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Show Temple Work, Betterment of Spiritual Lives Stressed at Roosevelt LDS Stake Conference; 900 Attend Deliberations The high importance of temple work in the gospel program was brought home to members of the Roosevelt Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latte-day Saints, at quarterly conference Saturday and Sunday in the Roosevelt Stake House. Amost 900 members, filling the chapel foyer and recreation room heard Elroy EIRay Christiansen assistant to the Council of the Twelve, his wife and other speakers speak-ers stress the call for temple marriage, mar-riage, ordinances for the dead and other work. Elder Christiansen, president of the Salt Lake Temple, and William Walsh of the General Welfare Committee were the general authoritis assigned to the conference con-ference and they listed a variety of ways in which Latter-day Saints could improve their spiritual and temporal lives. Elder Christiansen said, "there are those in every stake who will allow opposition, of various kinds to deter them from their spiritual goals." He pointed out that in the Roosevelt Stake last year, only 28 per cent of couples who married mar-ried had their marriages sealed in the temple. "Those who accept civil marriage, mar-riage, as completly binding, are waiving their rights to divine destiny," dest-iny," he said. Service To Families Speaking of missionary work, Elder Christiansen said young men and women who accept the call to go out on foreign missions benefit not only themselves and, of course, the church, but perform a great service for their families. "I think families are brought to a higher degree of spirituality by sending their sons on missions," he said. Elder Christiansen touched on the influences on young people that deter them from the gospel. He cited comic books, tobacco and alchol commercials on television and other influences as ones parents par-ents must overcome by teaching children from the. earliest years what the gospel plan requires of church members. By doing that, he pointed out, the child does not have to learn "the hard way" what things he must not do. The Welfare Plan Elder Walsh, combining a serious message with flashes of humor, told how the average LDS family fami-ly should apportion its purchases so as to keep a supply of needs on hand; how families should meet the fast requirement and the church's fast offering. Mrs. Christiansen, a vibrant, dedicated woman who devotes many hours each day to assisting Elder Christiansen in his work, illustrated how important it is for Latter-day Saints and for temple tem-ple workers to meet the responsibilities respon-sibilities of work for the dead. Stake President Ezra J. Nixon said the "sole purpose, of the conference, is to develop spirituality spiritual-ity and help ourselves and others follow the gospel of Jesus Christ." President Nixon pointed out how the favorite theme of President J. Ruben Clark Jr. is unity and said the werds and the stake and all the organizations must move "as one." He told his listeners to remember rem-ember that the Lord said: "If ye are not one, ye are not mine." In a word to those holding stake positions, President Nixon said the stake has adopted the rule that any officer, in order to resign, must notify stake authorities in order to be released in the same manner in which he is sustained. He said this practice is being adopted to eliminate occurrences of stake posts being vacated by the office-holder merely quitting without notification. In official action members voted to release with thanks P. Wendell Johnson, as a member of the high council. Mr. Johnson, who has been Roosevelt Seminary principal, has moved to Ogden to take charge of seminary work at the State Industrial school. New High Councilman Sustained in his place was Charles E. Crozier, first counselor in the Neola bishopric. Mr. Crozier has been in the bishopric over three years, being appointed 10 months after he was converted to the church. Four returned missionaries reported re-ported to the ' stake during the day. In the morning session, reports re-ports were heard from John Benson, Ben-son, who served in the Central States Mission and Kent Brighton from the Gulf States Mission. Giving Giv-ing afternoon reports were Arnold Webb, returned from Brazil and Dorothy Peterson, who served in the Canadian Mission. Others who addressed the conference con-ference sessions were Dwain Buchanan Buch-anan and Paul Murphy of the stake presidency; Arvin Bellon, newly appointed bishop of the Roosevelt Second ward; Mrs- Bellon and Donald Schmidt, principal of the Roosevelt seminary. A choir under the direction of Owen F. Burgener provided music for the conference sessions. Accompanist Ac-companist was Mrs. John Russell. |
