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Show DAILY Sunday, September 26. 2004 HERALD Page 3 ALL ABOUT CONFERENCE ill t (Conference milestones ' Beside the calling and sustaining of new cNrch leaders and presidents, general confer- ence has also been the venue for dozens of ma- jor Milestones and announcements for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints. Though many important church announcements were not made during general conference, such as extending the priesthood to black male members in 1978 and changing the church's meeting schedule into one three-hou- r block, just as many temples, new leaders and programs have been announced at the church-wid- e meeting. Among the church leaders called to new positions during conference are those called to ' serve as president of Brigham Young University. Most recently in April 2003, President Cecil Samuelson of the Presidency of the Seventy was called as president of BYU. Other highlights include: Dee. 5, 1847 After three years without a president, Mormon pi- newly constructed tabernacle in ? The church established the Perpetual migrating Fund to help members move to Salt Lake. The corporation continued until 1887. oneers sustained ' Brigham Young as president of the church and Heber C. Kimball andWillard Richards as counselors during a conference in a Kanesville, Iowa. October 1849 April 10, 1865 Church members agreed to build a telegraph line connecting the settlements of Utah. April 6, 1877 The St. George Temple, the first completed temple in Utah, was sheep were distributed among the poor, and members' Perpetual Emigrating Fund debts were cut in half. dedicated during a general conference held in St. George. April 6, 1880 The First Presidency introduced a jubilee celebration to celebrate the Oct 6, 1890 The church unanimously voted to an- 50-ye- niversary of the church. Cows and (continued) "The benches were hard and crowded back then, too, but it didn't matter." Laura Hendrix, who, with her husband, would travel from Nevada to Utah once per year for conference ' it Vv ft - v . lUiM-Wj-WrS- y, r w. c I n hw i TV-id "I t'-- J v 1 '!V'! T J Photo courtesy LDS Church Archives Members gather outside the Tabemaeke on Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City in 1950. E MEET Again IL Jill Fellow Daily Herald While this year's 174th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ Saints will be held in the elegant, 1.2 Conference of Latter-dCenter, early members of the church often struggled to find an adequate place to congregate as they migrated to.Utah and later set up homes here. million-square-fo- ot a . It was hard to find a large building while crossing the plains or even just after they got to the valley," said LDS iqhujch historian Grant Anderson. "So tarftttof the time they set up outside in order to fit the um amount 01 people. accom-mptlatio- I Church members built large shel-- . ters, or boweries, out of poles and shrubs, but that did not help with one of the biggest problems. "Imagine trying to talk to 10,000 people outside with no microphone and the wind is blowing," Anderson said. "It was not easy for anyone." Documents and sources for the LDS church are not clear when general conference became a regular event. Conferences were held regularly, but it is unclear if they were held church--wid- e or for smaller groups such as a ward or stake. "Well, back when there were just a handful of members it is hard to tell if they were holding a general conference or a stake conference or what," Anderson said. Early conferences involved preach ing, church business, sustaining of church leaders and the traditional reading of Doctrine and Covenants section 20 a part of LDS scripture that was known at the time as the handbook of the church, Anderson said. "By the 1840s, they really got the ball rolling to meet twice a year in April and October," he said. The 1840s also introduced the tradiconfertion of an instruction-baseence, while church business took a back burner. Although the dates and agendas have remained mostly unchanged since then, the locations, themes and traditions of general conference have evolved with the church presidents, d See HISTORY, Page 5 lilKt VJ7TTSTCIC! Church members worldwide mourn the passing of apostles, president's wife WW 11 ' Neal Ash Maxwell David Bruce Haight July 6, 1926 -- July 21, 2004 Ordained an apostle: July 23, 1981 Sept. 2, 1906 - July 31, 2004 Ordained an apostle: Jan. 8, 1976 Careen Mayor of Palo Alto, Calif., manager of ZCMI, assistant to the Career ' Vice president of the Uni-- : versity of Utah, commissioner of education of the Church Educational System, legislative assistant to Sen. Wallace Bennett, - Elder Maxwell and his wife, Colleen Hinckley, are the parents of four children and have 24 grandchildren and two I Xyjjri'-V- 3 If ..J "His incisive mind, his tremendous teaching abilities and his remarkable leadership have greatly .. assisted in moving forward the work of the church in all the world," said a statement released by the First Presidency at the time of Maxwell's death. ' Maxwell's final words in April ;:, 2004 general conference: "By the way, you have never seen an immortal star; they finally expire. irri--. j But seated by you tonight are mortal individuals , imperfect ' but who are, nevertheless, trying i" to be like JesusT l president at Marjorie Pay Hinckley Nov. i. ) - April 6, 2004 Married IDS church president Gordon B. Hinckley on April 29, 1937, in the Salt Lake Temple. Marjorie and Gordon B. Hinckley are the parents of five children and have 25 grandchildren and 41 BYU. Haight and his wife, Ruby Olson, are the parents of three children and have 18 grandchildren and 78 "He has stirred the hearts of people across the earth with his declaration of faith and his testi-- . mony of the living reality of the Lord Jesus Christ," said a statement released by the First Presidency at the time of Haight's death. Excerpt from Haight's April 2004 general conference talk: "I understand the power of prayer and of faith and devotion, and I acknowledge precious witnesses from heaven. And so I stand here ' ' today just to bear my testimony and say hello to you. I'm hoping : that by another conference I'll be totally healed and able to do what I'm asked to do." 23, 1911 Education: East High School class of 1929, honorary degrees for Christian service from BYU and UVSC President Hinckley's remarks about his wife at April 2004 general conference: "She's now 92, a little younger than I am. I guess the clock is winding down, and we do not know how to rewind it. It is a somber time for me. We've e walked together through all of these years, and companions througlr storm and sunshine." A thought from Marjorie Hinckley about her marriage and life with PresidenTHinckley: "Well, it turned out better than I thought. It has been a good life ... I married well, didn't I?" (As quoted in the Ensign, October 2003). side-by-sid- ls V 3 i |