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Farewell-God Bless You!

Farewell Message of President Ezra Taft Benson to the Saints and Friends of the European Mission

To the Saints, my beloved brethren and sisters, friends, and people generally throughout the European Mission: Greetings.

Regretfully, but with a heart overflowing with gratitude, I take leave of the elders, Saints, and the populace and retire from the presidency of the European Mission.

On February 4, 1946-twenty-one days after the announcement of my appointment to this honorable position by the First Presidency of the Church-I landed in England by airplane, accompanied by my secretary and faithful companion, Elder Frederick W. Babbel.

My regrets are all for the parting now in prospect-a parting with the kind, loving friends I have made in and out of the Church during my sojourn of more than ten months among you.

My gratitude springs from an unshakable knowledge that the Almighty has opened the way and prepared the path before me and that mission presidents, elders, Saints, and friends have extended their loving help and cooperation throughout the difficult months following the world's greatest war of destruction-centering, as it has, within the boundaries of the European Mission.

Elder Alma Sonne, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve-a true and faithful servant of the Lord and a lover of humanity-has been appointed by the First Presidency to preside in Europe. He has already arrived, and together we have made brief visits to ten of the twelve missions which comprise the European Mission. I bespeak for him the same loyal support, love, and esteem that have always been shown toward me. All future communications pertaining to the missions should be directed to President Sonne.

In the providence of the Lord, I am now to return to my mountain home where my ever-faithful wife, children, and other loved ones await me, and I shall be privileged again to enjoy the priceless association of the Brethren in the presiding councils of the Church.

As I bid you adieu, there passes before me a panoramic view of the unprecedented experiences of the past few months. These have been both heartrending and soul-satisfying. They have made impressions that will remain so long as time shall last. It has been a sobering, thought-provoking period.

With the terrible ravages of war on every side-the result of man's sinful disobedience of the commandments of the Lord-and man's wicked misuse of the bounties of nature-one is made to exclaim: "O, God, how long will thy children continue their inhuman slaughter of their fellowmen? How long will the leaders of nations pursue the futile destruction of war? When will the suffering of little children, old men and women, and innocent people everywhere cease and they be called upon no longer to endure the ravages of fiends in human form? When will men and nations learn the way of peace and the futility of bloody conflict?"

Amidst all the terrible aftermath of war, the contact with the Saints in all the war-torn countries has been a sad, though inspiring, experience. Here we have witnessed the fruits of the restored gospel in the lives of our members. We have not been disappointed.