Coverage of the April 2019 General Conference Saturday Afternoon Session
Contributed By Trent Toone, Church News staff writer
Attendees sustain leaders during the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
A new Sunday School presidency, 10 General Authority Seventies, and 55 Area Seventies were called and sustained during the 189th Annual General Conference on April 6.
President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, announced the call of the new Church leaders during the Saturday afternoon session, where it was also reported that the Church’s membership is now more than 16.3 million.
President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the session, and President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, gave the first talk, opening the session with a message of the “peace, joy, and happiness” that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“As we keep our testimonies simple and focused on the gospel of Christ, He will provide spiritual renewal as we share our testimonies with one another,” he said.
Other speakers included Elder Neil L. Andersen and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Mathias Held, Elder David P. Homer, and Elder Takashi Wada of the Seventy. Prayers during the session were offered by Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Seventy and Sister Lisa Harkness of the Primary General Presidency.
Brother Mark L. Pace will serve as Sunday School general president with Brother Milton Camargo and Brother Jan E. Newman as his counselors. Brother Tad R. Callister, Brother Devin G. Durrant, and Brother Brian K. Ashton have been released.
New General Authority Seventies called and sustained during conference include Elder Rubén V. Alliaud, Elder Jorge M. Alvarado, Elder Hans T. Boom, Elder L. Todd Budge, Elder Ricardo P. Giménez, Elder Peter M. Johnson, Elder John A. McCune, Elder James R. Rasband, Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai, and Elder Alan R. Walker.
Kevin R. Jergensen from the Church’s Auditing Department reported that there are more than 65,000 full-time missionaries and more than 37,000 Church-service missionaries. (See other statistics.) A combined choir from Brigham Young University, directed by Rosalind Hall and Andrew Crane, provided music during the session. Linda Margetts and Bonnie Goodliffe accompanied the choir on the organ.
President Russell M. Nelson, left, and President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, sustain leaders during the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
Elder Peter M. Johnson, new General Authority Seventy, center, takes the stand during the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City in the Conference Center on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
Attendees walk through the Conference Center before the start of the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
Attendees go through security before a session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
General Authorities sustain leaders during the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
General Authorities and BYU choir members sustain leaders during the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, wave to conference goers of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaks during the afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Steve Griffin, Deseret News.
Elder Takashi Wada, a General Authority Seventy, speaks during the afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Steve Griffin, Deseret News.
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaks during the afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Steve Griffin, Deseret News.
President Russell M. Nelson, center, smiles at attendees as he sits with his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks, left, and President Henry B. Eyring, right, at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City during the afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Steve Griffin, Deseret News.
President Russell M. Nelson, center, his counselors, and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stand before the afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Steve Griffin, Deseret News.
Conference goers walk from the Conference Center following the afternoon session of general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Ravell Call, Deseret News.
Conference goers walk from the Conference Center following the afternoon session of general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Photo by Ravell Call, Deseret News.
