“The Blessing of a Testimony,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, 6
The Blessing of a Testimony
I feel it a privilege and a blessing to be able to be with you this morning in this session of conference. To follow president Kimball is something that I have tried to do now for about seven years. And if I can succeed, I am going to make a go of it. I am so happy to be with you this day, to partake of the spirit that is always present in the conferences, to hear the Tabernacle Choir, and to hear the sermons of the leadership of this great church.
I was not prepared to talk at all, but President Kimball asked me if I would like to say a few words. I would like to bear my testimony to my family, friends, businessmen, and the world. I have had the great privilege of being with four Presidents of this church and of seeing how the Lord works through them. One cannot doubt when he sees them that they are prophets of God, leading us in the paths of truth and righteousness and helping us to prepare ourselves and our children for eternal life.
We know we are spirit children of God, and we were present when it was decided to form an earth here where we could come and dwell and prove ourselves worthy, by keeping the commandments, to go back into the presence of our Heavenly Father. That is why the earth was created.
Jesus Christ was chosen to be the Savior of the world. He gave the plan of life and salvation to the prophets in the old days, as recorded in Genesis and elsewhere. We know who we are, where we came from, why we are here, and how we can get back to his presence.
We are very fortunate in having a testimony of the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that all of us will do our best in the duties that are given to us. May our example and influence be felt for good wherever we are. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.