. . . Other missionaries went into the South Pacific Islands. They went to Hawaii and Fiji and to Samoa and Tonga. They went down into New Zealand and Australia.

And then the Lord wanted to establish a branch of the Church in Japan. And one of the apostles of the Church came here and opened this country for the preaching of the gospel. Brother Hinckley has told you the mission had to be closed for a time. But a few of the early members of the Church stayed true to the Church. Now there are established in this great country many branches of the Church all over Japan, and the Church is growing very fast all over the world. There are more than 2½ million LDS now in the world. I have traveled in most of the countries of the world. I have heard people bear their testimonies to the divinity of this work in many languages and in many countries. And I am amazed as I see what is happening in the world in the midst of all the turmoil in the world among the people. The Church is quietly moving on, building up its forces, resisting the Adversary, teaching correct principles, asking the people to get educated, advising them to keep their bodies and their spirits and souls clean, telling the people that we are reaping the heads for them.

Now I want to tell you people here tonight something that I have not said before. Some of you who are listening to me tonight will live to see the day when there will be a Japanese man in the Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church. And I do not know when it will be. I will not live to see it. But some of you young people will see it. Then you will realize that God loves the Japanese people. And you will join with other nations in forming a great united Church all over the world. And some of you Japanese people will be among the leaders of the Church. I feel it in my heart tonight and I dare to make this prediction in the name of the Lord.

Now the people who do not understand our message wonder why we teach what we teach. The remarkable thing is that what we teach is what the Savior taught when He was here. And this work is going to roll forward until it fills the whole earth. I give you this as my testimony tonight and you young people will live to see it. We will stop the forces of the Adversary, and Christ Himself will come and take command. He will rule and reign in this world for a thousand years. They who are faithful and true will be caught up to meet Him in the clouds of heaven. I see these times coming.

Almost I could wish that I could live to see them, but my work is about done. I will join with President McKay and President Grant and others and rejoice as we think of the success that has come to the Japanese people.

It is a wonderful thing to belong to a unified Church of Jesus Christ. It’s a wonderful thing to preach the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s a wonderful thing to know that what we teach is the truth and we teach it without charge and without price. The Savior said, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” And as I think of the times that are coming to us in the future, I know that a number of these young men here are going to go on foreign missions in other countries and carry the message of the gospel to the nations of the world. So this little corner of the garden of the Lord’s will blossom and bloom and bear fruit. From this area will go messengers to kindred peoples in many parts of the world.

What a wonderful thing it is to know that you belong to the true Church of Jesus Christ. But Satan will try you and tempt you and try to get you to leave the Church. It is going to take faith and courage and fortitude to remain faithful to the truth. You must be stout-hearted men and women, unafraid of any people, without enemies, knowing that you are working under the command of Jesus Christ. This is a wonderful prospect for you my brothers and sisters, and I thank God that He planted the seeds of the Gospel here in Japan and a few hardy and courageous folk have stayed with it until now it is beginning to bear fruit.

Hugh B. Brown

BYU Studies Publications