Temple Worship: A Pattern in Our Lives--by President Charles Goo

Article for the Liahona on Temple Worship

Temple Worship: A Pattern in Our Lives


Submitted by President Charles W. H. Goo
Hong Kong China Temple


This past June, Sister Goo and I had a special blessing and experience as I was honored and privileged to perform the sealing for our youngest son and his bride. As we, our other four children and their spouses, and other family and friends entered the sealing room in the Kona Hawaii Temple, we felt a powerful spiritual presence. My eyes grew wet as I realized how much the Lord has blessed our family as we, as parents, have tried to follow the Lord in directing our family to the temple and in making temple worship a pattern in our lives. And we felt a renewed commitment to honor the sacred covenants that we have made in the House of the Lord.

Following Prophetic Counsel

In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1831 the Lord said, “….but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (D&C 1:38). Thus the words of our living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, in the April 2009 General Conference are the same as if the Lord were speaking directly to us. President Monson said:

“Now my brothers and sisters, we have built temples throughout the world and will continue to
do so. To you who are worthy and able to attend the temple, I would admonish you to go often
The temple is a place where we can find peace. There we receive a renewed dedication to the gospel and strengthened resolve to keep the commandments. What a privilege it is to be able to go the temple, where we may experience the sanctifying influence of the Spirit of the Lord. Great service is given when we perform vicarious ordinances for those who have gone beyond the veil. In many cases we do not know those for whom we perform the work. We expect no thanks, nor do we have the assurance that they will accept that which we offer. However, we serve, and in that process we attain that which comes of no other effort: we literally become saviors on Mount Zion. As our Savior gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for us, so we, in some small measure, do the same when we perform proxy work in the temple for those who have no means of moving forward unless something is done for them by those of us here on the earth.”

President Monson’s declaration gave new emphasis to his statement in the April 2008 General Conference wherein he said, “To you who are able to attend the temple, I would counsel you to go often. Doing so will strengthen marriages and families.”

The words “admonish” and “counsel” suggest a sense of urgency. The dictionary defines “admonish” as “to warn” and “counsel” is “to advise”. Taken together, these statements are urging us to go to the temple often insofar as we have the ability to do so.

How should we define “often”? Elder Richard G. Scott told us in the April 2009 General Conference that he attends once a week. He said: “Fourteen years ago I decided to attend the temple and complete an ordinance once a week. When I am traveling I make up the missed visits in order to achieve that objective. I have kept that resolve, and it has changed my life profoundly. I strive to participate in all the different ordinances available in the temple.” Elder Scott continued by sharing, “I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?”

As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Scott has many assignments around the world. As I reflected on his observation, I recommitted to participate in at least one ordinance each week.

Our Commitment to the House of the Lord

The Lord, in the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple in 1836 revealed these words to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
“…and honorably hold a name and standing in this thy house, to all generations and for eternity”.
(D&C 109:24)

In his book, The House of Glory, Michael Wilcox states that “the word “standing” implies frequent attendance. The dictionary’s definitions of standing are “length of time or duration; permanent and unchanging; not movable; stationary; high reputation or esteem. (The American Heritage Dictionary.) All these meanings bear on the Lord’s words in the Doctrine and Covenants and imply the constant, continual use of the recommend. …If we desire the promised protection of the Father’s name, we must receive our temple recommends, hold them honorably, and use them frequently, not merely to attend the temple but also to worship there.” (p. 56)

Bro. Wilcox also shared that: “Most of all, we must not become discouraged. It was never intended that we understand the temple ordinances all at once. They were designed to feed us for a lifetime…The temple ordinances, like the scriptures, are worth thousands of readings, and even then we shall not have sounded the depths of their possibilities.” (p. 27)

Another author, Andrew C. Skinner in his book, Temple Worship, stated: “The temple endowment is not a casual matter, nor was it intended to be understood fully in one or two visits to the temple. President David O. McKay is reported to have said, after nearly sixty years of temple attendance: ‘Now I am beginning to understand the endowment.’ If it took a prophet of God of the spiritual depth of President McKay almost six decades to begin to understand the temple endowment, I think we may be pardoned if we sometimes don’t understand- but only if we approach our deficiency in a spirit of humility and resolve to do better…we must go often to the temple with a seeking mind and heart.” (p. 58)

President Howard W. Hunter a strong advocate for temple attendance, stated the October 1994 General Conference:
“Let us be a temple-attending and a temple-loving people. Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow. Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but let us go for the personal blessing of temple worship, for the sanctity and safety which is provided within those hallowed and consecrated walls. The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace. It is the House of the Lord. It is holy unto the Lord. It should be holy unto us.”

In the April 2009 General Conference Elder David A. Bednar stated:
“… the process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ that is commenced in the waters of baptism is continued and enlarged in the house of the Lord. As we stand in the waters of baptism, we look to the temple. As we partake of the sacrament, we look to the temple. We pledge to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments as preparation to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ.”

Elder Bednar’s added as he described the exodus from Nauvoo and President Brigham Young’s letter to the saints: “Now is the time for labor. Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of Lord, burn in your hearts, like flame unquenchable.” Elder Bednar further explained that it was the fire of the covenant that burned in their hearts. It was their commitment to worship and honorably hold a name and standing in the house of the Lord. Let us all remember the covenants that we have made in the temple and have them burned in our hearts.

Temple Worship Strengthens Families

For you who are parents, I would like to share some counsel Elder Boyd K. Packer gave couples who are about to be sealed which applies to us: “You now become a family, free to act in the creation of life, to have the opportunity through devotion and sacrifice to bring children into the world and to raise them and foster them safely through their mortal existence; to see them come one day, as you have come to participate in these sacred temple ordinances.”

Bro. Skinner adds:

“As we follow this pattern, we are doing what our Heavenly Parents do. We create and nurture life, we provide our sons and daughters with opportunities for growth and progression, and we seek to have them arrive at the point where they desire to continue the pattern, wherein lies true happiness. Being sealed together as husband and wife and children is not just a nice thing to do, not just the customary pattern to follow. Being sealed together as an eternal family is the very order of heaven. It is the kind of life our Heavenly Parents live. In other words, the family isn’t just the basic unit of society; it is the basic unit of eternity.” (p.68)


I encourage parents, insofar as possible, to support and encourage your children, especially those between the ages of 12 and 18, to go to the temple at least once a month to do baptisms and confirmations for the dead. As the youth do this, they will develop a pattern in their lives of going to the temple often and they will also feel the power of the temple and the great love that our Savior has for each one of His children. This practice eventually will lead them to participate in the crowning ordinance of the temple: being sealed as families for time and all eternity.

My Testimony

On the east wall of every temple is engraved: “The House of the Lord. Holiness to the Lord.” I testify that all of the temples of the Lord are His sanctuaries here upon this earth. I pray and sincerely hope that the Lord will bless you with a strong desire to attend the temple more often, as your circumstances permit, and claim the blessings and protections that the Lord has promised. May we remember that the words of our Prophets and Apostles are the words of our Savior to us. He has warned and counseled us to go to the temple often. I testify that Jesus Christ lives, that this is His Church, that the Temple is his holy House, and that He is the center of our worship in the Temple. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Before Our Journey's Through--Spoken Word Given by Lloyd D Newell

Before Our Journey's Through

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

Too often we measure success by the outcome: a goal achieved, a task accomplished, a journey completed. But perhaps a better measure of success might be what happens along the way: the strength revealed, the lessons taught, the sacrifices made. For some, however, great efforts don’t always produce desired outcomes. Even while demonstrating courage and endurance, some might not reach the journey’s end. And yet their wholehearted efforts deserve praise and recognition. Their success might not be as measurable, but for those who witness their struggle, it can be even more inspiring. In 1855 James Loader left his homeland of England and led his family in a handcart journey of more than a thousand miles. Their goal was the Great Basin of the American West. En route James became sick, but he determined to keep pulling the handcart. Only after collapsing twice from weakness would he let his daughters bear the burden without him. But James still found ways to help his family. He used what little strength he had to make tent pins, explaining that his family would need them when the winter storms came. “You will not be able to make [them],” he told his daughters, “your hands will be so cold.”1 James did not live long enough to weather those storms. He never set foot in the valley he longed to see. In one sense, he did not “make it.” But in every way that really matters, James was a success. He forged a lasting legacy of love, determination, and faith for his family and for all who admire the pioneering spirit. He showed us all that success often comes all along the way, even “before our journey’s through.”2 1 In Andrew D. Olsen, The Price We Paid: The Extraordinary Story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Pioneers (2006), 302­–6. 2 “Come, Come, Ye Saints,” Hymns, no. 30. Program #4167

Eighty Years of Music and the Spoken Word--Spoken Word Given by Lloyd D. Newell

Eighty Years of Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

On a hot summer afternoon eight decades ago, a young announcer climbed a ladder in the Tabernacle on Temple Square and spoke into a borrowed microphone the opening lines of a new radio program from “the Crossroads of the West.” The broadcast that became known as Music and the Spoken Word was on the air. After that first broadcast, the radio network president sent a telegram: “Your wonderful Tabernacle program made a great impression in New York. Have heard from leading ministers—all impressed by program. Eagerly awaiting your next.”1 Little did he or anyone else know, that was only the first of well over 4,000 such broadcasts. Despite its successful beginning, few could have predicted that 80 years later this beloved program would be eagerly awaited every week by listeners around the world. Music and the Spoken Word has become the world’s longest-running network broadcast. It is carried on more than 2,000 radio and television stations and cable systems around the world—in Denmark, for example, the program has been on the air for 30 years. It has been broadcast from venues throughout the United States and from Australia, Brazil, Russia, and Japan, to name only a few. Sometimes it seems that we have little in common with people who lived 80 years ago, but this broadcast is an exception. Every week since 1929, like a trusted friend, it has lifted and comforted our spirits and encouraged one generation after another to focus on the things that matter most. Today’s challenges are different in some ways—the world seems more noisy and confusing than it once was—but we continue to find in Music and the Spoken Word a welcome reprieve, a beacon of hope, steadying troubled hearts and enhancing life’s joys. That’s why we look forward to the next inspiring program just as eagerly today as listeners did 80 years ago. 1 In J. Spencer Cornwall, A Century of Singing: The Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir (1958), 278. Program #4166

Music and the Spoken Word Marks 80 Years of Broadcasting

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SALT LAKE CITY 17 July 2009 This Sunday, Music and the Spoken Word marks 80 years of its weekly broadcast of music and inspirational messages. It is the world's longest-running continuous network broadcast and is carried on more than 2,000 radio and television stations and cable systems.

“It’s the longest-running radio program in the world. And it’s a live program. But why is it run? Inspiring music, uplifting music, music that will make you laugh, will make you cry, will make you think. If we ever need to be uplifted, it’s now. And I’m sure in 1929 when it started they needed to be uplifted,” said Mac Christensen, president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

On Sunday, 19 July, a special ceremony will be held in the Conference Center following the landmark broadcast. The ceremony will include remarks by Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Bruce T. Reese, CEO of Bonneville International, distributor of the broadcast; choir president Mac Christensen; and music director Mack Wilberg. The program will conclude as it does each week with the choir singing "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." The event is free and open to the public (no tickets required).

Program History

The first broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word was on a hot summer afternoon in the Tabernacle on Temple Square, 15 July 1929. The announcer climbed a ladder to speak into the one and only microphone, suspended from the ceiling. He stayed perched on the ladder throughout the half-hour program. An audio engineer was alerted by telegraph when to start. Hand signals cued the announcer. He began: "From the crossroads of the West, we welcome you to a program of inspirational music and spoken word." Those words, from more than seven decades ago, still open the program.

As the nation has collectively celebrated and mourned the landmark events of the past 80 years, Music and the Spoken Word has endured as the world’s longest continuously running network broadcast. The program’s longevity is a tribute to its heartfelt messages and the desire of an increasingly global audience to find refuge in its weekly messages.

In the 1930s, when work was the only thing more scarce than food, families briefly shook off the shadows of the Depression by gathering around their radios and listening to a weekly musical program “from the crossroads of the West.”

As bombs dropped and soldiers fell in the clutches of World War II a decade later, parents and children sat in living rooms as the deep, tranquil voice of Richard L. Evans and the peaceful hymns of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir comforted their wearied souls.

Later, while the miracle of television unfolded, the same program remained a broadcast companion to the achievements and tragedies of America and the world. On the same Sunday in 1969 that Neil Armstrong catapulted mankind into a race of moon explorers, the Tabernacle on Temple Square resonated with angelic praises from Salt Lake City.

Music and the Spoken Word was broadcast the week when John F. Kennedy was shot, when American soldiers entered Vietnam, when the Challenger exploded, when the Twin Towers were destroyed and every week in between. The program has stood as a pillar of comfort and strength during times when the nation mourned collectively. Yet it has a universal appeal that millions of listeners over three-quarters of a century say speaks to them personally.

Miraculous Growth

The program of beautiful music and short, inspirational messages first aired on 15 July 1929, from the Salt Lake Tabernacle. On that summer day, a local radio crew ran a wire from their control room to an amplifier where the choir was singing — more than a block away. With the station’s sole microphone suspended from the Tabernacle ceiling, 19-year-old Ted Kimball stood atop a ladder and announced each song. Kimball — the son of the Tabernacle organist — stayed perched in place for the duration of the entire program because the mike was “live.”

Eleven months later, 24-year-old Richard L. Evans became the first regular program narrator. He was one reason the program never missed a week, as he continued announcing for the next 41 years (1930–1971). Evans soon began to associate song titles with inspirational thoughts. He spoke from his life experience and crafted two- to three-minute “sermonettes” on uplifting topics including gratitude, happiness, duty and love.

Evans left an indelible legacy on the program that is recognized and appreciated even today by individuals from all walks of life. Listeners continue to write letters expressing thanks and admiration for the program’s first announcer.

Since Evans, only two other men have filled the duties of program announcer: J. Spencer Kinard (1972–1990) and Lloyd D. Newell (1990–present).

The choir’s conductors select the music for the program, and several writers, including Lloyd Newell, contribute the spoken word portion.

The Program Today

Today Music and the Spoken Word is produced by Bonneville Communications and is broadcast by more than 2,000 radio, television and cable stations worldwide. Each station donates the airtime, worth millions of dollars annually, as a public service. The 360 members of the choir donate their services each week, continuing a tradition of volunteerism that has lifted hearts for three-quarters of a century. Together, they contribute to the welcome reprieve that the program offers listeners of all ages and circumstances.

“We have cable, we have satellite, both television and radio, and I think that there are more people than ever before who have access to the program, and I think there are more people than ever who are listening to the program,” said Mack Wilberg, music director of the choir.

Walter Cronite Passed Away at Age 92

Legendary CBS anchor Walter Cronkite dies at 92

By FRAZIER MOORE, AP Television Writer Frazier Moore, Ap Television Writer 5 mins ago

NEW YORK – Walter Cronkite, the premier TV anchorman of the networks' golden age who reported a tumultuous time with reassuring authority and came to be called "the most trusted man in America," died Friday. He was 92.

Cronkite died at 7:42 p.m. with his family by his side at his Manhattan home after a long illness, CBS vice president Linda Mason said. Marlene Adler, Cronkite's chief of staff, said Cronkite died of cerebrovascular disease.

Morley Safer, a longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent, called Cronkite "the father of television news."

"The trust that viewers placed in him was based on the recognition of his fairness, honesty and strict objectivity ... and of course his long experience as a shoe-leather reporter covering everything from local politics to World War II and its aftermath in the Soviet Union," Safer said. "He was a giant of journalism and privately one of the funniest, happiest men I've ever known."

Cronkite was the face of the "CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981, when stories ranged from the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to racial and anti-war riots, Watergate and the Iranian hostage crisis.

It was Cronkite who read the bulletins coming from Dallas when Kennedy was shot Nov. 22, 1963, interrupting a live CBS-TV broadcast of the soap opera "As the World Turns."

He died just three days before the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, another earthshaking moment of history linked inexorably with his reporting.

"What was so remarkable about it was that he was not only in the midst of so many great stories, he was also the managing editor of CBS News and the managing editor for America," former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw said. "Walter always made us better. He set the bar so high."

Cronkite was the broadcaster to whom the title "anchorman" was first applied, and he came so identified in that role that eventually his own name became the term for the job in other languages. (Swedish anchors are known as Kronkiters; In Holland, they are Cronkiters.)

"He was a great broadcaster and a gentleman whose experience, honesty, professionalism and style defined the role of anchor and commentator," CBS Corp. chief executive Leslie Moonves said in a statement.

CBS has scheduled a prime-time special, "That's the Way it Was: Remembering Walter Cronkite," for 7 p.m. Sunday.

President Barack Obama issued a statement saying that Cronkite set the standard by which all other news anchors have been judged.

"He invited us to believe in him, and he never let us down. This country has lost an icon and a dear friend, and he will be truly missed," Obama said.

His 1968 editorial declaring the United States was "mired in stalemate" in Vietnam was seen by some as a turning point in U.S. opinion of the war. He also helped broker the 1977 invitation that took Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to Jerusalem, the breakthrough to Egypt's peace treaty with Israel.

He followed the 1960s space race with open fascination, anchoring marathon broadcasts of major flights from the first suborbital shot to the first moon landing, exclaiming, "Look at those pictures, wow!" as Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon's surface in 1969. In 1998, for CNN, he went back to Cape Canaveral to cover John Glenn's return to space after 36 years.

"He had a passion for human space exploration, an enthusiasm that was contagious, and the trust of his audience. He will be missed," Armstrong said in a statement.

He had been scheduled to speak last January for the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., but ill health prevented his appearance.

A former wire service reporter and war correspondent, he valued accuracy, objectivity and understated compassion. He expressed liberal views in more recent writings but said he had always aimed to be fair and professional in his judgments on the air.

Off camera, his stamina and admittedly demanding ways brought him the nickname "Old Ironpants." But to viewers, he was "Uncle Walter," with his jowls and grainy baritone, his warm, direct expression and his trim mustache.

When he summed up the news each evening by stating, "And THAT's the way it is," millions agreed. His reputation survived accusations of bias by Richard Nixon's vice president, Spiro Agnew, and being labeled a "pinko" in the tirades of a fictional icon, Archie Bunker of CBS's "All in the Family."

Two polls pronounced Cronkite the "most trusted man in America": a 1972 "trust index" survey in which he finished No. 1, about 15 points higher than leading politicians, and a 1974 survey in which people chose him as the most trusted television newscaster.

"He was the most trusted man in America and he was a reporter. Imagine. Who could we say that about today?" said Jeff Fager, executive producer of "60 Minutes," who began working at CBS News the year Cronkite stepped down from the anchor job.

Like fellow Midwesterner Johnny Carson, Cronkite seemed to embody the nation's mainstream. When he broke down as he announced Kennedy's death, removing his glasses and fighting back tears, the times seemed to break down with him.

And when Cronkite took sides, he helped shape the times. After the 1968 Tet offensive, he visited Vietnam and wrote and narrated a "speculative, personal" report advocating negotiations leading to the withdrawal of American troops.

"We have been too often disappointed by the optimism of the American leaders, both in Vietnam and Washington, to have faith any longer in the silver linings they find in the darkest clouds," he said, and concluded, "We are mired in stalemate."

After the broadcast, President Lyndon B. Johnson reportedly said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost middle America."

In the fall of 1972, responding to reports in The Washington Post, Cronkite aired a two-part series on Watergate that helped ensure national attention to the then-emerging scandal.

"When the news is bad, Walter hurts," the late CBS president Fred Friendly once said. "When the news embarrasses America, Walter is embarrassed. When the news is humorous, Walter smiles with understanding."

More recently, in a syndicated column, Cronkite defended the liberal record of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and criticized the Iraq war and other Bush administration policies.

But when asked by CNN's Larry King if that column was evidence of media bias, Cronkite set forth the distinction between opinion and reporting. "We all have prejudices," he said of his fellow journalists, "but we also understand how to set them aside when we do the job."

Cronkite was the top newsman during the peak era for the networks, when the nightly broadcasts grew to a half-hour and 24-hour cable and the Internet were still well in the future.

As many as 18 million households tuned in to Cronkite's top-rated program each evening. Twice that number watched his final show, on March 6, 1981, compared with fewer than 10 million in 2005 for the departure of Dan Rather.

Rather, who replaced Cronkite at the anchor desk, called Cronkite "a giant of the journalistic craft."

"Walter loved reporting and delivering the news, and he was superb at both," he said. "He deserves recognition and remembrance, too, for the way he solidly backed his correspondents and producers, defending them vigorously in coverage of difficult stories such as the Vietnam War and the Watergate crimes."

A vigorous 64 years old, Cronkite had stepped down with the assurance that other duties awaited him at CBS News, but found little demand there for his services. He hosted the shortlived science magazine series "Walter Cronkite's Universe" and was retained by the network as a consultant, although, as he was known to state wistfully, he was never consulted.

He also sailed his beloved boat, the Wyntje, hosted or narrated specials on public and cable TV, and issued his columns and the best-selling "Walter Cronkite: A Reporter's Life."

For 24 years he served as on-site host for New Year's Day telecasts by the Vienna Philharmonic, ending that cherished tradition only in 2009.

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Cronkite was selected to introduce the postponed Emmy awards show. He told the audience that in its coverage of the attack and its aftermath, "television, the great common denominator, has lifted our common vision as never before."

Cronkite joined CBS in 1950, after a decade with United Press, during which he covered World War II and the Nuremberg trials, and a brief stint with a regional radio group.

At CBS he found a respected radio-news organization dipping its toe into TV, and it put him in front of the camera. He was named anchor for CBS's coverage of the 1952 political conventions, the first year the presidential nominations got wide TV coverage. From there, he was assigned to such news-oriented programs as "You Are There" and "Twentieth Century." (He also briefly hosted a morning show, accompanied by a puppet named Charlemagne the Lion.)

On April 16, 1962, he replaced Douglas Edwards as anchor of the network's "Evening News."

"I never asked them why," Cronkite recalled in a 2006 TV portrait. "I was so pleased to get the job, I didn't want to endanger it by suggesting that I didn't know why I had it."

He was up against the NBC team of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, which was solidly ahead in the ratings. Cronkite lacked Brinkley's wry wit and Huntley's rugged good looks, but he established himself as an anchorman to whom people could relate.

His rise to the top was interrupted just once: In 1964, disappointing ratings for the Republican National Convention led CBS boss William S. Paley to dump him as anchor of the Democratic gathering. Critics and viewers protested and he was never displaced again.

Cronkite won numerous Emmys and other awards for excellence in news coverage. In 1978, he and the evening news were the first anchorman and daily broadcast ever given a DuPont award. Other honors included the 1974 Gold Medal of the International Radio and Television Society, a 1974 George Polk journalism award and the 1969 William Allen White Award for Journalistic Merit, the first ever to a broadcaster.

In 1977, Cronkite conducted a two-way interview in which he got Sadat to say he wanted to go to Israel if invited and then got Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to say Sadat was invited if he wanted to come. Sadat's trip was a major step in Middle East peace efforts, and the leaders of the two nations received the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize.

"Walter was who I wanted to be when I grew up," said CBS' "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer. "He set a standard for all of us. He made television news what it became. We'll never see his like again."

His salary reportedly reaching seven figures, he was both anchorman and star — interviewed by Playboy, ham enough to appear as himself on an episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." But Cronkite repeatedly condemned television practices that put entertainment values ahead of news judgment.

"Broadcast journalism is never going to substitute for print," he said. "We cannot cover in depth in a half hour many of the stories required to get a good understanding of the world."

The evening news program expanded from 15 minutes to half an hour in September 1963, 17 months after Cronkite took over, but it never got to the full hour he said he needed to do a proper job.

Cronkite denied rumors that he had been forced out by Rather, but chastised him upon his 2005 departure as anchor in the wake of a disputed "60 Minutes" story about President Bush's military service.

"Dan gave the impression of playing a role, more than simply trying to deliver the news to the audience," Cronkite said. He apparently felt more warmly about Katie Couric, providing a voiceover to introduce the former "Today" show host when she debuted as the CBS anchor in 2006.

Couric broke into "Ghost Whisperer" at 8:13 p.m. to announce Cronkite's death.

She said on CNN that everyone at the network was aware of Cronkite's deteriorating health.

"We were all worried about when this day would come," she said. "He was so revered and beloved here. ... He was a personification of integrity and decency and humanity."

Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. was born Nov. 4, 1916, in St. Joseph, Mo., the son and grandson of dentists. The family moved to Houston when he was 10. He joked years later that he was disappointed when he "didn't see a single damn cowboy."

He got a taste of journalism at The Houston Post, where he worked summers after high school and served as campus correspondent at the University of Texas. He also did some sports announcing at a local radio station.

Cronkite quit school after his junior year for a full-time job with the Houston Press. After a brief stint at KCMO in Kansas City, Mo., he joined United Press in 1937. Dispatched to London early in World War II, Cronkite covered the battle of the North Atlantic, flew on a bombing mission over Germany and glided into Holland with the 101st Airborne Division. He was a chief correspondent at the postwar Nuremberg trials and spent his final two years with the news service managing its Moscow bureau.

Cronkite returned to the United States in 1948 and covered Washington for a group of Midwest radio stations. He then accepted Edward R. Murrow's invitation to join CBS in 1950.

In 1940, Cronkite married Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" Maxwell, whom he had met when they both worked at KCMO. They had three children, Nancy, Mary Kathleen and Walter Leland III. Betsy Cronkite died in 2005.

In his book, he paid tribute to her "extraordinarily keen sense of humor, which saw us over many bumps (mostly of my making), and her tolerance, even support, for the uncertain schedule and wanderings of a newsman."

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AP National Writer Hillel Italie, AP Television Writer David Bauder and Associated Press writers Polly Anderson, Virginia Byrne and Cristian Salazar contributed to this report.

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Life's Bounty--Spoken Word Given by Lloyd D. Newell

Life's Bounty

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

One summer, a woman set off on an adventure to live in a rustic house on an island off the coast of Maine. For several weeks, she used rainwater instead of plumbing and propane instead of electricity. Because the island’s store was an hour’s walk away, she made only occasional and well-planned shopping trips. “With nothing to buy and no one to impress,” she said, “I set out to discover what mattered most. What I learned is how little one needs to be content and how much of life’s bounty is free if you open your eyes and use your imagination.”1 Most of us don’t have time to take a whole summer away from our busy lives to have such an experience. But we can learn from hers, and we can feel the contentment she felt. The bounty she spoke of—a bounty that we can neither buy nor sell—is available to all. Take a moment—sometime, somewhere—to pause. Listen to the natural sounds of life: the sweet laughter of children, the quiet whisper of leaves, the joyful chirp of a bird, the gentle pitter-patter of rain. Look at the beauty that surrounds you: the canopy of blue sky, fields of green pastures, a new day’s bright orange and yellow sunrise. All these are free, nearly every day, to those who pause to listen and look. Perhaps we can try to unclutter our lives and slow down enough to enjoy nature’s gifts. In a demanding, complex world, it might not be easy, but truly meaningful things seldom are. Maybe we can try to remove some of the undue busyness from our lives and focus less on what we can buy and more on what we already have. A sense of contentment comes if, even for only a moment, we open our eyes to the marvelous bounty around us. 1 Alix Kates Shulman, “Finding Joy in Frugality,” Parade, May 10, 2009, 13. Program #4165

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness--Spoken Word Given by Lloyd D. Newell

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

In 1776, 56 men signed a document that put at risk their “Lives, [their] Fortunes, and [their] sacred Honor.” This document, the Declaration of Independence, boldly proposed a remarkable idea: that the king was made for the people, not the people for the king. This was, indeed, a revolutionary document, for, throughout most of recorded history, it had been the king who decided who would prosper and who would not. And because people needed the bread, shelter, and security that the king provided, they often accepted a life of servitude and surrendered their freedom in exchange for these necessities. But then something happened. The common man began to stir and awaken from his slumber. He began asking questions that had before seemed impossible, too dangerous even to consider: “Why should we forever be children, dependent upon another for our bread? Aren’t all men created equal? Can we truly choose our own destiny? Can we live free?” From that day to this, the spark of liberty has grown into a bright flame that shines in the souls of millions of men and women throughout the world, inspiring them to create for themselves a life and future of their own choosing. It is fitting that we remember those brave souls who planted the seeds of liberty. We who enjoy the fruits of freedom have a responsibility to future generations to uphold, protect, and preserve those self-evident truths that gave birth to a new era. Though separated by the centuries, we can stand with those who boldly declared that all people everywhere are “endowed by their Creator with [the] unalienable Rights [of] Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Program #4164

Hong Kong Multi-stake Member Meeting with Elder Russell M. Nelson

Hong Kong Multi-stake Member Meeting with Elder Russell M. Nelson

Elder Russell M. Nelson

By Dois Pai – HK Public Affairs Council, Media Assistant

“Members in Hong Kong are spoiled,” Sister Nelson jokingly began, commenting on how the people in Hong Kong are blessed to live in such a beautiful city that serves delicious cuisines, dazzles the eye with neon nights, and sells stylish goods.

On the Friday evening of February 20, 2009, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints paused from their hectic schedules and gathered at the Wan Chai Church Administration Building to listen to counsel from Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Sister Wendy W. Nelson and the Asia Area Presidency.

Elders Watson and Perkins, counselors in the Asia Area Presidency, spoke on the wonderful things they have learned during their long service in Asia, and the keys to finding peace during these troubled times respectively. Elder Hallstrom, Asia Area President, reminded the Saints of their responsibility to make this very evening a powerful spiritual experience. He urged all to not only listen to the talks but to act upon the counsel given.

The spirit was so strong throughout the meeting that night and through the beautiful musical number performed by the Tolo Harbour Stake Single Adults, it touched every person’s heart. Sister Nelson was deeply impressed by their performance and likened their voice to the Mormon Tabernacle choir. Sister Nelson shared her experience of receiving a beautifully wrapped gift when she first arrived in Hong Kong. The wrapping of the package was so exquisite that she at first mistook it for the gift itself. Sister Nelson likened this gift to the temple. All the temples of the Church are architecturally beautiful. But standing on the outside, simply admiring their beauties, is not enough. The real beauty of the temple is found on the inside where priesthood keys bestow the knowledge and ordinances required for families to return to Heavenly Father’s presence.

Elder Nelson also spoke on the theme of holy temples. He began by presenting an overview of the history of temples, reviewing ancient temples built during the days of Abraham, King Solomon, and Nephi, to gather the Saints and bring them into the presence of God. He went on to speak of temples built in this dispensation: Kirtland, Nauvoo, and Salt Lake, where the Prophet Brigham Young set his foot on the ground and declared the place to build that temple. The Lord’s work never ceases. The purpose of the temple in Hong Kong is the same as those built in the ancient days. It is to build the kingdom of God. In these times of economic downturn, many may feel a financial burden and be occupied with worries about the uncertainty of the future. Elder Nelson offered this advice: "Let's not lose our perspectives. There are things that don't really matter in this life. There are other things of highest significance to our salvation."

Attending the temple regularly gives members an eternal perspective, thus giving them the peace of mind needed and the eternal knowledge necessary to cope with today’s uncertainties.

Yes, members in Hong Kong are spoiled with apostolic counsel, timely guidance from their local priesthood leaders, and the most exquisite gift of all, the Hong Kong China Temple. To many Hong Kong members this evening will be one of the most memorable moments in their lives. Acting upon the counsel to visit the temple regularly will make this night’s experience one with eternal significance.

March 2009

Message from President and Sister Murdock

Served: 1998 - 2001 Taiwan Kaohsiung Mission

Comments:February 25, 2009

Dear Missionaries of the Taiwan Kaohsiung Mission (1998-2001),Greetings from the Murdocks! Everyday of our lives we think about our wonderful missionaries and have you continually in our prayers. When our paths cross with many of you our blood pressure rises, our hearts beat harder and our excitement level heightens—we love you all and are truly pleased with your service, accomplishments, goodness and love.Sister Murdock and I would like to have a reunion with you in conjunction with the October General Conference 2009. We felt this would be the optimum time for most to attend knowing also it would be impossible for some. However, regardless of circumstances we wish to extend a personal invitation to everyone to attend.In order to go forward with planning we would like to organize a committee by inviting some of you to volunteer to help us. Therefore, any of you who are interested in helping us organize this reunion please e-mail us at dmurdock7@yahoo.com or call us anytime at, Bro. Murdock’s cell: (435) 232-5878 or Sister Murdock’s cell: (435) 881-3532.We have been home from Taiwan for almost 8 years now and feel this activity/reunion would be enjoyable and memorable for all.Looking forward to meeting with you and hope this message finds all of you at peace and enjoying life.Love Always,President and Sister MurdockP.S. Our thoughts and prayers go out to President Dennis Kim (President of the Taichung Mission 1998-2001) and his family with the passing of his wife, Linda Kim on December 26, 2008 from a Brain Aneurysm.

Goodness Is Its Own Reward--Spoken Word Given by Lloyd D. Newell

Goodness Is Its Own Reward
Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell
We live in a world where awards seem to be freely given and freely received. In fact, sometimes the award becomes such a strong incentive for good work and behavior that it overshadows the more subtle rewards that might be enjoyed along the way.
Especially with today’s youth, awards are often larger-than-life motivations. Children work busily to complete their household chores with the hopes that it will earn them a special treat from their parents. Meanwhile the satisfaction of a clean home goes unnoticed. Teenagers bring home a stellar report card but can’t recall what they learned about at school that day. In their pursuit of good grades, they’ve somehow missed the thrill of gaining and applying knowledge.
Perhaps we unintentionally reinforce this attitude by expressing love or approval with expensive gifts, when little children are often quite pleased with the packaging—or even just the visit. We may deprive our young people of the most enduring rewards if we fail to teach them that goodness is its own reward. We feel good when we are doing good.
Indeed, the means can be just as fulfilling as the end if our motivations for achieving personal goals are not just the awards that dangle in front of us. We make more lasting progress and feel more contented when we learn to enjoy not only the reward but also the path that leads to it. Some young people long to graduate or secure a high-paying job, only to find that their “dream” is not as gratifying as they thought it would be. “What comes next?” or “Is this all there is?” may be their unspoken feeling.
If, however, we pay attention to the more understated moments of success along the way—the times we completed a difficult task, the mornings we arose early to exercise or study, the people we’ve helped—we begin to understand that the true reward is what we’ve become, not what we’ve earned. The Proverbs teach, “To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward” (Proverbs 11:18). Intuitively children seem to know that. They just need to be reminded that while a prize is pleasing, a sense of doing right is the truest joy.


Program #4163