My beloved brethren, thank you for your devotion
to the Lord and His holy work.
It is truly a joy to be with you.
As a new First Presidency, we thank you for your prayers,
for your sustaining efforts.
We are grateful for your lives and for your service
to the Lord.
Your devotion to duty and your selfless service
are just as important in your callings
as ours are in our callings.
Through a lifetime of service in this Church,
I have learned that it really doesn't
matter where one serves.
What the Lord cares about is how one serves.
I express deep gratitude for President Thomas S. Monson,
who was an example to me for more than 50 years,
and for his counselors, President Henry B.
Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
I express profound admiration for them.
I commend them for their service to the Lord and His prophets.
Both of these devoted servants have received new assignments.
They continue to serve with vigor and commitment.
I honor and love them both.
It is a remarkable blessing to serve
in the Lord's true and living Church with His authority
and power.
The restoration of the priesthood of God,
including the keys of the priesthood,
opens to worthy Latter-day Saints the greatest
of all spiritual blessings.
We see those blessings flowing to women, men, and children
throughout the world.
We see faithful women who understand the power inherent
in their callings and in their work in the endowment
and other temple ordinances.
These women know how to call upon the powers of heaven
to protect and strengthen their husbands, children, and others
they love.
These are spiritually strong women
who lead, teach, and minister fearlessly in their callings
with the power and authority of God!
How thankful I am for them!
Likewise, we see faithful men who live up to their privileges
as bearers of the priesthood.
They lead and serve by sacrifice in the Lord's way with love,
kindness, and patience.
They bless, guide, protect, and strengthen others
by the power of the priesthood they hold.
They bring miracles to those they
serve while they keep their own marriages and families safe.
They shun evil and are mighty elders in Israel.
I am most thankful for them!
Now, may I voice a concern?
It is this: Too many of our brothers and sisters
do not fully understand the concept of priesthood power
and authority.
They act as though they would rather satisfy
their own selfish desires and appetites
than use the power of God to bless His children.
I fear that too many of our brothers and sisters
do not grasp the privileges that could be theirs.
Some of our brethren, for example,
act like they do not understand what the priesthood is
and what it enables them to do.
Let me give you some specific examples.
Not long ago, I attended a sacrament meeting
in which a new baby was to be given
a name and a father's blessing.
The young father held his precious infant in his arms,
gave her a name, and then offered a beautiful prayer.
But he did not give that child a blessing.
That sweet baby girl got a name but no blessing!
That dear elder did not know the difference between a prayer
and a priesthood blessing.
With his priesthood authority and power,
he could have blessed his infant, but he did not.
I thought, "What a missed opportunity!"
Let me cite other examples.
We know of brethren who set sisters apart as Primary,
Young Women, or Relief Society leaders and teachers but fail
to bless them--to bless them with the power to fulfill
their callings.
They give only admonitions and instructions.
We see a worthy father who fails to give
his wife and his children priesthood blessings when
that is exactly what they need.
Priesthood power has been restored to this earth,
and yet far too many brothers and sisters
go through terrible trials, insatiable trials in life,
without ever receiving a true priesthood blessing.
What a tragedy!
That's a tragedy that we can eliminate.
Brethren, we hold the holy priesthood of God!
We have His authority to bless His people.
Just think of the remarkable assurance
the Lord gave us when He said, "Whomsoever you bless
I will bless."
It is our privilege to act in the name of Jesus Christ
to bless God's children according to His will for them.
Stake presidents and bishops, please ensure that every member
of the quorums within your stewardship understands how
to give a priesthood blessing--including
the personal worthiness and spiritual preparation required
to call fully upon the power of God.
To all brethren holding the priesthood,
I invite you to inspire members to keep their covenants,
fast and pray, study the scriptures,
worship in the temple, and serve with faith
as men and women of God.
We can help all to see with the eye of faith
that obedience and righteousness will draw them
closer to Jesus Christ, allow them
to enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost,
and experience joy in life!
A hallmark of the Lord's true and living Church
will always be an organized, directed effort to minister
to individual children of God and their families.
Because it is His Church, we as His servants
will minister to the one, just as He did.
We will minister in His name, with His power and authority,
and with His loving kindness.
An experience I had more than 60 years ago in Boston
taught me just how powerful the privilege of ministering
one-on-one can be.
I was then a resident surgeon at the Massachusetts General
Hospital--on duty every day, every other night,
and every other weekend.
I had limited time for my wife, our four children,
and Church activity.
Nonetheless, our branch president
assigned me to visit the home of Wilbur and Leonora Cox
with the hope that Brother Cox might come back
into activity in the Church.
He and Leonora had been sealed in the temple.
Yet Wilbur had not participated for many years.
My companion and I went to their home.
As we entered, Sister Cox welcomed us warmly,
but Brother Cox abruptly walked into another room
and closed the door.
I went to the closed door and knocked.
[LAUGHTER]
After a moment, I heard a muffled, "Come in."
I opened the door to find Brother Cox sitting
beside an array of amateur radio equipment.
In that small room, he lit up a cigar.
Clearly, my visit was not all that welcome.
I gazed about the room with wonderment
and said, "Brother Cox, I have always
wanted to learn more about amateur radio work.
Would you be willing to teach me about it?
I'm sorry I can't stay any longer tonight,
but could I come back another time?"
He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Yes."
That was the beginning of what became a wonderful friendship.
I returned and he taught me.
I began to love and respect him.
Through subsequent visits, the greatness of this man emerged.
We became very good friends, as did
our dear eternal companions.
Then, with the passage of time, our family moved away.
Local leaders continued to nurture the Cox family.
About eight years after that first visit,
the Boston Stake was created.
Can you guess who the first stake president was?
Yes!
Brother Cox!
During subsequent years, he also served as a mission president
and a temple president.
Years later, I, as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve,
was assigned to create a new stake in Sanpete County, Utah.
During the usual interviews, I was pleasantly surprised
to encounter again my dear friend Brother Cox!
I felt impressed to call him as the new stake patriarch.
After I ordained him, we embraced each other and wept.
People in the room were wondering why these two
grown men were crying.
[LAUGHTER]
But we knew.
And Sister Cox knew.
Ours were tears of joy!
We silently remembered the incredible journey
of love and repentance that began more than 30 years ago,
one night in their home.
The account doesn't end there.
Brother and Sister Cox's family grew
to include 3 children, 20 grandchildren, and 54
great-grandchildren.
Add to that their impact on hundreds of missionaries,
on thousands more in the temple, and on hundreds more
who received patriarchal blessings
at the hands of Wilbur Cox.
His and Leonora's influence will continue to ripple
through many generations throughout the world.
Experiences such as this with Wilbur and Leonora Cox occur
every week--hopefully, every day--within this Church.
Dedicated servants of the Lord Jesus Christ
carry out His work with His power and authority.
Brethren, there are doors we can open,
priesthood blessings we can give, hearts we can heal,
burdens we can lift, testimonies we can strengthen,
lives we can save, and joy we can bring into the homes
of the Latter-day Saints--all because we hold the priesthood
of God.
We are the men who have been "called and prepared
from the foundation of the world according
to the foreknowledge of God, on account of [our] exceeding
faith," to do this work.
Tonight I invite you literally to rise up
with me in our great eternal brotherhood.
When I name your priesthood office,
please stand and remain standing.
Deacons, please arise!
Teachers, arise!
Priests!
Bishops!
Elders!
High priests!
Patriarchs!
Seventies!
Apostles!
Now, brethren, will you please remain standing
and join with our chorus in singing all three verses
of "Rise Up, O Men of God"?
While you sing, think of your duty
as God's mighty army to help prepare
the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.
This is our charge.
This is our privilege.
I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.