SALT LAKE CITY — Dallin H. Oaks has been leading The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as its 18th president since mid-October, but Saturday’s General Conference provided the first opportunity for members to endorse the 93-year-old in his new role.
In a ritual called a solemn assembly, Latter-day Saints rose in Salt Lake City’s downtown Conference Center — or while viewing the livestreamed proceedings around the world — to offer their “sustaining vote” for Oaks and his two counselors in the governing First Presidency, Henry B. Eyring and D. Todd Christofferson.
“In a solemn assembly, we will sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other senior leaders voting by quorums and groups,” Oaks said in introductory remarks Saturday morning. “We do this only in the first conference where a new president and prophet of the church has been called.”
Christofferson conducted the solemn assembly, starting with the First Presidency, followed by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, other general authorities and continuing down through the adult male priesthood members, adult women’s Relief Society, Young Men and Young Women and, finally, the entire membership.
Read a full recap of Saturday's talks on The Salt Lake Tribune's website.
