Changes in procedure with regard to temple recommend interviews and sacrament meeting farewells for departing missionaries were among a variety of topics covered in President Gordon B. Hinckley's priesthood session address.
Temple recommends. "We have determined, first, that effective Nov. 1, temple recommends will remain valid for two years instead of one," he announced. "This should cut the time that bishops and stake presidents and their counselors have to spend in interviews for temple recommends. Of course, if at any time the recommend holder becomes unworthy of going to the temple, then it will become the responsibility of the bishop or stake president to pick up the individual's recommend. But experience has shown that there are very few such incidents.
"And so, this will become the program, brethren. Beginning the first of November, regardless of the date written on the recommend, the term will be extended for one year. Recommends will then be renewed every two years rather than the present one year."
Missionary farewells. "The First Presidency and the Twelve, after most prayerful consideration, have reached the decision that the present program of missionary farewells should be modified," President Hinckley said. "The departing missionary will be given the opportunity to speak in a sacrament meeting for 15 to 20 minutes. But parents and siblings will not be invited to do so. There might be two or more departing missionaries who speak in the same service. The meeting will be entirely in the hands of the bishop, and will not be arranged by the family. There will not be special music or anything of that kind."
The Church president also discouraged the practice of holding "elaborate open houses after the sacrament meeting at which the missionary speaks. Members of the family may wish to gather. We have no objection to this. However, we ask that there be no public reception to which large numbers are invited."
In a lead-in to the announcement, President Hinckley said that in some wards, missionary farewells have become a problem. "Between outgoing missionaries and returning missionaries, most Sunday sacrament meetings are devoted to farewells and homecomings. No one else in the Church has a farewell when entering a particular service. We never have a special farewell-type meeting for a newly called bishop, for a stake president, for a Relief Society president, for a General Authority, or anyone else of whom I can think. Why should we have missionary farewells?"
Perpetual Education Fund. "The program is now going forward on sound footing. We have a substantial financial corpus contributed by faithful Latter-day Saints. We hope more will be forthcoming to make it possible to assist a larger number of those worthy of help. Today some 5,000 men and women, most of them young, are being educated who otherwise might not have had the opportunity."
Family home evening. "We are fearful that this very important program is fading in too many areas. . . . I am satisfied that this program came under the revelations of the Lord in response to a need among families of the Church. If there was a need 87 years ago, that need is certainly much greater today. . . . [In areas with large numbers of Church members] we respectfully request that our public school officials and others let us have this one evening a week to carry forward this important and traditional program."
Self-reliance. "The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. . . . I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all. Begin in a small way, my brethren, and gradually build toward a reasonable objective. . . . Get out of debt and rid yourself of the terrible bondage that debt brings."
Moral discipline. "To the boys who are here tonight — the young men — I wish to say in the strongest language of which I am capable, stay away from moral iniquity. . . . How can you possibly think that you can become involved in immoral practices and then go into the mission field as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you suppose that you can be worthy to go to the House of the Lord, there to be married for time and eternity, if you have indulged in such practices? . . . To you mature men I extend the same plea and the same warning. Small beginnings lead to great tragedies. . . . [Regarding child abuse] we cannot tolerate it. We will not tolerate it. Anyone who abuses a child may expect Church discipline as well as possible legal action. Child abuse is an affront toward God."
