The reading of my own name as an Apostle to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of Elder John Henry Smith from the Quorum of the Twelve and his promotion to the First Presidency, came to me, as to the entire assembly, as a most sudden and to me unexpected shock, and left me in complete bewilderment from which I have not in days recovered. I feel extremely weak and pray to my heavenly Father for strength and guidance in my great responsibility that I shall not falter nor fail to perform all that is required on me. ... Oh my father, help me, guide me in Thy truth and fit and qualify me, for I am weak, that I may indeed be Thy servant and have Thy Holy spirit to guide me and direct my feet in the path of wisdom as one of the special witnesses of Thy Beloved son, who died and I might live and be numbered among His chosen people through faithfulness to His Gospel and obedience to His laws. Give me strength and courage and buoy me up that I that I may be worthy to bear Thy name and labor in Thy Kingdom and in the knowledge and testimony of the truth for I know the gospel is true and through obedience thereto is salvation through the name of Jesus Christ whose servant I am called to be.
[Joseph Fielding Smith, Diary, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]
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