I humbly pray that the Lord will bless me this Easter morning. This is truly a great day when we contemplate what is happening across the earth. In ten thousand churches, on a thousand hilltops, everywhere, men and women are declaring their faith in the divine mission of Jesus Christ. We of the Latter-day Saint Church join our voices happily with the multitudes that declare their faith in God.

One of the most striking expressions of the Savior is, "He went about doing good"  Acts 10:38 With my life's work with youth I have constantly been reminded that I must be practical. Youth lives in action, in doing. "He went about doing good."

I read also these words from Psalm 27:11: "Teach me thy way, O Lord and lead me in a plain path"  Ps. 27:11 Recently in a small village in Nevada, I was called to dedicate a small, lovely chapel. The story was told by the bishop of how they had a great struggle to raise the money and do their part. He said "The time came when we had to get the last five thousand dollars to do our part." He went before the people and literally not figuratively, but literally took off his coat, and said, "I will not put on my coat again, with the Lord's help, until we have raised our part." And he went forward, and his family was with him. And then I saw the joy of the accomplishment. My heart was thrilled. People came from distant states. They rode down the valley from everywhere to be with their friends and neighbors, and when it was all over, a delightful thing happened. Although an appointment called me to hurry away to a neighboring city, as we looked back from the car window, we saw the crowd was still there, shaking hands with neighbors and friends, enjoying the loveliness of the occasion and the spirit of their accomplishment.

May we also "take off our coats," to do our part in this hour of challenge and opportunity. May I suggest one or two simple things, plain things, as David said in the Psalms, which are also the teachings of the Latter-day Saint Church?

Help someone in need: Rushing from one city to another to escape bombing not long ago, people by the thousands were trying to find a way to safety, in one of the cities of China. All at once in the rush the crowd crossing the bridge stopped, for someone was holding up the traffic. It was a boy. He could not cross the bridge. He heard the cry of a child that had fallen. Quickly he went to help—to help someone in need. When the child was made safe, he again hurried on his way.

Did you read the other day that on Baldy Hill fifteen American soldiers were commissioned to go and bring out a number of boys that had been left, unfortunately not able to get away under the fire? They worked and worked; they heard of another buried somewhere out in the debris. They went again very early in the morning before it was light. As they came to a nob of the hill, they heard a voice crying, "Water, water." They quickly dug. They rescued a young man from death and by the grace of God carried him safely down the hill where he received further help. There are many everywhere calling, "Water, water."

Stand for the truth and the right with all good men: In this very tabernacle I heard one evening an appeal made by the queen of Holland. She told of the sorrow of her people, many of them giving their lives, but she ended that beautiful appeal of deep sincerity with these words, "Let us all do our best, and leave the rest to God."

President David O. McKay, addressing the graduating class at the University of Utah, said:

Young men and young women: The future awaits you! It's yours! If you would end war and give peace to the world, you have campaigns to organize and conquests to achieve. These will be campaigns planned for the establishment of justice. These are the conquests of the soul: whether it is better to walk along the easy road to selfishness and indulgence than to strive through self-mastery and service in the realm of spirituality, you must decide.

Have courage for prayer. That must be part of the high resolve of this conference. Courage for the right! So much is happening in public places, so many are brought into contact where public opinion is a power. I am proud and you are proud, when you heard the President of the United States before he gave his inaugural address say, "I want to say a little prayer."

I went one day down to the station with a group of missionaries to say goodbye. A father, my neighbor, was with me. There was a group about us. The stationmaster came out and said, "It will be about twenty minutes before the train leaves. Don't go far away." Then I saw my neighbor walk through the crowd quickly, his son on his arm through the station, and they were gone for a time. Then I saw him return just before the train pulled out. He kissed the boy good-bye, and the boy was off. I walked over to my friend and said: "I want to ask you a personal question. I have a thought that I want to ask you about your boy." I said, "Where did you go when you took your boy? Now, pardon me, if this is too private, you do not need to answer, but I have an idea." He said "Oh, I think you have the right idea. I took my boy home. We went to the bedroom alone. I said, 'Son, I am so proud today,' and I finally mustered up courage to do what I should have done probably many times before. 'Sit on the edge of the bed, I want to bless you. I am proud of you. Mother is proud of you. This is a great day.' And I blessed my son."

One other closing story: I heard it in the temple from one of the mission presidents. The children of neighbors and friends often come with their playmates to the auxiliary organizations of the Latter-day Saint Church. One little girl had caught the message on several occasions about family prayer. When she came home one day, she said to her parents, "Have I got any rights in this family?" The father answered, "Why, certainly you have, dear." "Well, I want family prayer." "Well, my dear, you shall have family prayer." But it went on, and when the occasion came again, the child said "Have I got any rights in this family?" There was a longer pause, more reflection, then, "Yes, dear." And family prayer was said.

May God bless us. May we help someone in need. May we stand for the truth and right. May we have courage for prayer. "Teach me in thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path"  Ps. 27:11 May we as he did ever go about doing good, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.