enjoy self-realization and achievement. Those who stray away and follow detours find themselves on paths leading to failure and destruction.”
April 1974 General Conference
- The Importance of Prayer
  - “If we pray that his will be done, we must be prepared to do our part.”
  - “We are admonished to pray regarding all our personal needs and over everything that pertains to our welfare. How important it is to be worthy to call upon our Heavenly Father and ask for his help and express our gratitude for the bounties of life and all his wonderful blessings.”
- Chosen of the Lord
  - “We must always remember, as has been said so many times, the Lord calls his prophets and the Lord releases his prophets. They cannot be called or released by any other power. As I have pointed out previously, at the passing of the president of the Church, the Quorum of the Twelve takes over and the senior member, or the president of the Twelve, becomes the presiding officer.”
  - “Let us always remember that leaders of the Church are responsible to the Lord, and it is for him to straighten them out if they go wrong and to release them when they have finished their mission. We have been warned and forewarned that if we raise ourselves against the authority which God has placed in the Church for its government, unless we repent, he will withdraw his Spirit from us.”
October 1973 General Conference
- Obedience
  - “If we are to accomplish what we have been called and set apart to do, we must honor our priesthood, magnify our calling, and as President Lee has admonished, love God and keep his commandments. To keep the commandments requires self-discipline and obedience to the law. Obedience is the first law of heaven, and it is obedience to the laws of God that I should like to talk about particularly, because these laws affect not only our happiness and well-being here upon the earth, but are essential to our eternal life.”
  - “Brethren, let us be obedient to the commandments of God. Let us prove faithful, let us be an example to the world, a light unto the world. Appreciate the priesthood which we have and the calling that is ours. We have been given the great privilege of holding the priesthood and the responsibility of taking the gospel to the world. We can do it by our actions as well as by precept, which is much more effective. Only as we live and keep the commandments of God, being obedient in all things can we fully enjoy life here and eternal life in the world to come, and be able to influence the world for good, and help build the kingdom of God here upon the earth.”
- No Greater Honor: The Woman’s Role
  - “It is so important that our young girls keep themselves from this kind of pollution. The girls of today will be the women of tomorrow, and it is necessary that they prepare for that role. Can you imagine the kind of world we will have in the future if the girls of today are weakened morally to the extent that virtue will not be taught in their homes, and if their children, if any, are not nurtured within the walls of homes sanctified by the holy laws of matrimony?”
  - “I can think of nothing sweeter than a home where a man is living his religion, magnifying his priesthood, with his wife supporting him in every way, where love and harmony exists, and where together they are trying to raise a family of righteous sons and daughters whom they can take back into the presence of their Heavenly Father.”
April 1973 General Conference
- Thou Mayest Choose for Thyself
  - “He gave his life so that all mankind might enjoy immortality; and through his gospel and the teachings of the prophets, both ancient and modern, we are given a clear understanding of the purpose of life and how to distinguish right from wrong, with promises of salvation and exaltation to all who keep the commandments. But remember that Satan has committed himself to destroy mankind and is continually at work to accomplish this one thing.”
  - “Children do not learn by themselves how to distinguish right from wrong. Parents have to determine the child’s readiness to assume responsibility and his capacity to make sound decisions, to evaluate alternatives, and the results of doing so. While we are teaching them, we have the responsibility to discipline them and to see that they do what is right. If a child is besmudged with dirt, we do not let him wait until he grows up to decide whether or not he will bathe. We do not let him wait to decide whether or not he will take his medicine when sick, or go to school or to church. By example, persuasion, and love we see that he does what we know is best for him. We cannot overemphasize the importance of example.”
  - “To meet the serious issues facing us in our respective communities today, we must be examples of virtue and righteousness ourselves and choose today to take our stand on the moral issues which threaten us. We do not want our civilization to decay and fall because we failed to keep it on a high spiritual plane and allowed it to sink to the level where the animal instincts and passions dominate.”
- Priesthood Responsibilities
  - “Keep the Sabbath day holy. Keep the Word of Wisdom strictly. Pray always, and be honest with one another and with your fellowmen. Study the gospel. Know what is expected of us, why we are here, that we are actually spirit children of God, and as such we must keep ourselves morally clean. And that is one thing, fathers, that we should teach our boys to do.”
  - “Study the scriptures and the handbook and do as they direct. Bishops and stake presidents must not shirk this responsibility. Anyone who says that he has never disciplined, disfellowshiped, or excommunicated anyone, and that he never intends to, has an entirely wrong attitude and may himself be held accountable.”
October 1972 General Conference
- The Priesthood and Its Presidency
  - “Let us always remember this. The President of the Church holds the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and there is no business or office in the Church that the President of the Church may not fill. In fact, every office in the Church belongs to the President.”
- Warnings from Outer Space
  - “How important it is that we listen to the prophets! The scriptures contain numerous warnings to us in these latter days of the calamities that will come upon us, and they have been and are coming to pass. Only as the world repents and accepts and lives the teachings of the gospel as revealed by God through his Son Jesus Christ and the prophets will we save ourselves from destruction.”
April 1972 General Conference
- Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged
  - “It is not possible to judge another fairly unless you know his desires, his faith, and his goals. Because of a different environment, unequal opportunity, and many other things, people are not in the same position. One may start at the top and the other at the bottom, and they may meet as they are going in opposite directions. Someone has said that it is not where you are but the direction in which you are going that counts; not how close you are to failure or success but which way you are headed. How can we, with all our weaknesses and frailties, dare to arrogate to ourselves the position of a judge? At best, man can judge only what he sees; he cannot judge the heart or the intention, or begin to judge the potential of his neighbor.”
  - “Surely we can try to eliminate pride, passion, personal feeling, prejudice, and pettiness from our minds, and show charity to those around us.”
  - “We never gain anything or improve our own character by trying to tear down another.”
- The Priesthood: A Royal Army
  - “I can’t overemphasize to you young men the importance of living the way you should, for your good, for your own success, for your own happiness, and for the influence you will have on those boys with whom you associate. They expect you to do what you are professing to do; to be what you profess to be; and, if you don’t you let them down, other boys who don’t have the priesthood have the opportunity for that influence on their lives.”
October 1971 General Conference
- Continuity of Service
  - “Brethren, you who are returning from these armed services and school and missions, report to your bishops and offer yourselves to be of service. And bishops, I appeal to you to see that when these young people leave your ward, you send on information to the proper officials in schools, universities, and the armed services, so that they might know and be able to give the necessary help and encouragement when they arrive.”
- Where Art Thou?
  - “Conditions surrounding Adam and Eve, and those surrounding us today, point up clearly the influence of Satan and the frailties of man, the temptations and problems that he has to meet in life, and how the Lord has prepared a way for him to overcome.”
  - “If we will only have the faith to keep the commandments, whether we fully understand them or not, we will be blessed, and just as surely, we will reap the results of disobedience.”
  - “Temptations come to all, but long before we are faced with them, we and our children must have determined what our course will be. It is too late if we wait until the moment of temptation before making our decision.”
April 1971 General Conference
- Search for the Wanderers
  - “Brethren, regardless of where we are or who we are, we should realize that we have out there a boy, a young man, an older man who is not active, and he wants to be active, if we can just find a way to interest him and let him know that he wants to be active.”
- Choose You This Day
  - “If we were spiritually sound, if we were living the teachings of Jesus Christ, whom we must serve if we are to survive as individuals and nations, then the political and economic problems already would be solved, because by living the Ten Commandments and other teachings of God we could all live together in peace and prosperity.”
  - “If we are to save ourselves, our families, and our country, we must, as Peter taught, repent, be baptized, change our ways, and turn and serve the Lord and keep his commandments. The responsibility rests on us as individuals. We need a spiritual renaissance.”
October 1970 General Conference
- Woe Unto You… Hypocrites
  - “If we are to enjoy the blessings of the Lord and the confidence of the people with whom we associate, we must be prepared to live the gospel and to be honestly and actively engaged in practicing and teaching its concepts, never pretending to be what we are not.”
  - “How many of us are guilty of keeping the letter of the law and forgetting the spirit of the law in that we fail to show mercy and faith in our fellow-men? Do we place more stress on an external act to be seen of men than on a change of heart?”
  - “The only way to cleanse the inside of the cup is to be pure in heart by being humble and turning from our evil ways and by living the gospel of Jesus Christ to the best of our ability. We may be able to deceive men, but we cannot deceive God.”
  - “We cannot choose which part of the gospel we think is true or which part we should live. We cannot compartmentalize our lives.”
- The Privilege of Holding the Priesthood
  - “What a tremendous privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to hold the priesthood! It is just as binding on us as the covenant which President Smith read to the Melchizedek Priesthood, because the covenant applies to both priesthoods to the extent that we hold those priesthoods, and it will determine our status.”
April 1970 General Conference
- The Power and Influence of the Priesthood
  - “People need to understand that there is a purpose in life and what that purpose is, and they have every reason to look to the priesthood of God, which is what you brethren have.”
  - “So many of our men believe, but haven’t the courage or the strength to act. If we could all realize the effect we have on our associates when we live the gospel teachings, I am sure we would all do better.”
- The Blessings of Obedience
  - “The Lord’s greatest gift to mortal man is threefold: first, the right to immortality and eternal life; second, the plan by which he can gain it; third, his free agency to choose what he will do.”
  - “Too often we are not prepared to discipline ourselves and do that which is necessary to accomplish the things which we desire most.”
  - “We cannot break any law with impunity and expect our children to honor and obey us or the law.”
October 1969 General Conference
- The Plan of Life and Salvation
  - “It is impossible for any of us, including philosophers, astrologers, astronomers, and scientists in any field, with our finite minds, to answer these questions pertaining to the infinite without referring to the word of God as contained in the scriptures.”
  - “It is extremely sad that many, through their own learning and their sensuous knowledge, become self-satisfied and think that they are sufficient unto themselves and need not heed the word of God.”
April 1969 General Conference
- Evidence of Our Savior’s Resurrection
  - “Without this great message of the Redeemer, we are left without a purpose, without an anchor, and without hope.”
  - “Every living soul should be earnestly striving to learn the teachings of the gospel and how to live them, thus making it possible to gain immortality and eternal life. May we accept these truths, follow his teachings, and enjoy the blessings of the faithful.”
October 1968 General Conference
- If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments
  - “How fortunate is the person who looks forward to the resurrection as an important step in eternal progression and prepares now to meet God!”
  - “Do we realize how difficult it is to have faith in and love a God who has neither body, parts, nor passions, as so many of the sects are teaching today?”
- Our Individual Responsibility
  - “May we as individuals have the determination, the courage, the ability to stand up and do those things which we know are right, realizing that we are the spirit children of God, with the potential to make it possible to be like him if we will follow his teachings and keep his commandments.”
April 1968 General Conference
- Lead Them Not Into Temptation
  - “Alcoholism is one disease which no one needs to have. The only sure way to be free of it is to never take a drink.”
October 1967 General Conference
- The Power of Prayer
  - “To pray effectively, and to feel that one can be heard and have his prayers answered, one must believe that he is praying to a God who can hear and answer, one who is interested in his children and their well-being.”
  - “The Lord emphasizes that we must humble ourselves and accept the teachings of Jesus Christ and keep his commandments if we would expect him to hear and answer our prayers.”
April 1967 General Conference
- The Great Commandment
  - “A happy marriage is never handed to a couple on a silver platter, but it is something we have to build continually.”
  - “The most difficult thing for us seems to be to give of ourselves, to do away with selfishness. If we really love someone, nothing is a hardship. Nothing is hard for us to do for that individual. There is no real happiness in having or getting, but only in giving. Half the world seems to be following the wrong scent in the pursuit of happiness. They think it consists of having and getting, and in having others serve them, but really it consists of giving and serving others.”
October 1966 General Conference
- The Gospel Our Bulwark
  - “We should realize that the new morality is nothing more than the old immorality, that the new freedom is nothing more than disrespect for law and the rights of others and will lead to anarchy.”
  - “We must begin by having righteousness in our own hearts, by disciplining ourselves, by having love and harmony in our homes, and by truly loving our neighbors.”
- Keep Your Covenants
  - “Just think what that means, the authority that is given to us, for the Lord has said to his elders that they may baptize an individual, and he is baptized; he is as much baptized as if the President of the Church had baptized him, or any of the Twelve. And when he is confirmed, it is of the same effect as if the Lord himself had confirmed him. And then when he is ordained a deacon, teacher, priest, elder, it is of the same effect. That authority is given to us, and with that authority goes a great responsibility.”
  - “Anybody who is listening tonight, anybody who holds the priesthood, surely can remember three words: keep the covenants.”
  - “I don’t know whether everyone here agrees with me or not; in fact, I am wondering. There are too many today, I feel, who are prepared to take the easy way out of paying their debts by not paying them and take whatever action is necessary to keep them free. It is important, brethren, that we keep our pledges and our covenants and keep our name good. A man’s good name is worth more than any material thing he could have.”
April 1966 General Conference
- The Wisdom of Keeping the Word of Wisdom
  - “I want to say to you boys, wherever you are tonight: Realize that you can’t afford to play with these things that will take your life. You can’t afford to do it anyway, because the Lord has said, “Don’t do it.” It is being proven in every way that tobacco and alcohol are not good for us.”
- He Is Not Dead
  - “Can you think of anything more abhorrent than to claim that we should seek to make God acceptable to man rather than to try to bring man back to God?”
  - “Nothing can bring a greater feeling of joy and peace and satisfaction and security to us than to know that God is present and interested in us.”
  - “As these people who now know through prayer that God lives try to explain their attitude toward prayer before they met the missionaries, it brings us to one conclusion, and that is that men were deadened toward God, and not that God is dead. Until they are conscious of a living God to whom they can go, the gospel means very little to them.”
October 1965 General Conference
- Reverence for Law
  - “A voluntary acceptance of the law is the civilized substitute for riots, chaos, and terror.”
  - “Freedom, liberty, and peace can be enjoyed fully only as the laws of the land and the laws of God are honored and obeyed.”
April 1965 General Conference
- Threat of Moral Decay
  - “It is true that all through history the ignoring of the laws of God leads to the ignoring and defying of all law. The scriptures and history teach us that man cannot continue to deny God and ignore his laws and expect to prosper.”
  - “Where can you find a lovelier sight than a family kneeling together in prayer to their Father in heaven in the full knowledge that he can and will hear and answer their prayers?”
- The Two Great Commandments
  - “I have had a number of women in my experience come to me because they were not loved in the home. That is just too bad. It is a condition that just cannot exist where we have the priesthood at the head of the home. Surely a man thinks as much of his wife as he does of someone else who comes into the home, and surely he is prepared to treat her with the same courtesy, the same consideration, as he would a stranger coming into the home. Yet I remember as a boy going to homes where that was not true. And I remember going into homes where it was true, and the difference in those homes was very noticeable.”
  - “Don’t let another day go by without telling your wife you love her, how fortunate you are to have her, how much you think of her. And do what you can to make her believe it.”
October 1964 General Conference
- Testimonies to the Divinity of Jesus Christ
  - “There is no conflict between the teachings of the Old and New Testament or between the Bible and the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, all of which contain the gospel message as given by God through his prophets from Adam down to Joseph Smith, and by Jesus Christ himself as he visited the Old and the New World. It is my intention to refer to all of these scriptures which provide us with irrefutable documented evidence and testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world.”
  - “One of the most outstanding testimonies of all time regarding the divinity of Jesus Christ is that borne by that young boy Joseph Smith in our dispensation just over a century ago, when he, only fourteen years of age, went into the grove alone to ask God in all humility which church he should join.”
  - “And to you young people today I should like to bear my own personal testimony that by the power of the Holy Ghost I know as I know I live that God lives; that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world; that he came and dwelt among men; that he willingly gave his life for you and me; that he was literally resurrected; that he and God the Eternal Father did actually appear to Joseph Smith in answer to his prayer.”
  - “If people throughout the world would accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God and keep his commandments, there would be no more war but peace and good will in the world, and we would be assured of immortality and eternal life.”
- Prepare for the Best
  - “We as a group have responsibilities in the home, and I would like to emphasize that tonight. I haven’t time to preach to you, for which I am sure you are glad, but I would like to give you two or three experiences, and I hope you don’t mind my using my own family. I am going to give you three experiences that we actually had in home night programs, taken from three different families of my daughters and their husbands. The last one I am going to mention first.”
  - “We need not apologize for being one who calls on the Lord and knows he stands ready to answer our prayers.”
  - “It is most important that our boys prepare to go and fill honorable missions, realizing that they are going out as ambassadors of the Lord and not just to be like other boys.”
April 1964 General Conference
- Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God
  - “And I said to those young people so they could all hear me, “Have a good time, kids, the best time you will ever have in your lives, really have a good time tonight, but have the kind of time, such a good time, that tomorrow, next week, a month from now or a year from now, ten years from now, you can look back on tonight and say, ‘I had a good time,’ and have nothing to regret or be sorry about.” And I think they went and had a good time.”
  - “You cannot do those things and enjoy the Spirit of the Lord and make progress and be the kind of person who will have joy in your future life, and the Spirit of the Lord cannot be with you, as it is if you are clean-living young people.”
- The Heavens Are Open
  - “The God we believe in is a Living God with body, parts, and passions, in whose image we were made, who is the Father of the spirits of all mankind and under whose direction the world was created and all things therein. He is a Loving Father, who is interested in us and our welfare and who stands ready to answer our call if we will but go to him.”
  - “We believe that Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God, the Only Begotten in the flesh; that he was born of mortal mother; that he dwelt among men; that he gave man the plan of life and salvation; that he was crucified, and that he had power over death and willingly gave his life and was literally resurrected so that man might be saved and resurrected from the dead and enjoy eternal life.”
October 1963 General Conference
- I Will Go and Do the Things
  - “I thank my Heavenly Father for the wonderful privilege that I have had of associating with these fine men, for the influence they have had in my life and for the encouragement and strength they have given me. And I thank God for the signal privilege I have had of associating so closely with, and feeling the great spirit and influence of, our beloved President David O. McKay. All that has been written and said about him, as he has just passed his ninetieth birthday, does not and cannot portray the greatness of him who has been chosen as a prophet of God and who is now President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the kingdom of God here upon the earth. It is impossible to appreciate or estimate the tremendous influence for good that he has exerted upon all mankind. The closer that one is to him, and the more he is permitted to associate with him, the stronger one’s testimony becomes that he is a prophet of God.”
  - “It is with sadness that I mention the absence of our beloved friend and colleague, President Henry D. Moyle, whom we all miss so much, and whose passing makes these changes necessary. His family, his friends, his Church, his community, and his country have suffered a tremendous loss. He was a loving husband and father, a true and loyal friend, a thoughtful neighbor, a devoted member and capable leader of the Church. He was always working for the good of his country and the betterment of mankind. I wish to express my love and sympathy to Sister Moyle and her family and pray that the Spirit of the Lord will accompany and strengthen them and give them courage to carry on.”
  - “At this time, I should like to welcome Brother Thomas Monson, whom I sustain with all my heart.”
- Discipline Yourselves
  - “It is so important that you not only want to do what is right, but you have to determine what you wish to do, and make up your mind that you are going to do it, and then set about to discipline yourselves.”
  - “So, talk to yourselves and say to yourselves, “Just what do I want out of life?” Make up your mind and have the courage and the strength, the determination and the discipline to do it. Don’t let the devil, himself, get in your way. He is certainly going to try, and he will be there all the time, watching for a place to interfere with your program. But, how successful and how happy you will be, and what joy you will experience, as you follow the program that you have set out for yourself. Be man enough to say, “This is what I am going to do.””
April 1963 General Conference
- The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ
  - “We believe that Jesus was a real person and that those who appraise him as being half mythical and refuse to accept him literally as the Son of God or who portray Christ as a great philosopher, as the founder of a profound code of ethics, but deny him the divine parentage and sonship of God, drag Christianity down to the level of paganism and completely wipe out the true God and his plan of redemption for his children. They are actually trying to destroy him as Jesus the Christ and, therefore, are guilty of his re-crucifixion. We believe that he actually did the work and taught the doctrines that are recorded in the Gospels, that he was, in fact, Christ the Son of God the Eternal Father and that the account of his conception, birth, life, death, and resurrection are all as factual as any in all history.”
  - “The power of God unto salvation is not just a moral code of living based on attributes of the Savior, but it is the means essential to salvation. We believe that though Christ was so brutally crucified, he willingly gave his life for you and me that we might be raised from the dead and go back into the presence of our Father in heaven and be judged according to our deeds; that he was literally resurrected; that his body and spirit were reunited.”
- Keep Faith with Your Family
  - “It is true that nothing brings greater joy and satisfaction and comfort to a parent than to see a child really develop into an honorable, respected, righteous citizen. The youth who develops into that kind of citizen is loved, respected and admired by all.”
  - “I thought a friend of mine showed a good example of this when his son came to him and said, “Dad, I don’t want to go to Church today.” His dad replied, “My son, you have your free agency, you better hurry and get your coat or we’ll be late.” You notice, we’ll be late—not you’ll be late.”
  - “To join with the family in prayer every day, and to talk to our Father in Heaven, to seek his blessing, and express our gratitude, will have a profound influence not only on the life of the child, but on the lives of the family as a whole. A feeling of love, unity, and of being in tune will be experienced by all. Encourage them to go privately to the Lord in thanksgiving and supplication.”
  - “Great doubt is raised in the mind of a child whose parents profess one thing and do another; where they profess to be Christians and believe in God, but do nothing about it.”
  - “What a marvelous thing it would be if we and our children could learn early in life the joy and satisfaction that comes from living good, clean, honest, and upright lives all the time and that there is no joy or satisfaction in sin. It is so important that we all try to enjoy living and that our young people have a good time. However, this good time should be such that in the future, whether it be a month, a year, or ten years from now they can always look back on this as “a good time,” realizing that a man of honor does not change his code of honor with passing circumstances. The greatest joy and happiness one can get out of living is to know that he has done and is doing right, and to be in the service of the Lord.”
  - “There is no responsibility greater than that of teaching and training a child to be an honest, honorable, and righteous citizen; and there is no stronger, more effective way of doing it than for the parent to be what he would like his son to be. What a great day it will be for the world and the Church when every father and son will do and be what he would like the other to think he is.”
  - “We should never be surprised if our children grow up to be like us.”
October 1962 General Conference
- Gratitude for a Call
  - “I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and as your humble servant, the weakest of all, I beseech you to exercise your faith and prayers unitedly in my behalf, that I might serve in a way that will be acceptable to our Heavenly Father.”
  - “I want to bear you my testimony, my brethren and sisters, that if every member of this Church would accept the call of our prophet today and live the gospel and keep the commandments of our Heavenly Father and become missionaries in very deed, we could contribute more to the cause of peace than all the power that might be gathered together by all the governments and all the men in uniform.”
April 1962 General Conference
- The Transforming Power of the Gospel
  - “In spite of the deep-rooted traditions and strong prejudices which exist in those old countries and which present some real problems, we find one thing which is most encouraging and that is that people from all stations in life, including professors, doctors, lawyers, and successful businessmen, are showing an interest in and are becoming members of the Church today.”
  - “I could give you many experiences, personal and otherwise, but I should like to relate briefly the experience of a very talented and educated young Oxford graduate who is an Egyptian by birth. He studied and practised law in Cairo; he has taught law in the law schools of Luxembourg, he speaks six different languages including Arabic, Hebraic, Italian, French, German, and English, and teaches now in the London University. When he first read the Book of Mormon, he was greatly impressed by the style in which it was written. He noted that it, like the Semitic language, so often had sentences begin with the conjunction “behold” and with the phrase “and it came to pass.” He was also impressed by the fact that names used throughout the book were names which occur so often in the Semitic language. He knew that an uneducated youth could not have translated or written this book. He noted, too, that Joseph Smith took no credit for its authorship but claimed that it was translated by the power of God. He accepted Joseph Smith’s claim without doubt as he knew that this was the only way the book could have been written.”
October 1961 General Conference
- By the Word of Their Testimony
  - “Now, regarding that wonderful corps of missionaries who are serving in these different missions, I am happy indeed to be able to report that they are really doing a marvelous work and a wonder in the mission field. It is most encouraging and inspiring to go from one mission to another and hear those devoted missionaries bear their testimonies to one another and give their reports and experiences which they have had in teaching the gospel to the world. They are certainly to be congratulated on their enthusiasm, dedication, and their success as they go forward in their proselyting efforts.”
  - “I should like to deal briefly with three or four of the fundamentals in the testimony of a Latter-day Saint. These testimonies include essential points of the message now being taken by the missionaries to the world. First, that the Godhead is composed of God the Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, and it is their testimony that God the Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ are Living Beings of flesh and bones and spirit, in whose image we are made, and that “. . . God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world who gave his life that all mankind may be saved and by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel work out their own salvation and exaltation; that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ both appeared in person and spoke to and instructed Joseph Smith; that Joseph Smith was chosen as a Prophet of God and that the priesthood was restored by John the Baptist and by Peter, James, and John upon the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery; that this priesthood is the power of God delegated to man to act in his name, and that it is now in the Church and is the authority by which all ordinances are performed in the name of Jesus Christ; that the gospel has been restored, and that the true Church of Jesus Christ is established; that this Church is an organization similar in all essentials to the primitive Church set up by Christ among the Jews with apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers, evangelists, etc.; and that we have a prophet at the head of our Church today through whom the Lord speaks and directs his people.”
  - “The struggle in the world today and the threat of nuclear war would be averted tomorrow and peace would reign upon the earth if the people in the world would accept this message. The conflict in the world which threatens the free agency and life of every individual is a continuation of the war in heaven, where Satan was determined to take away our free agency, God’s greatest gift to man.”
  - “Satan is at work, my brethren and sisters. Our freedom is at stake. It is the responsibility of everyone who calls himself a Christian, and particularly for every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and more particularly for every holder of the priesthood of God, to take a firm stand and a determined stand against evil. It is my testimony to you, my brothers and sisters, wherever you may be, that God has given us the solution to our problems, the plan by which we can enjoy peace in the world and peace in our lives.”
April 1961 General Conference
- The Great Missionary Service
  - “During the 124 years since Brother Heber C. Kimball was called to preside over the British Mission, thousands and thousands of British people have been brought into the Church. Approximately 60,000 of these devoted members have emigrated to make their homes in America, thousands of whom crossed the plains to be with the Saints, and many of whom willingly gave their lives in the struggle. Thousands of others in the Church are proud to trace their ancestry to other countries in Europe from which many of our leaders have come, while thousands of loyal, faithful members who remained in their native lands have carried on under many trials and tribulations, contributing much to the building up of the kingdom of God at home.”
  - “In conclusion I should like to join with those who have spoken in this conference and with those devoted missionaries, both full-time, stake, and district missionaries, in bearing my testimony to all who are listening. I should like to do this by telling an experience of Joseph Smith right here on the American continent in the year 1820, which to me is one of the most important and thrilling happenings since the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, and one with which all members of the Church are very familiar, and which is being told by the missionaries throughout the world.”
October 1960 General Conference
- Answer to the Call
  - “I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God here upon the earth, and I know that I shall need your faith and prayers, and I ask that I may have them, that I may carry on in a way that will become one in this responsible position, that I may represent the Church wherever I go in a way that will be pleasing to our Heavenly Father.”

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