Area Conference Announced for Hawaii

The First Presidency has announced an area conference for the 30,000 Hawaiian Saints, to be held Sunday, June 18.

The conference, to be held in conjunction with the rededication of the Hawaii Temple, will be under the direction of the First Presidency. Other General Authorities from the Council of the Twelve and the First Quorum of the Seventy will participate, along with local Church leaders.

Convening in the Blaisdell Center in downtown Honolulu, the conference will consist of two sessions—one from 10:00 A.M. to noon, and one from two until four in the afternoon.

This will be the first area conference to be held within the United States.

The area conference will follow a week-long spiritual feast for Hawaiian Saints: On Tuesday through Thursday, June 13–15, the newly renovated Hawaiian Temple will be dedicated in nine sessions; on Saturday, June 17, a solemn assembly for priesthood leaders will be held. The two-session area conference on Sunday will culminate the week’s events. President Spencer W. Kimball will offer the dedicatory prayer at nine services. The temple was originally dedicated on Thanksgiving day, 27 November 1919.

Remodeling of the temple has included replacing air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems. New clothing issue, locker, and laundry rooms have been added. The temple also features new front entrance, offices, and furnishings. Floor space has been increased by 16,000 square feet.