I am very grateful that I have been able to attend the sessions of this conference; thankful that I have had the companionship of this great group, most of them in this building. I want to take this occasion to express my appreciation and invoke the blessings of the Lord upon these men, women, and children who have stood during these long two hours of meeting, with no place to sit but have stood here in the house of the Lord to be edified by those who have done the speaking. I am sure you will receive your blessings, and I am sure they will be sufficient to compensate you for any weariness that may have come to you as a result of this experience.
Security On Lord’s Side
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only means by which we may hope to find a place in the celestial kingdom. Sometimes we feel that we are sure of it because we have membership in the Church. I take this occasion to call to the attention of the older members of the Church, who have lived a part of their lives and feel quite secure, the fact that nobody is secure unless he is on the Lord’s side of the line Ex. 32:26
All temptation and evil are on the devil’s side. If I had time, I could tell you of an experience of a man who was magnified and was a great preacher of the gospel, and because of his failure to stay on the Lord’s side of the line, he went into the dark and died a bitter apostate.
None of us are secure except we keep the commandments of our Heavenly Father. The pathway of righteousness is the highway of happiness. There is no other way to happiness.
Purpose Of Life
Today the people all over the world are talking about the same subject we have been speaking of, the resurrection. When we think of the resurrection of our Redeemer, I am reminded that the purpose of his life was to prepare us all, to make a path that we could all walk, that would bring us eternal happiness in his presence as well as in the presence of one another. He gave his life and testified by the shedding of his blood that he was a Son of God, and then as we have had it called to our attention, his appearance since that time has demonstrated beyond any possible doubt that he was what he claimed to be.
The Church is organized, and the missionaries go out in all the world to share the gospel, not to give some new truth, but to share the truth that the Lord has already revealed.
When he was asked to pray—I am reminded of a part of that prayer—he said,
. . . Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Matt. 6:9-10
Universal Resurrection
That is the purpose of the gospel, and today we are thinking of what a marvelous thing it was when the Savior was resurrected when he took up his immortal body to live forever.
But he wanted this earth to become a heaven, and that is what the gospel is intended to do, to teach people so that it will become a heaven. What a wonderful condition it would be! We rejoice because of the resurrection, and he held out to us that it would be a universal resurrection, and that this earth would be redeemed, and the people who dwell here would live in happiness forever.
Brethren and sisters, we ought to be grateful for our blessings. We ought to be thankful for the companionship of such men and women as we have. We ought to feel a desire to do all that we can to set an example, that others, seeing our upright lives may be constrained to keep the commandments of God.
We are coming to the close of a most interesting and instructive conference. As I look at these beautiful flowers that came from the Berkeley Stake, I want to take occasion again to thank the people who sent them, for I don’t know of any place where flowers are more appropriate than in the house of the Lord. And these beautiful lilies that we have, have made this house a beauty spot that it would not have been but for them.
Houses In Order
Brethren and sisters, let us go to our homes. If our houses are not in order, let us set them in order. Let us renew our determination to honor God and keep his commandments, to love one another, to make our homes the abiding place of peace. Each of us can contribute to that in the homes in which we live.
It will not be long until calamities will overtake the human family unless there is speedy repentance. It will not be long before those who are scattered over the face of the earth by millions will die like flies because of what will come.
Our Heavenly Father has told us how it can be avoided, and that is our mission, in part, to go into the world and explain to people how it may be avoided, and that people need not be unhappy as they are everywhere but that happiness may be in their lives—because when the Spirit of God burns in your soul, you cannot be otherwise than happy.
Gratitude For Support
I take this occasion to thank the brethren who are giving all their time to developing and building the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I want to thank these men who stand by my side, who are so willing to support me in the responsibilities that are tremendous for one man to carry—my counselors, and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve and their assistants, and the First Council of the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric, and the Patriarch.
I want to add to that the stake presidencies, the bishops of wards, the presidents of missions, and the presidencies and general boards of all the auxiliary organizations. I am grateful for the things that they are doing, because they are trying to bring this world into a condition that will be heaven. The Lord has said it could be if we will do our part.
Blessing
In conclusion I desire to leave the blessing of our Heavenly Father with you all, that you may go to your homes renewed, refreshed, and invigorated, determined to carry on and to do all you can to make this earth heaven.
I bless you that you may have joy in this, that you may go to your homes in peace and in safety, and that you may carry with you that spirit which our Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us here so generously, and that we may look forward to the time when we may meet again in the name of the Lord, with assurance that a blessing will follow, because he has said it always would, even if two or three meet in his name.
Remember, we all have responsibilities. We may not be called to some definite duty, but in every neighborhood there is opportunity for each of us to radiate a spirit of peace and love and happiness to the end that people may understand the gospel and be gathered into the fold.
Testimony
To some it may sound selfish to hear us say, “This is the only true Church” D&C 1:30 But we are only repeating what the Savior said, and he knows. It is the Church that he recognizes, and it bears his name. We do not say that in unkindness to our brothers and sisters, and they are our brothers and sisters, in other churches, or in no church, but we say it with the hope that they may feel the love that is in our hearts when we reach out to them with the desire that the happiness that has been ours may be theirs and may continue, not only now, but also throughout the ages of eternity.
God lives. Jesus is the Christ. Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Lord, and the gospel as it was restored through him is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1:16 to all those who would accept it and apply it in their lives. I bear this testimony in love and in kindness, and with my blessings as a servant of the Lord upon all of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Original Source
President George Albert Smith
President of the Church
George Albert Smith, Conference Report, April 1950, pp. 167-170
http://scriptures.byu.edu/gettalk.php?ID=465
Accessed 28/12/2016