“May the Kingdom of God Go Forth”
Ezra Taft Benson April 1978 Saturday Afternoon Session
While on a recent visit to continental Europe and Scandinavia, I had occasion to hold several press conferences with foreign news reporters. These reporters were somewhat informed and appeared amazed about the Church’s growth and progress as measured by the increase of converts. I said to them, “We’re grateful for this rapid growth in numbers. But we are even more grateful for the growth in faith and spirituality.” I then quoted some statistics in support of that statement. When I first came into the Council of the Twelve in 1943, I said, the average attendance at sacrament meeting—our Sunday preaching service—was about 20 percent. Today worldwide attendance is about 41 percent. Youth attendance is 46 percent, and attendance in the Primary—our young children—is 67 percent. The growth, progress, and increased spirituality of the members of the Church is not just accidental, I said to them. It is the result of a rich program based on eternal truth.