Sustaining of Church Officers

President Spencer W. Kimball:

Before we present the General Authorities and General Officers for the sustaining vote of this conference, we have a matter of business we should like to take up with you.

We have extended to Sister Belle S. Spafford an honorable release as president of the Relief Society, and to her counselors, Marianne C. Sharp and Louise W. Madsen, and also to the entire general board an honorable release. We find it most difficult to find the words to express to these sisters our admiration to them and our gratitude to them. Their work has been a service of quality and devotion and sacrifice.

Sister Spafford has been a strong and vibrant voice in many lands and many countries and among many peoples. Her voice has been heard in many places where it required insight and courage and forthrightness to stand almost alone against sometimes strange ideologies. She is a woman of education, refinement, and a leader in thought and action. She has considerable secular and spiritual training. She has honorary degrees from two great universities. She has been active in women’s organizations, national and international, and has traveled abroad in her special work. Her late husband, Willis Earl Spafford, and her children sustained her in her monumental labors. She has traveled widely, written much, and spoken to numerous groups of people in many lands. I must mention her outstanding work in the Indian program where I came to note her stature. She is distinguished, honored, and loved.

Sister Sharp is the daughter of our beloved late President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. She was the wife of the late Ivor Sharp. He and their family members supported her in her outstanding work. Her travels have been worldwide. Her wisdom and encouragement have been given to many peoples in many lands. She received an honorary degree of doctor of humanities from Brigham Young University recently. She has been an editor, writer, speaker, and an inspired leader.

Sister Louise Wallace Madsen, married to Frances A. Madsen, is an exemplary wife and mother of a large family. Her work among the Indian children has brought many blessings to our Lamanite brothers and sisters. Sister Madsen is the granddaughter of Parley P. Pratt.

And our gratitude, deep gratitude, also goes to all those, including the general board members, who have now been released. All of you who would like to express your thanks for the excellent service they have rendered, would you raise your right hand. Thank you very much.

For many years Sister LaVern W. Parmley, president of the Primary Association, with her counselors, Naomi W. Randall and Florence R. Lane, and members of the general board of the Primary have rendered able and dedicated service in their respective callings. These lovely sisters have helped develop and administer programs around the world, designed to build testimony and character in the lives of children of the Church. The labors of these sisters will bear fruit long into the future through the lives and deeds of the children whom they have influenced. With her counselors and general board, Sister Parmley has been an administering angel to the little ones of the Church.

In line with the general practice of the Church of changing leadership from time to time, we therefore tender to Sister Parmley and to Sisters Randall and Lane and to all the members of the general board of the Primary an honorable release at this time, together with our sincere love and best wishes for the great service that they will doubtless render to the Church in the years to come. Will all those who would like to join with us in extending thanks to Sister Parmley and her associates please raise their hands. Thank you.

Their successors will be presented to you for your vote by President Nathan Eldon Tanner who will now present all of the General Authorities and General Officers of the Church.

President N. Eldon Tanner:

As is our practice, the voting will be done by the raising of the right hand.

The First Presidency: It is proposed that we sustain as prophet, seer, and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Spencer W. Kimball. All in favor please signify it. All opposed by the same sign. Nathan Eldon Tanner as first counselor in the First Presidency and Marion G. Romney as second counselor in the First Presidency. All in favor please signify it. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

As President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles: Ezra Taft Benson. All in favor please signify. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

And as Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Ezra Taft Benson, Mark E. Petersen, Delbert L. Stapley, LeGrand Richards, Hugh B. Brown, Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, Boyd K. Packer, Marvin J. Ashton, Bruce R. McConkie, and L. Tom Perry. All in favor please signify. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

And as Patriarch to the Church, Eldred G. Smith. All in favor please signify. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

The counselors to the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the Patriarch to the Church as prophets, seers, and revelators. All in favor please signify it. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

And as Assistants to the Twelve Apostles: Alma Sonne, ElRay L. Christiansen, Sterling W. Sill, Henry D. Taylor, Alvin R. Dyer, Franklin D. Richards, Theodore M. Burton, Bernard P. Brockbank, James A. Cullimore, Marion D. Hanks, Joseph Anderson, David B. Haight, William H. Bennett, John H. Vandenberg, Robert L. Simpson, O. Leslie Stone, James E. Faust, J. Thomas Fyans, and Neal A. Maxwell. All in favor please signify. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

As Trustee-in-Trust for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Spencer W. Kimball. All in favor please signify. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

Presidents of the First Council of the Seventy: Seymour Dilworth Young, Milton R. Hunter, Albert Theodore Tuttle, Paul H. Dunn, Hartman Rector, Jr., Loren C. Dunn, and Rex D. Pinegar. All in favor please signify. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

As the Presiding Bishopric of the Church: Victor L. Brown, Presiding Bishop, H. Burke Peterson, first counselor, Vaughn J. Featherstone, second counselor. All in favor please signify it. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign.

As Regional Representatives of the Twelve: all the Regional Representatives of the Quorum of the Twelve as at present constituted.

As the Melchizedek Priesthood MIA: Thomas S. Monson, Boyd K. Packer, Marvin J. Ashton, Bruce R. McConkie as advisers, with James E. Faust, managing director, Marion D. Hanks and Robert L. Simpson, associate managing directors, with all the members of the board as at present constituted.

And as the Aaronic Priesthood under the direction of the Presiding Bishopric, Victor L. Brown, H. Burke Peterson, Vaughn J. Featherstone; Rulon Craven as director, with all members of the committee as at present constituted. The Young Women: Ruth Hardy Funk, president; Hortense H. Child, first counselor; Ardeth G. Kapp, second counselor; with all the members of the committee as at present constituted.

For the Relief Society: Barbara Bradshaw Smith as president, Janath Russell Cannon as education counselor, Marian Richards Boyer as homemaking counselor, Mayola R. Miltenberger, secretary-treasurer, with all the members of the board as approved by the Relief Society in their general conference and therefore as at present constituted.

The Sunday School: Russell M. Nelson as president, Joseph B. Wirthlin as first counselor, Richard L. Warner as second counselor, with all the members of the board as at present constituted.

Primary: Naomi Maxfield Shumway as president, Sara Melissa Broadbent Paulsen as first counselor, and Colleen Bushman Lemmon as second counselor, with the following as members of the board: Trilba J. Lindsay, Anna F. Bailey, Reta D. Baldwin, Beulah D. Burgoyne, Virginia B. Cannon, Carmen M. Dibble, Fulvia C. Dixon, LaNore D. Espenschied, Claudia F. Eliason, Thelma W. Fetzer, Camille S. Gambles, Ruth M. Gardner, Mary Jane E. Johnson, Marjorie C. Kjar, Jeanne J. Larson, Ruth H. Lundgren, Patricia C. Maughan, Phyllis B. McMullin, Blanche B. Miles, Dorthea C. Murdock, Della Mae I. Rasmussen, Kathleen E. Reese, Dorothy B. Taylor, Donna S. Waters, and Dawn J. Young.

All in favor of the auxiliary organizations’ officers, please make it manifest. Any contrary by the same sign.

As Church Board of Education: Spencer W. Kimball, Nathan Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney, Ezra Taft Benson, Mark E. Petersen, Delbert L. Stapley, LeGrand Richards, Hugh B. Brown, Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, Boyd K. Packer, Marvin J. Ashton, Bruce R. McConkie, L. Tom Perry, Alvin R. Dyer, Marion D. Hanks, A. Theodore Tuttle, Paul H. Dunn, Victor L. Brown, Belle S. Spafford. As commissioner of the Church Educational System, Neal A. Maxwell.

As Church Finance Committee: Wilford G. Edling, Harold H. Bennett, Weston E. Hamilton, Lee S. Bickmore, David M. Kennedy, Warren E. Pugh.

Tabernacle Choir: Isaac M. Stewart as president, Jay E. Welch as conductor, Jerold D. Ottley as associate conductor, Alexander Schreiner as chief organist, Robert D. Cundick, organist, and Roy M. Darley, organist. All in favor of these, please make it manifest. Contrary, if there be any, by the same sign. Thank you.

President Kimball, I think the voting in favor was unanimous.