Saying that he is in his 97th year, Elder David B. Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of conference.

Elder David B. Haight

Bearing tender testimony and expressing gratitude for his blessings, he said: "I wish at this time to pay tribute and gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the blessings I've received all the years of my life, for having been born of goodly parents and raised in a goodly home and to have associated with good people."

Further, Elder Haight said, "I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for the blessings that I have had, and I bear witness of Him . . . I know that He is our Father and that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He is the Creator, the Savior of all of mankind."

He also spoke of his gratitude for his ancestors "who joined the Church back in the early days of the Church. . . . For all of these blessings I am grateful on this day as I would want to pronounce them to you."

Elder Haight spoke of the leadership of President Gordon B. Hinckley. "I want President Hinckley to know that I have watched carefully since he was called to being an additional counselor to President [Spencer W.] Kimball, as he has assumed his role in the presidency, but how he has grown and matured and been inspired and directed in carrying out the activities that we have been witness to."

For example, Elder Haight spoke of the building of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple and of the 114 operating temples in the Church today. "Bless his heart for what he has done in helping the Church to expand. . . . We are so grateful for what he has done.

Elder Haight related the scriptural account of the ten lepers who approached the Savior, begging Him to heal them. Referring to the account found in Luke 17, Elder Haight said, "They came to the Savior and said, 'Master, have mercy upon us.' "

Elder Haight said that the Savior directed the lepers to their priest, and that as they went they were cleansed. "Then a short time later, one of them returned to the Savior and fell on his face . . . in thanking the Savior for blessing him and for making him well. The Savior said to that one man, 'Were there not ten cleansed? What happened to the other nine? Where are they?'

"I've read that story again and again," Elder Haight said. "It has made a great impression upon me. How would you like to be part of the 'nine society,' to be numbered among those who failed to return and acknowledge the Savior, the great blessings that He had given them?

"It's so easy in life for us to receive blessings, many of them almost uncounted, and have things . . . help change our lives, improve our lives . . . bring the spirit of the gospel into our lives, but we sort of take it for granted. But how grateful we should be for the blessings that the gospel of Jesus brings into our hearts and souls."

Further, Elder Haight said, "I would remind all of you that if we're ever going to show gratitude and do it properly to our Heavenly Father we would do it with all of our heart, might, mind and strength because it was He who gave us life and gave us the breath to breathe and to live and to give us the opportunity to live as we are, to have the gospel in our lives."

Elder Haight spoke of children who "we love and adore and hope that we will implant in them along with the Spirit of the Lord a desire to learn and to live and to be part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"God lives. He is our Father, I know that. I testify to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and the Prophet Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration and that President Hinckley today is our inspired leader over this Church throughout the world."