“Meet Our New General Authorities,” Friend, July 1975, 45

Meet Our New General Authorities

Four new Assistants to the Council of the Twelve, whose names were announced at the 145th Annual General Conference of the Church, shared their feelings about the gospel and their love of the Lord’s work at that time. Here are just a few of their thoughts:

Elder Robert D. Hales

“It is not in death or in one event that we give our lives, but in every day as we are asked to do it.

“I ask the Lord’s blessings upon all those who have made this day possible for me: my Primary and Sunday School teachers; a mother and father who are truly ‘goodly parents,’ who have taught me and who have been an example for my whole life; …

“… I will do as the prophet has said … put behind me my past life and dedicate and consecrate all my time, talents, and efforts to His work.”

Elder Adney Y. Komatsu

“As I lived the gospel principles taught by the missionaries, and as I studied the principles myself, I had the assurance from my Father in heaven that my future outcome would be one that I would never have to worry about.

“I have always tried since baptism to put the principles of the gospel in practice.

“I am grateful today for the missionaries … who came to Hawaii to teach the gospel principles and the many members of the Church there that I have associated with who have taught me the gospel principles. …

“I have tried in all of my years of membership in the Church to never refuse the Church whenever a call came to me. I have surely been blessed by the Lord … and I have come to appreciate the sacred priesthood that I hold.”

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

“I was taught at my father’s knee to be humble, diligent, trustworthy, and to honor the servants, the General Authorities of our Church. …

“I think of my coaches who taught me to play—really the game of life—and the many fine teachers in school, and especially in the Church. …

“Today I reflect on the many fine brethren. … with whom I have worked, and I honor them for the uplifting influence they have had upon me.

“My life really is anchored to the testimony that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ. … I know that the Lord’s Spirit does whisper to his servants, and it is up to us to listen to these whisperings.”

Elder William Grant Bangerter

“I am grateful that there has been an influence in my life near to me which has made it easy for me to accept the great truth that the gospel really has been restored in the last days to the earth, and that the president of this Church is in reality a prophet of God with the priesthood and the authority of Jesus Christ to organize his kingdom and direct it here on earth.

“… my parents reared me and all of their eleven children to be worthy of this or any other calling of service. …

“No one’s life belongs to him alone. …

“… I must tell you … that Spencer W. Kimball … is a prophet of God. I can say this because when he was presented to the Church to become our president a year ago, the Spirit of the Lord said distinctly and almost audibly, ‘He is speaking as a prophet of God.’”