What passage of scripture has been quoted more often than any other in the past 25 years of general conference sessions?

BYU professor Richard C. Galbraith took it upon himself to find out, reading through conference addresses delivered from April 1971 to April 1995 and noting each scripture used in every talk. Using a marking pen, he highlighted more than 18,000 references, then sorted them in order from Genesis in the Old Testament through Joseph Smith-History in the Pearl of Great Price. Brother Galbraith then recorded his findings by scriptural reference, speaker's name and the date and page of the conference issue of the Ensign in which the full text of the address appeared.The most-cited verses relate to the life, mission and teachings of the Savior. Moses 1:39 was the passage most frequently quoted during the past 25 years, according to his research, appearing 96 times and essentially summarizing the mission of the Savior and His Church: "For Behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

The second most-quoted passage (54 times) was the words of the God the Father to young Joseph, recorded in Joseph Smith-History 1:17: " . . . This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

Brother Galbraith, a professor of family sciences and Young Men president in the Edgemont 21st Ward, Provo Utah Edgemont South Stake, said the compilation has come in handy, allowing him to base talks and lessons around a scripture and to incorporate the teachings and perspectives of the Brethren related to that particular passage.

He recently prepared a lesson based upon Daniel 5 and found conference addresses by President Gordon B. Hinckley, Elder L. Tom Perry, President Spencer W. Kimball and President Marion G. Romney that "each looked at this scriptural jewel from a different perspective," he explained. "Their teachings made the chapter come alive and seem more relevant to daily living."

While combing through 25 years of conference addresses and thousands of scriptures would be laborious for some, for Brother Galbraith it was a labor of love. He performed a similar task with the book Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, documenting scripturally the teachings of the Prophet Joseph. Scriptural Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith was subsequently published as a result.

Brother Galbraith's love of the scriptures was instilled by his maternal grandmother, Harriet Amanda Davis, who read the Bible to him in his youth, before either of them were members of the Church. He was baptized at age 17, and his grandmother joined afterward at age 80. "She was a wonderfully sweet individual who was very scripturally minded."

Those feelings Brother Galbraith had for the scriptures were reinforced during his mission to England and throughout subsequent years. On one occasion as a missionary in 1968, Brother Galbraith and his companion drove then-Elder Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve to Heathrow Airport in London. They had about an hour in the car together, and the apostle encouraged the young missionaries to ask him questions about anything they desired.

"That hour was one of the greatest spiritual experiences of my life," said Brother Galbraith. "He spoke nearly exclusively out of the scriptures. His answers were scriptural; his thinking was scriptural; his feeling for the scriptures was tremendous."

The BYU professor noted that in looking back on 25 years of conference addresses, he found the themes and messages to be constant and consistent. "Basically what we are told at general conference is that if we will keep the simple, basic truths of the gospel, we will be blessed. As the Brethren speak as inspired by the Holy Ghost, we need to sense and feel that same Spirit. It is a great blessing to feel the Spirit of the Lord and to feel His direction, to have His servants reveal the will and mind of the Lord and to have that direction confirmed and understood by the Spirit."

Brother Galbraith noted several other of the scriptural passages most frequently referred to over the past 25 years: John 17:3, cited 44 times: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Matt. 25:40, ". . . Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." and 3 Ne. 27:27, ". . . What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.", were both quoted 42 times.