My dear brothers and sisters, what a privilege it is for me to be here with you on this special occasion! It is a joy to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Lord’s revelation offering to all worthy members of the Church the full blessings of all priesthood ordinances and covenants. I am here this evening on assignment from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. I bring their greetings and expressions of love to each of you.
I am grateful for those who have participated in this service – they are truly examples of faith and devotion. I am grateful for each of you. My heart is touched as I look at you and know of your devotion to the Lord. Many of you were members of the Church before the revelation was given and walked by faith, never doubting the truths of the gospel you had embraced. In October 1971 – seven years before the revelation – Ruffin Bridgeforth, Darius Gray, and Eugene Orr were called as a presidency to head Genesis. They reported directly to a committee consisting of Elders Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and Boyd K. Packer. Brother Bridgeforth served as president until his death in 1997. He was succeeded by Darius Gray, and now Don Harwell is serving in that capacity. We are thankful for these great leaders and for all of you whose testimonies and actions are examples of your faith and devotion.
The 1978 revelation is a dramatic witness of the Lord revealing His will and His love for all of His children. Speaking of the latterdays, Nephi stated: “And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth.” We are witnesses to the realization of Nephi’s prophecy.
For members of the Church, June 8, 1978, will be one of those days never to be forgotten. Those of us in the Church at that time remember well exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the announcement of the revelation. I was driving up Weber Canyon with three of my sons, heading to a fathers and sons campout. I remember turning on the radio and hearing the news. I still remember the feelings I had and the tears that filled my eyes as I contemplated the wonderful blessings that would now be available to all our Heavenly Father’s children. I remember that day so well, but what I did not realize was the impact and blessing it would be in my own life.
Thirteen years later in 1991, I was called to preside over the New York New York Mission, where I saw the blessings that came to many because of that revelation. The United States has been described as a melting pot, but New York City is like a salad bowl: people from different cultures, races, and nations, all bringing their uniqueness, individuality, and own special flavor as they are all tossed together. I felt this the first Sunday that my wife, our two sons, and I attended the Queens Ward. James Scott, a tall, good-looking Black member, was standing at the front door to greet us. Sister Nembhard, looking beautiful with her hair in dreadlocks, was leading the music. A member of the bishopric was an African-American, the Relief Society president was Chinese, the Young Men president was Tongan, the Young Women president was Hispanic, our home teacher was from India, and the Primary president was Caucasian. We had been dropped into a microcosm of the world filled with people from every imaginable place. They were different in so many ways, yet united in their love for the Lord, their desire to follow His example, and the loving service they showed to each other. We were brothers and sisters – all equal in the sight of God. As Nephi said, “He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female.” That was Queen’s Ward – my first real introduction to ethnic diversity.
We hadn’t been in New York long when I discovered that there were no missionaries serving on Staten Island. I felt strongly that we needed missionaries there to support the little branch and help build the Church. I chose two fine, hard-working missionaries for that assignment. They wondered what they had done wrong for me to send them there. I assured them that the field was now ripe and they were the best laborers I could send. They worked hard and soon began to see the fruits of their labors. As a result of a referral, they baptized a man, an artist from Eastern Europe, who lived quite a distance from the established branch. The missionaries tracted out the area in which he lived and found more who were interested in the gospel. They also found several members who, because of the expense and limited public transportation on Sunday, were unable to attend church.
We decided that they needed a little branch closer to their homes. The newly converted artist owned an old chapel that he used as his art studio and willingly volunteered a corner of it for a temporary meeting place for the small branch. Lorenzo Davis, a young African-American with a small family, was called to be the branch president. Sister Child and I were in attendance at that first meeting. The members had cleaned up their corner of the studio and had placed about 15 chairs in a circle – that was the beginning of a branch in Cebra. Cebra was a residential neighborhood with many ethnic groups and many churches.
President Davis was a visionary branch president and had a great desire for his branch to grow. On Sunday mornings he, along with members and missionaries, would stand outside their building and invite those who were walking by to come into their meeting place and worship with them. Many did, and with the combined efforts of this little band of Saints and the missionaries, their branch began to blossom and grow. It grew so well that the building became more of a chapel than an art studio. Eventually the Church bought the building, renovated it, and created a wonderful meetinghouse for the growing branch.
Shortly before we left New York we attended a conference in that building. What a joy it was to see it filled with faithful Saints – most were new members, and many were African-American. But as thrilling as it was to see the numerical growth, it was even more thrilling to see the spiritual growth that was taking place in the lives of the members. President Davis worked diligently preparing his branch members to receive the blessings of the temple. He organized regular excursions to the Washington D.C. Temple. They would board a bus at 2:00 a.m. for the five-hour bus ride, spend all day in the temple, and return home the following morning. How we loved those faithful members – unitedly enjoying the blessings of the gospel.
After President Davis served faithfully for several years he was released as branch president. When Brooklyn became a stake, which included Staten Island, he was again called to serve, this time as a bishop of one of the wards. What a faithful, dedicated Latter-day Saint he was! Earlier this year, Bishop Davis passed away after a courageous battle with cancer, but he will long be remembered and revered for his devoted service to the Saints on Staten Island.
As we watched the video tonight, I was touched as we heard the testimonies of those whose lives were impacted by the revelation. As I rejoiced upon hearing of the revelation 30 years ago, little did I realize that there were people half a world away who were also celebrating and giving thanks to God for this momentous event.
My wife and I were blessed to live in West Africa for four years. We can testify, as did Peter, “That God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” We witnessed time after time how the Lord prepares the hearts of many to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.
One such person was a man by the name of Anthony Obinna. In 1965, he had recurring dreams in which he saw a beautiful building. He had never seen the building before, but it made such an impression upon him that he could not forget it. Sometime later, he was reading an old issue of a Reader’s Digest when he came upon an article entitled: “The March of the Mormons.” On one of the pages there was a picture of the very building he had seen in his dreams. It was a picture of the Salt Lake Temple. He was so excited that he immediately sent a letter to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City requesting that missionaries be sent to Nigeria. In response, he received a copy of the Book of Mormon and other church literature, but was told that it was not the right time for the Church to come to West Africa. So Brother Obinna gathered his family and began teaching the principles of his newly found religion. Together they prayed that the Lord would send missionaries to Nigeria.
Thirteen years later in November of 1978, just five months after the revelation, that prayer was answered as the first missionaries arrived in West Africa. Upon their arrival they located Brother Obinna and found that he had prepared many to receive the blessings of the gospel. Baptismal interviews were held, and on the 21st of November, 1978, nineteen adults entered the waters of baptism and were confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were the first official baptisms in West Africa. A similar experience awaited the missionaries in Ghana, as the Lord had prepared the hearts of many there to embrace His gospel.
It is remarkable to see what has taken place since those first 19 baptisms nearly 30 years ago. Today in West Africa, there are:
• 146,000 members of the Church.
• 35 stakes and districts.
• 9 missions.
• 685 single full-time missionaries – 90% of which are African.
• And most important, there are two operating temples – one in Accra, Ghana and one in Aba, Nigeria.
Tonight as I watched the video showing President Hinckley at the fireside prior to the dedication of the Accra Ghana Temple, I couldn’t help but remember how much the people loved him and how he loved them. In the dedicatory prayer he made this statement: “We thank Thee for the brotherhood that exists among us, that neither color of skin nor land of birth can separate us as Thy sons and daughters who have taken upon us sacred and binding covenants.”
My mind went to those early Saints who waited 13 years or more to be able to enter into the covenants of baptism. I think of how they walked in faith, never wavering. Many waited an additional 26 years to receive the sacred blessings that can come only in the temple of the Lord. On the day the temples opened, both in Ghana and in Nigeria, humble people quietly lined up, reverently awaiting entrance into the house of the Lord. The long wait was over, their prayers had been answered, and their dreams had come true: they could be sealed together as companions and families forever.
Just prior to our leaving West Africa, the stakes and districts in Ghana organized a day of celebration. The highlight of our day was sitting in the temple with all the stake and district presidencies from Ghana, along with their faithful wives. There were 68 of us in a room that was made to accommodate 44. We were there with worthy Latter-day Saints whom we love – enjoying with them the great blessings of the temple.
The Church has progressed significantly during the past 30 years. Large numbers have also joined the Church in Brazil, the Caribbean, and many other lands and nations because of the blessings made available by the 1978 revelation. Throughout the world congregations are led by men and women of diverse ethnic backgrounds. As the Apostle Paul said, “Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God.”
Brothers and Sisters, there are no strangers or foreigners among those who enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, make sacred covenants, and keep them. They belong to the household of God, headed by a Father in Heaven who loves all His children. We know that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Because of God’s love for all His children, in every gospel dispensation, He has placed prophets on the earth whereby He can communicate His will to them. His love and His will were made manifest to us on June 8, 1978. We certainly have cause to rejoice and to celebrate!
May we show our love to Him, by the way we live our lives, and reach out to others with love, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.