God is love, but most attempts to explain the rest of the gospel in terms of love alone fail.  They tend to leave out important things and instead of explaining them, dismiss them.

Elder McConkie has an interesting talk about . . . keys.  The nuts and bolts of the Restoration.  In other words, about authority.    One interesting passage:

It follows that when Joseph Smith—sent to a martyr’s death by evil and murderous men—gasps his last breath, Brigham Young, being the next senior officer in the earthly kingdom, automatically becomes its presiding officer.

The next breath drawn by Brother Brigham is the breath of power filling the lungs of the Lord’s previously anointed servant. There is not so long a time as the twinkling of an eye when the Church is without a presiding officer.

He concludes this way:

And as the Lord lives, and as Christ is true, and as truth will prevail, I testify that this work shall roll forward until it fills the whole earth, and until the knowledge of God covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.

In other words, victory.  Potency.  Triumph.  (Which was the exciting engine of the Stand Forever talk so many have been discussing).

Authority and triumph.  The reductionists will say they are only ephiphenomena or delusions.  But that is not how they are experienced.  They are just as real.

These waters are deep for me, but I do wonder if it has something to do with the basic, non-reducible reality of men and women.  Reduce all you want–beyond manhood and womanliness you cannot go.

Other Posts from the Saturday Afternoon Session of the April 1983 General Conference