Solemn assembly held during Saturday morning session of General Conference

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints initiated its 196th Annual General Conference Saturday morning with messages about Jesus Christ and Easter.

In the session, Latter-day Saints from all over the world also had the chance to participate in a solemn assembly to sustain a new president of the Church, President Dallin H. Oaks.

At the beginning of the session, President Oaks explained the assembly was a way for members to demonstrate their willingness to sustain the Churchs new First Presidency, as well as other leaders. He ended his remarks by sharing his testimony.

At this Easter season, I reaffirm our testimony of the Resurrected Lord and recognize that He is the head of this Church, President Oaks said.

During the solemn assembly, members stood in their quorums and groups to vote. The assembly ended with everyone standing together in a sustaining vote.

The solemn assembly was really cool. I felt the Spirit of God and I just felt a sense of support for our leaders and for our prophet, Dallin England said.

The last solemn assembly for the church was in 2020, commemorating the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smiths First Vision.

Elder Patrick Kearon said the assembly creates a day full of gratitude and rejoicing at the opportunity for the whole church to come together and exercise common consent.

Subsequent speakers focused on following Christ through ministering, magnifying our callings and relying on the Savior through trials.

The spirit was really strong. We had the opportunity to sustain, in person, the living prophet of Jesus Christ but more importantly, we had a chance to truly feel the spirit of each member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, and to listen to their messages as they testified of Jesus Christ, said Lisa Rhodes.

Audience members said they felt love and guidance during the talks.

I feel great, I felt blessings, I felt that God loves me all the time and endure to the end, Lorena Fuentes said.

The session ended as President Henry B. Eyring described how to find peace in a chaotic world through prayer.