During this historic season marking the birth of a new century and the beginning of a new millennium, Church members met April 1-2 in a "new and wonderful Conference Center" — marking the largest general conference gathering in the 170-year history of the Church.
"What a wonderful sight you are, more 20,000 Latter-day Saints gathered together in the new and magnificent hall," said President Gordon B. Hinckley during his opening remarks of the Church's 170th Annual General Conference.
On the spring weekend, more than 100,000 Church members congregated in downtown Salt Lake City, attending at least one of five conference sessions in the Church's new 21,000-seat Conference Center or in overflow areas in the Tabernacle, Assembly Hall and Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
Millions more viewed the proceedings via satellite to more than 3,850 meetinghouses in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. Two general sessions were also transmitted live to Europe.
President Hinckley presided over the four general sessions, two each on Saturday and Sunday, and the priesthood session Saturday evening. During the two-day conference, 24 General Authorities and two general officers delivered 31 messages. President Hinckley spoke four times, and his counselors, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust, each spoke twice.
Conference messages were translated simultaneously in 49 languages.
During the five sessions — marked by a spirit of progress and enthusiasm for Church growth — speakers repeatedly bore witness of Jesus Christ.
"I am profoundly grateful for this wonderful season of history in which we live," said President Hinckley Saturday afternoon. "There has never been another like it. We, of all people who have walked the earth, are so richly and abundantly blessed.
"But of all the things for which I feel grateful this morning one stands out preeminently. That is a living testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One."
Among other conference highlights were:
The announcement of six new temples, for Nigeria, Paraguay, Finland and the United States.
The sustaining of seven new General Authorities to the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy and 39 new Area Authority Seventies to the Third, Fourth and Fifth Quorums of the Seventy; in addition, the sustaining of Elder Lance B. Wickman and Elder Lynn G. Robbins, who had previously been serving in the Second Quorum of the Seventy, to the First Quorum of the Seventy.
A touching story from President Hinckley detailing the history of the new Conference Center pulpit, made of a black walnut tree the Church leader planted in his yard 36 years ago.
