News Release

Church President Russell M. Nelson Proclaims..."This General Conference Marks the Beginning of a New Era of Ministering."

Major changes were announced and implemented during President Russell M. Nelson's first General Conference as Church President. Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums were restructured, Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching programs were retired and Ministering implemented, a Solemn Assembly conducted sustaining the New First Presidency and Two New Apostles, Eight new General Authority Seventies and a New Young Women’s Presidency were sustained and Seven New Temples announced! A new exciting era of church history has begun!

                                                                      

 Saturday morning, March 31, 2018, the first session of General Conference included a solemn assembly where all church membership had the privilege of sustaining President Russell M. Nelson as Church President and sustaining the new First Presidency including First Counselor President Dallin H. Oaks and Second Counselor President Henry B. Eyring. Also sustained were members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles including two new apostles, Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares.

                                                                         

             
In the Saturday afternoon session of conference, Elder Carl B. Cook and Elder Robert C. Gay were sustained as Members of the Presidency of the Seventy. Also sustained as new General Authority Seventies were:  Elder Steven R. Bangerter, Elder Matthew L. Carpenter, Elder Jack N. Gerard, Elder Mathias Held, Elder David P. Homer, Elder Kyle S. McKay, Elder Juan Pablo Villar and Elder Takashi Wada. Sustained as the new General Presidency of the Young Women were: Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, President; Sister Michelle D. Craig, First Counselor and Sister Becky Craven, Second Counselor. Sister Lisa L. Harkness was called and sustained as the new First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency taking Sister Cordon's place in the Primary Presidency.

 

During the Saturday evening Priesthood Session, President Russell M. Nelson announced the restructuring of Melchizedek Priesthood quorums: “Tonight we announce a significant restructuring of our Melchizedek Priesthood quorums to accomplish the work of the Lord more effectively…In each ward, the high priests and the elders will now be combined into one elders quorum . . . [and] the composition of [the stake high priests] quorum will be based on current priesthood callings.”

 Sunday afternoon, in the concluding session of General Conference, President Nelson had more landmark announcements, Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching were retired. “We have made the decision to retire home teaching and visiting teaching as we have known them. Instead, we will implement a newer, holier approach to caring and ministering to others. We will refer to these efforts simply as "Ministering"."
           

    As the Sunday Afternoon Conference Session was coming to a close, President Nelson announced plans to build seven new temples in the following locations: Salta, Argentina; Bengaluru, India; Managua, Nicaragua; Cagayan de Oro, Philippines; Layton, Utah; Richmond, Virginia; and a major city yet to be determined in Russia.

  

  Concluding the Conference President Nelson said,

"Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life...I bless you to raise your voice in testimony, as I do now, that we are engaged in the work of Almighty God! Jesus is the Christ. This is His Church, which He directs through His anointed servants. I so testify...In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen"

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