A hush settled on the congregation and looks of disbelief were reflected on the faces of members of the Salt Lake University 3rd Stake as President Gordon B. Hinckley "dropped in" on their conference Sunday, Nov. 3.

The visit was in keeping with a practice President Hinckley has established during his presidency of being out among the members as much as possible.Stake Pres. David B. Wirthlin conducted the conference and indicated to the congregation that this "is a stake conference we shall never forget." The University 3rd Stake is one of five stakes for students at the University of Utah, three for married students and two for single students. Of the approximately 850 members of the University 3rd Stake, 750 attended the stake conference. Pres. Wirthlin announced during the conference that 92 percent of the stake's members hold current temple recommends.

It was obvious in looking at the congregation that the University 3rd Stake is a stake of young married couples, many with small children. In a din of noise from the children, President Hinckley directed his remarks to the parents. He commented that he "had a free Sunday" and he wanted to attend the stake conference "just to look into your faces." He said he wanted to meet with the young married students, "you people who are starting out life together, you people who are working so hard to try to keep up with everything, you people who have too much to do and too little money, you people who are struggling to get an education." He encouraged them to "be faithful in the Church, begin your families, and go forward with your lives." He thanked them for their faith and faithfulness, and for the great good they do.

President Hinckley imparted counsel to them as parents: "Love your children. They get on your nerves now and again, I know. They cry in the middle of the night. Some of the fathers . . . and mothers here have had a terrible time staying awake this morning. We understand because we have been through it. We had five children of our own. That is one of the advantages of being old - you just kind of kiss your great-grandchildren and hand them to their parents and say, `We enjoyed having you here.'

"Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in His little ones. Now, love them, take care of them.

"Fathers, control your tempers, now and in all the years to come, control your tempers. Mothers, control your shrill voices, keep them down. Rear your children in love, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. You will be far more successful with love as your watchword than you will be with a whip or a lash or anything of the kind. I do not hesitate to say that for one minute. I believe it with all my heart. Take care of your little ones, welcome them into your homes and nurture and love them with all of your hearts. They may do, in the years that come, some things that you would not want them to do, but be patient, be patient. You have not failed as long as you have tried. Never forget that."

President Hinckley further said to the couples: "God bless you with a great measure of love one for another, a measure of love that will go on becoming sweeter as the years pass, a love for one another and a love for those over whom you have responsibility in this world."

In his concluding remarks, President Hinckley referred to the students as his "precious friends," and said, "May you be blessed in your lives. May you hold to the faith. May you do what is right at all times and in all circumstances. As the years pass, may you grow in love and respect one for another and in faith and faithfulness before the Lord. . . . May there be peace and harmony and love in your homes. . . . "

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

"Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in His little ones. Now, love them, take care of them." - President Gordon B. Hinckley at Salt Lake University 3rd Stake conference Nov. 3, 1996.