Latter-day Saints gathered Oct. 4-5 at the Conference Center and in meetinghouses across the globe to participate in the Church's 173rd Semiannual General Conference — receiving guidance, inspiration and a repeated reminder that "they must rise above the world" as they "pursue the work of the Lord and seek to build His kingdom in the earth."
President Gordon B. Hinckley presided at the two-day conference, which originated in Salt Lake City amid beautiful fall weather and will be remembered for the prophet's touching tribute to Elder David B. Haight, now the oldest apostle in the history of this dispensation.
Changes were also made among the General Authorities. Released as counselors in the Young Men general presidency were Elders Glenn L. Pace and Spencer J. Condie. Sustained in the Young Men general presidency as first counselor was Elder Lynn G. Robbins and as second counselor Elder Donald L. Hallstrom.
Elder Robbins, president of the North America West Area, previously served in the Central America Area. He was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy in April 1997, and to the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 2000.
Elder Hallstrom, first counselor in the North America Central Area, is former president of the Asia North Area. He was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 2000.
Honorably released
Six General Authorities — three from the First Quorum of the Seventy and three from the Second Quorum of the Seventy — were honorably released Saturday, Oct. 4, along with 17 Area Authority Seventies.
Released from the First Quorum and granted emeritus status were Elder Angel Abrea, Elder William R. Bradford and Elder Cree-L Kofford.
Released from the Second Quorum of the Seventy were Elder Duane B. Gerrard, Elder J. Kent Jolley and Elder D. Lee Tobler.
Four new Area Authority Seventies whose callings have been previously announced were sustained at the conference: Jose A. Castro, 37, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; William K. Jackson, 47, New Delhi, India; Paul V. Johnson, 49, Sandy, Utah; and Jay L. Sitterud, 56, Highland, Utah. (See Church News, June 14, 2003, p. 7.)
Elder Abrea has served since 1981 as a General Authority, the first from Argentina. He served at headquarters in the Temple and Missionary departments, was executive administrator for Peru and Bolivia, was president of the Mexico North Area, served in area presidencies in Mexico, Central America, South America North, Utah South, North America Southwest and the Philippines and as temple president. An accountant and secretary of treasury for a city in Argentina prior to his call, he also served as a regional representative and stake president.
Elder Bradford has served in the First Quorum of the Seventy since 1975. During this time he presided over the Asia, Utah North, South America North, North America Central and Central America areas. He was in Central America during Hurricane Mitch and handled the Church's relief efforts. Before being called as a General Authority, he served as president of the Chile Santiago Mission, district president's counselor and district mission president. He started an agricultural company that grew, warehoused and shipped citrus and tropical fruit in Texas, Mexico, and Central America.
Elder Cree-L Kofford, called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy in April 1991 and to the First Quorum of Seventy in April 1994, served as president of the Utah North Area, Asia and North America Northeast areas. He served in area presidencies in North America West, the Pacific, and North America Southwest. Before his call as a General Authority, he served as president of the New York New York Mission and as a regional representative. He was a managing partner in a law firm.
Elders Gerrard and Jolley were called in April 1997, and Elder Tobler was called in April 1998.
Elder Gerrard, a retired airline pilot and a former systems manager of flight safety for Delta Airlines, most recently served as a counselor in the North America West Area presidency. Prior to that he was president and a counselor in the Philippines Area. He is a former Area Authority Seventy, regional representative and stake president.
Elder Jolley, an attorney and former county prosecuting attorney and real estate developer, served as president of the Brazil South Area and as a counselor in the North America East area presidency. He is a former president of the Texas Corpus Christi (later Texas McAllen) Mission, and stake president's counselor.
Elder Tobler, executive vice president, chief financial officer, and a member of the board of directors of the BF Goodrich Company, has served in the Europe West and the North America Northwest area presidencies. Most recently, he was president of the Europe Central area. Elder Tobler had previously served as an Area Authority Seventy, stake president, stake president's counselor and bishop.
Released from part-time service as Area Authority Seventies were Elders Henry F. Acebedo, Blair S. Bennett, Craig A. Bullock, Raimondo Castellani, Christopher N. Chukwurah, Lawrence R. Fuller, Ruben G. Gapiz, Harvey L. Gardner, Francisco G. Gimenez, John A. Grinceri, Shih An Liang, Emmanuel O. Opare Sr., Alain A. Petion, Claudio D. Signorelli, R. Lloyd Smith, Tomas Valdes and Chung Hei (Patrick) Wong.
