JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES

mother tongue—it is the very first
step. But having received the first
principles of the Gospel of Christ, let
us go on to perfection.

Brethren and sisters, let us lay
these things to heart and try to rea-
lize that the eyes of God, of angels,
of those who have gone before us are
waiting and watching for the comple-
tion of our labors. We have every-
thing to stimulate us to action to do
the will of God and overcome evil
and be humble, obedient, diligent and
faithful. Let us labor faithfully while
we dwell in the flesh, that we may be
satisfied with our labors when we get
through. We have everything to
encourage us here in the valleys of
the mountains. We have the bles-
sings of God visible over us day by
day in our preservation, and in the
preservation of the crops and the
fruits of the soil. The hand of the
Lord has been over the land. Who
would have been believed twenty
years ago, if he had said that this bar-
ren, desolate waste would have be-
come like the garden of Eden? It
never could have been done except
through the mercies and blessings of
God. His promises have been ful-
filled to us, and we can just as well
acknowledge His hand in these tem-
poral blessings as in anything else,
for the hand of God is in it all.

I pray that God will bless us with
His spirit, and give us power to
maintain our integrity, magnify our
callings and to be faithful to our co-
venants, to our God and to each
other, that we may overcome the
world, the flesh and the devil and be
prepared to inherit eternal life, for
Jesus' sake: Amen.

JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES

mother tongue—it is the very first step. But having received the first principles of the Gospel of Christ, let us go on to perfection.

Brethren and sisters, let us lay these things to heart and try to realize that the eyes of God, of angels, of those who have gone before us are waiting and watching for the completion of our labors. We have everything to stimulate us to action to do the will of God and overcome evil and be humble, obedient, diligent and faithful. Let us labor faithfully while we dwell in the flesh, that we may be satisfied with our labors when we get through. We have everything to encourage us here in the valleys of the mountains. We have the blessings of God visible over us day by day in our preservation, and in the preservation of the crops and the fruits of the soil. The hand of the Lord has been over the land. Who would have been believed twenty years ago, if he had said that this barren, desolate waste would have become like the garden of Eden? It never could have been done except through the mercies and blessings of God. His promises have been fulfilled to us, and we can just as well acknowledge His hand in these temporal blessings as in anything else, for the hand of God is in it all.

I pray that God will bless us with His spirit, and give us power to maintain our integrity, magnify our callings and to be faithful to our covenants, to our God and to each other, that we may overcome the world, the flesh and the devil and be prepared to inherit eternal life, for Jesus' sake: Amen.