Conference Concludes; Available to Vast Audience

With portions of the Church’s 177th Annual General Conference being simultaneously interpreted in 90 languages and broadcast by satellite to more than 6,000 Church-owned receiving sites in 85 countries, more members had live access in their own language to the words of Church leaders than ever before.

Addressing the worldwide audience in every session but Saturday morning, President Gordon B. Hinckley, now 96, told members, “My health is quite good, despite all the rumors to the contrary,” and quipped, “Skillful doctors and nurses keep me on the right track. Some of you may go before I do.”

During the Saturday afternoon session, President Hinckley rededicated the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square, where a session of conference was held for the first time since before the Conference Center was first used in April 2000. The Tabernacle had been closed for two years to undergo a seismic upgrade and restoration (see accompanying article).

New leaders were sustained Saturday, including five General Authorities (all from countries outside the United States), the Relief Society general presidency, and counselors in the Young Women general presidency (see page 4 for changes in Church leadership and page 124 for biographical information on new leaders).

Millions of Church members around the world participated at Church-owned receiving sites as well as in their homes through local broadcasts, other satellite and cable TV providers, and the Internet.