It is a great pleasure, brothers and sisters, to share this wonderful conference with you. I love the Latter-day Saints. I appreciate your kindness to me as I travel to your stakes and some of the missions, and it is a glorious thing to meet you as you come here in our midst to attend this conference.

In President McKay's inspired talk this morning, after outlining some of the advantages that we have in the day in which we are privileged to live, he said, "It is a joy to live in this age." I have thought a lot about that, and I think that we all feel that way about it. And then I thought, it is not only a joy, but it is also a responsibility to know what we know.

We have listened here this afternoon to these wonderful testimonies of the brethren and have thought of the marvelous things the Lord has done in restoring his truth. Think of our responsibility! As Jesus said, ". . . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required"  Luke 12:48

To gather together all things

I think of the words of the Apostle Paul. He, like most of the prophets, saw the latter days, the days in which we are privileged to live, and he saw the marvelous things that the Lord would accomplish in our day. He said that the Lord had revealed the mystery of his will unto him (see  Eph. 1:9 Now that is quite a statement, if you stop to analyze it. "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him"  Eph. 1:10

As I analyze that statement, I think it means that all things that the prophets have beheld for the latter days ultimately would be brought forth in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times. That being true, are we not privileged to live in the dispensation of the fullness of times to enjoy all these gifts and blessings?

I like the words of Isaiah, when he spoke of the Lord, "declaring the end from the beginning"  Isa. 46:10 We are told that all things are known unto the Lord and that his purposes fail not; neither are there any who can stay his hand  D&C 76:3

I like to study the prophecies. I think they are a lot easier to understand after they are fulfilled than when you look forward to them. Nevertheless, they are a guide along the way, because when they are fulfilled, we know that it is by the doings of God the Eternal Father, that he rules in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath and in the lives of men. Things pertaining to his eternal purposes don't just happen—they happen at his command.

Prophecies of Isaiah

Speaking of prophecies, you remember the prophecy of Isaiah, when he declared the destruction of Babylon, which was at that time the greatest city in all the world. I read a description of it, and it is wonderful. Isaiah said that it would ever be rebuilt, that it should become the abode of wild animals and reptiles, that the Arab would no more pitch his tent there (see  Isa. 13:19-22

When Brother [Howard W.] Hunter and Brother [Spencer W.] Kimball came back from the Holy Land after Christmas 1961, I asked Brother Hunter if he saw Babylon. He said he saw what there was left of it. Just think of anyone but a prophet of God being able to say that one of the great cities of the world today would be destroyed and never be rebuilt.

In the Book of Mormon we are told in at least three places that we should study the prophecies of Isaiah. Moroni said that we should study the prophecies of Isaiah because they would all be fulfilled  Morm. 8:23 Then in 2 Nephi, chapter 25, we read that we should study the prophecies of Isaiah because in the day of their fulfillment it would be given to the Lord's people to understand them  2 Ne. 25:1-7 When the Savior visited the Nephites, he told them to study the prophecies of Isaiah because the day of their fulfillment would be the day of the establishment of his covenant with his people, the house of Israel  3 Ne. 20:11-13  3 Ne. 23:1-3

Isaiah and our day

I think that Isaiah was privileged to live almost more in our day than in the day he was actually here upon this earth. He was able to see so much of what the Lord would do in the latter days. He saw us settled here in these valleys of the mountains  Isa. 2:2 he saw the desert made to blossom as the rose; he saw the rivers flow in the desert, where we have built these great irrigation canals; he saw the water flow down from the high places  Isa. 41:18 where it has been reservoired in the mountains for summer use; he saw the daughters of Zion come up and sing in the heights of Zion  Jer. 31:12 see also  Isa. 35:1-10 Where can you find anything to fulfill that prophecy in all the history of the world except the singing of these sisters of the Tabernacle Choir, now in its 38th year of continuous broadcasting. Then think of our people coming from all over the Church to sing in our conferences, like the Singing Mothers who sang in the Relief Society conference. Truly, this is the center, you might say, of the singing people of all the world, and now with telestar, they will be singing to all the world.

Isaiah saw the railroad train and the airplane and how the people would be gathered to Zion without even being able to loosen the latchets of their shoes  Isa. 5:26-30

A few years ago President McKay went to Scotland to help organize the first stake in his bonny Scotland. When he returned, he reported to us brethren of the Twelve, telling us that he left London at two o'clock in the afternoon, stopped for a short period in Chicago, and was here in Salt Lake City that night to sleep in his own bed. Then he compared this to the time his family crossed the ocean; they were 43 days on the water with a sailing vessel and then had to cross the plains the best they could.

Just think of the day in which we live. Why has there been such a change? If the veil were parted and the world could know why there had been such a change since the Father and the Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph, anybody who confesses a love for God the Eternal Father would be glad to have the Mormon elders come and bring to them a knowledge of this work.

Darkness covered the earth

Isaiah prophesied: "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people," and during that period of time the world made no progress  Isa. 60:2

When I went on my first mission to Holland, they were still cutting grain with a scythe and a sickle; they had no electric lights or modern homes, and the streetcars were drawn by horses.

Just think how the world has changed, because the Lord not only foretold through his prophets that darkness would cover the earth but said: "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions"  Joel 2:28 And I could give you many illustrations of how this has been fulfilled.

Promise to Joseph of Egypt

I would like to return now to a statement in the Book of Mormon. You remember that when Lehi was in the desert, he told his son Joseph that the Lord had promised Joseph who was sold into Egypt that, in the latter days, he would raise up a prophet from his loins by the name of Joseph, whose father's name was Joseph  2 Ne. 3:15 He said, "Unto him will I give power to bring forth my word" (see  2 Ne. 3:11

That prophet was none other than the Prophet Joseph Smith. He brought us the Book of Mormon, as has been testified here today, and the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, and many other writings. Concerning this prophet, the Lord said he would give him power "not to the bringing forth of my word only . . . but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them"  2 Ne. 3:11

Prophecy "in old time"

As I interpret that, it means that he would be able to understand the scriptures and the spirit in which they were written. You remember the words of Peter (reference has been made to them here today), who said:

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost"  2 Pet. 1:19-21

By the Holy Ghost

If all men reading the scriptures were moved upon by the power of the Holy Ghost, we wouldn't have hundreds of churches claiming that they have the truth. If you just stop to think a minute, they have come into existence because men could not agree in their interpretation of the scriptures.

Thus this prophet of the latter days was to bring men to a conviction of the Lord's word that had already gone forth among them. And then the Lord said of this prophet, "He shall bring my people unto salvation" (see  2 Ne. 3:15 He also said, "And I will make him great in mine eyes" (see  2 Ne. 3:8 Now, whatever the world may think of this prophet of this dispensation, we have the witness from God himself that this prophet would be great, and I think no prophet has ever lived, except the Redeemer of the world, who was greater than the Prophet Joseph Smith, for he has committed to this world a greater volume of truth and scripture than we have received from any other prophet  D&C 135:3

Isaiah and the marvelous work

Brethren and sisters, I thank God for what he has done for me. When Isaiah saw the marvelous work and a wonder that would cause the wisdom of wise men to perish and the understanding of their prudent men to be hid (see  Isa. 29:14 that to me is real, as well as his other prophecies. He saw that God would "set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people . . .

And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth"  Isa. 11:11-12 That is what he has literally done.

Antonio and violins

You remember the poem written by Mary Ann Evans about Antonio Stradivarius, who made violins that are worth their weight in gold. It goes like this: "If my hand slacken, I should rob God, since he is fullest good, leaving a blank instead of violins. God could not make Antonio Stradivarius violins without Antonio." I like to feel that, for me to be privileged to live upon the earth at this day, the Lord couldn't build his kingdom (as the prophets have declared) until it shall become as a great mountain and fill the whole earth without the little help that I can give  Dan. 2:35

May God help each one of us to realize that we are not only honored and privileged to live in this day, but that a responsibility comes with it that we may measure up to, I pray, and leave you my blessing, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen