In the first session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Dallin H. Oaks made two out-of-the-ordinary announcements while conducting.
“President Russell M. Nelson who is viewing this session from home has asked me to conduct this session,” President Oaks said.
President Nelson was also absent for the 193rd Semiannual General Conference held in October 2023, seeing he fell ill just days after his 99th birthday.
President Nelson’s last time attending the conference in person was in April 2023.
His absence is not unprecedented; Church presidents have missed sessions of General Conference for many reasons in the past including health and other ministering duties.
President David O. McKay, ninth president of the Church of Jesus Christ, missed several conferences in the 1960s and had his sons read several of his talks because of deteriorating health.
In addition to announcing President Nelson’s virtual attendance, President Oaks announced three apostles would conduct three of the five sessions of this April’s conference.
“During the conference, you will note that members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have been invited to conduct three of the five sessions,” Oaks said.
President Henry B. Eyring’s message was also prerecorded.
You can watch General Conference here.
