President George Q. Cannon

Condition of missionary fields-Preparation for the ministry-Relating to immigration-Providing employment-Efficacy of faith.

The six months that have passed since our last General Conference was held here have not been particularly fruitful in changes in the missionary field, or in any other direction, excepting the loss of our beloved President. The Elders have been blessed in their labors in all the countries where they are endeavoring to propagate the Gospel, and more have returned from their fields than the number of those who have gone. We have, therefore, a smaller number of Elders now in the various fields than we had at our last Conference. There is one thing that has been noticed in the reports that have come from the fields, and that is, there is more diligence on the part of the missionaries and a better class of work is being done. There has been more care taken in sending out missionaries; more strictness observed to have men go out who would not bring discredit to the name of Latter-day Saint by their indiscretions or by their lack of faithfulness. It may be said, I, think, truthfully, that the standard is being raised. Our young men are entering more into the spirit of the work, and are seeking to qualify themselves in a manner that will be more acceptable to the Lord and more satisfactory to their fellow servants. There is plenty of room for improvement in this respect. There was a time probably many of you can remember when if a man were called on a mission it was frequently asked what he had done that he should be called on a mission. But now the question is asked, if a man is eligible and not called, "What have I done that I should not be called to go and preach the Gospel? I think that is the rule at the present time among the Saints throughout Zion. It is looked upon as an honor to go out and preach the Gospel. I was talking to several strangers last night, and we were conversing about our sending out missionaries, and how quickly they responded to the call. I remarked that a young man was always looked upon more favorably by the gentler sex if he were called on a mission than he would be if he were not called. I believe this is true. I believe the girls among us look with favor upon the young men who are called to go on missions, and they feel that their lovers are slighted if they are not called when they are at the proper age; and if they marry, they feel as though their husbands are not taken notice of as they should be if they are not called. This is a good spirit and feeling.

We want our young men to qualify themselves for this labor. Education is easily procured now. There was a time, in the early days, when education was not common that is, it was not uncommon for very able men to have but meager education. This was the case with the first and most prominent Elders in the Church. But all this has changed. In those days, if a man were not educated it did not attract much attention, for the reason that education was not general that is, higher education; but now, through the increase of colleges and universities and educational facilities, it is rather discreditable to a man not to be educated, because education is within the reach of all. Therefore, our young men who go on missions should bear this in mind and should endeavor to qualify themselves for their missions. There is no reason why we should be behind any people in this respect. It should be a stimulus to our young men to seek for education and to qualify themselves, when they know that this is the feeling and the opinion of the world concerning men who go forth as ministers of the Gospel. But a great many lose their faith because they do not understand how to avail themselves of the advantages which they have. This is especially so in regard to college education. Our young men who go away to get education come back in many instances with their faith weakened, because they do not revere the principles of the Gospel and hold fast to them as immutable truths. But, notwithstanding these drawbacks, I am sure we are all gratified at the progress that is being made by our young people, and I hope it will continue. Some perhaps may not use their education aright, and may have their faith weakened; but this is not the case generally, and I trust will not be the case, but that our young people will learn to obtain higher education without becoming imbued with the belief and the skepticism that prevails in the world.

Our Elders among the nations have been very successful, the Lord is blessing them, and great progress is being made in various directions. We are warning the people, and we are bringing the honest in heart to a knowledge of the truth. There is one course that has been taken which I think will be attended with good effects, that is, counseling the Saints in the various lands where they embrace the Gospel to remain quiet for awhile; to not be anxious to break up their homes to gather to Zion. This counsel is being given by the Elders now in various lands, and it will be attended with excellent effects, because the converts will be accustomed to the principles of the Gospel, and acquainted with the circumstances which surround the people, and more familiar with the trials they may have to meet. Their faith will become stronger, and they will be better able to withstand the trials and difficulties they will have to contend with when they do emigrate to Zion. Most of you know how this operates. A man that is new in the Church and has no experience is not in a position to resist trials that he could subsequently. By having the Saints remain in the places where they dwell they gain experience and strength. Besides this, they are able to help the Elders, and the Elders do not find it so difficult to preach the Gospel, because they have the support and the assistance of those who are members of the Church and who live in organized branches of the Church. I am sure that we will see the good effects of this. We shall not have so many spending means and time to come here, and then apostatizing, and becoming tired and desiring to return again to where they came from. This effect, I am sure, will be noticeable throughout the wards and Stakes of Zion.

In our own land the Lord has been very kind to us. He has prospered us. He has given us good crops, and the people are in better circumstances, speaking generally, than they were a year ago. And He will continue to bless us. There is one thing that we should attend to as a people, and that is, diversify our pursuits. Our cities should not be crowded with unemployed men. There is plenty of opportunity in this State for men to work out for themselves a subsistence. I often think of how it was when the people landed here in the beginning. They had but very little to eat, very little clothing, and but few tools but they came on this ground, and they built themselves houses such as they were and they turned in and cultivated the soil, to raise their food, and they succeeded without anyone but the Lord to help them. If our brethren who are unemployed would ask those who have had experience, they could tell them how to make a living without expecting somebody to feed them or to furnish them with that which they need. It is wrong for them to walk around unemployed. In the spring of the year, if they have not some other employment they should get a piece of land (there are plenty of people who would let them have a piece on some terms) and raise their own food, or try to raise it. Have somebody teach them how to do it, if they do not know themselves. Our people are willing to assist the industrious and the persevering. None need go short. There is plenty of room on every hand. You need not go out of the State of Utah; there is land in abundance to be obtained here, and obtained easily; and if we can get land and are healthy, every man ought to be able to sustain himself and his family. There is no reason why he should not. Our young men should not be contented to be looking around for somebody to give them employment. Every man should seek to be able to employ himself, and not be hanging around stores and offices asking for somebody to give him employment. Let him strike out for himself, and make a living for himself. He can do it in this country. There are plenty of facilities for every young man. There is no need to go to California, Montana, or to the mines; go to some place in the State and build the State up, build up Zion, and take example from those who have preceded us, who have shown what can be done in building up a commonwealth and making a rich people. For, notwithstanding our difficulties, we are a comparatively rich people.

I alluded to a conversation I had last evening with some gentlemen. Another thing I mentioned comes to my mind, and when it was told wonder was expressed how we could do it. I related how years ago, before the railroad was completed, we sent down every year for several years 500 teams, 500 teamsters, and guards, and loaded those teams with provisions to feed the poor, whom the teams brought up, and also to feed the teamsters. This was done by the Latter-day Saints. Thousands of people were brought into this country in this way. Now, we did not think that was very heavy. I never heard, that I know of, a murmur from anybody respecting this labor. Just think of the cost of it! The hiring of 500 teams for the summer (it was practically a whole year's work), 500 men and guards, and then the provisions to feed the people who were brought from the Missouri up here.

We can do great works if we are united and have faith. But where people have no faith, and they say, "I cannot," "It is too much." They ought to feel that they can do anything that is right. We as a people can do anything the Lord requires of us. We ought to have faith in these directions. But we fall into the ways of the world and into thinking as they do. Why, if we do that, we become a commonplace people, of no value particularly. The strength of the Latter-day Saints is their faith. By that they can accomplish anything they set their hearts to do if it is right. God will be with them and sustain them. He has done it all the time. We have accomplished apparent impossibilities through the power and blessing of God and the faith of the people. If we have faith we can accomplish all things that are required at our hands. We should not say, "I cannot do it" "it is too much for us." That ought not to be the feeling of a Latter-day Saint. We can preach the Gospel, we can gather the people, we can build temples, we can build houses of worship, and we can do everything that is required of us, by the principle of faith, actively exhibited in works. But the feeling that has been growing among us is to drop on somebody else for them to help us. You would be surprised to know how many there are who come and want the Church to help them. They pile on to the Church, and forget that the leaders of the Church have to exercise faith themselves. If they get into a close place instead of going to God and asking Him to help them, and having faith that God is able to assist them in carrying their loads and open the way before them, they must come to the Church. "Cannot the Trustee-in-Trust help me do this?" They cannot build meeting houses; they cannot do this or the other; it is too much for them; and they want the Church to help them. Well, it is a wrong feeling. We should seek to help ourselves, and to call upon God, who is as near the individuals in the settlements as He is to us. He is as willing to listen to the prayers of an Elder in the remotest parts of the earth as He is in Zion. He is willing to hear all our cries, if we have faith. I tell you, my brethren and sisters, we must cultivate this faith and this confidence in God. One reason, I believe, that the Lord has required the Elders to go without purse or scrip is that we may have faith developed in the earth, that the Elders shall come back filled with faith. Why? Because God has heard and answered their prayers in the utmost extremity. When they have been in the greatest difficulty and it has seemed impossible for them to get relief, the Lord has heard their prayers. These men, returning by hundreds as they are, ought to have faith and to increase faith throughout the entire community. There is no doubt they do have a good effect. This community is being elevated by this kind of training. But there is still plenty of room for us to cultivate faith, and not imagine that we must fall on the Church for everything that we need or that we have difficulty in accomplishing. The Trustee-in-Trust cannot respond to all the calls. There is not means enough at his command. Therefore, we should seek individually to do our part towards this work. It should be our pleasure to labor for Zion in every direction and to the utmost of our power. There is no labor on the earth so pleasurable as laboring for Zion, whether in the ministerial field or at home in any field that may be assigned us. There is no greater work, and no work that God smiles upon and blesses as He does that. The man that does it is a happy man, and will be a happy man, who labors for Zion with singleness of purpose and with his heart devoted to the work of the Lord. God bless you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.