1972
Solemn Assembly Sustains President Lee, Five New General Authorities
December 1972


“Solemn Assembly Sustains President Lee, Five New General Authorities,” Ensign, Dec. 1972, 82

Solemn Assembly Sustains President Lee, Five New General Authorities

President Harold B. Lee was sustained as prophet, seer, and revelator of the Church, and five new General Authorities were named at October’s 142nd Semiannual General Conference.

Sustained with President Lee were his two counselors in the First Presidency, President N. Eldon Tanner and President Marion G. Romney. All of the General Authorities were sustained at a solemn assembly held in accordance with the voting procedure introduced when President John Taylor was sustained as the third President of the Church on October 10, 1888.

The vacancy in the Council of the Twelve occasioned by President Romney’s call as second counselor to President Lee was filled by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who has served for the past twenty-six years as a member of the First Council of the Seventy. Elder McConkie’s many Church assignments have included serving as church servicemen’s coordinator and as president of the Southern Australia Mission.

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Elder Bruce R. McConkie

Elder Bruce R. McConkie

In 1937, he was married in the Salt Lake Temple to Amelia Smith, a daughter of the late President Joseph Fielding Smith.

The four other new authorities include three Assistants to the Twelve and a member of the First Council of the Seventy, filling the vacancy created by Elder McConkie’s new calling.

Sustained as Assistants to the Twelve were O. Leslie Stone, a Regional Representative of the Twelve and formerly president of the Salt Lake Temple; James E. Faust, also a Regional Representative; and L. Tom Perry, president of the Boston Stake.

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O. Leslie Stone
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James E. Faust
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L. Tom Perry

Elder O. Leslie Stone Elder James E. Faust Elder L. Tom Perry

The new member of the First Council of the Seventy is President Rex D. Pinegar, president of the North Carolina-Virginia Mission.

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President Rex D. Pinegar

President Rex D. Pinegar

Full coverage of the solemn assembly, plus complete conference talks and biographies on the new General Authorities will appear in the January 1973 Ensign.