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Show beautiful homes, for our beautiful streams and for these beautiful mountains. I truly feel that this is a blessed spot, most blessed of all upon the face of the earth. I often think about the advice that was given to our leaders in early days that they ought to go to the Lower California to locate. I visited Lower California a couple of years ago, all the way up as far as Berkeley. I spent a month up there, and I thought of what had been said, that we ought to locate up there. But while they have a beautiful valley, especially around Los Angeles, with their beautiful groves of oranges, etc., yet it took millions of money to get the water out to produce what they have there. I want to say that we Latter-day Saints ought to be very thankful for what the Lord has done for us in locating us here. We are surely living in a wonderful time. It seems that great things are transpiring nearly every minute; and if there ever has been a time when the Latter-day Saints ought to be true and faithful to their covenants it is now. I have often wondered if we are thankful enough for our country here and for the land of America. You know, we are a blessed people to have the privilege to live in this land of America One of the Nephite Prophets, 2,400 years ago, stated; 'Blessed are the people whose feet are planted in the land of Zion.' As I have said, I wonder sometimes if we appreciate it as we ought to do. I often times wish that the rulers of our own Nation and even other nations would read the Book of Mormon, and study its contents. Frequently I have thought they would figure things out in a different way if they did. I feel that we ought to stand by this great Nation, and I feel that the whole people of the United States ought to really repent and turn form immorality, and live better lives. I have sometimes thought, I would like to hear of the President of the United States making a proclamation, asking the people to repent and turn to God. I have thought that if that could be done, and the people would listen, that the peace of the millennium would be much nearer. Our boys now over in France are very anxious for us to live righteous lives. They are not only expecting us to put up our money in buying liberty bonds, but they expect us to keep our covenants. They are anxious for us to keep the home fires burning, and if we can assure them that we are true to our covenants, and that we are waking up and understanding the real condition that the world is in at the present time, and that we are living up to the requirements of the gospel, it will help to keep up their morale, and they will surely feel like they had more to fight for and to come back to. I would just like to leave a thought with you, and that is for us to attend to our prayers, to attend to our sacrament meetings, and to wake up, and not be so indifferent, remember the Lord and be true to our covenants. I ask the Lord to bless us and help us to live aright, in the name ofjesus Christ. Amen.13 Building Program and Ward Changes The Saints in Morgan had met in their tabernacle as early as 1882, but a fire in 1893 had destroyed all but the rock framework. It took eight years ofhard work before the building was again ready for dedication. At a stake priesthood meeting on 1 December 1900 the stake presidency presented an estimated cost of items that needed to be done to complete the 93 |