Area Conferences Scheduled for Mexico and Central and South America

Mexico, Central America, and South America will host two series of area general conferences during the spring of 1977, according to an announcement from the First Presidency.

In all, there will be eight conferences—one series of four conferences in Mexico and Central America and another series of four conferences in South America—to which more than 240,000 Saints from thirteen countries have been invited. The conferences further indicate the growth of the Church in Latin America—of the eight locations, only one, Mexico City, has previously hosted an area conference (in 1972).

As with area conferences held in other parts of the world, President Spencer W. Kimball, with other General Authorities and local Church leaders, will participate in the various conference sessions.

The series of conferences in Mexico and Central America will be in Monterrey, February 17 and 18, for the Saints in northern and northwestern Mexico; in Mexico City, February 19 and 20, for central, south, and southeast Mexico; in Guatemala City, Guatemala, February 21 and 22, for Saints living in Guatemala and neighboring El Salvador; and in San Jose, Costa Rica, February 23 and 24, for Saints in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. These are the first conferences to be held in Central America. Elder Howard W. Hunter, member of the Council of the Twelve and area adviser for Mexico and Central America, is overseeing the preparations for these conferences, assisted by Elder J. Thomas Fyans, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve and resident area supervisor for these areas.

Following the conference in Costa Rica, the Brethren will hold a second series of area general conferences in South America. First, Peruvian Saints will meet in Lima, Peru, February 25 through 27. Then, on February 28 and March 1, Chilean Saints will meet the visiting Church leaders in Santiago, and on March 2 and 3, the Bolivian Saints will gather in La Paz, Bolivia. The final conference of the series will be in Bogota, Colombia, March 4 through 6, for the Saints from Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Preparations for the South America series of conferences are being supervised by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, member of the Council of the Twelve and area adviser for western South America, and Elder A. Theodore Tuttle, member of the First Council of the Seventy and resident area supervisor for that area.

Each conference in each series will consist of general sessions, special sessions for priesthood holders and for mothers and daughters, and cultural presentations by the Saints.