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SALT LAKE CITY — Tens of thousands of people visited downtown Salt Lake to attend the first day of general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while millions more watched it around the world. The two-day conference began Saturday with what’s known as a solemn assembly, which is held at the first general conference after a new church president is named. First in groups and then all together, members of the church raised their hands to formally sustain President Dallin H. Oaks as worldwide leader of the faith. He became president of the church last October following the death of President Russell M. Nelson, but this is the first general conference he is presiding over in that new office. Solemn assemblies have been held in the church since the late 1800s.“I express our gratitude as leaders of the church for our members' sustaining vote, prayers and support,” President Oaks told attendees Saturday morning. Outside the Conference Center following the Saturday morning session of conference, attendees told KSL they were happy to take part in the solemn assembly. “I feel so blessed to be here and inspired by the proceeding and the orderliness of the whole process,” said Udobung Asuquo, who traveled with his wife from Lagos, Nigeria to attend the conference. “I thought it was neat,” added Henry Horsley, a student at Brigham Young University who lives in Provo. “I thought that it was cool to raise our hands and sustain the prophet of the Lord.” His mother, Catherine Horsley, who lives in Draper, said the sacred gathering was “pretty powerful,” and that she “couldn’t keep my tears in my eyes.” “I love President Oaks,” she said. “I've loved him for a very long time, and I support and sustain him and feel like the church is in really good hands.”President Oaks’ remarks on Saturday morning were brief. He’s expected to address the conference at least once more before it concludes on Sunday afternoon. “At this Easter season,” President Oaks said, “I reaffirm our testimony of the resurrected Lord and recognize that he is the head of this Church.”
