My brethren and sisters, the time draws near for the closing of this, the one hundred and twenty second semi-annual conference of the Church.

APPRECIATION EXPRESSED

Whenever we receive a favor or a gift, the least we can do is to express appreciation by saying "thank you." Very often those words seem very feeble in expressing the feeling we have of a favor bestowed.

In your behalf I should like to say "thank you" to groups, perhaps some individuals, who have conferred favors upon us since last Friday morning. I hesitate about naming persons, because undoubtedly in so doing we may miss others who equally merit our appreciation.

First, I wish again to express appreciation of the service rendered by our Singing Mothers. Just their presence, I repeat, was an inspiration. I wish to commend Sister Madsen upon her ability to train that choral group so ably in attack, expression, interpretation, and those mothers for having taken the time to practice in their various wards and at least once or twice as a group. The Lord bless them for the service they rendered in this conference!

I wish to mention also in appreciation the men's chorus of the Tabernacle choir under the leadership of J. Spencer Cornwall, for the inspirational numbers they gave us last evening in that memorable priesthood meeting.

And of course, we must not close the conference without expressing appreciation to the Tabernacle choir, its leader, assistant, to the organists, and to every member. That singing group has attained, through merit, outstanding recognition as one of the great choral organizations of the world. They merit the gratitude of all members of this Church. I do not know of another choir in the world that gives so much time and means, financially, in their service, as the members of this choral group. In your behalf, I thank them with all our hearts for their unselfish devotion and continual attention to this great duty.

I wish to express appreciation to KSL and the specialists who have given us such efficient service, and to the other stations in this state and surrounding states, that have graciously given us of their time. On one or two occasions, as you know, we have run overtime, but this red signal has continued, undoubtedly at great financial cost. We thank these stations, one and all.

I should like to say a word of appreciation to the ushers in the Tabernacle, to the caretakers on the Tabernacle block and on the Church Office grounds—ushers and laborers under the direction of Irvin T. Nelson, Brother Marble, and other able overseers. You do not see them at work, as some of us do, but you see the results of their labors in these beautiful grounds, and if you would happen to be at the Church Office some morning before seven o'clock, you would see one of these brethren already at work, and if you were to say to him, "Well, you are early," he would say, "Yes, I always come early because I want all this lawn to be well sprinkled before the brethren come to their offices."

TRUE NOBILITY

To them and to all faithful workers I should like to repeat in appreciation one of the two choicest poems that Edgar A. Guest has written:

"Who does his task from day to day
And meets whatever comes his way,
Believing God has willed it so,
Has found true greatness here below.

"Who guards his post, no matter where
Believing God must need him there,
Although but lowly toil it be

Has risen to nobility.

"For great and low there's but one test:
'Tis that each man shall do his best.
Who works with all the strength he can
Shall never die in debt to man.

        —"True Nobility," Edgar A. Guest

(Used by permission of the author. Copyright, Detroit Free Press.)

The Lord bless these workers, one and all!

I wish to express appreciation to the presidencies of priesthood quorums, and especially to the bishops who have come to this conference with groups of their lesser priesthood. I mentioned one case last evening. At the conclusion of that priesthood meeting, a bishop met us with two of his quorums of deacons. I commend that fellowship.

On our way home today Sister McKay commented upon the number of young people in attendance at conference, and I said, "That is a good sign." If we can get some of the boys under the influence of the bishoprics, boys who perhaps have unfortunately come from broken homes, or more unfortunately, homes in which God does not dwell, we shall save souls here at home equally as precious as those whom we are seeking out in the world. Continue in that good work.

We express appreciation also to the sisters and to all who are laboring in the auxiliaries—in the Relief Society, the Sunday School, the Young Men's and Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association, and in the Primary. Time will not permit to elaborate, but these general boards and stake boards and the officers and teachers on the firing line are rendering to you parents and to the Church generally a wonderful service. God will reward them.

EXPERIENCE OF PAUL

In conclusion, may I call attention to the experience that Paul had just as he neared Damascus with papers in his pocket to arrest all who believed in Jesus Christ. A light suddenly shone about him, and he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"

And he said, "Who art thou, Lord?"

The answer came, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

Saul said, "What wilt thou have me do?"

The voice answered, "Go into the city, and it will be told thee what thou must do" (see  Acts 9:4-6

There are two elements in that incident, commenting briefly upon which I will close my remarks. The first is that the Savior recognized his authority on earth. He could, in a few words, have told Saul what he should do, but there was a branch of the Church in Damascus, presided over by a humble man named Ananias, and Jesus recognized that authority. He knew Saul's nature. He knew that in the future it would be difficult for him to recognize the authority of the Church, as instances later proved.

He said, "Go into the city, and there it will be told thee what thou must do," and Saul had to receive from the very man whom he was going to arrest instructions regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is a lesson for us all in this Church. Let us, too, recognize the local authority. The bishop may be a humble man. Some of you may think you are superior to him, but he is given authority direct from our Father in heaven. Recognize it. Seek his advice, the advice of your stake presidents. If they cannot answer your difficulties or your problems, they will write to others, the General Authorities, and get the advice needed. Recognition of authority is an important principle.

DIVINE INTEREST IN CHURCH

The other element in that incident to Paul near Damascus is the great fact that Jesus, our Lord, is interested in his Church, and in the members. As he was interested then, so he is interested today.

I like to feel that he is watching over us, that he is grieved when we do not comply with the ideals and the standards he has given us in the gospel. He was grieved with Saul, a chosen servant, who was going about blindly to destroy the Church. He is delighted when he finds the brethren whom he has appointed doing their duty and trying to live clean, upright lives, living in accordance with the standards of the gospel.

I like to feel that his servants whom he has chosen in this dispensation are also interested and I hope that President George Albert Smith, who was with us not long ago, is pleased with what we have done during the last six months. I am sure he is pleased with the setting apart of the temple site in Los Angeles because I know that was an enterprise that was dear to his heart.

I like to feel that President Heber J. Grant is near us, ready to help, especially pleased to see that the Church is growing. And President Joseph F. Smith, President Lorenzo Snow, President Wilford Woodruff—those men, I have met—President Woodruff, in our home, closely associated with President Smith, and as you know, with President Grant and President George Albert Smith.

I like to think that President John Taylor is equally interested, also President Young, and especially the Prophet Joseph. The work over on the other side is real, and the curtain sometimes between us and them is very thin. I hope the Lord will help us to go forward as these, his former representatives, would like us to go forward, that we shall always realize, as has been said once or twice in this conference, that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, who is our head.

Now let us go back to our homes with that testimony.

IMPORTANCE OF THE HOME

Among the many great messages that we have received I should just like to emphasize two: One, of course, is the home. Thirteen thousand men of the priesthood were here last night. Every one should go back to his home and look around and see wherein he can make it more ideally a Latter-day Saint home.

One day a young son, just married, invited his father to visit him and his bride in their new home. The young son took the father from room to room and showed him the furnishings, the paintings on the walls and so forth, and the father said, "This is lovely. I congratulate you, but, son, I have looked in vain for anything that indicates that you have a place here for God."

In writing about it later, the young man said, "I went through the rooms later, and I found that Father was right."

Let us go back to our homes and see whether the spirit of our homes is such that if an angel called, he would be pleased to remain.

PRIESTHOOD ACTIVITY

The other great message is for the priesthood quorums to be more active, to reach out and get the indifferent, approaching them personally, and, as has already been said, "Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy"  D&C 121:43

The Prophet Joseph Smith could not have written that of his own wisdom. That is one of the great flashes of inspiration that prove his divinity.

LOYALTY TO COUNTRY

Finally, let us be true to our country and to our country's ideals. Nearly three thousand years ago an ancient prophet said that this is a land choice above all other lands, and it is, and the government of the United States as given to us by our fathers is the real government under which individuals may exercise free agency, individual initiative.

Oh, let us oppose any subversive influence that would deprive us of our individual freedom or make this government a dictator instead of a servant to the people.

Time is up. In conclusion I repeat the words of the Lord, "Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.

"He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand"  D&C 107:99-100

God help us all, that we may live more nearly to the ideals of our Savior as revealed in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, I pray in the name of the Redeemer. Amen.