OnsL (HundtetL Jwsurfj^-mrdlv SEMI-ANNUAL conffHtnct OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Held in the Tabernacle Salt Lake City, Utah Odtobsth, 9, 10, and, 11, 1959 With Report of Discourses Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah The One Hundred Twenty-ninth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The One Hundred Twenty-Ninth the Tabernacle Grounds by means of Semi-Annual Conference of the Church amplifying equipment. of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The proceedings of the General convened in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake Priesthood meeting were broadcast in City, Utah, Friday, Saturday, and Sun- the Assembly Hall and Barratt Hall day, October 9, 10, and 11, 1959. over public address systems, and by di- The general sessions of the Confer- rect wire over a public address system ence were held at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 to members of the Priesthood in other p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and assemblies throughout the United States the General Priesthood meeting was and in Canada. held in the Tabernacle Saturday evening, President David O. McKay presided, October 10, at 7:00. and conducted the services at each of The proceedings of the general ses- the sessions of the Conference, includ- sions were broadcast and telecast over ing the General Priesthood meeting. Station KSL and KSL-TV at Salt Lake A full report of Columbia Broadcast- City, and by arrangement through KSL ing System's Tabernacle Choir and the following stations made available Organ broadcast is also included in this to their listening or viewing audiences record, as is also a full account of Colum- one or more of the six general sessions: bia's Church of the Air program. (See In Utah: KSVC at Richfield, KSUB pages 126 to 130.) at Cedar City, KVEL at Vernal, KVNU Elder Joseph Anderson was Clerk of at Logan, KDXU at St. George. the Conference. In Idaho: KRXK at Rexburg, KID and KID-TV at Idaho Falls, KBOI and General Authorities of the Church KBOI-TV at Boise, KPST at Preston, Present KBRV at Soda Springs, and KLIX-TV at Twin Falls. The First Presidency: David O. In Colorado: KREX at Grand Junc- McKay, J. Reuben Clark, Jr.,* Henry tion, KBTV at Denver. D. Moyle.** In California: KSRO at Santa Rosa, The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: KRDG and KVIP-TV at Redding, Joseph Fielding Smith, ***, Spencer W. KEEN and KNTV at San Jose, KTVU- Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Mark E. TV at Oakland, KTTV at Los Angeles, Peterson, Delbert L. Stapley, ****, KERO-TV at Bakersfield, KOVR-TV at LeGrand Richards, Richard L. Evans, Stockton. George Q. Morris, Hugh B. Brown, In Oregon: KKID at Pendleton, Howard W. Hunter.***** KGW-TV at Portland. Patriarch to the Church: Eldred G. In Arizona: KPHO and KPHO-TV Smith. at Phoenix, KCLS at Flagstaff, KVWM Assistants to the Twelve Apostles: at Show Low, KGUN-TV at Tucson. Alma Sonne, EIRay L. Christiansen, In New Mexico: KRSN at Los Alamos. John Longden, Sterling W. Sill, Gordon In Texas: KWFT at Wichita Falls. B. Hinckley, Henry D. Taylor, William In Washington: KTNT-TV at Ta- J. Critchlow, Jr., Alvin R. Dyer. coma, KHQ-TV at Spokane. The First Council of the Seventy: In Nevada: KLRJ-TV at Las Vegas. Levi Edgar Young, Antoine R. Ivins, All general sessions of the Conference Seymour Dilworth Young, Milton R. were broadcast in the Assembly Hall on Hunter, Bruce R. McConkie, Marion D. Temple Square, in Barratt Hall (60 Hanks, Albert Theodore Tuttle. North Main Street), over a loudspeak- Presiding Bishopric: Joseph L. Wirth- ing system and by television. Thousands, lin, Thorpe B. Isaacson, and Carl W. in addition, listened to the services on Buehner. 2 GENERAL CONFERENCE General Officers and Other Stake, and Ward officers of Auxiliary Authorities Present Associations, etc., from all parts of the Church. Church Historian and Recorder: Joseph Fielding Smith, and as assistants, *President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. was sustained as A. William Lund and Preston Nibley. first counselor in the First Presidency, succeeding in this position President Stephen L Richards who Members of the General Welfare Com- passed away. mittee, Church Welfare Program. **Henry D. Moyle was sustained as second coun- selor in the First Presidency, succeeding in this Members of the Church Board of position President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., who was Education and Administrator Church sustained as first counselor. of Education, Directors As- ***Elder Harold B. Lee was visiting missions in Board and South America. sociate Directors of Institutes, and ****Elder Marion G. Romney was visiting missions Seminary Instructors. in Europe. *****Elder Howard W. Hunter was sustained as a Presidents of Stakes and their Coun- member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, filling selors, Presidents of Temples, Patriarchs, the vacancy caused by the selection of Elder Henry D. Moyle to serve as second counselor in the First High Priests, Seventies, Elders, General, Presidency. FIRST DAY MORNING MEETING The opening session of the Conference Brother Joseph Anderson is Clerk of convened in the Tabernacle at Salt Lake the Conference. For the convenience City, Utah, Friday, October 9 at 10:00 of those who are unable to enter the a.m., with President David O. McKay building, the Tabernacle being filled presiding, and conducting the exercises so far as we can see, every seat being of the meeting. occupied, we announce that these serv- The choral music for this Conference ices and all general sessions of the session was furnished by the Relief So- Conference will be broadcast in the ciety Singing Mothers of the Jordan Assembly Hall and Barratt Hall by Valley Region, Sister Florence Jepperson television. The general sessions of this Madsen conducting, and Frank W. Asper Conference will be broadcast as a public at the organ. service over television and radio sta- President McKay opened the Confer- tions throughout the west—over 21 ence with the following introductory radio stations and 17 television stations. remarks: The names of these stations have already been announced to the television and radio audiences. To the owners and President David O. McKay: managers of these various stations we wish to express our sincere appreciation. This is the opening session of the to a survey that was made One Hundred Twenty-Ninth Semi- According the other day, it is possible that one Annual Conference of the Church of million people will hear and see the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We proceedings of this Conference through are convened in the historic Salt Lake television. This figure is Tabernacle on Temple Square. All the radio and based on the ratio of each city carrying General Authorities of the Church are the Conference, the number of here in attendance excepting Elder Har- and viewers per city. old B. Lee and Elder Marion G. Romney. Elder Lee is in South America officiating To the large audience assembled in at the organization of two new mis- the Tabernacle, to the overflow meet- sions—the Andes Mission and the ings in the Assembly Hall, Barratt Hall, Brazilian South Mission. Elder Rom- to the untold thousands comprising the ney is making an official visit to the television and radio audience, in behalf European Missions, during which visit of the First Presidency and Council of he has organized the new South German the Twelve and other General Authori- Mission. Brother Benson will be here ties, we bid you a hearty welcome. tomorrow. He is not present this morn- Please remember than any important ing as he has been traveling in Europe. messages that come to us for persons We have here a cable from El- attending the sessions of this Confer- der Romney from Munich, Germany: ence will be announced at the dismissal "Dear President McKay and Brethren: of the meetings over the public address As General Conference approaches our system on the grounds. thoughts are with you. We with the We are favored this morning in hav- 35,000 Saints and missionaries in the ing the Relief Society Singing Mothers British Mission, French, European and from the Jordan Valley Region. They German-speaking missions, look to you will furnish music for the sessions of for sustaining inspiration, so may the the Conference today. It is a joy to Lord bless and direct you. Marion have these mothers present this morning. Romney." These beautiful flowers which you I have a cablegram from the Brazilian see arranged on the rostrum and pulpit Mission at Sao Paulo: "The Saints and have come from Hawaii, and are sent missionaries of the Brazilian Mission with the love and greetings of the mem- join in prayers for an inspired Confer- bers of the Church in the Oahu Stake. ence." We express appreciation and thanks to GENERAL CONFERENCE Friday, October 9 First Day the members of Oahu. Our thoughts The Relief Society Singing Mothers and best wishes throughout the Confer- sang "Open Our Eyes, O Loving and ence will be with them as we enjoy the Compassionate Jesus." fragrance and beauty of these blooms Elder Wilford W. Richards offered the from Hawaii. invocation. We note also the presence of promi- H. Aldous Dixon, Congress- nent men: President David O. McKay: man; David S. King, Congressman; our Governor, George Dewey Clyde; LaMont The invocation was just offered by Toronto, Secretary of State; Adiel F. Elder Wilford W. Richards, until re- Stewart, Mayor of Salt Lake City; Cap- cently director of the Institute of Religion tain Russell H. Blood, United States at Logan, Utah. The Relief Society Naval Hospital; his son, Russell M.