December 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

66
Members Touched by
Historic Conference
In a historic meeting on 12
September 2004, President
Gordon B. Hinckley spoke
by satellite broadcast from Salt
Lake City to more than 23,000
Latter-day Saints gathered
at stake and district conferences
in about 35 meetinghouses
across Venezuela
and on islands including the
Netherlands Antilles and
Aruba. Elder Russell M. Nelson
of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles and Elder H. Aldridge
Gillespie of the Seventy also
addressed the conferences.
President Hinckley told
the Saints that as a young boy
he would often look into the
night sky to find the North
Star. “From looking at that
star I learned a great lesson
which has remained with me
throughout my life,” he said.
“I learned that there are fixed
and constant points by which
we may guide our lives.” He
encouraged members to use
unchanging gospel truths the
same way in their own lives.
Each congregation had a
few minutes to open its individual
conference, pray, sing,
and conduct stake business
before receiving the transmission
from Church headquarters.
After the transmission,
the congregations closed
their meetings with a hymn
and a prayer.
Venezuelan Saints felt the
significance of the broadcast
both on a personal level and
as a momentous event for
that nation’s membership as
a whole.
Thirteen-year-old Marcel
Farías of La Isabelica Ward,
Valencia Venezuela Candelaria
Stake, a recent convert in
Valencia, said President
Hinckley’s words were special
to him. “What affected me
most about his message was
the great love he feels for us,
the members of the Church
in Venezuela.”
“To know that the Lord is
Church Provides Hurricane Relief
Four major hurricanes
passed through islands
in the Caribbean and
parts of the United States in
the months of August and
September 2004, damaging
homes and businesses and
killing close to 1,700.
Following hurricanes
Charley, Frances, Ivan, and
Jeanne, the Church and its
members reacted quickly to
bring relief to those of many
faiths. The Church sent more
than 1.5 million pounds
(680,000 kg) of food, 350,000
hygiene kits, and 400,000
items of clothing in 70 semitruck
loads. By mid-October,
members had donated more
than 310,000 hours of labor
during cleanup and other
relief efforts.
Hurricane Charley
On Friday, 14 August,
Hurricane Charley slammed
ashore in southwest Florida
as a Category Four hurricane
with winds up to 180 miles
per hour (290 kph). At
least 16 people were killed,
President Hinckley addresses Latter-day Saints in Venezuela
via a satellite broadcast.
concerned for each one of
us and has chosen prophets
to help us strengthen our
faith will have a marvelous
effect on our members,”
said Bishop Julio Márquez
of the Palo Verde Ward,
Caracas Venezuela Palo
Verde Stake.
“This satellite transmission,”
said Freddy Guedez
of the Tocuyito Ward,
hundreds were injured, and
approximately 1,500 were left
homeless. Millions went without
power for as long as two
weeks or more.
No Church members were
reported killed or injured by
the storm, but several were
displaced from their homes.
At least seven meetinghouses
were damaged.
The Church and its members
were quick to respond,
organizing or participating in
relief efforts in areas affected
by the storm.
Valencia Venezuela
Candelaria Stake, “is a
unique and unprecedented
event in the history of the
Church in Venezuela.”
Alexis Uriepero, president
of the Porlamar Venezuela
District, said the conference
proved to him that “the
prophet and other leaders
have their eyes on
Venezuela.” ■
Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances
brought 125 mph (200 kph)
winds through the Bahamas
and into Florida only a few
weeks after Charley struck.
Fourteen people were
reported dead, none of
whom were Church members.
More than 3 million
were without power after the
storm. About 53,000 people
stayed in emergency shelters.
Close to a dozen Church
buildings were damaged. The
Orlando Florida Temple was
undamaged.
Many disaster response
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