Bernard P. Brockbank

First Quorum of the Seventy (October 1, 1976 – October 4, 1980)
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (October 6, 1962 – October 1, 1976)

General Conference Addresses

  • October 1979 General Conference
    • Prayer to Our Heavenly Father
      • “We should pray to our Father in Heaven with a hallowed heart; we should pray for his kingdom to come, and by so doing we commit ourselves to help build the kingdom of God on this earth. As we pray that the will of God be done on earth as it is in heaven, we commit ourselves to do the will of God.”
      • “Very few pray too much. It is not one of our weaknesses.”
  • April 1977 General Conference
    • The Living Christ
      • “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worships a God and a Jesus Christ with bodies, with parts, and with passions. We also believe that the trinity of the Godhead is made up of three separate personages—God, the Eternal Father; Jesus Christ, the Son of God—our Savior; and the Holy Ghost. These two concepts of the Trinity and their attributes are completely different.”
      • “We cannot obtain salvation and eternal life by worshipping fake Christs or by living the doctrines and commandments of men.”
  • April 1976 General Conference
  • April 1975 General Conference
    • Today Millions Are Waiting
      • “Saints who do not become saviors will be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Now is the time to do missionary work. Now is the time to be saviors.”
  • October 1974 General Conference
    • The Divine Power of Repentance
      • “The devil is strongly against man’s repenting and preparing himself for the kingdom of heaven. The devil’s mission and goal is to destroy man’s potential godliness and his preparation to be again with his Heavenly Father. Repentance will stop the devil and keep him from entering the hearts of men.”
      • “What is repentance? Repentance is sorrow for sin, with self-condemnation, and complete turning away from sin. It is, therefore, more than regret and remorse; it brings about changes and makes room for the Christ-like life in preparation for entering into the kingdom of heaven.”
      • “Why are there few that will find the Lord’s straight and narrow way which leadeth unto life and salvation into the kingdom of God? Because they will not repent.”
  • April 1974 General Conference
    • Hearken Unto the Voice of God
      • “The devil deceitfully and dishonestly continues to offer man the world and the power of the world if man will but fall down and worship him. The devil wants us to love the world more than we love God. He wants us to be so foolish that we will love the creations of this earth more than the Creator.”
  • October 1973 General Conference
    • God’s Way to Eternal Life
      • “By following the Son of God and by living worthy to receive the light of life we can take on the radiance of godliness. Not only can we be children of God, in his image and likeness, but we can be sons and daughters of God in this life and in the kingdom of heaven.”
  • October 1972 General Conference
    • Entrance into the Kingdom of God
      • “But to be resurrected and immortal is not all that is required for entrance into eternal life in the kingdom of God. Eternal life in the kingdom of God is far beyond his universal gift of immortality and is God’s greatest gift to all mankind; it can only be brought about through obedience to the doctrines and commandments taught by Jesus Christ.”
      • “Knowing God is shown by keeping his commandments. People who accept and live doctrines of men do not know the living God. When you know the living God and the living Jesus Christ, you will also know your divine relationship to God.”
  • April 1972 General Conference
    • Knowing God
      • “We can receive eternal life and salvation from knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent. Many believe that there is a God, many say that they know there is a God, but many do not act like they know God. There is a great difference in believing or knowing that there is a God and in knowing God. When we claim that we know God, it bears great responsibility, and an apostle has given us information to check our knowledge of God.”
      • “Knowing God is related to keeping his commandments. Knowing God must come by direct revelation from God. You cannot know by the power of flesh and blood.”
      • “Knowing God does not solve life’s problems, but gives purpose and strength to master them.”
      • “A person who knows God would want to be like God, because God is perfect. God has all knowledge. God has power to create mankind from the dust of the earth. Anyone knowing God would have great respect for God. Anyone knowing the living God and indulging in the number one killer and destroyer of health of mankind shows a lack of love and knowledge and respect for God.”
  • October 1971 General Conference
    • The Ten Commandments
      • “Fathers, if we fail to love the living God and if we show greater love and interest for worldly things and pleasures, God has said that he will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. A father’s disrespect for the living God and Creator may be passed on to his posterity. Likewise, a father’s love and respect may be passed on to his children.”
      • “Nobleness and dignity are the fruits of reverence.”
      • “Fathers who disrespect that which God hallowed and fail to keep the Sabbath day holy will generally pass this sin on to their posterity. It is a sin to unhallow that which God hath hallowed.”
  • April 1971 General Conference
    • Love of God
      • “Why should the Lord command his children to love him with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind? There is great wisdom and divine security for mortal man in full and complete love for God.”
  • October 1970 General Conference
    • The Mormon Pavilion at Expo ’70
      • “Brothers and sisters, I must close. You who have a testimony of the Lord’s work, you who are saints, you have the answers the world is looking for, the world would like to know about a living God. The world would like to know that the scriptures of God are true. You have these answers.”
      • “Probably the greatest message that has come to this earth since the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus Christ is the Joseph Smith testimony. This was distributed extensively at Expo.”
  • October 1969 General Conference
    • The Way, the Light, and the Life
      • “Brothers and sisters, our assignment is not to condemn the world, but to help save the world.”
      • “Repentance is the God-given principle to perfect your life. When used, it cleanses away sin, weakness, imperfection, and brings progress, peace, love, righteousness, and eternal life.”
  • October 1968 General Conference
    • Seek and Ye Shall Find
      • “We must pray to the same God that Jesus Christ prayed to. Many of the gods that are worshiped are from the intellect and minds of men.”
      • “When you believe that Jesus Christ and God the Eternal Father are one and the same god, you are unable to properly use Jesus Christ as your mediator between you and your Heavenly Father.”
  • October 1967 General Conference
    • Man in the Image of God
      • “To know that we were created in the image and likeness of God is important knowledge and a great blessing, and it is a challenge to know and to do the will of the Creator. I find that many of the Lord’s children never learn the important truth that they are created in the image and likeness of God.”
      • “The full and abundant life is built around true happiness. True happiness comes from the light of divine righteousness built into the character of those who follow Jesus Christ. Joy and happiness come from God, and unhappiness comes from Satan. Satan and his legions are at work on this earth.”
      • “It requires desire, effort, and genuine love and practice to live this first commandment. When one keeps and lives this commandment, he finds little love left for Satan and for the uninspired philosophies of men.”
  • October 1966 General Conference
    • To Help Every Member Be a Missionary
      • “We will need greater unity between full-time missionaries, stake missionaries, and the Saints in order to reach and teach additional millions. We need to supply the helps necessary so that over a million Saints can help the missionary work.”
      • “The most valuable tool we have in delivering the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the testimony of the priesthood and the missionary.”
      • “This, brethren, is the greatest of all dispensations in which to do missionary work. Many millions are looking for the gospel of Jesus Christ as given in the God-inspired scriptures and by the Savior. Millions today would like to know, hear, and follow a prophet of God, and to know that there are twelve living, ordained apostles of the Lord on this earth.”
  • April 1966 General Conference
    • Missionary Work—Our Way of Life
      • “I have asked hundreds of members if they would like to bring someone into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and each said, “Yes”; but year after year passes, and they do not accomplish their desire. Only a very small percent of the Saints bring one or more converts into the Church each year. We have more than one million possible members who would like to help in reaching and teaching their friends, who would like to bring someone into the Church each year.”
  • October 1965 General Conference
    • Life’s Greatest Meaning
      • “Many men today accept Jesus Christ as the Savior and Son of God, but few accepted him when be lived on this earth.”
      • “Many are willing to accept the past prophets but comparatively few are willing to accept and follow the living prophets. Many today are willing to accept Jesus Christ, but few were willing to accept and follow him.”
      • “A false prophet will not build the kingdom of God but will build in opposition to God’s program and will build the kingdom of false men and Satan. A true prophet will not build the kingdom of Satan. A true prophet will help build the kingdom of God.”
  • April 1965 General Conference
    • Moderation and the Gospel
      • “He believed in moderation regarding the laws and commandments of God. This sounds good, and sometimes we find ourselves indulging in the same type of thinking.”
      • “Justification of sin, whether in moderation or otherwise, is not from God. It is deceitfully inspired by Satan.”
      • “May I be a little personal. Have you ever justified weakness and sin in moderation? Do you personally have anything to repent of? Of course we know the answer. How long have you had the sin or weakness that you desire to repent of? It is easier to give a sermon on repentance than to practice repentance.”
      • “Real and deep-seated love for God and Jesus Christ comes into the human soul when forgiveness of sin and weakness comes from the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”
  • April 1964 General Conference
    • The LDS Church at the World’s Fair
      • “Brothers and sisters, we sincerely and humbly ask for your prayers for the success of the Lord’s work at the World’s Fair and for the great missionary program of the Church, that we may more fully teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.”
  • October 1963 General Conference
    • Feed My Sheep
      • “We show and prove our love by feeding the lambs and the sheep. There are over three billion people on the earth today, and at the present rate of teaching, over two and a half billion of God’s children will never be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. What if you were to live on this earth and never had a chance to hear and be taught the true way of life?”
      • “Our task is great. Teachers are needed. Every member of this Church that has a testimony and is converted is urgently needed. The lambs and the sheep are hungry for the bread of life, for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can show our love by following the prophet of God, “by every member being a missionary” to bring one or more souls into the Church each year. It is great to have a prophet. Have you followed the prophet?”
  • April 1963 General Conference
    • The Responsibility Placed on a Latter-day Saint
      • “Well, a God without body, parts, or passions, uncreate—and the Prophet Joseph Smith introducing back again a God with body, parts, and passions. Man saying the Godhead is three in one and one in three—most difficult to explain and understand. Joseph Smith restoring the knowledge of three separate Personages. You know the agnostic could say they are both wrong, but it is obvious they are not both right. It’s as obvious as a fig on a thistle that one is opposite the other.”
      • “Our prophet has asked us all to be missionaries—every member a missionary. That’s the way to build this Church. Wouldn’t it be great if all two million each brought one soul into the Church. How many of you brought one new member into the Church last year? The prophet asked us to do it under the inspiration of the Lord because the Lord knows how to build his Church.”
  • October 1962 General Conference
    • Let Us Love One Another
      • “Sometimes we like to create a little darkness to hide in, but in God there is no darkness at all.”
      • “We can all show our love for our Savior Jesus Christ by feeding the lambs and the sheep. Every member a missionary! Each member to bring one or more members into the Church each year! Have you accomplished this for this year?”
      • “I pray for the ability and inspiration to serve the Lord and my fellow men. I am thankful for the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ and for the principle of repentance. Repentance has a forward look, a new look, a better Christian life. I pray to live and practice the principle of repentance.”

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