The Sustaining of Church Officers

Presented by President Dallin H. Oaks

First Counselor in the First Presidency

We note that the statistical report which has traditionally been presented during this session of April general conference will now be published on LDS.org immediately following this meeting and will be included in the conference issue of the Church magazines.

I will now present some changes in Church leadership and the General Officers and Area Seventies of the Church for sustaining vote, after which Brother Kevin R. Jergensen, managing director of the Church Auditing Department, will read the audit report.

Given their calls to serve as new members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, it is proposed that we release Elders Gerrit W. Gong and Ulisses Soares from serving as members of the Presidency of the Seventy.

In addition, we extend releases to Elders Craig C. Christensen, Lynn G. Robbins, and Juan A. Uceda from their service as members of the Presidency of the Seventy, to be effective August 1, 2018.

All who wish to express appreciation to these Brethren for their devoted service, please so manifest.

It is proposed that we release the following from their service as Area Seventies: Steven R. Bangerter, Matthew L. Carpenter, Mathias Held, David P. Homer, Kyle S. McKay, R. Scott Runia, and Juan Pablo Villar.

Those who wish to join us in expressing appreciation to these Brethren for their willing service may do so with the uplifted hand.

It is proposed that we release, with heartfelt gratitude, Sisters Bonnie L. Oscarson, Carol F. McConkie, and Neill F. Marriott as the Young Women General Presidency. We likewise extend releases to members of the Young Women general board, who have served so well.

All who wish to join us in expressing appreciation to these sisters for their remarkable service and devotion, please manifest it.

It is proposed that we release Sister Bonnie H. Cordon from serving as First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency.

Those who wish to show appreciation to Sister Cordon may do so by the uplifted hand.

It is proposed that we sustain the following to serve as members of the Presidency of the Seventy, effective immediately: Elders Carl B. Cook and Robert C. Gay.

The following will also serve as members of the Presidency of the Seventy, effective on August 1, 2018: Elders Terence M. Vinson, José A. Teixeira, and Carlos A. Godoy.

Those in favor, please manifest it.

Those opposed, if any.

It is proposed that we sustain the following as new General Authority Seventies: Steven R. Bangerter, Matthew L. Carpenter, Jack N. Gerard, Mathias Held, David P. Homer, Kyle S. McKay, Juan Pablo Villar, and Takashi Wada.

All in favor, please manifest it.

Those opposed, by the same sign.

It is proposed that we sustain the following as new Area Seventies: Richard K. Ahadjie, Alberto A. Álvarez, Duane D. Bell, Glenn Burgess, Víctor R. Calderón, Ariel E. Chaparro, Daniel Córdova, John N. Craig, Michael Cziesla, William H. Davis, Richard J. DeVries, Kylar G. Dominguez, Sean Douglas, Michael A. Dunn, Kenneth J. Firmage, Edgar Flores, Silvio Flores, Saulo G. Franco, Carlos A. Genaro, Mark A. Gilmour, Sergio A. Gómez, Roberto Gonzalez, Virgilio Gonzalez, Spencer R. Griffin, Matthew S. Harding, David J. Harris, Kevin J. Hathaway, Richard Holzapfel, Eustache Ilunga, Okechukwu I. Imo, Peter M. Johnson, Michael D. Jones, Pungwe S. Kongolo, George Kenneth G. Lee, Aretemio C. Maligon, Edgar A. Mantilla, Lincoln P. Martins, Clement M. Matswagothata, Carl R. Maurer, Daniel S. Mehr II, Glen D. Mella, Isaac K. Morrison, Yutaka Nagatomo, Allistair B. Odgers, R. Jeffrey Parker, Victor P. Patrick, Denis E. Pineda, Henrique S. Simplicio, Jeffrey H. Singer, Michael L. Staheli, Djarot Subiantoro, Jeffrey K. Wetzel, Michael S. Wilstead, Helmut Wondra, and David L. Wright.

All in favor, please manifest it.

Those opposed, if any.

It is proposed that we sustain Bonnie H. Cordon to serve as Young Women General President, with Michelle Lynn Craig as First Counselor and Rebecca Lynn Craven as Second Counselor.

Those in favor may manifest it.

Any opposed may so signify.

It is proposed that we sustain Lisa Rene Harkness to serve as First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency.

Those in favor may manifest it.

Those opposed, if any.

It is proposed that we sustain the other General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Auxiliary Presidencies as presently constituted.

All in favor, please manifest it.

Those opposed, if any.

President Nelson, the voting has been noted. We invite those who may have opposed any of the proposals to contact their stake presidents.

With the sustaining that has just taken place, we now have 116 General Authorities. Nearly 40 percent of them were born outside the United States—in Germany, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Canada, South Korea, Guatemala, Argentina, Italy, Zimbabwe, Uruguay, Peru, South Africa, American Samoa, England, Puerto Rico, Australia, Venezuela, Kenya, the Philippines, Portugal, Fiji, China, Japan, Chile, Colombia, and France.

Brothers and sisters, we thank you for your continued faith and prayers in behalf of the leaders of the Church.

We now invite the new General Authority Seventies, the new Young Women General Presidency, and Sister Harkness of the Primary General Presidency to take their seats on the rostrum.