Report of the 163rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Sermons and proceedings of April 3–4, 1993, from the Tabernacle on Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah

“We all regret, how much we regret, that President [Ezra Taft] Benson has been unable to speak to us or attend any of the sessions,” said President Gordon B. Hinckley, First Counselor in the First Presidency, at the close of Sunday afternoon’s final session of April general conference.

“However, he has seen and heard all of the sessions and would have me convey his love and a prophet’s blessing.

“He would also have me repeat his testimony of our Divine Redeemer, who stands as the head of this Church, which bears His name. I quote now from President Benson’s words:

“‘As witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ we proclaim that He truly is the Savior of all [and] … indeed the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Promised Messiah. No message is more significant than the one He brought. No event is of greater importance than His atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. And no mortal tongue can express sufficient thanks for all that Jesus has done for us.’” (See page 93.)

Conducting the sessions of this April general conference were President Hinckley and President Thomas S. Monson, Second Counselor in the First Presidency.

Conference administrative action occurred in the Saturday afternoon session. Elders F. Melvin Hammond, Kenneth Johnson, and Lynn A. Mickelsen of the Second Quorum of the Seventy were sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy, and Elder Neil L. Andersen of Tampa, Florida, and Elder D. Todd Christofferson of Charlotte, North Carolina, were sustained as members of the First Quorum of the Seventy. (See pages 21, 97–99.)

Of interest also was President Hinckley’s announcement in the Sunday morning session that the second temple for Utah County, Utah, announced at last October’s general conference, will be located in American Fork, and that the Church is “in the process of acquiring property [for temples] in Spain and at least three other nations.” (See pages 75, 99.)

Sessions of conference were transmitted via satellite to more than 3,000 locations. Simultaneous language translations were given in fifteen non-English languages. Videotapes of conference are sent to Church units where transmission of conference is not available.

Also, a 75-minute film, The Mountain of the Lord, telling the inspiring story of the building of the Salt Lake Temple, which is in its centennial year, was broadcast on television on Saturday and Sunday in many locations throughout the Church.—The Editors