Area Conferences in Europe

European area conferences in August drew nearly 25,000 Saints to five different locations to hear instructions from eight General Authorities, including two members of the First Presidency, and local and regional leaders.

Attending the conferences were President Spencer W. Kimball, President N. Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency, Elder Thomas S. Monson and Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Council of the Twelve; Elder Robert D. Hales and Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Assistants to the Twelve; Elder Rex D. Pinegar of the First Council of the Seventy; and Elder Charles A. Didier of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Monson is area adviser to the European area, and Elder Wirthlin and Elder Didier are area supervisors.

About 4,200 members from France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and French-speaking Switzerland and Belgium attended a two-day conference in Paris on July 31 and August 1.

Nearly 3,000 members were waiting in Helsinki, Finland, for the conference on August 2–3, with an overlapping conference in Copenhagen beginning August 3 and continuing August 4 for 3,500 members from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

The General Authorities then separated for two simultaneous conferences. President Kimball, Elder Monson, and Elder Wirthlin traveled to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where Elder Didier joined them for a three-day conference, August 6–8, that drew more than 2,200 Saints and investigators from the Netherlands and Flemish-speaking Belgium. Meanwhile, President Tanner, Elder Packer, Elder Hales, and Elder Pinegar traveled to Dortmund, West Germany, where they spoke to the largest Sunday congregation of the series—10,500 members from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, plus Americans from servicemen’s branches.

After the Saturday sessions, President Kimball and President Tanner each led their groups to the other location, so that both conferences heard all the General Authorities.

Photos by Ian Voss and Kaj Jensø (Denmark)

President Kimball greets Scandinavian members.

A flurry of flags introduces this part of the cultural program.

Sister Juliana de Vries (former mission Relief Society secretary) and Sister Alida Marshall (Primary president, Amersfoort Branch, for nine years).

Elder Thomas S. Monson’s address is translated into Finnish at the Helsinki conference.

Interpreters Poul Stolp, George Kraanen, and Dick Taselaar join in the singing.

Finnish congregation sings in first session of conference. (Photo by Dean R. Brunson.)