Saturday afternoon session: See photos and talk summaries of April 2023 general conference

President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, began the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Annual General Conference sustaining current and new Church leaders and releasing others with the gratitude of Church members..

Five new General Authority Seventies were sustained:

• Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt, released as first counselor in the Young Men general presidency
• Elder Robert M. Daines
• Elder J. Kimo Esplin, released as an Area Seventy
• Elder Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier
• Elder Alan T. Phillips, released as an Area Seventy

Additionally, three General Authority Seventies were released and given emeritus status effective Aug. 1: 

• Elder Benjamín De Hoyos 
• Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita
• Elder Juan A. Uceda

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President Oaks also announced a new Young Women general presidency to begin service on Aug. 1, and reorganized the counselors of the Young Men general presidency, effective immediately.

The new Young Women general presidency is:

• President Emily Belle Freeman
• Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor
• Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor

The new Young Men general presidency is: 

• President Steven J. Lund
• Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, first counselor
• Brother Michael T. Nelson, second counselor

The released Young Women general presidency, which will serve until Aug. 1, are:

• President Bonnie H. Cordon
• Sister Michelle D. Craig
• Sister Rebecca L. Craven

Speakers during the session included two members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught about the sacred duty of parents to nurture their children.

“My message to all parents is this: The Lord loves you. He is with you. He stands beside you. He is your strength in guiding your children to make righteous choices,” he said.

With the Savior’s assistance, parents must help their children build faith in Jesus Christ, love His gospel and His Church, and prepare for a lifetime of righteous choices.

Elder Dale G. Renlund spoke about the power that comes from walking the covenant path.

“Going against the flow may be difficult. But when we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the selfish tendencies of the natural man or woman, we can receive the Savior’s transforming power in our lives, the power to do difficult things,” he said.

Five other speakers, each General Authority Seventies, also spoke during the session: Elder Peter F. Meurs, Elder Randall K. Bennett, Elder Craig C. Christensen, Elder Evan A. Schmutz and Elder Benjamín De Hoyos.

A combined choir from Brigham Young University, directed by Brent Wells, Sonja Poulter and Andrew Crane, with Joseph Peeples and Linda Margetts at the organ, provided music for the session.

Prayers were offered by Elder Alan R. Walker, General Authority Seventy, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency. 

Jared B. Larson of the Church Auditing Department read the audit report for the previous year.