I would like to tell of two events which took place in my neighborhood.  Just over a century ago a tragedy occurred about five miles south of my house.  On a night in June 1896 the seven members of the Clark French family retired to their beds in their home at the mouth of Goodrich Creek Canyon.  As far as they knew it was a night like any other.  In the mountains above them, however, the dam at Goodrich Reservoir was failing.  About 11:00 p.m. the dam gave way.  The contents of the reservoir poured down the canyon where the flood demolished the French home and drowned the sleeping family.

Twenty-one years later, again in the month of June, a similar tragedy occurred one-half mile north of my house.  The town of Rock Creek was situated at the mouth of Rock Creek Canyon.  It was a windy day in the mountains.  The reservoir at Killamacue Lake was full.  The strong wind made waves which crashed over the dam.  The earthen dam failed, and the water went out with a rush.  Trees snapped and boulders rolled as the wall of water rushed down the canyon toward the unsuspecting town.

John Yankee, a resident of Rock Creek, heard the roar in the mountains and correctly deduced that the dam had broken.  Racing through the town he warned his neighbors who all fled to the high ground between my house and the town site.  They watched from their hillside position as the flood swept their homes and town away.  All that now remains of the original town of Rock Creek is the concrete walls of the butcher shop.

The residents’ world, as they knew it, was washed away.  In a matter of seconds all of their possessions were gone.—But thanks to John Yankee’s warning, no lives were lost.

We might profitably ask ourselves several questions:

What if no one had sounded a warning?

What if John Yankee had immediately run for high ground as soon as he realized the danger?

How would John have felt standing alone in safety there on the hill as he watched the flood engulf the family and neighbors he might have saved?

What if some had ignored John’s warning?

What if our world is currently hurtling headlong toward calamity?

What if no one raises a warning voice?

Some among us have callings which figuratively place them on higher ground where they can sense the dangers around us.  No fewer than seven of them warned us in the last General Conference of the dangers of the filthy flood of pornography which is engulfing the world and ensnaring unsuspecting victims.  The eternal lives of millions of people are being destroyed by this evil tide.  Many of them are members of this Church.

Interestingly, John Yankee lived on the property where Bishop Brock’s house now stands.  I don’t know for sure, but I would suspect that the bishop’s house may have been built shortly after the flood of 1917 by John Yankee, himself.

One of the bishop’s duties is to stand as a watchman over his ward, to be their shepherd, and to sound a warning when danger threatens.  Our bishop is a good bishop, and responds to the promptings of the Spirit when moved upon to issue such warnings.

I’ve heard him stand at the pulpit and plead with us to hold Family Home Evenings.  His pleadings were accompanied by promises of peace and safety for our children if we responded in a positive manner.

Some have chosen to ignore the advice.

I’ve heard Bishop Brock beg us on numerous occasions to spend some daily time reading the scriptures.  These are things that our Church leaders at every level have encouraged us to do for years.

Some have chosen to ignore the advice.

On one occasion the bishop assembled all the adults of the ward and asked them very pointedly to help their daughters to change their manner of dressing.  The world is promoting a style which encourages girls to show their midriffs.  I, for one, welcomed his comments.  It’s very difficult for me, as a common man, to know which distant object to concentrate my gaze upon when the girl standing in front of me is baring parts of her body.  It’s a very uncomfortable situation.

Some have chosen to ignore the advice.

I have no doubt that the girls who dress in this manner will grow up to be wives and mothers and fine members of the Church.  What they don’t realize is the effect that they may have on the less stable male minds around them.  The potential exists to negatively affect the minds of my sons, your sons, my mind and your mind.

This was a warning which it was the bishop’s duty to issue.  He has interviews with all the members of the ward, and is privy to all sorts of information that the rest of us know nothing about.   When confronted with a problem, and often with multiple related problems, he must decide how to handle the situation.  The particular situation may involve people who have no idea that anything is wrong.  He can’t point fingers, he can’t violate confidences, and he must always be aware of people’s feelings.  His position is delicate, and sometimes precarious.  So he’ll pick a time and a setting calculated to not offend anyone, and he’ll make a tactful, generalized statement hoping and praying that the right people take notice.

When I was bishop I was confronted with the problem of what to do about people who bore long and rambling testimonies.  One good, faithful old high priest looked forward to fast and testimony meeting.  The first Sunday of each month he was the first on his feet.  His testimonies were a minimum of 20 minutes long.  I just couldn’t single him out and risk wounding his feelings by telling him that he was boring us all to death.  Yet if I didn’t do something there was going to be a mass exodus from the ward, possibly led by me.

A wonderful older sister was another problem.  Her rambling, lengthy testimonies were often travelogs.  What was a good bishop to do?  I just couldn’t offend these wonderful people and damage their testimonies.

As I opened one testimony meeting I expressed appreciation for the testimonies of our ward members.  “Each fast Sunday,” I said, “there are many testimonies which go unborne.   Your testimonies strengthen us all.  We’d like to hear your testimony.  We’d like as many people as possible to have the opportunity to bear theirs.  We all have testimonies, but none of us has more than a 5-minute testimony.”

I sat down.  I was very nervous about how my statement would be taken.  But this good old brother refused to take offense.  Instead, he stood and bore a wonderful 3-minute testimony.  On subsequent occasions he said, “The bishop won’t let me bear more than a 5-minute testimony, so I’ll end now.”  Children began bearing their testimonies.  From that point on it was an unusual fast meeting when fewer than 30 people bore their testimonies.

I conducted and spoke at this brother’s funeral.  I look forward to seeing him again when I get to where he is.  Because of his humble attitude, we’ll be glad to see each other.

It is the bishop’s duty to advise and warn us about Family Home Evenings, scripture reading, and dress standards.  Please don’t criticize him when he does.  He didn’t ask for the job.  It is up to us to decide what to do with his advice.  As for me and my household, we intend to run up on the hill when he tells us that the dam has broken.  If we’re standing there expecting a flood, and something lesser comes by, we don’t even plan to feel foolish.  When the dam does break, you can bet that we’ll be with the group on the hill.

Heber J. Grant told Marion G. Romney (later a counselor in the First Presidency), “My boy, if the president of the Church tells you to do something wrong, and you do it, you’ll be blessed.”  Then he added, “But the president of the Church will never tell you to do something wrong.

The same principle applies to listening to our bishop.  If what he says sounds foolish, misguided, or even wrong, we’ll be blessed if we take heed.

I think that I can confidently say that there has not been a General Conference held by this Church in which several of the Brethren have not urged us to open our mouths, tell our neighbors about the restored gospel, and warn those around us of the perils which can ensnare us as individuals, and which will prove the undoing of this world as we know it.

We who are living our testimonies of Jesus Christ and of His restored gospel are standing on high ground and can see the impending disaster hanging over our world.  The Lord, Himself, has said, “Behold, I (send) you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.  Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads…labor diligently…to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come; that their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come.”  (D&C 88:81-85)

“And thou must open thy mouth at all times, declaring my gospel with the sound of rejoicing.”  (D&C 28:16)

“…lift up your voice as with the sound of a trump to declare my gospel unto a crooked and perverse generation.”  (D&C 33:2)

“Open your mouths and they shall be filled…

“Yea open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you.

“Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying:  Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  (D&C 33:8-10)

There was no one to warn the Clark French family.  Like a thief in the night the flood came and took their mortal lives away.

The residents of Rock Creek were more fortunate.  John Yankee earned their enduring gratitude for his timely warning.

Will the residents of this world—our friends and neighbors—embrace us or blame us when the promised desolation overtakes the wicked?

I’m grateful for my bishop, for other Church leaders, and for our prophet who are not hesitant to sound the warnings that can save me and my family from impending disasters.  All I have to do is heed their advice, and suppress any impulses that I might have to murmur.  They’re only doing their duty, and they’re doing it for my good.

I hope that each of us will be more bold about opening our mouths to tell our friends about the good news of the Restoration.  I pray that each of us may come to rely more heavily upon our Savior as the source of the peace, guidance and safety that we all crave.  I urge us all to be watchmen, and to rivet our attention upon those who have been called to be watchmen over us.  By doing so, we and those we love will be standing on higher ground when the promised floods sweep the earth.