The Apr. 1962 General Conference was amazing. Talks on a variety of topics! Elder Dyer and Hinckley both gave fantastic talks on our need to be member missionaries, President Hugh B. Brown gave two amazing addresses. In the Priesthood Session, he declared, “Communism is of the devil. Communism started when the devil was cast out of heaven.” And that the Priesthood Quorums “should form a great bulwark against communism and its attendant evils.’ And then Hugh B. Brown gave an amazing talk addressing the ever-present question, “Are the Latter-day Saints…Christians?” And Ezra Taft Benson gave a stirring address on the role of the United States in the last days as “The Lord’s Base of Operations.”Overall, lots of amazing talks, quotes, and stories!
I hope you enjoy this eighteenth installment of quotes from my studies of the General Conference Archives (If you want to read prior installments click HERE). For the first installment and an explanation of the Conference Archives see “55+ Powerful Quotes From My Study of the Oct. 1970 General Conference” To read this conference report PDF from the Church History Catalog (click HERE), for the Archive.org PDF (with speech-to-text, click here) I hope you enjoy these quotes from my studies. But more than enjoy them, I hope they serve as a starting point for your own study of the Apr. 1962 General Conference! Use the page number and the above links to access the full talks. Enjoy!
35+ Impactful Quotes From My Study of the Apr. 1962 General Conference
“Too many men and women have other gods to which they give more thought than to the resurrected Lord — the god of pleasure, the god of wealth, the god of indulgence, the god of political power, the god of popularity, the god of race superiority — as varied and numerous as were the gods in ancient Athens and Rome.”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 6
“The projection of the idea that every member be a missionary forms a concept, which like a banner, must be kept high. There should be no apathy within the ranks of the Church to this great challenge. The enthusiasm and spirit of missionary work must be kept alive and active in the heart of every member, for this is the spirit of the Church.”
Alvin R. Dyer
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 12
“The first soul that anyone should bring to God is his own soul.”
Sterling W. Sill
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 13
“Frequently our house falls because we lack the courage of our convictions. We are too much afraid of circumstances; we are afraid of people and what they will think.”
Sterling W. Sill
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 14
“Many years ago a neighbor of mine used to say over and over again that he did not want his children to follow the Church blindly. He wanted them to do their own thinking, to stand on their own feet, and break their own trails. And that is exactly what they have done. Now twenty- five years later every one of them is bogged down in the quicksands of his own mistakes…Nothing could please me more than to have my children follow the Church in every detail; for I know that God has prepared the road maps, and that they lead to the most satisfactory of all destinations.”
Sterling W. Sill
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 15
“If you need the kind of faith that will move mountains, you need only look within yourself, for God has already implanted in your own heart the seeds of faith, waiting only for you to make them grow. If you need courage and love for the greatest accomplishment, you can develop that which you have already been endowed. God laid up the silver, gold, and other precious things in the earth, but he put his own potentialities into his children and has made their development our greatest responsibility.”
Sterling W. Sill
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 16
“One cannot honestly study the Book of Mormon without learning gospel truths.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 18
“Learning the gospel from books is not enough. It must be lived by one who would magnify his calling in the priesthood. As a matter of fact, getting a knowledge of the gospel and living it are interdependent. They go hand in hand. One cannot fully learn the gospel without living it. A knowledge of the gospel comes by degrees. One learns a little, obeys what he learns; learns a little more, obeys that; and repeats this cycle in an endless round. Such is the pattern by which one can move on to a full knowledge of the gospel.”
Marion G. Romney
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 19
“Fear is a chief weapon of Satan in making mankind unhappy… We must seek to dispel fear from among our people. A timid, fearing people cannot do their work well. The Latter-day Saints have a divinely assigned world mission so great that they cannot afford to dissipate their strength in fear. The Lord has repeatedly warned his people against fear. Many a blessing is withheld because of our fears.”
John A. Widtsoe
CR, Apr. 1942 p. 33
“To meet the demand and to discharge the responsibility resting heavily upon the Church, the missionary spirit must possess its members, for everyone is expected to be a missionary.”
Alma Sonne
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 36
“Jesus said that the people of his day crucified the living prophets, but they decorated the graves of the dead prophets (Matt. 23:27-33) And history is just repeating itself today.”
LeGrand Richards
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 42
“I have always been very grateful for the testimony coming to me through the Spirit of the Lord that Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God, was called to stand at the head of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times when this kingdom would be set up, never to be destroyed or given to another people. That ought to be an anchor to our souls (Heb. 6:19) We have people who go out of the Church from time to time and set up organizations of their own, claiming that the kingdom of God has failed, that they have something better. I am sorry for these people. I cannot believe that any of them are sincere. If they are, then they are to be pitied, but I think that they are malicious deceivers, trying to destroy the kingdom of God.”
Joseph Fielding Smith
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 45
“Astronomers have developed powerful telescopes through which they have seen much, but prophets and seers have had clearer vision at greater distances with precision instruments such as the Liahona and the Urim and Thummim, which have far exceeded the most advanced radar, radio, television, or telescopic equipment.”
Spencer W. Kimball
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 59
“Is there interplanetary conversation? Certainly. Man may speak to God and receive answers from him.
Is there association of interplanetary beings? There is no question.
Are planets out in space inhabited by intelligent creatures? Without doubt.
Will radioed messages ever come between planets across limitless space? Certainly, for there have already been coming for 6,000 years … these interstellar messages — call them what you will, visions, revelations, television, radio — from the abode of God to man on this earth continue now to come to the living prophet of God among us this day.”
Spencer W. Kimball
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 64
“Procrastination is the devil’s tool.”
Thorpe B. Isaacson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 66
“Many of our desired blessings are never realized because we do not more faithfully obey the law of fasting and prayer and contribute for the blessing of the poor the full value of the meals not consumed on Fast Day.”
Thorpe B. Isaacson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 69
“Religion is not in believing the commandments only, it is in doing them. I would to God that men would not only believe Jesus Christ and his teachings, but would broaden their belief to the extent of doing the things that are taught by them, and doing them in spirit.”
Joseph F. Smith as quoted by Thorpe B. Isaacson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 69
“Let us prepare ourselves more diligently for the great assignment which God has laid upon us to carry this work to the children of the earth wherever we may be permitted to go.
To our young men I would like to say, prepare yourselves, not only financially as you have been urged to do, but also intellectually and morally and spiritually. Study languages. This gospel is not for the people of America only. This gospel is for the people of the earth, and we have incumbent upon us the obligation to learn to speak their tongues. If you be called to a foreign language mission, you will be better equipped if you have studied the language. If called to an English-speaking mission, you will understand your own language better.
Live for the opportunity when you may go out as a servant of the Lord and an ambassador of eternal truth to the people of the world. ‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come’ (Matt. 24:14) This is our commission, and this is our obligation spoken anciently and reaffirmed in modern revelation.”
Gordon B. Hinckley
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 73
“We need more understanding in our relationships with one another, in business and in industry, between management and labor, between government and the governed. We need understanding in that most important of all social units the family, understanding between children and parents and between husband and wife. Marriage would bring happiness, and divorce would be unknown if there were understanding hearts. Hatred tears down but understanding builds up. Our prayer could well be as was Solomon’s, ‘Lord, give me an understanding heart’ (1 Kgs. 3:9)”
Howard W. Hunter
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 76
“You are the trumpeters to the youth who are listening for certain sounds — positive, unwavering teachings, examples — a steady beam to guide them in preparation for a useful life of service in the dignity of the priesthood. If we, the trumpeters, do not guard our actions, our language — do not set worthy examples — how then can we expect our young men to prepare themselves ‘to the battle,’ battle against wrongdoing — the battle they fight every day of their lives?”
John H. Vandenberg
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 86
“The efficiency of our opposition to them depends upon the way we honor our priesthood and place ourselves in a position to seek and obtain God’s help in fighting evil. Communism is of the devil. Communism started when the devil was cast out of heaven because of his rebelling against the will of his Father that men should have their free agency. Satan and his emissaries would rob men of their priceless freedom.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 89
“It is well that all men know that the Church and the leaders of the Church stand squarely against communism.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 89
“The priesthood of the Church must do its part so that even in the days of prosperity we may humble ourselves in our service to the Lord and our fellow men. This is the only insurance we have against permitting our riches to canker our souls, and to have it said of us, ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved!’ (D&C 56:16.)”
Henry D. Moyle
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 93
“A person prepares differently for a short journey than he does for a long one, and a person who believes that life here is the end of all would prepare much differently and live much differently from him who believes that life is everlasting.”
Richard L. Evans
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 97
“Every true Latter-day Saint throughout the world loves the USA. The Constitution of this land is part of every Latter-day Saint’s religious faith.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 103
“How I wish every American and every living soul would read the Book of Mormon. I testify to you that it is true. It tells about the prophetic history and mission of America. It gives the comforting assurance that God has kept this great nation, as it were, in the hollow of his hand in preparation for its great mission.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 103
“The establishment of this great Christian nation, with a spiritual foundation, was all in preparation for the restoration of the gospel, following the long night of apostasy.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 104
“God will not permit his base of operations — America — to be destroyed. He has promised protection to this land if we will but serve the God of the land. He has also promised protection to the righteous even, if necessary, to send fire from heaven to destroy their enemies. No, God’s base of operations will not be destroyed. But it may be weakened and made less effective.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 104
“We must protect this base from idleness, subsidies, doles, and soft governmental paternalism which weakens initiative, discourages industry, destroys character, and demoralizes people.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 105
“We must protect this American base from the brainwashing, increasingly administered to our youth in many educational institutions across the land, by some misinformed instructors and some wolves in sheep’s clothing. Their false indoctrination, often perpetrated behind the front of so-called academic freedom, is leaving behind many faithless students, socialist-oriented, who are easy subjects for state tyranny.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 105
“To protect this base we must protect the soul of America — we must return to a love and respect for the basic spiritual concepts upon which this nation has been established. We must study the Constitution and the writings of the founding fathers.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 PP. 105-106
“We must protect the Lord’s base of operations by moving away from unsound economic policies which encourage creeping socialism and its companion, insidious, atheistic communism. If we are to protect this important base, we must as a nation live within our means, balance our budgets, and pay our debts. We must establish sound monetary policies and take needed steps to compete in world markets.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 106
“If we are to protect this American base, we must realize that all things, including information disseminated by our schools, churches, and government, should be judged according to the words of the prophets, especially the living prophet.”
Ezra Taft Benson
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 106
“What was the alternative to the atonement? What if there had been no atonement? If there had been no atonement, all men would have been doomed to eternal death, for unless Christ had broken its bonds, death would have been victorious”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 109
“One does not get the full benefit of the atonement simply by acknowledging it.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 109
“The Polynesian Saints are characterized by a tremendous faith. Why do they have this great faith? It is because these people are of the blood of Israel. They are heirs to the promises of the Book of Mormon. God is now awakening them to their great destiny.”
Mark E. Petersen
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 112
“In answer to the question then, what does it mean to be a Christian and are we Christians, we reply that the doctrines we teach are Christian by every test of the scripture and of revelation. In practice we confess we often fall short. However, we are earnestly trying to bring our lives into complete harmony with his laws and thus become entitled to the full blessings of the atonement and become progressively better Christians.”
Hugh B. Brown
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 110
“Our religion is not a cloak to wear on Sunday and be hung in the closet for the rest of the week”
David O. McKay
CR, Apr. 1962 p. 125
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