J. Richard Clarke

Presidency of the Seventy (October 1, 1988 – August 15, 1993)
First Quorum of the Seventy (April 6, 1985 – October 4, 1997)
Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric (October 1, 1976 – April 6, 1985)

General Conference Addresses

• April 1993 General Conference
  • The Lord of Life
    • “As the Spirit touched their hearts, the conversion miracle began. Their previous behavior became incompatible with gospel principles. A new set of priorities and values replaced worldly interests. Alcohol and tobacco habits became expendable, although with great effort. Modesty became the dress standard. Prayer, scripture study, Relief Society and priesthood service became the focus. They were baptized and received the Holy Ghost.”
    • “Spiritual conversion is preceded by an intense desire for change and an admission that we need divine help. Only those who humbly open their hearts have the courage to admit error and place their trust in the Lord for forgiveness and redemption.”
• April 1991 General Conference
  • “To Honor the Priesthood”
    • “To have the priesthood conferred upon us does not automatically bless us with power any more than receiving a driver’s license makes us a responsible driver.”
    • “Those who rationalize acceptance of immoral material on grounds of maturity or sophistication are deceived.”
• April 1989 General Conference
  • Our Kindred Family—Expression of Eternal Love
    • “Through family history we discover the most beautiful tree in the forest of creation—our family tree. Its numerous roots reach back through history, and its branches extend throughout eternity. Family history is the expansive expression of eternal love. It is born of selflessness. It provides opportunity to secure the family unit forever.”
    • “Nevertheless, the family is society’s strongest and most important institution. Where it has survived, it has done so as a matter of highest priority.”
    • “As we learn to be loving, caring families in mortality, our hearts will naturally turn to members of our kindred family in the spirit world. As they continue to live beyond the veil, they wait—they wait for us, their family, to share the blessings of the ordinances of the priesthood. They yearn to belong to the eternal family circle. They are anxious for us to make this possible. Are we not compelled to do so?”
    • “In the councils of heaven before the world began, we made a solemn agreement with the Lord to assist in bringing to pass the eternal life of man.”
• April 1985 General Conference
  • Hold Up Your Light
    • “As individual members of the Church it is in the everyday context of our lives that this witness we exemplify comes under constant scrutiny.”
    • “Naturally, I was surprised, deeply impressed, and flattered. As the significance of this gift settled upon my mind, the thought of someone quietly taking mental notes of my actions, attitudes, and values fired my imagination. I realized the weighty responsibility each of us has to demonstrate accurately the principles and priorities to which we are committed. It was like a mini-foretaste of Judgment Day!”
    • “Most damage to the collective reputation of the Church is done by those members who want to straddle the line, with one foot in the kingdom and the other foot in spiritual Babylon. Those who so compromise their principles want to play for both teams at once—the Lord’s and Satan’s—as if to say, “I want to wait and see which side is winning before I declare myself.””
    • “There are some members who are not concerned about their outward appearances and actions, rationalizing that they know what they really are on the inside. These individuals inevitably are judged “guilty by association.” To be judged fairly, we must avoid the very appearance of evil.”
    • “Character is revealed under pressure.”
• April 1984 General Conference
  • The Practice of Truth
    • “It is not my purpose today to discuss truth in the abstract. I would speak of the practice of truth. It is both principle and application.”
    • “To be genuine disciples, we must have harmony between the principles that we profess and the truths we practice.”
    • “The Mormon standard of integrity should be the highest standard in all the world, for we are the covenant people of God. The Lord makes no special concessions for culture, race, or nationality; He expects all His Saints to live according to gospel standards.”
    • “I believe for every law of truth we keep, there is a compounding effect. Our character is a complex of coordinated support systems, just like a well-engineered bridge. Each truss, column, or girder contributes to the strength or weakness of the whole structure.”
    • “The individual of probity has integrated his virtues into a pattern of consonance, whereas one who practices selective honesty, to fit time and circumstance, is never quite balanced.”
    • “The love for truth and the practice of truth are best learned in the home.”
• October 1982 General Conference
  • “My Soul Delighteth in the Scriptures”
    • “I am convinced that families, even young children, can learn to love the scriptures.”
    • “You don’t have to be a natural student to read the scriptures; you just need to love the Lord.”
• April 1982 General Conference
  • The Value of Work
    • “Work is a blessing from God. It is a fundamental principle of salvation, both spiritual and temporal.”
    • “The dimensions of most jobs are constrained only by the mind of the uncreative worker.”
    • “Idleness in any form produces boredom, conflict, and unhappiness. It creates a vacancy of worth, a seedbed for mischief and evil. It is the enemy of progress and salvation.”
• October 1981 General Conference
  • Love Extends beyond Convenience
    • “The restored gospel of Jesus Christ provides the solution to all the hungers of life.”
    • “If we are to walk in the steps of the Savior, we cannot do it without personal sacrifice and sincere involvement.”
• October 1980 General Conference
  • The Household of Faith
    • “The greatest test for any generation is how it responds to the voice of the prophets.”
    • “Through the exercise of our political rights and responsibilities, through community service, and through personal righteousness, we must free our nations from tyranny and from fiscal and moral bankruptcy to the extent of our ability. But we must never forget that permanent security is possible only on the condition that we follow the prophets of the Lord.”
    • “We do not always know why the Lord commands us to do certain things. His ways are not man’s ways. But this much we do know—his paths are straight.”
    • “I would like to make one point very clear. The welfare services program of the Church is essentially you and I being self-sufficient within our own families.”
• October 1978 General Conference
  • Successful Welfare Stewardship
    • “To be profitable servants, we must improve that which the Lord has entrusted to us. Stewards are managers, and sound management reduces waste and ensures an appropriate return on invested resources.”
    • “I believe there are three elements which characterize successful stewardship—agency, diligence, and accountability. We are free to accept or reject the invitation to serve, but once we accept, we assume full responsibility for the results.”
• April 1978 General Conference
  • The Storehouse Resource System
    • “It has always been the disposition of the true disciples of Christ, as they reached higher degrees of spirituality, to look after the needy.”
• April 1977 General Conference
  • Ministering to Needs through LDS Social Services
    • “My brothers and sisters, I am sure each of you has been touched by the stories of the Church’s great relief efforts to members stricken by floods or earthquakes. Our hearts go out to these people in need. There are, however, other needs—social-emotional needs—that can be just as devastating as any natural disaster. And these needs cannot be met with truckloads of food or clothing.”
    • “A spiritual or emotional dole, Elder Boyd K. Packer has noted, can be just as damaging as a material one.”
• October 1976 General Conference
  • “I Will Never Be the Same Again”
    • “When President Kimball asked me in my numb silence if I wanted to go home and think over the proposition, I was pleased to say that was a decision which my wife and I had made at the time of our marriage, and so I could immediately answer in the affirmative.”

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