Saturday afternoon session: See photos and read summaries of the October 2022 general conference

President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, opened the Saturday afternoon session of October 2022 general conference noting this year is the 175th anniversary of the arrival of pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. 

“My great-grandparents and other early pioneers faced many obstacles as they came by wagons, handcarts and walking to the Salt Lake Valley. We too will face challenges in our individual journeys through our lives,” President Ballard said. 

While people today aren’t pushing handcarts or driving wagons, “we are trying as they did to spiritually overcome the temptations and challenges of our day. … Although the challenges today are different than those of the early pioneers, the ones they had are no less challenging for us.”

He invited: “May we ever follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and, with faith in our every footstep, focus on Him, keeping our feet firmly planted on the covenant path.”

The Saturday afternoon session also included remarks from two members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy and a counselor in the Relief Society general presidency. 

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Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, focused on the healing power of forgiveness, including in her own life. 

“To all who are brokenhearted, captive, bruised and perhaps blinded by hurt or sin, He offers healing, recovery and deliverance. I testify that the healing and recovery He offers is real,” she said. 

Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Presidency of the Seventy taught how perfection and changing one’s heart come only through the Savior and His Atonement.

“Our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ love us and have graciously offered to change us and perfect us. They want to do this. It is central to Their work and glory. I testify They have power to do this as we come to Them in faith,” he said. 

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about true partnership and divine responsibilities of a marriage relationship.

“I testify to you that as we — women and men — work together in a true and equal partnership, we will enjoy the unity taught by the Savior as we fulfill the divine responsibilities in our marriage relationships,” Elder Soares said. 

Elder James W. McConkie III, who was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in April, shared how “​​we are all engaged as Latter-day Saint disciples in the work of bringing others to Christ.”

Elder Jorge F. Zeballos, General Authority Seventy, used a civil engineering analogy to teach how to build a life resistant to the adversary. The plan of salvation, the restored gospel and direction from living prophets are “divinely designed ‘plans’ and the ‘technical specifications’ that teach us clearly how to construct happy lives, lives that are resistant to sin, resistant to temptation, resistant to attacks from Satan.” 

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles outlined three parts of the doctrine of belonging: the role of belonging in gathering the Lord’s covenant people, the importance of service and sacrifice in belonging, and the centrality of Jesus Christ to belonging. 

“We should be diligent in rooting prejudice and discrimination out of the Church, out of our homes, and most of all out of our hearts,” Elder Christofferson said. “As our Church population grows ever more diverse, our welcome must grow ever more spontaneous and warm. We need one another.”

The music was provided by a missionary choir including teaching, service and senior missionaries directed by Ryan Eggett with organists Joseph Peeples and Andrew Unsworth. Selections included “Called To Serve,” “Faith in Every Footstep,”  “I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go” and “Hope of Israel,” and the congregation song was “Glory to God on High.” 

President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the Saturday afternoon session, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, presented the sustaining of Church leaders. Elder Takashi Wada and Elder Hans T. Boom, both General Authority Seventies, offered prayers.