The Blessed and Happy State

Elder Quentin L. Cook began his most recent address in general conference with these words, “Charles Dickens famously began his classic novel A Tale of Two Cities with the assertion that ‘it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’ In a sense, this is true in our day.” It is easy to see why we might call it the worst of times given the wickedness, wars, contention, and incredible suffering worldwide; indeed, “the whole world [is] in commotion” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26). One estimate suggests that there are 56 wars going on right now, and “92 countries are currently involved in conflicts beyond their borders.” Another site reports that 117 million people right now have been forcibly displaced from their homes “due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order.” In addition, 318 million people in the world face acute hunger. Surely many other sobering statistics like this could be cited—there are indeed terrible challenges for so many people all across the world. Elder Cook, though, also suggested that we live in the best of times because the Lord is hastening His work to gather His children back to Him. He commented, “At various times in the history of the Church, there has been a significant increase in those who have entered the covenant path.” He then suggested that one of those times is now: “There is clear evidence that faith in Jesus Christ is increasing in our day. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there has been a remarkable increase in converts and convert participation. In the last 36 months, nearly 900,000 converts have joined the Church. These converts constitute approximately 5 percent of the total Church membership.” He also added, “In the first six months of this year, conversions have risen by more than 20 percent over the previous year in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America. In North America we have seen a 17 percent increase. The Lord’s work continues to move forward in powerful ways. These rising numbers are a clear witness that the gospel is touching hearts and changing lives everywhere.” I would add that those members are working to help alleviate the suffering so rampant in the world. For example, in 2024 the Church spent 1.45 billion dollars in that effort, completing nearly 4000 humanitarian projects across 192 countries and giving 6.6 million hours of service. As people are gathered to Jesus Christ, they naturally reach out to help those in need around them. Many follow these words of Jacob: “And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted” (Jacob 2:19). Those who follow Jesus Christ often find that He has caused them to temporally “prosper in the land,” giving them the opportunity to reach out in service towards those in need (Alma 36:1).

               Elder Cook highlighted another period in the history of the Church when it was the “best of times” in terms of new converts receiving the gospel. He said, “One such period occurred between 1837 and 1850. Some of the early Apostles in the Lord’s restored Church served missions in the United Kingdom. These missions resulted in thousands joining the Church, and by 1850 there were more members of the Church living in the United Kingdom than in the United States. At that time, the Lord directed these Saints to gather to Utah. A mass emigration occurred, some supported by loans provided through the Perpetual Emigrating Fund.” In a footnote to this passage, Elder Cook also referenced another statement by Charles Dickens. He said, “Most of these converts came from the working classes. Charles Dickens observed some of them as they prepared for their journey to the United States on the ship Amazon. He was favorable in his appraisal. He described them as ‘in their degree, the pick and flower of England.’” This comes from chapter 22 of Dickens’ book The Uncommercial Traveller. He described his experience going on board the ship Amazon before it departed with a company of Latter-day Saints. His final paragraph summarized his experience this way: “I afterwards learned that a Despatch was sent home by the captain before he struck out into the wide Atlantic, highly extolling the behaviour of these Emigrants, and the perfect order and propriety of all their social arrangements. What is in store for the poor people on the shores of the Great Salt Lake, what happy delusions they are labouring under now, on what miserable blindness their eyes may be opened then, I do not pretend to say. But I went on board their ship to bear testimony against them if they deserved it, as I fully believed they would; to my great astonishment they did not deserve it; and my predispositions and tendencies must not affect me as an honest witness. I went over the Amazon’s side, feeling it impossible to deny that, so far, some remarkable influence had produced a remarkable result, which better known influences have often missed.” Indeed, we believe that “remarkable influence” is the gospel of Jesus Christ, that will always improve the lives, behavior, and happiness of those who make and keep covenants with the Savior. I love these words of King Benjamin who summarized what happens when we keep the commandments of the Lord: “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2:41).