PHOTO ESSAY

Young men brought their scriptures and note-taking materials to the first session. They will soon carry the word to the far reaches of the earth.

A moving river of Saints headed towards the new Conference Center. A feeling of anticipation and excitement was in the air.

Elder John M. Madsen of the First Quorum of Seventy stops to chat with the Saints on his way to the Tabernacle. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Elder Madsen and Elder Richard B. Wirthlin presided in the Tabernacle during the first session of conference. Just before the session started word came there were extra seats available at the Conference Center. With a “whoosh” about half the Tabernacle congregation got up and nearly ran to the north to fill the seats.

Saints were coming out of the Conference Center from multiple levels. The “downloading” of the Center took about 30 minutes to complete.

After the conference the Saints flooded out of the Center. Many of the volunteer ushers were telling the by-standers to move aside and get firmly grounded or hold on to a pole so they would not be swept away by the river of people who would come out after the session ended.

Interlude hymn brings the congregation of 21,000 to their feet as they join in singing the songs of Zion. An amazing feeling of unity and great power was felt as we joined for the first time in a congregational hymn in the new Conference Center.

(l-r front) Elders David B. Haight, L. Tom Perry, President Boyd K. Packer, President Thomas S. Monson, and President Gordon B. Hinckley look out over the vast sea of Saints in the new Conference Center. President James E. Faust is entering from the right.

Brother Craig Jessup leads the choir and congregation in the interlude hymn. The sound of the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir was amazingly clear and seemed to fill every cubic inch of space of this voluminous Center.