In a setting where 14 of the 15 prophets of this dispensation have spoken in general conference over the years, Presiding Bishop H. David Burton counseled youth to follow the living prophets.
Bishop Burton, accompanied by his wife, Barbara, was the speaker in the Salt Lake Tabernacle at a youth devotional Wednesday evening, one of the final gatherings in the historic building, he noted, before it will be closed for extensive renovation.
Young Men General President Charles W. Dahlquist II conducted the devotional which was attended by Elder F. Melvin Hammond of the Seventy and former Young Men general president; Dean R. Burgess and Michael A. Neider, counselors in the Young Men presidency; and Young Women General President Susan W. Tanner. Prelude music, as well as opening and closing hymns, were sung by the BYU musical group Vocal Point. This devotional is part of a series being presented in Salt Lake City for youth.
Beginning with a brief history of the Tabernacle, Bishop Burton wove stories of various prophets and apostles into a presentation that included a number of supporting props, photos and video clips projected on a large screen in front of the organ pipes. Much of the emphasis was on President Gordon B. Hinckley and his words in recent general conferences.
Bishop Burton enthralled the congregation with personal experiences he has had with latter-day prophets. The young men and young women filled the Tabernacle and the congregation spilled over into the Assembly Hall next door.
After showing a video clip of President George Albert Smith at the Tabernacle's podium, Bishop Burton told of his father reminding him countless times as they drove past President Smith's home that "that's where the prophet lives."
One video clip from the early days of televised general conferences showed President David O. McKay introducing his counselor, President Stephen L Richards, who stood to speak as a sheer curtain was raised behind him to block for the TV cameras all distractions.
Then Bishop Burton told of a time his father, Harold Burton, then the bishop of his ward, took him from a street football game to go with him to visit a sick member of the ward. A short time later, he said, President McKay drove up and went in the home to visit the family. Bishop Burton said that after a while, he left the house to sit on the steps of the porch. As he was wondering if his friends were still playing football, President McKay slipped out of the house and sat by him on the steps. The president of the Church then proceeded to tell the young boy of a time when he had heard another prophet, John Taylor, tell of his experience in the Carthage Jail at the time of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
"I remember that story so vividly, as young David Burton was being told that story by a prophet, David O. McKay, of an instance that took place when he was a young boy with the prophet John Taylor speaking about another prophet, the Prophet Joseph Smith," Bishop Burton said.
The presentation by Bishop Burton continued with humorous anecdotes, such as a time when some General Authorities found it necessary to don sunglasses during general conference to protect their eyes from the bright glare of lights required for television.
But one of his favorite sermons, he said, was given by President Wilford Woodruff before the era of television. The point of the sermon was that the words of the living prophets are as important as the scriptures.
Bishop Burton emphasized to the youth the importance of the message from the First Presidency at the beginning of the "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet.
Then with a series of video clips, Bishop Burton reminded the youth of the words of President Gordon B. Hinckley during the October general conference. It included a lesson on Church governance with the announcement of two new apostles; a lesson on temples with the announcement of new temples to be built in the Salt Lake Valley and Twin Falls, Idaho; and a warning about pornography delivered during the priesthood session. He included President Hinckley's counsel for those who have fallen prey to pornography to "plead with the Lord out of the depths of your soul that He will remove from you the addiction which enslaves you," and "seek the loving guidance of your bishop," and "if necessary, the counsel of caring professionals."
Picking up a golf club, Bishop Burton concluded his address with a story related to his love for playing golf. He said he had a chance, on the last day of his mission in Australia, to play golf with Arnold Palmer.
"I didn't play very well," he said, noting that he hadn't played for a couple of years. But he said he learned a lesson from the sport that day.
As Palmer, one of the great professional golfers, approached his ball in the fairway, his young caddy advised him of the hazards of long, wiry rough on the right and an unseen creek on the left of the fairway approaching the hole.
Recalling the exchange, Bishop Burton said Palmer "took his club, put it back in the bag, looked at the young man and said, 'Please don't clutter my mind with what's on the left, and don't bother me with what's on the right. The only thing I'd like to know is how far is it from this point to the center of the green.' "
"What a lesson I learned. The lesson for this evening, I hope, my young friends, is that we can keep our focus on the prophets of this dispensation. There are few guarantees in life, but one of those guarantees centers around following the words of the prophets."
He told the youth that if they did follow the words of the prophets they would be happier and would "receive the joy our Father in Heaven has for His children during their sojourn in this mortality."
He added, "May the Lord bless you that you will have the ability to focus on the words of the holy prophets throughout your lives."
E-mail: ghill@desnews.com
