At the October 1995 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of moving forward with courage. He referred to the scriptural record of how the Lord, having taken Moses unto Himself, then said to Joshua: "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Josh. 1:9.)
"This is His work," President Hinckley said. "Never forget it. Embrace it with enthusiasm and affection."Let us not be afraid. Jesus is our leader, our strength, and our king. This is an age of pessimism. Ours is a mission of faith. To my brethren and sisters everywhere, I call upon you to reaffirm your faith, to move this work forward across the world. You can make it stronger by the manner in which you live. Let the gospel be your sword and your shield. Each of us is a part of the greatest cause on earth. Its doctrine came of revelation. Its priesthood came of divine bestowal. Another witness has been added to its testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is literally the little stone of Daniel's dream which was `cut out of the mountain without hands
toT roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.' (D&C 65:2.)
" `Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!' (D&C 128:22.) So wrote the Prophet Joseph in a psalm of faith.
"How glorious is the past of this great cause," President Hinckley said. "It is filled with heroism, courage, boldness, and faith. How wondrous is the present as we move forward to bless the lives of people wherever they will hearken to the message of the servants of the Lord. How magnificent will be the future as the Almighty rolls on His glorious work, touching for good all who will accept and live His gospel and even reaching to the eternal blessing of His sons and daughters of all generations through the selfless work of those whose hearts are filled with love for the Redeemer of the world."
President Hinckley described an old sign that dangled from a piece of rusting barbed wire back in the days of the Great Depression. The owner of the farm had written on the sign:
Burned out by drought,
Drowned out by flud waters,
Et out by jackrabbits,
Sold out by sheriff,
Still here!
"So it is with us," President Hinckley said. "There have been makers of threats, naysayers, and criers of doom. They have tried in every conceivable way to injure and destroy this Church. But we are still here, stronger and more determined to move it forward. To me it is exciting. It is wonderful. I feel like Ammon of old who said: `Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding.' (Alma 26:35.)
"I invite every one of you, wherever you may be as members of this Church, to stand on your feet and with a song in your heart move forward, living the gospel, loving the Lord, and building the kingdom. Together we shall stay the course and keep the faith, the Almighty being our strength."
