Policies and Announcements

The First Presidency has sent the following letter, dated 6 May 2004, to priesthood leaders.

Stake Conference Broadcasts

In order to give members of the Church greater access to the teachings of Church leaders, the following adjustments in stake conferences have now been approved:

At one stake conference each year, the stake president will continue to preside as at present and will plan the conference with his counselors according to established guidelines. It will be at this conference that the sustaining of general and local authorities should occur.

The other stake conference will alternate from year to year between two formats: one where a General Authority or Area Authority Seventy will preside, and one where the stake president will preside with a satellite broadcast incorporated into the Sunday general session. The broadcast will include instruction by members of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and other General Authorities.

Some stake conference dates will be adjusted to enable groups of stakes to receive the broadcast on the same weekend. Members will attend in their own stake centers or in other meetinghouses equipped with a receiver. The broadcast will begin at a designated time, providing each congregation with about 15 minutes for an opening hymn, an invocation, and local Church business. Each congregation will have a closing hymn and a benediction after the conclusion of the broadcast. Other sessions of the conference will be conducted by the stake presidency.

Dates and details for these broadcasts will be sent to each stake well in advance of the conference, beginning with a few during 2004.