President
Hinckley told of David Casteneda and his wife, Tomasa, to
illustrate the changes that come into one's life after accepting
the gospel.
"In 1969, they were living
on a very poor little desert patch of dry and
rocky ground in the area of Bermejillo, a town some 40 kilometers
north of
Torreon, Mexico.
"At the time, they had
a little shack, 30 chickens, two pigs and one horse.
President Hinckley explained how missionaries found the family that
year and
taught them the gospel and they were baptized. In time, they
moved to Bermejillo.
They began with a 17-year-old worn-out truck. They fixed it
up and sold it. This
gradually led to the buying of wrecked automobiles that they repaired.
Since
then, "They have become a highly successful and prosperous
family," he said.
"They donated the land
on which the local [meetinghouse] was built. They
have served in many capacities. The taint of ignorance and the blight
of darkness
have left them and light and understanding have come into their
faces. The sons
have all served missions for the Church.
"The family has
been instrumental in bringing more than 200 of their extended
family and friends into the Church.
"It is what I call the
'Mormon Miracle.' This gospel has touched the lives
of the learned and the affluent, as well as those in humble circumstances.
"There must be love and
respect one for another, there must be an
outreaching to assist and bless the lives of others.
"This Church expects that we
will be a praying people. Once, it was the
custom in the homes of America, for the family to gather about the
table in the
morning and at night in prayer. We have largely forgotten
that practice, and I
believe that we have paid a terrible price in the deterioration
of the family which
we have and are witnessing, not only in America, but across the
world.
"We are a people who believe in education.
The Lord expects us to learn.
Learning is an eternal thing.
"The Church expects each of us to
do our part in moving forward its work
across the world.
"We believe in the law of the tithe.
People look upon us as a Church of wealth.
We are a Church of consecrated means. Our assets are money-consuming
and
not income-producing. Through the blessings of tithing we
are able to do what
we need to do.
"It is expected that each of us will
fast, that is, abstain, from two meals a
month and give the equivalent value of those meals to the bishop
to be used in
taking care of the poor. Nobody suffers.
"I am satisfied that if everyone
in the United States were to observe this
simple law, the welfare needs of the nation could be taken care
of without raising
a single dollar of taxes for this purpose. Those who give
would be blessed, and
those who receive would be blessed.
"It is expected that every member
. . . observe the Word of Wisdom. It is a
promise to this people — divinely given — and if we were to observe
it more
strictly, the blessing would be the greater."
"The Lord expects us to strengthen the family
— an institution of God — by
supporting, sustaining, strengthening and teaching one another.
"The family is falling apart all
over the world. Young people who come out
of homes without roots, wander aimlessly, destroying their lives
with drugs and
other practices, joining gangs, molesting and even shooting one
another.
"[The family] was designed for
His eternal purposes, to bring happiness into
the lives of His children. Fatherhood and motherhood are blessings
without peer.
"It is this family solidarity
which is the only hope I see for the future of our
nation."
"The Church expects that
each of us carry a share of the burden of leadership.
There is no paid clergy. The work is done because of a love
of the cause. And
as people serve, they grow in capacity. The time and effort
is not a sacrifice
because there is returned more than is given."
President Hinckley closed
by saying: "We are trying to make the world
better by beginning with ourselves."
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