Hope for Happiness, Peace, and Eternal Life
The April 1971 General Conference talks speak of hope in a variety of contexts. The talks express hope for happiness, peace, and eternal life for individuals, families, and the entire world. The April 1971 General Conference talks paint a picture of hope rooted in faith in God and the power of his gospel to transform lives and bring about a brighter future.
April 1971 General Conference - Deep Dive
The gospel of Jesus Christ and its restoration offer hope for individuals and families to find peace and joy in this life and exaltation in the life to come.
I do testify to you today that I know that Christ lives, that he is the Redeemer of the world, and that he has given us his church through restoration in this dispensation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and a pattern of life to live by through his gospel that will bring us joy and happiness in this life and exaltation through the worlds to come. – Elder LeGrand Richards of the Council of the Twelve1
God, the Eternal Father, through Jesus Christ, has revealed to mankind a gospel plan of salvation. Its purpose is to give all who will accept and obey it peace and happiness in this world and eventually eternal life in the presence of God in celestial glory. – Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of the Seventy.2
Living the principles of the gospel, including honesty, integrity, respect, service, and prayer, can bring about a more peaceful and loving home environment.
I repeat, the voice of domestic peace is a gentle voice. – Gordon B. Hinkley of the Council of the Twelve.3
Now in conclusion, as the fourth cornerstone I should like to suggest Family Prayer. I know of no single practice that will have a more salutary effect upon your lives than the practice of kneeling together as you begin and close each day. Somehow the little storms that seem to affect every marriage are dissipated when, kneeling before the Lord, you thank him for one another, in the presence of one another, and then together invoke his blessings upon your lives, your home, your loved ones, and your dreams.4 – Gordon B. Hinkley of the Council of the Twelve.
The talks encourage listeners to repent and turn to the Lord, promising forgiveness and blessings for those who do so.
Sex involvement outside of marriage locks doors to temples and thus bars the way to eternal life. We extend to every listener a cordial invitation to come to the watered garden, to the shade of pleasant trees, to the unchangeable truth. not go dry.
Come listen to a prophet’s voice and hear the word of God. The Lord does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His church stands firm and unchangeable. Sin will not be tolerated, but sincere repentance will be rewarded with forgiveness.5 – Spencer W. Kimball Acting President of the Council of the Twelve
Sharing the gospel with others is seen as a hopeful endeavor, with the potential to bring salvation to all who accept it.
Now with correlation established, we have returned to the original premise. Families are involved. Father, mother, and children unite in the grand and noble effort to seek out those who may be persuaded to listen. And with their effort will come the strengthening by which Peter was admonished to perform. As they seek those to whom they preach, they themselves will be strengthened and in their turn will convert and strengthen other brethren until the happy day that all men see the glory of the Son of God and witness the fulfillment of his word that the gospel should roll forth until it has filed all the earth. (See D&C 65:2.) – S. Dilworth Young of the First Council of the Seventy.
Through the power of the Holy Ghost, individuals can receive personal revelation and a sure witness of truth, bringing hope and certainty to their lives.
There is a power [the Holy Ghost] of communication as real and tangible as electricity. Man has devised the means to send images and sound through the air to be caught on an antenna and reproduced and heard and seen. is other communication may be likened to that, save it be a million times more powerful, and the witness it brings is always the truth. There is a process by which pure intelligence can ow, by which we can come to know of a surety, nothing doubting6. – Boyd K. Packer of the Council of the Twelve
The April 1971 General Conference talks express hope for the future of the Church, envisioning its continued growth and eventual triumph.
Now, what is the destiny of this church? It will go forward. It cannot fail. It will grow until it lls the whole earth. With Christ at its head, in constant communication with the leaders of this church, we are destined to carry out the work God has assigned it. is church will carry the gospel message to all of our Father’s children. It will save the living and the dead. is church will be maligned. It will be attacked. Many will doubt. Some will apostatize. However, it will bring the righteous and honest in heart into its fold and set their feet on the way to exaltation.7 – A. Theodore Tuttle of the First Council of the Seventy
The leaders express their faith and trust in the youth, seeing them as a source of hope for the future.
Know of our love, faith, and trust in you, for the future looms bright in terms of your gospel commitment. May you and I together walk down the Lord’s road in peace and harmony is my humble prayer, as I bear witness to these things, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.8 – Paul H. Dunn of the First Council of the Seventy
The talks emphasize the importance of continuing to work toward a better future, even when faced with challenges and setbacks.
I would have you remember a remark of Brother Marvin J. Ashton in his very excellent address today when he said no home is a failure until it gives up on that son, or that daughter, or that husband, or that wife. It must not give up, no matter how dicult the task to save one of ours. Horace Mann, that great educator somewhere back in the time of Abraham Lincoln, told how he was the speaker at the dedication of a great boys’ school, and in his talk he said, “is school has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars; but if this school is able to save one boy, it is worth all that it cost.” One of his friends came up to him at the close of the meeting and said, “You let your enthusiasm get away with you, didn’t you? You don’t mean what you said that if this school, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, were to save just one boy, it was worth all that it cost? You surely don’t mean that.” Horace Mann looked at him and said, “Yes, my friend. It would be worth it if that one boy were my son; it would be worth it.”
I want you to know that it would be worth it if it were my grandson, or one of mine. It would be worth it if it were one of yours.
As I have listened to these talks today, there has been a ood of concern about the terrible situations that confront the youth of today, and a pleading for the coaches to teach the quarterbacks; and the quarterbacks not to be the men on the eld, but to do their job of quarterbacking; and the coaches not to try to be the quarterbacks, but to be sure of their coaching9. – Harold B. Lee First Counselor in the First Presidency
The talks emphasize the need for unity and strength in righteousness to overcome the challenges of the world and achieve a more hopeful future.
By way of assurance and hope, to build strength in the hearts of the Saints, the Lord has given this counsel by revelation, with which I close my remarks: “… I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” “And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.” “Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of man in your own land. “I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”10 (D&C 38:28–30.) Ye shall not fear, for as the Lord said upon another occasion, the gathering and the faithfulness of the Saints is for a refuge against the awesome conditions which we must face. e Lord has given to us the pattern in all things, that we may not be deceived, for Satan is abroad in the land and he goeth forth deceiving the nations.11 – Alvin R. Dyer Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
Despite the wickedness and turmoil in the world, the talks express hope for a future filled with peace and righteousness, ultimately culminating in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
The culmination of this dispensation in the sequence of the Lord’s time will see the glorious coming of the Son of Man.12 – Alvin R. Dyer Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
- Richards, LeGrand, “In the Mountain of the Lord’s House” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT April 1971 ↩︎
- Hunter, Milton R., “Thou Salt Not Commit Adultery” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT, April 1971 ↩︎
- Hinckley, Gordon B. “Except the Lord Build the House” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT, April 1971 ↩︎
- Hinckley, et al ↩︎
- Kimball, Spencer W., “Voices of the Past, of the Present, of the Future” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT, April 1971 ↩︎
- Packer, Boyd K.., “The Sprit Beareth Record.” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT, April 1971 ↩︎
- Tuttle, A. Theodore, “The Message of the Restoration.” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT, April 1971 ↩︎
- Dunn, Paul H., “Young People – Learn Wisdom in Thy Youth.” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT, April 1971 ↩︎
- Lee, Harold B., “Today’s Young People.” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT, April 1971. ↩︎
- D&C 38:28–30. ↩︎
- Dyer, Alvin H, “Ye Shall Not Fear.” Lecture, Salt Lake City, UT April 1971 ↩︎
- Dyer, et al ↩︎
