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Official Reportofthe One Hundred Sixty-seventh AnnualGeneral CONFERENCE ofTheChurch ofJesusChrist of Latter-daySaints held intheTabernacle SaltLakeCity, Utah April 5and6, 1997 Official Report ofthe One Hundred Sixty-seventh Annual General Conference of The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held in theTabernacle Salt Lake City, Utah April 5 and 6, 1997 Publishedby TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints SaltLakeCity, Utah 1997byTheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints Allrightsreserved PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica Reportofthe167thAnnual GeneralConferenceof TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints The167thAnnualGeneralConfer- RobertD.Hales,JeffreyR.Holland, enceofTheChurchofJesusChristof andHenryB.Eyring Latter-daySaintsconvenedintheTaber- ThePresidencyoftheSeventy:L.Al- nCiatcyl,eUtoanh,TeomnpSlaeturSdqauya,rAepriinlS5,al1t99L7a,kaet dBirnouPogrht,erW,.JoEeuJg.eCnhreisHtaennsseenn,,MoJanctkeHJ. 10:00a.m. Goaslind,HaroldG.Hillam,andEarlC. Thegeneralsessionsoftheconfer- Tingey encewereheldat10:00a.m.and2:00p.m. TheFirstQuorumoftheSeventy:1 onSaturdayandSunday,April5and6, AngelAbrea,CarlosH.Amado,NeilL. 1997.Thegeneralpriesthoodsessionwas Andersen,DallasN.Archibald,BenB. heldonSaturday,April5,at6:00p.m. Banks,MerrillJ.Bateman,WilliamR. PresidentGordonB.Hinckleypre- Bradford,F.EnzioBusche,JohnK. sidedatallsessionsoftheconference Carmack,D.ToddChristofferson,J. andconductedtheSaturdaymorning, Richard Clarke, Gary J. Coleman, generalpriesthood,andSundaymorning SpencerJ. Condie, Gene R. Cook, sessions.PresidentThomasS.Monson, RobertK.Dellenbach,JohnB.Dickson, FirstCounselorintheFirstPresidency, CharlesDidier,LorenC.Dunn,Vaughn conductedtheSundayafternoonsession. J.Featherstone,JohnH.Groberg,Bruce PresidentJamesE.Faust,SecondCoun- C. Hafen, F. Melvin Hammond, F. selorintheFirstPresidency,conducted BurtonHoward,JayE.Jensen,Marlin theSaturdayafternoonsession. K.Jensen,KennethJohnson,L.Lionel Televisionandradiostationsand Kendrick,Wm.RolfeKerr,Yoshihiko theLDSRadioNetworkcarriedpor- Kikuchi, Cree-L Kofford, Dean L. tionsorallofthegeneralsessionsto Larsen,JohnM.Madsen,LynnA.Mick- largeaudiencesthroughouttheworld.In elsen,AlexanderB.Morrison,DennisB. addition,theconferencewascarriedby Neuenschwander,GlennL.Pace,An- satellitetransmissiontomorethan1,000 drewW.Peterson, RexD.Pinegar, stakecenters.Thepriesthoodsession HughW.Pinnock,RonaldE.Poelman, wascarriedbyclosed-circuittransmis- CarlB.Pratt,CecilO.SamuelsonJr., siontoapproximately900locationsin DavidE.Sorensen,DieterF.Uchtdorf, manycountries. RobertE.Wells,andW.CraigZwick TheSecondQuorumoftheSeventy: GeneralAuthoritiespresent RichardD.Allred,LinoAlvarez,L.Ed- ofthTeheChfuorlclhowaitntgenGdeenderoanleAourthmoorriteieosf wCCaaolrolkd,,BSRrhioecwlhnad,rodCn.EF.M.aCxoCohCikal,ldd,CwleaQlulud,einEotriRa.nnMAL... tHhiencsTkehslseeiyo,Fnisr:TsthoPmreassideSn.cyM:onGsoornd,onanBd. rWCao.rsdt,Dao,WnaJyoLnhaenddME,..AFHuoagwnulcesortc,ok,DAuJ..aKLnieemn,tB.JJoaGllmeeerys-, JPaacmkeeTsrh,eE.LQ.FuaTouorstummPeorfrtyh,eDTawveildveB:.BHoayidghtK,. POMoe.rrMtraeersl,lo,nL,yDRnainlcehGa.rEd.RJo.MbiMblailynensre,,s,DBeVrn.uncDieasllDEa..s NDaelallinA.H.MaOxawkesl,l,MR.usRsueslslelMl.BNaelllsaornd,, Simmons,DonaldL.Staheli,F.David JosephB.Wirthlin,RichardG.Scott, 1ElderJamesM.Paramorewasex- cusedduetoillness. 2 GENERALCONFERENCE Saturday,April5,1997 MorningSession Stanley, KwokYuenTai,JeraldL. Otherauthoritiespresent JTR.aiyclVhoiarnr,adRsBi,.chWLaiarrtndhclEe.inTBu.rleWyicSrk.,maFrna,nciasncdo dancOethinecrluCdheudrgcehnearuatlh,orsittakiee,sainndawttaernd- ThePresidingBishopric:H.David officers. Burton,RichardC.Edgley,andKeithB. McMullin SATURDAYMORNINGSESSION Thefirstsessionofthe167thAnnual L.Larsen,JohnH.Groberg,MarlinK. GeneralConferenceofTheChurchof Jensen,andBenB.Banksareinatten- JesusChristofLatter-daySaintscon- dance. venedintheTabernacleonTemple AlloftheGeneralAuthoritiesarein SquareinSaltLakeCity,Utah,onSatur- attendance except Elder James M. ddaeyn,tAGporridlo5n,B1.99H7i,ncaktle1y0:c0o0nda.umc.tePdretshii-s ParaWmoerea,ckwnhoowlisedilgl.etheReliefSociety, session. YoungWomen,andPrimarygeneral MusicwasprovidedbytheMormon presidencies,seatedonthestand. YouthChorus,withRobertC.Bowden Weextendaspecialwelcometogov- conductingandLindaMargettsatthe ernment,education,andcivicleaders organ. whoarepresentthismorning. Tobeginthemeeting,thechorus Themusicforthissessionwillbe sang"They,theBuildersoftheNation." givenbytheMormonYouthChorus,un- PresidentHinckleythenmadethefol- derthedirectionofBrotherRobertC. lowingremarks. Bowden,withSisterLindaMargettsat theorgan. PresidentGordonB.Hinckley Thechorusopenedbysinging"They, Mydearbrothersandsisters,we fthaevoBruiulsdewristhof"tFhaeiNthatoifonO"uarndFawtihllernso.w" welcomeyoutothis,thefirstgeneral Followingthesinging,theinvocationwill sessionofthe167thannualconference beofferedbyElderCree-LKoffordof odfayThSeainCths.urWcehogfreJeetsuasllChorfiystouofwLhaottaerre- theSeventy. ptahretniceiaprabtyinAgssienmtbhleyTHaablelr,nwahceler;eaElndderisn Thechorussang"FaithofOurFa- Msotn.ontRehu,esassentldalnFdBr;aalnlacanirdsdc,oinVJa.tuhVegihnJanossJe.aprFeheasStemhaiettreh-d tihnevroscE.al"tdieorn.Cree-LKoffordofferedthe MemorialBuilding,whereEldersDean PRESIDENTGORDONB.HINCKLEY 3 PresidentGordonB.Hinckley Mybelovedbrethrenandsisters,ifI gionalconferencesinvolvingonlysixor maymakeafewpreliminaryremarks. sevenstakeswherewehavemanymore Wewelcomeyouwhereveryoumaybe peoplethantheTabernaclewillaccom- throughouttheworld.Withmuchof modate. lovewegreetyou.Thisisbothageneral conferenceandaworldconference.One Newtemples htcs1ohi9unna9ncst6dei,rsdtetathedhyenetsuClimnyhxtetuimgylrbr-csetohehrwvisnsewhnaiuistnyptehoiaarlrrsgseaaatsnhctiatehzvhaeedeeddi.lpenyanFesdarasronelomddyf pmteromovpjilNenecogst.swf,oOarwnsweaJwrurednewesmipit1enh-a5dtkhtyehooefbuuScitt.lohdnLaisotntugriwuosefcMtniiaesorw-ne 9,700,000.Wehavebecomeagreatcon- souriTemplewillbededicated.Thisfall courseofpeople.Weshouldreachthe thetempleinVernal,Utah,willbededi- ytt1ooh0uabtm.riIiIlnelhfitlooyhpnemesmeeawnirotlkplieobbnneyitntohhgfreeireneetnmoedarrerosfkftostu,throiIsmeayiaetncatthree.rnosdf cEEDancotgumelaidWad.nnoogdrro;;k,BCDoiogsoocmothinaan,bisacCcamohnlbeoadRm,ueblpiBeuaob;lliiinvGciu;aPa;ryReaeSsqcatuinoiftnleo,,, Brazil;andMadrid,Spain.Theapproval Newassemblybuilding processismovingforwardinBoston, Massachusetts.Whiledelayed,planning Forthosefarafield,Imaysaythat foratempleinNashville,Tennessee, wearespeakingfromthehistoricTaber- continues.Preliminaryworkisunderway nacleonTempleSquareinSaltLake inBillings,Montana,andWhitePlains, City.WehopetobreakgroundonJuly NewYork,aswellasMonterrey,Mex- 24foranewplaceofassemblywhichwe ico.Thesearchforasuitableproperty havenotyetnamed,where,atleastfor continuesinVenezuela.Wearepleased manyyearstocome,allwhodesireto toannouncetodaythatgroundhasbeen attendthegeneralconferencemaydo acquiredinAlbuquerque,NewMexico, so.Itwillbeconstructedontheblock fortheconstructionofatempleandalso directlynorthofTempleSquare.Itwill inCampinas,Brazil,wheretheneedis seatuptofourtimesasmanyasthe great.Othersitesareunderconsidera- Tabernacle. tion.Ihopetoseetemplessolocated Itwillbeusedforgeneralconfer- thatmembersoftheChurchcantravel enceandforotherpurposesthatarein tooneofthesesacredhouseswithina harmonywiththereasonsforwhichitis reasonabledistanceoftheirhomes. bcmeaainyngancobutciolftiml.lmToithdeiantistetiaalgaleyl,waibrlugltebwepaesgueacarhnettb.huaiWtldei-t tseommpeTlhewooucnogdnhsetIrrluticovteimwoein.thisWitea,ttahhriisengmtarotyftienagrweot-of ingforthelongterm. buildinsuchawayandinsuchplaces ThisremarkableTabernaclehas acrosstheworldthatthesehousesofthe serveduswellandwillcontinuetodoso. Lordmaystandandservethroughthe TheTabernacleChoirbroadcastswill Millennium. continuefromhere,andmanymeetings willbeheldhere.Thisbuildinghasre- GeneralReliefSocietypresidency markableproperties,differentfrom odetrhfeurl.stHruocwteurveesr.,Ittihserueniaqrueetaonddayworne-- SociTethyepnreexstidietnecmy:wtihlelgbeenerrealleaRseeldieaft 4 GENERALCONFERENCE Saturday,April5,1997 MorningSession tdhoinsecaongfreeartenacned.sTighneifsiecanwtowmoerkn.Thhaevye tahnedlRoecaglioauntahloriRteipesrefsoernatpaetriivoedso—ftniomwe haveservedformorethaneightyears, morerecentlytheseAreaAuthorities. givingunselfishlyoftheirtimeandtheir Wehavedeterminedtopresenttothe richtalents.Theyhavegivenremarkable conferencethenamesoftheseArea leadershiptothewomenoftheChurch AuthoritiestobeordainedSeventies. andalsohaveparticipatedonother Theywillthenhaveaquorumrelation- boardsandcommitteesofwhichthey shippresidedoverbythePresidentsof havebeenmembers.Wearedeeply theSeventy.TheywillbeknownasArea gratefultothem.Formalactiononthis AuthoritySeventies,toserveforape- matterwillbetakenwhenPresident riodofyearsinavoluntarycapacityin MonsonpresentstheGeneralAuthori- theareainwhichtheyreside.Theyare tiesandgeneralofficersoftheChurch calledbytheFirstPresidencyandwill immediatelyaftermyremarks. workunderthegeneraldirectionofthe QuorumoftheTwelve,thePresidentsof NewQuorumsofSeventy theSeventy,andtheAreaPresidencies SreuvmesnItcoyf.omASesevyneonoutwyktnwoohwto,hewseeBrrhveaetvhaersetnGweoonQfeurtoah-le ileinmvpet.lhToahtyempyeanwrittl,locrfeostnihtdeienwuioenrwtlihdetihirntohwewhinricphhroemsteehsne,ty wACBuhrhtueohrtochsrheri.retvnieTehitsneowtaiFhgitirehsst7jq0ui.ursoiWcsreoduimmcwptirlitilohsnisesuadscmtrooaofrisnntsihfnootgsuh.ere TAmauhnesodmtsbresaeelrirrseavs,eiodafoinnntdghaeitnhTCehhEiuuPrrradccohipQf-eisu,ceorAwrfviurliilmcceabo,efbcAaSssoeiimvase-., wAiddsietiaonndalmlayt,uwreeamreencawliltihngloanggreoxupperio-f eanntdy.STohuotsheAimneMreixciacow,ilClenbtercalomAemermiecma-, enceintheChurchandwithfreedomto bersoftheFourthQuorum.Thoseresid- gmoemwbheerrsevoefrthceirSceucmosntdanQcuesorduimctaotfethaes binegcionmtehemeUmnbieterdsSotfattehseaFinfdthCQanuaodraumw.ill pSeevreinotdys.oTfhfersoemBtrherteheretnowfiilvlesyeearrvse.fIonr atstTahkeeycomnafeyrbeneceasssaingdnetdration(sat)akperepsriedse- everysensetheywillbeGeneralAuthori- idencies,(b)createorreorganizestakes tBirese.tWherenalsseorvhianvgeasaAfraietahfAuulthcoardirteieso.f as(den)rdvecshaeastircaorpueangrsiteolnsoartlsakcienonApfrreeersaeindPcereenscpiidleeasnn,cniie(ncsg), TmCalhmohnhaaovedunnmesryyedtechecohaeafvhnpoaiCdtastvchheieaouetdbrrmirgbecoamesahan.eendinnad,Az.neshwcddaaTe.wwlvhelehTheeaohyhdbveaeehwavyeahrenwveeaoetrdrrrmeeeskaeevevefpreenadlvliryeetwwhddtiihfhtmuiaoeh-lnt cptdaSesroeonsveumtiesrmsgnCii,ntodmteineitdaedsse.nsiseo,dsisvto,et(enrghns)(etbey)aycwonbitsmdhetepehcrltvoAretearmthieeeeonianroomPtfiaorhfsrreiesdescriaiienorddscaenuonttocuipifynore,cnsetis(hliaafes-ss) pertosWrprhpueareeemlisacTsShklo.eheefadvevovAtefewehtlnLiestftohatToyhraarw,dlkdteoaehlacmeivaFnipanilredrdrebrsAlestteeepihmvotpPdeesawrreltroenePlkvsteteraiishsnebsde,sileationeQnrhncduedceyivoaa,nebptrggliaaeucasanBimthQetiiogsuyrspoe.oahsnno-.l--sf wpCtltdToioioehhrmtgneutiahetsyrtts,tceqhwdhheuoiaerlfonolmwrdpi,tinupnhtowmdoehqiro.wltuSlauooWhenitsravhinhpevuisteenetimlcrrteeiuaysmftciehttswfceiheiottnenlraihglrsnnseeetgdmchso,owoe,fifdmlrmetbmtlefhehucitabelennoteiioiPtvnckcreeogioeaninsrmttlndieiee.yg--e THESUSTAININGOFCHURCHAUTHORITIESANDOFFICERS 5 thattheyhavenotexperienceduptothis eralAuthorities,theAreaAuthorities, time.AsSeventiestheyarecalledto andthegeneralofficersoftheChurch preachthegospelandtobeespecial foryoursustainingvote.Ineednotre- witnessesoftheLordJesusChristasset mindyouthatthisisaverysacredand forthintherevelations.Thoughall importantmatter. Seventieshaveequalscripturalauthor- ity,membersoftheFirstandSecond AwonderfulseasonoftheLord'swork tQFhouourorirtthiue,ms,sanwadhrieFliedfetmsheimagrnbeaetrdesedsioGgfenntaehtereadTlhAiArrued-a, oftWheewaorrekliovfintghienLaowrodn.deTrhfeulwsoeraksoins Authorities. growingeverstronger.Itisexpanding Althoughtheordinationtotheof- acrosstheworld.Eachofushasanim- fnmioisinfaeccteehtaeithlosdilfwserpiSdeesteserthvproieevhoicnsidctetseiryo,hvvfieiehsgyweiwhenaaipwrtrarishdil.qoleuusaArttontsedrttgtueusrhrrmtoemnau,fkcpoteoa.ronaSacanelcdvduteiesswvniiiitogltny-ly wpttsRahoopekerrediitasnreakhgenii.gtmnprPgeepeoaraaoutr,prtslwcHetFoooirariestkpnh.lomBeafroeIytlrliaieoinnnsvgttHeuthhehdaiaesganieSvgrso1er6necna0.aantuandTsanuhetmdniiodosaroenneursi,d-r,s BretWhreenwienltcooqmueormuomstmewmabremrslhyipthaensde theirMkaiyngId,oimn.closing,repeatthewords alcotviev,Witaiynt.dhTohtuehryeseehsatreveeesmp.oeucrticvoenfqiudeonrcuem,souirn osLfpoeoJaakkcouubnn:ttoo"BGyuootudbtwehihatothldaf,rierI,mpnJuearscesobio,nfwhmoeiaunrldtd,. pdlearcew,hiwcehhtahveeCehstuarbclhismheadyagpraotwtetronaunn-y aannddphreaywiulnltcoonhsiomlewiytohuexicneyeoduinrgaffafiltihc,- sdiezneciweisthaanndoArrgeanaizAauttihoonriotfyArSeevaenPtrieessi,- tsieonnds,daonwdnhjeuswtiilclepulpeoadnytohuorsecawuhsoe,saenedk kctIaoichmcnomcogsaeNrdredodeoniiwmanf,.aogtrnettHdihloeteysnweeLoiefsvordoerki.rldnilsgnopirgswioriwwainaincgtngrcgohmistmisysengmltrebhoaeeevdmreewasrrorhsrikHhpslii.,dsp ywocliohouvuirreslrk,MdddrauoieestfysnytmtrwwyhuteehochetLbmiruoeooemrnvbvd"fel,ea(reitJbfhlwapoferceursaolwsybicaeanra3rng:,nd1d)oit.tnutohrreutuehcF,eehattdnehtoraehinremna'ieglsr PresidentMonsonwillpresenttheGen- ofJesusChrist,amen. TheSustainingofChurchAuthoritiesandOfficers PresidentThomasS.Monson ChurchofJesusChristofLatter-day HincMklyeybrhoatsherresquaensdtedsistthearts,IPnroeswidpernet- JSCaoaiumnntesss;elTEohsrdormianassthFSeapueFsnitrcsetarsPMrSoeenscisodonenndcayCs;oFuiarnns-dt ApstraerienenstaiIitndtAgeoiunsvtcoyhpitooererus.oiptotoifhesetseh,dGeeatCnnhhadeutrrgawcelenheArfsuoautrlshtyoaaoiruunxiritlGisioeuarssr-,-y fsaSaenplyve,oonrrImtcmiaeinsayrpytrmMhaomeonpainnoFfisiserfeossedttnsttiPhta.aritste.swTPiehrdeoessnsuciseydt.aeoipnnTpthToosohefsodemt,ahiisenf daonndBrietvneelratHoirncaknldeyPraesspirdoepnhteto,fsTeehre, KQeunonreutmhoPfactkheerTawselAvcteiAnpgosPtrleessi,deBntoyodf 6 GENERALCONFERENCE Saturday,April5,1997 MorningSession theQuorumoftheTwelveApostles,and O.BrentBlack thefollowingasmembersofthatquo- NormanC.Boehm rum:BoydK.Packer,L.TomPerry, HaroldC.Brown DavidB. Haight, NealA. Maxwell, DonaldJButler RussellM.Nelson,DallinH.Oaks,M. ReneJ.Cabrera RussellBallard,JosephB.Wirthlin, DouglasL.Callister RichardG.Scott,RobertD.Hales,Jef- AntonioCappi freyR.Holland,andHenryB.Eyring. RaimondoCastellani Thoseinfavor,pleasemanifestit.Any HugoA.Catron opposed. VictorD.Cave Itisproposedthatwesustainthe Chu-JenChia CounselorsintheFirstPresidencyand V.FranciscoChinchay theTwelveApostlesasprophets,seers, JessL.Christensen andrevelators.Allinfavor,pleasemani- KayH.Christensen festit.Contrary,iftherebeany,bythe ChristopherN.Chukwurah samesign. L.WhitneyClayton GaryItJ.isCporloepmoasne,dJtohhatnwMe.sMuasdtsaienn,ElWdemr.s AGmobrrdoosniGoC.CoCnoglelrado RolfeKerr,andCarlB.Prattasmem- MaxW.Craner bersoftheFirstQuorumoftheSeventy. ClaudioCuellar Allinfavor,pleasemanifestit.Anyop- CesarA.Davila posed. JorgeL.delCastillo ItisproposedthatwesustainElders CletoP.DeOliveira RichardD.Allred,EranA.Call,Richard AdelsondePaulaParrella E.Cook,DuaneB.Gerrard,WayneM. PaulL.Diehl Hancock,J.KentJolley,RichardJ. LindsayT.Dil Maynes,DaleE.Miller,LynnG.Rob- DonaldB.Doty bins,DonaldL.Staheli,andRichardE. DaleL.Dransfield TurleySr.asmembersoftheSecond AlvieR.EvansSr. QuorumoftheSeventy.Allinfavor, EnriqueR.Falabella pleasemanifestit.Anyopposed,bythe DavidW.Ferrel samesign. LawrenceR.Fuller Itisproposedthatwesustainthe ArmandoGaona 134AreaAuthorities,whoarepresent RubenG.Gapiz withus today, as SeventiesofThe HarveyL.Gardner ChurchofJesusChristofLatter-day DarylH.Garn SaintstoactintheofficeofAreaAu- EduardoGavarret thoritySeventies.Thesebrethrenare: SilvioGeschwandtner OscarH.Aguayo LarryW.Gibbons CarlosE.Agiiero FranciscoG.Gimenez JulioE.Alvarado ChristoffelGoldenJr. PauloC.F.Amonm WalterF.Gonzalez AdolfoAvalos PauloR.Grahl CarlW.Bacon JamesE.Griffin LowellC.Barber C.ScottGrow DavidA.Bednar EstebanGuevara BlairS.Bennett MarioE.Guzman RobertK.Bills DonaldL.Hallstrom BruceB.Bingham RonaldT.Halverson