John R. Winder

First Counselor in the First Presidency (October 17, 1901 – March 27, 1910)
Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric (April 8, 1887 – October 17, 1901)

General Conference Addresses

• October 1909 General Conference
  • Grateful
    • “You know pretty well my age and how the Lord has blest and preserved me until the present time. I am almost eight-eight years of age; consequently, you do not expect that I am going to stand here and preach to you. I merely wish, this morning, to bear my testimony to the truth, and to tell you, from the bottom of my heart, that I propose to stand by the President and aid and assist him in every way that I can, and to carry out the principles of the Gospel.”
• April 1909 General Conference
  • Determination to be Diligent
    • “I propose to serve the Lord with all my might, mind and strength while I shall be permitted to remain here upon the earth; this is my determination.”
• October 1908 General Conference
  • Continued Growth
    • “My life has been a busy one, it has been work, work, work from my childhood until the present time; and I do not propose to discontinue, so long as the Lord shall permit me to live upon the earth. I intend, during the remainder of the time the Lord is willing to give me life, to uphold and sustain His work.”
  • Rustling
    • “I believe it is the duty of all faithful Latter-day Saints to pay their honest tithing and donations. I am sure from past experience, that it is a safe proposition, although I do not think we should be prompted to pay tithing from the mercenary consideration that we are to receive a reward, or have returned to us a portion of what we pay.”
    • “Now, for the remainder of my days, so long as the Lord shall permit me to live among you, I propose that every day of my life shall be devoted to the interests and welfare, and upbuilding of the kingdom of God upon the earth Mine has been a busy life; I commenced to labor and rustle for myself from the time I was about ten years of age, which is more than seventy-five years ago, and I have been rustling ever since. It is too late for me to lie down now; I propose to continue in this work just as long as I am permitted to live.”
• April 1908 General Conference
  • Never a Brighter Day
    • “I never saw a brighter day than this, for the Latter-day Saints. Everything that I see around me and everything that I hear causes me to rejoice. We have heard this morning that there are eighteen hundred missionaries abroad in the world preaching the Gospel of life and salvation.”
• October 1907 General Conference
  • Work in the Temples
    • “I am very thankful to be able to say that the work of the Lord is also increasing and multiplying in His holy temples. This is a duty that is laid upon the Saints; the Lord requires that they shall minister in behalf of the dead, and it is astonishing sometimes to see the interest that is taken in regard to this matter. Our temples are frequently filled to overflowing, and this is a source of great pleasure to us.”
• April 1907 General Conference
  • Fruits of Mormonism
    • “These are fruits of “Mormonism.” Did you ever see a finer lot of children grouped together than you saw here last evening on this stand? I never did. It was inspiring to listen to their trained and beautiful voices.”
• October 1906 General Conference
  • Gratifying Unity
    • “We are united in every effort that is put forth for the welfare of the Church and people of the Lord, and I am grateful to be enabled to bear testimony to what he has said in relation to this matter. I realize also that if we live near to the Lord, this testimony will continue to abide with us.”
    • “Although we may be feeble in our efforts, yet we know that when we are sustained by Him the work will progress.”
• April 1906 General Conference
  • Testimony
    • “I rejoice exceedingly that I can bear testimony to the truth of what he has said, in all particulars. I am very thankful that the Lord has been so kind and generous to me as to extend my years until the present time, and I pray and hope that the remainder of my days may be spent in assisting to build up His Church upon the earth.”
    • “I am satisfied that if we continue to prosecute our labors as faithfully as we have done in the past the Lord will continue to bless us and will multiply us upon the earth.”
• October 1905 General Conference
  • Admonition to the Saints
    • “All I want to say to you this morning, my brethren and sisters, is in relation to the Trustee-in-Trust. I say that your funds are perfectly safe in his hands, and, as he has said, not one dollar is used except where it belongs. I testify to this in your presence this morning, and that all things are well.”
• April 1905 General Conference
  • Follow the Brethren
    • “Let us do it as well as say we will do it. If we will do so, the Lord will continue to bless and prosper us, no matter what transpires. As has been said, this is His work, and His hand is stretched forth, and He will control all these matters to bring about the best results.”
• October 1904 General Conference
  • Missionary and Temple Work
    • “We rejoice that the work of the Lord is growing and increasing, and we testify that its mission will be prospered in the earth. This is the work of the Lord. He is at the helm, and He will certainly take care of it. It is our duty, of course, to do the very best we can, and as the President has said, we should so order our lives as to be above reproach. We should not only preach the Gospel by precept, but we should do so by our acts. Seeing that we are devoting our lives to this cause, let our lives be such that all men who come in contact with us may see our good works.”
• April 1904 General Conference
  • Missionary Work
    • “While we claim the right to serve the Lord with full purpose of heart, in our own way, we have no wish to deprive others from doing the same. We hope and expect to always have the privilege of serving the Lord as we feel is best, and while we value this privilege ourselves, we extend the same right to everybody on the face of the earth.”
• October 1903 General Conference
  • Debt
    • “It seems to me that it would be far more judicious for a man to take up 40 acres that he could pay for than to take up 160 acres that he could not pay for. Let him cultivate the smaller piece carefully, and probably he would find it sufficient. At all events, he would be secure against obligations.”
    • “A person who has $100 a month salary is on the safe side if he lives on $90 a month; but if he spends $110 or $120, he is going down hill all the time.”
  • Gathering and Tithing
    • “I remember distinctly that when I first heard the Gospel there was little said about the gathering; but, it was very remarkable that every person who received the Gospel began to prepare to gather with the Saints. When they received the Gospel they received the spirit of gathering with it.”
    • “It has been said that things are taught in the temples which cannot be spoken of outside. I want to tell you—and you who have been there know what I say is the truth—that every principle taught there is of a holy and sacred character.”
• April 1903 General Conference
  • Temples and Marriage
    • “Every ordinance performed there makes better fathers, better mothers, better children, better husbands and wives, better citizens of the state, and better citizens of the United States. Nothing occurs in that house that we need be ashamed of; but everything that takes place there is for the betterment of all who attend. I presume that there are thousands now listening to my voice who could testify to the truth of that which I speak.”
    • “We want to urge upon the presidents of stakes, Bishops, and officers everywhere, to use your influence with our young people in regard to this matter, to the end that they may so order their lives as to be prepared to come to the house of the Lord when they desire to enter the sacred and holy state of wedlock, and be worthy of a recommendation from their Bishop, signed by the president of the stake.”
• October 1902 General Conference
  • Temple Work and the Sacrament
    • “It is an individual work. It is the duty of all who have relatives and friends on the other side of the veil to see that this work is done for them. These temples have been erected at great expense; millions of dollars have been expended on them; they are kept open at a heavy expense; and we ought to avail ourselves of the opportunity to obtain blessings in them. There is room in them for all who desire to perform ordinance work. I hope, therefore, you will take this into consideration, and remember the word of the Prophet Joseph, that it is the duty of every person who has received ordinances for themselves to seek after their dead relatives.”
• April 1902 General Conference
  • Temple Work
    • “Since the dedication of this temple there have been 685,966 ordinances performed in it; and in all the temples there have been 2,409,128 ordinances performed. When I reflect on this, my brethren and sisters, I am inclined to think that there is a large congregation on the other side. Many of our Prophets and Apostles have gone there, and I have read to you that there is an organization there, so that as soon as the ordinances are performed here the parties are informed of it. I believe it, brethren and sisters, and that there is a host there.”

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