Delbert L. Stapley – Gospel Study

Delbert L. Stapley

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (October 5, 1950 – August 19, 1978))

General Conference Addresses

October 1977 General Conference
- The Blessings of Righteous Obedience
  - “”Willing, righteous obedience leads to celestial life; indeed, there is no eternal progress without it. Yet obedience to the commandments of God seems to be one of man’s most difficult challenges.”
  - “Our willingness to comply with the commandments of God is a witness of our faith in Him and our love for Him. A rebellious disposition cannot inherit the celestial kingdom.”
April 1977 General Conference
- What Constitutes the True Church
  - “There is no logic or reason to the proposition that inconsistent teachings and differing doctrines can bring about the same results. If truth comes from one source—God—how can it be so diversely taught?”
  - “He did not recognize then, nor has He recognized since, a multiplicity of folds or shepherds.”
  - “We cannot secure the blessings God has promised without keeping His laws and His commandments. These we must learn and faithfully obey if we are to gain the celestial kingdom.”
October 1976 General Conference
- Teachings of the Apostle Paul
  - “No man can enter into heaven on his own terms. God’s plan is the only way to achieve this goal, and Christ is our teacher and exemplar.”
April 1976 General Conference
- Easter Thoughts
  - “Truly the works, miracles, and teachings of the Christ, together with heavenly appearances and confirmations of angelic personages—also the declarations of God the Father in the presence of accredited witnesses—testify fully and conclusively that Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh, our Redeemer, Savior, and Lord.”
October 1975 General Conference
- To Make a People Prepared for the Lord
  - “The world today is filled with men who have forsaken or forgotten God. They are seeking to change his laws by exercising their own mortal judgments. Perhaps to them God is not up-to-date. They forget that God’s commandments are eternal and unchangeable. I ask this question: Is it possible for the created ever to be wiser than the Creator?”
April 1975 General Conference
- Using Our Free Agency
  - “The divine plan provided that they be freeborn in the flesh and become heirs to the inalienable birthright of liberty to choose and act for themselves in mortality. It was essential for their eternal progression that they be subjected to the influences of both good and evil.”
  - “As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have this gift of free agency to use in our mortal lives. We must be tried, tested, and proved to see if we will choose the right and do all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall command us. As spirit children of God, we have built-in powers of conscience sufficient to develop our free agency in right choices and to acquire qualities of goodness, humility, and integrity of purpose.”
  - “We cannot use our free agency as a justification to do evil. Man is free to choose the good or the evil in life, and to obey or disobey the Lord’s commands as he may elect. He can choose to act without compulsion or restraint.”
  - “Too many people have the wrong attitude about free agency. They use it as a negative force in their lives rather than as a positive one. Perhaps you have heard this statement: “I can smoke and drink if I want to. I have my free agency.” But why not think in terms of eternal values and say, “I can smoke and drink if I want to. I have my free agency, but I choose to use my agency in bettering my life—in choosing the right and not the wrong.” This can apply to any vice in one’s life. Have the right attitude and a vice can turn to a virtue, and virtue has its own reward. To use our agency for good, we must set aside the defensive, arrogant, and haughty attitude of a transgressor.”
  - “While Satan would like us under his control, God does not control the actions of men.”
  - “Be aware and warned of the subtle workings of Satan, for he never stops trying to lead us astray. He is an expert on making things seem appealing and right, when actually they can bring about our moral destruction. He does not believe in free agency, and would like to control our minds, thoughts, and acts.”
  - “Be suspicious of those who would put you in a compromising position. Never compromise the right, for compromise can lead to sin, sin to regret, and regret can hurt so very much.”
  - “No man is free who is not master of himself. True freedom of agency exists with the observance of God’s laws. Keep in mind that good and evil can never be amalgamated into one. They are at opposite ends. They do not abide in harmony within a person.”
October 1974 General Conference
- Good Habits Develop Good Character
  - “The future we seek as Latter-day Saints is a life motivated by good thoughts, expressed in good works, and sustained by an inner peace and determination of righteous doing.”
  - “We are not born into this world with fixed habits. Neither do we inherit a noble character. Instead, as children of God, we are given the privilege and opportunity of choosing which way of life we will follow—which habits we will form.”
  - “Good habits are developed in the workshop of our daily lives. It is not in the great moments of test and trial that character is built. That is only when it is displayed.”
  - “Our destiny is determined by our character, and our character is the sum and expression of our habits. Character is won by hard work.”
  - “The character required to attain eternal life must be formed in this life with good habits supplying the building material.”
April 1974 General Conference
- The Savior’s Ministry
  - “Do we understand what Christ is saying? He is telling us that as he prayed to the Father and healed the sick and blessed the children, that we also have the right to pray for those in need and to bless our own families. This is not only a blessing to us, but a safeguard to family life, to bring us closer together in love and harmony through such a spiritual influence.”
  - “Christ’s joy is made full when we are repentant, faithful, and keep God’s commandments.”
  - “As one who has the responsibility of witnessing the reality of Christ in God’s great plan of life and salvation, I bear solemn witness to these truths; also that the spirit of man never dies and that life continues beyond this mortal existence. I humbly testify that God lives; Jesus, his Son, lives; and the gospel as we teach it is true.”
October 1973 General Conference
- The Path to Eternal Life
  - “A person earnestly seeking eternal life must avoid the pitfalls of temptation and sin. He is never safe from committing sin unless he has fully prepared himself and decided on the course he will take before temptation comes into his life.”
  - “We cannot mix evil with good and attain the eternal mansions of our Heavenly Father. Our duty is to constantly do the works of righteousness.”
April 1973 General Conference
- The Path to Eternal Glory
  - “The philosophies of men cannot replace nor transcend gospel philosophy as given in the revelations of God, nor can the science of man replace the truths revealed by God through his prophets.”
  - “In this mortal life we not only have the opportunity, but the moral obligation, to right our wrongs. We should repent of our evil doings and confess them in order to give our lives spiritual direction.”
October 1971 General Conference
- Our Responsibility: To Save the World
  - “Unfortunately, we have not fully kept Satan out of our—or more appropriately, the Lord’s—church. We have not all, by righteous living, protected ourselves against the powers of Satan and his hosts.”
  - “The only way Satan can be bound is for people to forsake his temptations and enticements to do evil, and to walk uprightly and circumspectly before the Lord.”
  - “Satan and his followers are constantly looking for weakness in our armor of spiritual protection, and when it is found, every pressure and stratagem is placed upon it to infiltrate our souls and destroy us.”
  - “The Lord expects us to be different from the people of the world. We should be a special people to him; however, we must prove we are by our conduct and behavior and obedience to his commandments.”
  - “Obedience goes beyond that of earthly parents. It obligates all of us as children of our Father in heaven to be obedient to his laws and commandments.”
  - “The gospel only can inspire people to live its standards of moral and spiritual conduct. We do not sacrifice anything when we give up the ways of the world and faithfully keep the commandments of God. For such worthiness in mortal life entitles us, after we depart this life, to the celestial mansions of our Heavenly Father. What could be a more glorious and satisfying reward?”
  - “We must remember that no unclean thing can enter into the presence of God. One cannot win by following the path of evil. The earlier in life we learn this lesson, the more rewarding and fruitful our lives will be.”
April 1971 General Conference
- Honesty and Integrity
  - “In all humility and sincerity we must admit a power higher than ourselves from whom is derived a positive moral code that will give our lives significance and purpose. We also must remember once and for all that honesty, respect, and honor as such are not for sale on the market block. They are ingredients that you and I and all people should put into our daily lives.”
  - “Can there be a truly honest man without him being a good man, or can there be a truly good man without him being an honest man? It seems honesty must begin with oneself; otherwise we could not recognize this quality in others. We see things not as they are, but as we are. It is the responsibility of each of us to be honest ourselves—honest in our dealings and relationships, honest in our church membership, honest in keeping the commandments of God.”
  - “Honesty and integrity as perfected virtues in parents are more likely to become the heritage and rich endowments of their children. Parents cannot give to their children that which they do not possess.”
  - “Honesty and integrity build confidence, friendships, and secure the goodwill and support of people that so often pay satisfying dividends.”
  - “One can overlook many sins, but the sin of dishonesty is most difficult to forgive. We are sympathetic to the weaknesses of men and tolerant in our relations with them, but there is nothing that upsets or disturbs confidence more than dealing with a dishonest individual.”
October 1970 General Conference
- The Value of Love
  - “The scriptures teach us that our God is a God of love. It is the greatest thing God can give us and the greatest thing we can give him. The true measure of loving God is to love him without measure.”
  - “Love is not real when one demands attentions and fancied needs, then is not appreciative of them and gives nothing in return for the favors received. That attitude is one of pure selfishness and reflects a lack of gratitude, decency, and respect. Such a person is self-centered and cares not for his failure to acknowledge courtesy or express thanks and appreciation.”
  - “Love is the purification of the heart. It strengthens character and gives a higher motive and a positive aim to every action of life.”
  - “When children are left to fend for themselves, it often destroys the spiritual and orderly environment of the home. If children feel that their parents really care, they will respond to their wishes.”
April 1970 General Conference
- An Unwavering Faith
  - “How can meaningful wisdom be acquired except by prayer and an unwavering faith? If we find it necessary to analyze, evaluate, and question our faith without end, do we really have faith? Is it steadfast and unwavering? Do we observe the laws of God without measuring their pros and cons? Having an unwavering faith is applying a specific principle to daily living.”
  - “When we are serene and on the Lord’s side, Satan’s influence is not felt; but when we cross over and are deceived by the winds of false doctrine, by the waves of man-made philosophies and sophistries, we can be drenched, submerged, and even drowned in the depths of disbelief, and the Spirit of the Lord driven completely from our lives. These deceived and wavering souls cannot, because of their incontinence, expect to receive anything of the Lord.”
  - “Our duty is to prepare our hearts in righteousness, forsake iniquity, cleanse our souls of evil, not become beguiled by enticing and flattering words or the vain deceits of designing men who would lead us down the paths of misery to destruction.”
  - “God does not upbraid anyone who earnestly and humbly seeks him in faith and prayer for wisdom and guidance. He welcomes it. He is our Heavenly Father. He wants to help us if we will only ask and listen to him; but in asking, one’s spirit and attitude must be right to obtain an answer. Faith in God brings peace to the soul and an assurance that he is our Eternal Father into whose presence by prayer we can go for comfort and guidance.”
October 1969 General Conference
- A Salute to YWMIA
  - “No one society or no one organization has sprung at once into full, perfect maturity. Most good and great thoughts and things are a growth, not a sudden perfection.”
  - “The world may lower its standards, but the Church can never do so, because God has revealed the way all faithful members should live.”
  - “Do not place man’s science, his philosophies or sophistries above or on an equal plane with the truths revealed of God. The philosophy of man can rise no higher than the mind of man who created it.”
April 1969 General Conference
- The Power of Example
  - “The world needs more men and women of good moral and spiritual character who will stand firm, steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of God and be living examples of truth and righteousness.”
  - “The gospel teaches correct principles, standards, and ideals, but there are so many who disregard these teachings, and thus fail to rightly govern themselves.”
  - “Honesty, integrity, uprightness, morality, observance of the Word of Wisdom, and all the revelations concerning ideal behavior should be exemplified in our own lives, and we will then become proper examples for others to follow.”
October 1968 General Conference
- To Love God
  - “To love God with all one’s heart implies the presence of sincere, profound inner feelings of the soul, inspired from a divine source. Love should be the most dominant factor in one’s life.”
  - “Love is made up of these qualities: moral and ethical honesty, patience, forbearance, kindness, integrity, virtue, purity of soul, free conscience, service to fellowmen, and good works.”
  - “To love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength is our first, and most important commitment. Without our eternal God, who is the Father of our spirits, we would not exist. With his love for us and our love for him, everything concerning our eternal welfare and happiness will fit into proper perspective to guide us to that eternal kingdom where God and Christ dwell.”
April 1968 General Conference
- Light and Truth Forsake Evil
  - “Many people profess a zeal for God, but their lives do not always harmonize fully with spiritual knowledge. Those who sincerely believe will follow and do the works of Christ; otherwise, in their pursuit of eternal glory, they will fall short of their heavenly goal.”
  - “It is far easier to walk in the paths of righteousness and the light of gospel truths than to fall into the sorrow of disobedience and evil doing. If we walk in the light as Christ is in the light, peace of mind, happiness, and joy will be our lot forever.”
October 1967 General Conference
- True Vision and Knowledge Required for Exaltation
  - “Our God-given free agency will permit us to choose the pattern we wish to follow; hopefully the gospel will furnish the blueprint for the eternal house we are now building.”
  - “Intellectual dishonesty disquiets and curses the lives of those guilty of such deceit. Can the spirit of the Lord activate one guilty of intellectual dishonesty? How glorious our society would be if all those who make up that society were intellectually honest.”
April 1967 General Conference
- The Pangs of Unlearning
  - “Certain attitudes are destructive to true character. They inhibit growth. If allowed to develop, they may produce disastrous consequences. Negative, cynical, and other kindred attitudes are dangerous to faith, hope, humility, righteous desires, and high purpose, which virtues are essential to the discovery and retention of that which is best in the learning process and of “unlearning” the undesirable in life.”
  - “The peoples of the world must unlearn the idea that all churches are acceptable unto God. Some teach that it doesn’t matter which road one takes (meaning which church one belongs to), since all roads, it is claimed, lead back to the presence of God. This premise does not accord with the teachings of the scriptures.”
October 1966 General Conference
- The Holy Ghost
  - “We would do well to acknowledge that the Spirit of God should reflect itself in all our doings. Christianity has little value if men do not take it with them and use it honestly in all their activities in life.”
  - “The Holy Ghost is an actual, heavenly endowment from God in the life of an individual. It is a power he can feel. If faithful and obedient, one learns to be sensitive and responsive to its guidance and influence.”
  - “The Holy Ghost has many powers, gifts, and functions, but it will not abide in an unworthy, dishonest, or sinful person.”
  - “Without the Holy Ghost one lives in spiritual darkness, blind to truth, unbelieving of heart, and apostate in feelings and teachings.”
  - “If man will recognize his divine origin, he will then realize his Heavenly Father will not leave him alone to grope in darkness of mind and spirit, but will make available a power to influence him in right paths and into standards of good behavior. The Holy Ghost is that power.”
April 1966 General Conference
- The Vision of Lehi
  - “Man’s duty, therefore, is to seek earnestly for the word of the Lord; and when he finds it, if he is sincere in his desires, he will enter into that straight and narrow path that will take him to the tree of life where he can partake of the fruit thereof. Remaining true, he will not fall into the byways of wickedness and sin but continue on to the eternal mansions prepared of God for the faithful and worthy of his children.”
  - “In man’s search for happiness and his climb to eternal joy, there can be no relaxation, no deviation from the straight and narrow path; nor can he lose a firm hold upon the iron rod, which is the word of God. He must set aside the things of the world as he travels the path which leads to exaltation and glory in the kingdom of God.”
October 1965 General Conference
- This Pearl Beyond Price
  - “Men who by search and research discover the truths of the kingdom of heaven may have to abandon many of their cherished traditions and even their theories of imperfect philosophy and science if they would possess the pearl of great price, God’s kingdom, which, with its standards, principles, ideals, and holy ordinances is the gospel plan of life, salvation, exaltation, and glory.”
April 1965 General Conference
- Keep the Faith
  - “We must be an alert people, ever defending our rights, liberties, and ideals by active and interested participation in all which concerns us. Throughout this nation many doors in devious ways are being opened to the underworld with their racketeering and evil designs. It seems so many of us who could act cooperatively and legitimately according to just purposes and procedures conform by coercion because it is the order of the lay, rather than take an active part for that which is right and be courageous enough to stand up and be counted for being on the side of right.”
  - “The law cannot go forth from Zion in power to the people of the world, and successfully so, without faithful example and courageous spiritual firmness by the Saints to support fully every principle, standard, and ideal which is part and parcel of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
  - “We should not open our doors to questionable influences because we are not interested in them nor do we wish to expose ourselves or our loved ones to that which they offer.”
  - “We are advised not to trifle with sacred things. It isn’t wise for man to set aside the counsels of God and walk in his own way, which way is a path of pitfalls and of the errors of darkness. Every soul should seek through righteousness the light of the Spirit as a guide through his entire mortal life.”
  - “It takes faith to inquire of the Lord, and faith requires righteousness of lives to secure an answer from God.”
April 1964 General Conference
- The Kingdom of God
  - “Truth must be sought and understood and lived—otherwise, it is useless. It does not impose itself; it waits to be discovered.”
  - “When truth is known in its entirety, it makes one more Godlike, for God knows and understands all things.”
  - “Truly everyone desiring salvation and exaltation are obligated sincerely to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”
  - “Christ’s church is distinctive and apart from man-made religious institutions. In all ages his work has been established by revelation and the opening of the heavens from which source angels descended to instruct the prophets and to confer the keys and authority of priesthood unto leaders chosen of God.”
October 1963 General Conference
- The Glorious Standard
  - “With the knowledge of God’s declaration that the Constitution of this land is inspired of him, it behooves every citizen to analyze the meaning, importance, and significance of this profound document and give loyal support to its spirit and purpose. We cannot afford to become complacent, forsake vigilance, and thus lose the benefits of the Lord’s promise of blessings upon the people of this goodly land. Also, we must see to it that the principles, the standards, the ideals, the rights, the privileges, and the protection guaranteed by the Constitution are upheld by those who represent us in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.”
  - “If wickedness prevails and wicked men rule, then we will be as other nations. We will stand alone without the guiding influence and power of God to sustain us in time of trouble and in meeting the challenge and threat of internal and external Satanic ideologies, also the evil designs and intrigues of men and nations.”
  - “What happened to the nation of Israel can happen to this nation also if we as a people in this chosen land fail to obey the laws and the counsels of God. It will be profitable to all of us in the light of the promises and warnings to this nation to read again the biblical history of the nation of Israel. It will help us avoid the pitfalls which befell them.”
April 1963 General Conference
- The Consequences of Sin
  - “Every member of this Church is duty bound to keep sacred and honorably fulfil every requirement and condition of his vows to his God; otherwise, the Lord will not have pleasure in him nor will his mercies be extended upon him.”
  - “To take another man’s wife or another woman’s husband is stealing in its most ignoble form.”
  - “We cannot afford, as children of God, in whose presence we someday hope to be, to toss overboard the God-given principles of morality and make our bodies instruments of unrighteousness by yielding to the gratification of bodily desires.”
  - “A light tap on the wrist to those guilty of serious sins does not satisfy justice nor does it serve as a brake or a deterrent to others who may be tempted to violate the moral law. When transgressors are dealt with too gently, people sense an apparent easing in maintaining gospel standards; therefore, the bars of morality may be lowered. For aberrant members of the Church to lose its privileges and blessings may cause them to appreciate more what they have lost. The feeling of aloneness and of not belonging stirs them to repentance and increased faithfulness.”
October 1961 General Conference
- Beware of Conspiring Men
  - “To be forewarned is to be forearmed. We, the people of the Lord, cannot afford to be lulled into peaceful security and complacency. The dangers of our day are real and knocking constantly and unrelentingly at our doors.”
  - “The test of true Church membership is here. Can we stand firm and true to the principles, ideals and standards of the gospel, or will we be so naive and unsuspecting as to fall into the traps of evil so cunningly planned and promoted by designing and conspiring men?”
  - “The Lord has been most kind and considerate by giving us this knowledge and warning by revelation. Will we heed the warning and not yield to Satan’s powers and stratagems to deceive and to destroy us? Our peace, our safety, our happiness is in listening to and following the teachings and instructions of the Lord’s anointed.”
April 1961 General Conference
- Joint Heirship with Christ
  - “So often we are deceived by thinking that some divine laws are not too significant and to break them is no deterrent to a fulness of eternal joy.”
  - “Complete obedience and faithfulness obtain full fellowship in the household of faith and, more importantly, merit joint-heirship with Christ our Lord in all that the Father has committed unto him.”
October 1960 General Conference
- Keep Faith With Your Family
  - “To prevent these conditions with their penalties, parents who desire to abide by counsel have no alternative except to follow religiously the admonition and instruction the Lord has given them in this revelation. He also issued an additional warning, which admonishes parents of the obligation they have for the spiritual upbringing of their children.”
April 1960 General Conference
- Have Faith
  - “Have faith to be humble and believe and not doubt.”
  - “Have faith to receive and obey the truths, principles, and ordinances of the gospel of Christ.”
  - “Have faith to set aside your own views and personal desires to do God’s will with confidence and good works.”
October 1959 General Conference
- The Restoration
  - “Dissenters from the Church in all ages of the world, influenced by evil design, have zealously taught deceptive and false doctrines and led many unsuspecting and unthinking souls into the broad way of apostasy from the truth. The true servants of the Lord have consistently and humbly warned against self-appointed leaders, and have always admonished the Saints to be faithful and true in keeping the commandments of God, and thus develop faith and strength against the powers of evil which are constantly leveled at them.”
April 1959 General Conference
- Keeping the Covenants
  - “The ordinance of the Sacrament is also a sacred covenant. It reminds us of the great sacrifice of the Son of God upon the cross, which makes possible our redemption, salvation, and, if worthy, exaltation and eternal glory. It also gives us the opportunity to renew and keep in force the sacred covenants and obligations which we have entered into with our God.”
  - “Our safety and happiness lie in keeping fully the commandments of God and maintaining, through good works, all obligations connected with the covenants entered into with him to the end of our days.”
October 1958 General Conference
- Faith—and the Polynesians
  - “The true gospel of our Lord can be understood by the simple, yet is so profound it can challenge the most learned thinker with its depths of knowledge and wisdom.”
April 1958 General Conference
- Can Two Walk Together
  - “I assure each of you that the road to God’s presence is not that easy.”
  - “A man cannot truly be free who is handicapped by false tradition, false teachings, error, and a lack of true knowledge that saves.”
  - “There is only one true gospel plan, of which our Savior is the author, that embodies all the teachings, principles, and ordinances revealed for the salvation and exaltation of mankind.”
April 1957 General Conference
- Honoring the Priesthood
  - “No true parent would want to deny loved ones opportunities for blessings both here in mortality and eternally.”
  - “We also know that individually and separately they cannot attain to the highest glory in the celestial kingdom. No man holding the Holy Priesthood can cast it aside and then wear it as desired and expect to have his bestowed blessings ratified and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. That heavenly sealing power to all covenants, vows, and performances is gained by the righteousness of individuals. The ordinances, endowments, and blessings received are otherwise not efficacious in the eternal celestial mansions of God.”
  - “To be faithful and devoted to priesthood obligations is the only way man can gain favor and power with God and have rightful claim upon him for blessings to himself, his family, and others to whom he may minister.”
  - “Fathers holding this great gift of the Holy Priesthood should set the example they desire their children to follow. The eternal happiness of their families depends upon the father’s obedience to God’s laws and his faithful performance in the sacred calling of his priesthood office.”
October 1956 General Conference
- Youth and Morality
  - “Good homes where the gospel is taught and lived and where love predominates are basic to the true character and high moral standards of youth.”
  - “Satan, through his human aids, has cunningly devised alluring schemes and enticements that confuse and frustrate youth as to the true values of life. The moral and spiritual standards of the gospel are frequently endangered. Knowledge of life and its facts are too often obtained by youth from wrong and undesirable sources because the home and parents, the proper source, too frequently close the door by side-stepping the issue or question, when a timely, intelligent, or understanding answer or explanation might change for good the whole course of a young person’s life.”
  - “Perhaps children should not blame parents for their own mistakes, but often they do, following a transgression that proper and timely instruction and counsel could have prevented. A simple and honest answer to questions and problems so vital to youth could make the big difference in their lives when temptations arise.”
  - “In dealing with children there should always be love and kindness, yet firmness, when setting up controls and rules of conduct.”
April 1956 General Conference
- Responsibilities to the Lamanites
  - “My brothers and sisters, the Indian cause and program is not a dead issue in the Church today but continues a constant challenge and duty. We must regain through devoted service to the Indian God’s approval and blessing upon this most important assignment.”
October 1955 General Conference
- The Lord’s Plan
  - “Love and brotherly kindness in administering help are basic concepts of the Church welfare plan.”
April 1955 General Conference
- The Straight Gate—Repentance and Baptism
  - “My brothers and sisters, we see from this that the function of the Holy Ghost to those who have received its bestowal is to guide in the narrow way to an understanding of what is required for eternal life and glory. Men, through faithfulness, must become worthy for ordination to the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood, that priesthood after the order of the Son of God, which ordination and priesthood makes possible receiving the spiritual blessings of God’s kingdom, for it is in the gospel ordinances officiated in by the authority of the Holy Priesthood that the powers of godliness are manifest unto men in the flesh. In this dispensation God has restored the keys, powers, and authorities to officiate in all the sacred ordinances with the right to seal and bind for time and all eternity both the living and the dead.”
October 1954 General Conference
- I Bear Witness
  - “My brothers and sisters, the Prophet, unschooled, unlearned, could not have given to the world what he was privilege to reveal unless God were with him. God inspired him in all that he did. There were living witnesses who testified to his divine calling for heavenly messengers had manifested this truth to several brethren. Surely if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is more certain. The office of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the Father and Son, it is also the spirit of truth, and when it testifies to the spirit of men there comes an inward feeling whether a thing is true or whether it is not true. In the case of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, it was true, for men in his day and since have received that witness and testimony which the Holy Ghost itself manifests unto those who seek after truth.”
April 1954 General Conference
- Keep My Commandments
  - “The evil and wickedness present in the world today show the power Satan has over the hearts of people, and therefore the promotion of righteousness among men is the important duty of God’s servants, and thus they prepare all his children against the days of tribulation preceding the Savior’s coming to earth again.”
  - “If men will open their hearts to truth, the Holy Ghost will stimulate their faith to accept the revelations and follow the counsel of divinely appointed leaders.”
October 1953 General Conference
- The Lord’s Work
  - “The Lord has not chosen us to fail in this work of his kingdom, but to succeed. We have no reason to fail. This is the Lord’s work. He is inspiring and revealing unto those who have been properly called his mind and his will. This guiding force is present in the affairs of his kingdom today. Without this holy influence we would be groping in spiritual darkness.”
  - “We must always see and understand the great spiritual forces that underlie the mechanics of all gospel ordinances. The outward appearance of these ordinances is but a symbol of their eternal significance. This we should always realize, and again we must always keep in force our covenants and obligations with our God. That opportunity is afforded us as we attend the sacrament meetings and partake of the holy sacrament.”
April 1953 General Conference
- The Wise Course
  - “Our most important possession is the gospel. It has no counterpart. It encompasses all truth. It is the only plan for life and salvation that is eternal and applies to all mankind. Obedience to its principles, doctrines and ordinances is our only hope for protection and peace in a disturbed world.”
October 1952 General Conference
- Blessings Through Faithfulness
  - “We need to consider the principle of honesty. Our beloved President mentioned it in his talk to the priesthood last evening. We must be honest and sincere as a people. We cannot lie nor cheat in our dealings. We should not take advantage of our fellow men. We cannot receive something that we have not worked for and earned. As a people, we need to teach the principle of honesty; it is a virtue that makes for character and good Latter-day Saints.”
April 1952 General Conference
- Perfection Through Obedience
  - “An important duty of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to assist its members to attain the full measure of their possibilities and powers. This would give great strength to the Church and bring joy and happiness to the membership of the Church.”
  - “The right of free agency and choice belongs to all of us, but God holds us accountable for our individual acts. The Lord has placed Prophets, Apostles, and teachers in his Church to interpret and point the way for his people and all the world in spiritual and temporal matters. Safety is in following divinely appointed leadership and counsel. The rights and powers of these leaders stem from the Savior himself, and each can trace his priesthood and authority through an unbroken chain to this divine source.”
  - “The Latter-day Saints need to be careful that they do not become persuaded to false ideas and teachers. There are some among us who seize upon one or more appealing principle, truth, or law, then twist it to their own desire or profit until they become all-consuming obsessions with them. They are not satisfied or content to hold these views to themselves, but with Satan’s encouragement, desire to entice others to their way of thinking; they seek followers and persuade not only those who are weak and unfaithful but also many of the faithful are deceived. Somehow they forget or fail to understand that this Church is not built upon one principle, or one law, or one truth, but the true gospel is built upon many principles, laws and truths, complete acceptance and obedience to which is necessary to give us joy, happiness, satisfaction, and eternal glory.”
  - “Many of these people pledge allegiance to the Church, yet they separate themselves from Church meetings and encourage others to do likewise. Those who follow them become children of evil, lose their faith and testimony, and the history of such followers is that if they do not repent, they are excommunicated from the Church.”
October 1951 General Conference
- Fasting and Prayer
  - “I have been impressed by its great spiritual significance. It seems to me it is a source of strength, a source of power, a source of blessing that perhaps as a people we are not using enough; that it does have tremendous spiritual value to those who observe the law, and who apply it faithfully. It also seems to me that fasting and prayer can be employed to bless others, and if we would faithfully observe the law, the blessings of our Heavenly Father would collectively be given to the people of the Church.”
  - “By observing fasting and prayer in its true spirit, the Latter-day Saints cannot be overpowered by Satan tempting them to evil.”
  - “It seems to me, my brethren and sisters, particularly my brethren holding the Melchizedek Priesthood, that when we are called to administer to the sick who are sorely afflicted, if we would humble our souls through fasting and prayer, we would be close to our Heavenly Father and have claim upon him for the blessings to those we love and seek to help.”
  - “Surely in these conditions of uncertainty, these conditions of wickedness and vice we need the sustaining and guiding power of Almighty God, which we can obtain from our Heavenly Father through the exercise of this great principle of fasting and prayer.”
April 1951 General Conference
- Zion Must Arise
  - “We know the Church passed through many trials and many tribulations, that brethren along the way deserted the Prophet, and the Saints suffered mobbings and all types of hardships and privations, but there were in the Church men of strength and character men who believed in this great latter-day work; and the power of the Lord rested with them. They were undaunted in the face of these difficulties.”
  - “We have been counseled to warn our neighbors, not to hide our light under a bushel, but to place it where it can be seen of men, that they may have the opportunities and the blessings this Church affords and that you and I enjoy.”
October 1950 General Conference
- Love for the Work
  - “Most of my life I have been actively engaged in the Church. I love the Church; I love to work in the Church. I delight in working with people. I am sure this calling gives me that opportunity.”

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