My dear brethren and sisters, I humbly ask an interest in your faith and prayers and also the guidance of the Spirit of God that I might express a few thoughts and feelings that are in my heart today.

I am happy beyond expression to be here, although it does entail my occupying a few moments' time.

As President David O. McKay suggested, six months ago I was ill; but I listened to the conference over the radio. I heard our beloved prophet, seer, and revelator in his most kind and beautiful way excuse Dr. Ernest L. Wilkinson, president of Brigham Young University, who was also ill, and myself from conference, extend his blessings to us, and ask that the Spirit of God be with us that we might become well. Then I listened to the prayers given by various stake presidents at the conference sessions. They humbly remembered us in their prayers and faithfully pleaded with our Father in heaven to restore us to health. I knew at that time that we would both have a complete restoration of health and strength. I stand here today humbly acknowledging the goodness of God, testifying that he has preserved our lives and restored both of us to health. We are now well and able to go forth and do our assigned tasks.

Never in my life have I had as much gratitude in my heart for the blessings of my Father in heaven as I have at the present time. I thank him for all the blessings that I have received, not only for the restoration of my health and strength, which is most valuable, but also for the gospel, for the privilege I have of being a member of the Church, for the testimony of the gospel which I possess, and for the opportunities that I have to work in the Church. I recognize our Father in heaven as the giver of all gifts and gratefully acknowledge that he has been very, very generous with me.

In deep humility I want to take this special opportunity to thank from the depths of my heart President David O. McKay, his Counselors—Brother Stephen L Richards and Brother J. Reuben Clark, Jr.—President Joseph Fielding Smith, the Quorum of the Twelve, the Assistants to the Apostles, the First Council of the Seventy—my close colleagues, the Presiding Bishopric, and the Patriarch to the Church for their kindness to me during the past several months, their generosity, and their consideration. Their goodness to me has been beyond what I could ever imagine. I thank them from the depths of my heart. All I can do is merely say, "Thank You."

I have always recognized these brethren, the General Authorities of the Church, as being men of God, prophets called to lead us in the kingdom. I have always loved them, but I can honestly say this morning that I love them more deeply than I ever had the ability to love before. My illness has increased my ability to appreciate.

During the past several months I have received numerous letters from the Saints in which they expressed their appreciation, prayers, and best wishes for the restoration of my health. During the past twelve years I have stayed in the homes of many of the stake presidencies and Saints. I have toured twenty-one missions with many mission presidents and have received the hospitality of many of the Saints throughout the stakes of Zion and the mission fields. For all of these things, I am very, very grateful. Although I have not taken opportunity during the past to express my appreciation, I now desire to express my gratitude to everyone here today who has befriended me. Sister Hunter and I are especially grateful to President Wilkinson and his good wife for their kindness to us. May the Lord continue his blessings on them.

If there is any one thing I have learned in the past few years, I have learned that there are wonderful people all over the Church, real Saints of the Most High.

Last, but not least, I should like to express deep appreciation to my dear wife and my children. They have been most wonderful throughout my illness. They have taken over all the work; in fact, I am not allowed to open a garage door, and that makes me feel very lazy. I feel that the Lord has given no man in the world a better wife than he has given me, and so I express my sincere gratitude and deep love to her and appreciation to our children.

I have had much time to think and meditate during the past several months. I have always thought that I had appreciation in my heart, and gratitude, but I have reached the conclusion that I, and maybe you, accept the numerous blessings which come to us from God more or less for granted, so to speak—the sunshine that we have, the fresh air, the food, and the clothing, and all these things that we have from day to day, the health that we enjoy.

I recognize that the Psalmist is right wherein he declared: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof"  Ps. 24:1 And as King Benjamin so beautifully taught his people, we are but stewards; we are debtors, debtors to God for all that we possess. He could take these things away from us in the twinkling of an eye.

I hope that we can become very appreciative, because I think that is one of the grand principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The principle of gratitude is closely akin to the attribute of love. It is akin to unselfishness. In showing our appreciation, I think possibly the best opportunity we have is to serve each other. In this way we help to build God's kingdom.

So in closing, I want to bear testimony that I know this is the true Church of Jesus Christ, that he is our Savior, our Lord, and our God. As he has said, those who take upon themselves his name, who keep all of his commandments and abide faithfully to the end, through his atoning blood their garments shall be washed white, and they will stand spotless before him at the last day and receive an eternal exaltation.

May God bless you and me as members of the true Church of Jesus Christ that this will be our happy lot, I humbly pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.