What the Gospel Does for People!
Elder Adam S. Bennion
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the experience of missionaries in Europe who feel they are never alone when visiting homes, implying divine companionship.
Over and over again those boys in European missions have said, 'We never call on a house alone,' and then they add, 'and we are not talking about our companions.'
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What the Gospel Does for People!
Elder Adam S. Bennion
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares the impressive missionary work progress in European missions, highlighting the influence of the temple and the dedication of the mission presidents and their wives.
By the end of June the European missions had done as much in the matter of conversions, eighty percent as much, as they did in all of 1955; three missions by the end of June had already equaled or surpassed the totals reached in the preceding year. I give you, because you may have a particular interest, the names of the three missions: the Swiss-Austrian—it is evident that the temple is registering its great influence; the Norwegian—which now has doubled last year's record; and the ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Does for People!
Elder Adam S. Bennion
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker reflects on his personal heritage and the impact of the gospel on his ancestors, which led to his birth in the Church.
You know, I could not escape the thought all the time I was in Wales and Scotland of what my grandfolks thought when they crossed the plains. I am sure they must have cast one lingering look behind to the green they left in both lands. As a matter of fact, I became aware of another great truth in my life. If they had not listened to some wonderful missionary, and some missionary had not been good enough to go to them, I might never have been born in the Church. As a matter of fact, as I stood in ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Does for People!
Elder Adam S. Bennion
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker describes an emotional meeting with servicemen in Berchtesgaden and the dedication of a chapel funded by servicemen who would not remain to enjoy it.
My first experience was to talk to the servicemen—our servicemen—at Berchtesgaden, under the Eagle's Nest of Hitler, his great hideout. If you have boys who are in the service I have been stirred a lot of times, but I think I was never stirred more than as I joined with 740 boys of the armed services who took time out to come to a testimony meeting, and to do honor to the Church they represent so beautifully in their lives. I closed the tour by flying from Glasgow back to Heidelber ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Does for People!
Elder Adam S. Bennion
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts the transformative effect of missions on young missionaries, including a German girl who sacrificed family ties for her faith.
What the gospel does for these missionaries!Young men just out of their teens, taking on the responsibility of manhood, are the representatives of our great institution throughout the world. They are carrying on with all the glory that attaches to mankind at its best. Over and over again brethren have said two things in their meetings: 'We suppose we always had a testimony of the gospel, but we somehow took it for granted. We did not know just why we believed, or how much it meant. We looked upo ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Does for People!
Elder Adam S. Bennion
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares a story of a missionary who was touched by his mother's gift of a suitcase for his mission, funded by years of saving S & H stamps.
I do not think I remember anything more vividly than I do the story of one boy who broke completely in his testimony. He said, 'You know, I did not know what was going on at home, and when I got ready to leave, Mom said she was going to get me a fine suitcase. So we went down and looked over the luggage. I picked the piece that I wanted, and when I picked it out she went into her pocketbook and pulled out six and a half books of S & H stamps that she had been saving through the years for the day ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Does for People!
Elder Adam S. Bennion
- Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker describes the deep impact of the gospel on the lives of European Saints, including a blind woman who was converted by the kindness of Mormon missionaries.
I wish you could sit down with a boy and have him take out the last letter he got from home and Dad, and have him say, 'You know, the thing that thrills me most about my mission is that I think I am having a little to do with converting my own folks.' Then they will tell you that their father had been disinterested or unconcerned, but now he writes of the thrill he gets out of being a stake missionary. I wish you could see the boys' faces light up as they say, 'It's wonderful to know that the mi ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Teaches
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Elder John A. Widtsoe was initially denied entry into Great Britain during the war, but after explaining he would teach about the purpose of life, he was allowed in.
Some years ago during the war, Elder John A. Widtsoe went to the land of Great Britain to preside over the European Mission. When the immigration official saw his papers and who he was, he said, "Nothing doing. We have been letting your missionaries in, but we don"™t want any of your leaders"”go sit down." So Brother Widtsoe went and sat down.
In a few minutes, he called him back and he said, "If I let you enter my country, what will you teach my countrymen?"
And Brother Widtsoe said, "I ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Teaches
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts a debate he had with a minister in Amsterdam over priesthood and the principles of the gospel, which ended with the minister unable to respond to his arguments.
As I finished my first mission over in Amsterdam, over seventy-five years ago, I was invited into the home of one of the Saints to talk to her neighbor. When my companion and I arrived, the neighbor was there but she had her minister with her. We had a little difference of opinion on priesthood, and right there he challenged me to a debate in his church the next Saturday night.
When we arrived, the church was full; all of his people were there, and all of our people. How our people found it out, ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Teaches
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker had a conversation with a Baptist minister in Quitman, Georgia, about the eternal nature of marriage and family, which the minister did not initially believe but later came to accept.
Now I will give you one more. Down in Quitman, Georgia, while I was a mission president, I preached a sermon on the eternal duration of the marriage covenant and the family unit. I had a chart there that listed the churches and what their beliefs were on major things, and those were official statements from the leaders of those different churches. And not one of them believed that the family unit or the marriage covenant would endure beyond the grave. I stood at the door when the meeting was ove ... (continued)
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What the Gospel Teaches
Elder LeGrand Richards
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker convinced a seminary student in Utrecht, Holland, about the correct form of baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, leading the student to question the responsibility of teaching incorrect doctrines.
Now I will tell you one more if there is time for it. Over in Utrecht, Holland, they had a seminary where they trained ministers, and the young men who were studying for the ministry used to come and stand outside our meetings and listen. And then when the meeting was over, they would come in and argue with us.
I convinced one of those young men that baptism was to be by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost"”he hadn"™t been taught tha ... (continued)
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What the Lord Has Done
President George Albert Smith
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker recounts a conversation with a minister in England who questioned the need for Latter-day Saint missionaries in a country with many churches and preachers. The speaker explained that they were there to share the gospel with those who didn't believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus Christ, even in Great Britain.
This morning we have over five thousand missionaries scattered throughout the world. For what purpose? "Surely," as one minister said to me in England many years ago, we don't desire you to come over here to preach; we have all the churches that we can fill." And he said, "We have all the preachers that we can afford to pay. Why do you come over here?" And my answer to him was, "My brother, we are over here without financial remuneration to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the wonderful peo ... (continued)
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What the Lord Has Done
President George Albert Smith
📅 0
📖 general conference
The speaker shares the story of Robert Hill, a geologist who, upon reading the Book of Mormon, sought a leave of absence to learn about its origins. After being taught by Dr. James E. Talmage, Hill was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stating that the Book of Mormon helped him understand the Bible better.
I remember a good many years ago when I was down in California, I met a man who was a great geologist, whose name was Robert Hill. While being employed in research in Mexico and Central America by the Smithsonian Institute or National Museum, a Book of Mormon fell into his hands, and he read it. He was working under the direction of the department at Washington, where they collect all of the curiosities from the various sections of the country. He was there as a government employee. The National ... (continued)
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What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
During a private conversation, one of the Protestant ministers casually agreed to read the Book of Mormon, while the other, with a bitter spirit, refused, stating he relied on the opinions of their experts.
All of this I explained to my two Protestant friends. One of them, a congenial and decent sort of fellow, said somewhat casually that he would read the Book of Mormon. The other minister, manifesting a bitter spirit, said: “I won’t read it. We have experts who have read the Book of Mormon, and I have read what our experts have to say about it.â€
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What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Two Protestant ministers attended a Latter-day Saint conference to hear the speaker preach, leading to a private conversation about the Book of Mormon and gaining a testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet.
Two ministers of one of the largest and most powerful Protestant denominations came to a Latter-day Saint conference to hear me preach.
After the meeting I had a private conversation with them, in which I said they could each gain a testimony that Joseph Smith was the prophet through whom the Lord had restored the fulness of the gospel for our day and for our time.
I told them they should read the Book of Mormon, ponder its great and eternal truths, and pray to the Father in the name of Christ, ... (continued)
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What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
In a subsequent encounter with two other ministers from the same denomination, the speaker repeated his message about the Book of Mormon, but one minister dismissed having read it by flipping through the pages quickly.
Shortly after my experience with these two ministers, two other ministers from the same denomination came to another of our conferences to hear me preach. And, once again, after the meeting I had a private discussion with them.
My message was the same. Taking the Book of Mormon as their guide, they must read, ponder, and pray in order to gain a witness from the Spirit as to the truth and divinity of this great latter-day work.
I told them of my prior experience with their two colleagues and how ... (continued)
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What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A young lady, a convert whose father was a minister of the same denomination, challenged the minister's claim of having prayed about the Book of Mormon, leading to his flippant response about an insincere prayer.
A lovely young lady, a convert to the Church whose father was a minister of the same denomination as my four Protestant friends, was listening to my conversation with the second two. At this point she spoke up and said, “But Reverend, you have to pray about it.â€
He replied, “Oh, I prayed about it. I said, ‘O God, if the Book of Mormon is true, strike me dead’; and here I am.â€
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What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
Oliver Cowdery's experience with attempting to translate the Book of Mormon is recounted, emphasizing the need for faith and effort to receive divine guidance.
The pattern for this was set in the experience of Oliver Cowdery. He desired not alone to act as a scribe to Joseph Smith but also to translate directly from the plates. After much importuning, the Lord permitted Brother Cowdery to try.
The divine authorization contained these provisos: “Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not. … And according to your faith shall it be done unto you. ... (continued)
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What Thinks Christ of Me?
Elder Neil L. Andersen
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
A Brazilian reporter, after studying the Church, is puzzled about why anyone wouldn't consider the Church Christian, prompting the speaker to reflect on his own life and devotion to the Savior.
A reporter from a leading Brazilian magazine studied the Church in preparation for a major news article.1[See André Petry, "Entre a Fé e a Urna,"Veja,Nov. 2, 2011, 96.]He examined our doctrine and visited the missionary training and humanitarian centers. He spoke with friends of the Church and with others who were not so friendly. In the interview with me, the reporter seemed honestly puzzled as he asked, "How could someone not consider you Christian?" I knew he was referr ... (continued)
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What Thinks Christ of Me?
Elder Neil L. Andersen
- Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
📅 0
📖 general conference
President Thomas S. Monson shows his discipleship through acts of kindness, as demonstrated by his interactions with Jami Palmer Brinton, a young woman with cancer, whom he comforted and supported over the years.
Let me share two examples of discipleship in action. The first is from the life of President Thomas S. Monson, demonstrating the power of simple kindness and Jesus"™s teaching, "He that is greatest among you shall be your servant."26[Matthew 23:11] Nearly 20 years ago, President Monson spoke in general conference about a 12-year-old young woman suffering from cancer. He told of her courage and the kindness of her friends to carry her up Mount Timpanogos in central Utah. A few years ago ... (continued)
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