My dear brothers and sisters, may I first of all share a great experience that I had at the age of eight years. This was a great experience of learning and taught me a lesson that I shall never forget.

Learning Can Be Zestful

I remember the thrill of being taught simple division. Three goes into fifteen five times. It seemed almost like a miracle as the teacher further taught us that all we had to do was multiply the answer by the divisor, and we would have the number that we started with. She said that by following this simple plan and procedure we could check any division problem and make certain that the answer was right.

A few days later we had our first test in simple division. I shall never forget turning to my school chum and announcing, "I got an 'A.'" He said, "How do you know? We haven't even graded the papers."

"I know I have an 'A' because I checked every answer. I multiplied the answer by the divisor, and I was certain that it was exactly the same number we started with. I know I got an 'A.'"

And sure enough it was an "A" because I was standing on solid rock. There was no doubt in my mind. I was dealing with an exact science, and for the first time in my life I felt really secure in something that I had been taught in school. This was an exact science, and I was able to prove my answer beyond question.

Now in the world today, I think if there were one common wish among all mankind, that wish would be for peace—peace in the world, peace in each nation; peace in the community; even a feeling of peace in each home; and perhaps most important of all, peace of mind.

Our day will probably go down in history as the day of psychiatry, psychology, and tranquilizers. Now, I don't mean to suggest that there is no place for the professionally trained to treat the mentally disturbed or for the prescribing of proper medicine for the overwrought, but I do believe with all my heart and soul that most of these anxieties found in the hearts and minds of men today can be eliminated by a return to faith in God and the resultant desire to obey his commandments.

God's Plan Is a Super Highway

To me, and I am sure to you, God's plan is like a superhighway. This superhighway is built on solid rock; it is built well above the fog-shrouded valleys; and it is built well above the swamps of infidelity, selfishness, and immorality. The Lord himself has said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life"  John 8:12

Heavenly Father has also said that there are laws irrevocably decreed in the heavens upon which all blessings are predicated (see  D&C 130:20-21 If we keep the law, we reap happiness. If we violate the law or ignore the law, we have problems, and we have unhappiness. It is just as simple as that.

His Laws Are Sure

And so, as we think back to my third grade experience, how much the same are God's laws. His laws are also undeviating, certain, proven, and all we need do is keep his laws, and we will be happy, we will be successful, and we will regain his presence.

With you, I invite all men, all women, all children, all people everywhere to join in God's plan. Let's consider his law of health, for example. Why have all the upset that we have in the world through lack of health, when all we need do is follow God's plan as revealed in this day, and then we will most likely have the peace of mind of a strong, healthy body.

With you, I would share with the world the great truth that all we have to do is give back to Heavenly Father one-tenth of our increase, and again we have peace of mind, as we help to build his kingdom unselfishly.

With you, I would give to the world the great truth that we must have love and unity in our homes, and here again we can achieve a peace of mind unattainable in any other way.

The same thing can be said of the Sabbath day, of keeping it holy, and of the peace that comes to all who keep that great commandment.

The same thing can be said about the principle of prayer. As we communicate with our Heavenly Father, let him know that we love him and that we intend to keep his commandments to the very best of our ability.

Eternal Truths

Yes, brothers and sisters, there are eternal truths. Two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen is water. It was so when Heavenly Father was creating the earth. It is so today, and it will be so forever. This is an eternal truth of chemistry. Pi(r-squared) has always been and always will be the formula to find the area of a circle. One hundred and eighty-six thousand miles per second has been and always will be the speed of light. Einstein has given us in our day that E is equal to M(C-squared), the theory of relativity.

As we quote these basic truths, they are simple. They are not complicated. All basic truth seems to be simple. It is only when we go beyond the realm of truth that we become complicated, that we become mixed up in our minds and our emotions.

Intelligence for Family Home Evenings

Brothers and sisters, can we simplify our lives, simplify our living, take time to do the things that need to be done? If there is not time in our lives for the Family Home Evening, there is something wrong, and we are getting away from the way Heavenly Father would have us live. If there is not time in our lives for personal prayer, then we must take stock of ourselves. If there is not enough faith or money to give back to Heavenly Father his one-tenth, then we are mismanaging our affairs, and we are getting away from those things that would bring us pure and simple happiness.

The Gospel Is the Way to Peace

So the gospel, brothers and sisters, is peace of mind, and only as rapidly as we get back to the standard works and give heed to his basic principles will we have the peace of mind that Christ himself spoke of when he proclaimed to the world: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"  John 14:27

Brothers and sisters, the world giveth differently from the way Christ giveth, and when we partake of the world as the world giveth, we start reaching for our tranquilizers. But as we reach for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and as we reach for the standard works of the Church and the truths revealed therein, then I say we are going to have joy in our lives, and we can promise to all men there will be happiness in their lives. We can further say that theirs will be a peace of mind that will bring a surety to their souls and give them the happiness to which all Heavenly Father's children are entitled.

I so testify and pray that we might so live in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. Amen.