"O ye that embark
in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all
your heart, might, mind and strength," the Lord proclaimed in
revelation to Joseph Smith in February 1829 and later
included in the book of scriptures the Doctrine and
Covenants. His words, given even before the
establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, commissioned missionaries to preach
the restored gospel
with fervency—to the world.
The Prophet
stated, "How vast the numbers are who are crowding the
road to death without ever giving heed to the cheering sound
of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!" Missionaries began
preaching the "good word of God" in the eastern
states, Canada, and many of the southern states.
Within 10 years, their efforts reached to the British
Isles. Joseph counseled his cousin George A. Smith to rely on the
Lord in his work: "Preach short sermons, make short
prayers, and deliver your sermons with a prayerful
heart."
With confidence
in the "marvelous work" Joseph declared, "The truth of
God will go forth boldly, nobly" and "will fill the whole
earth."
Doctrine and Covenants
A collection of latter-day divine revelations and inspired declarations. The Lord gave these to Joseph Smith and several of his successors for the establishment and regulation of the kingdom of God on the earth in the last days. The Doctrine and Covenants is one of the standard works of scripture in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Pearl of Great Price (The Guide to the Scriptures, "Doctrine and Covenants," 68).
Gospel
God's plan of salvation, made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The gospel includes the eternal truths or laws, covenants, and ordinances needed for mankind to enter back into the presence of God. God restored the fulness of the gospel to the earth in the nineteenth century through the Prophet Joseph Smith (The Guide to the Scriptures, "Gospel," 96–97).
George A. Smith
George Albert Smith was born on April 4, 1870, in Salt Lake City. His father, John Henry Smith, and grandfather, George A. Smith, had both been counselors to Church Presidents. He became President of the Church on May 21, 1945. After six years as President, George Albert Smith died in Salt Lake City on his 81st birthday, April 4, 1951.
