From Deseret News archives:
An LDS conference outside the U.S.?
"The international church may yet become stronger than in the United States," said Elder John K. Carmack, an emeritus general authority of the LDS Church. "I'm not a prophet, seer or revelator, but I believe this will happen.
"I can envision general conference being held in Sao Paulo or Mexico City or Manila."
Carmack made the statement at the 18th annual conference of the LDS International Society, which was held at Brigham Young University one day after general conference concluded in Salt Lake City, where it has been held for 160 years since early church leader Brigham Young made Utah the headquarters of the church.
Carmack said that in six years the church's Perpetual Education Fund has made loans to 27,000 LDS students in 39 countries.
"The biggest problem is to have the machinery in place to be in contact with 27,000 people," he said. "That's about the size of BYU."
The fund is named and patterned after and already has nearly outgrown the Perpetual Emigration Fund, which helped 30,000 poor converts migrate from Europe to Utah in the 1850s and '60s.
The goal, he added, was to "raise up a generation of leaders with the time, energy and resources to build the church. They would marry, raise families and support them and in time, their tithing and resources would make these areas of the church self-sufficient."
Now, six years later, Carmack said, "We can see the dim outlines of the benefits that surely will come to the international church. Already, a not insignificant number of our leaders in areas with the program are coming from the ranks of PEF recipients."
Carmack said the church's area president for northern South America recently reported that more than 10 percent of the region's stake presidents and bishops are PEF graduates.
Brazil is the clear hot spot for the fund, followed by Mexico, Chile and Peru.
Five hundred loans have been given in South Africa and a handful in Ghana as the church begins to establish the infrastructure it needs to roll out the program in Africa. Nigeria is next on the list, Carmack said.
Recent comments
It will be an exciting day if that suggestion materializes. Here in...
martin | Feb. 28, 2008 at 1:01 a.m.
You can Help at Goodsearch. Select LDS Philanthropies as your...
r | Dec. 30, 2007 at 10:25 p.m.
- BYU has slim shot at BCS 11:41 p.m.
- NCAA basketball top 25 11:39 p.m.
- Democrats name executive director 11:37 p.m.
- Emotion is big key for Cougs 11:35 p.m.
- Toone, Smith pace WSU selections 11:33 p.m.
- Wildcats' program on the rise 11:31 p.m.
- NFL notes: Rule changes 11:30 p.m.
- Donny and Kym dance to victory 11:30 p.m.
- Utahns hit roads, runways 11:21 p.m.
- West Jordan pummel West 11:14 p.m.
- Utah, BYU are top choices for bowls
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
- Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
- Best prep football games of 2009
- KSL: Prostitution in Utah County
- Man trapped in own body for 23 yrs
- Kirilenko climbing blocks list
- Woman describes stabbing, killing
- Boys basketball rankings
- 'Dancing' will fill out finale
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
229 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
224 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
202 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
189 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
137 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
136 - BYU records with win
133 - Letters: Rushing to judge Palin
121 - Hall, Johnson matchup key
102 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
99
re:re: I agree this is a fan blog and no better way to let off some steam....
Sorry the obvious is painful for you. It is way past time the Jazz joined the...
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, 2 minutes for Fesenko? Are you...
Can you show me where it’s working? The first rule in good business or...
Great work gentlemen! May you bring home many more MLS Cups. Posters, we...
Can you show me where it’s working? The first rule in good business or...
As long as BYU doesn't try to go deep, they are going to be fine on offense....
This game is actually very close on paper. BYU has more yards per game, but...
Way to go Donny you had my vote from the start. I thought they gave to much...
Is there someplace where we can watch the Cougarettes perform? Is there...


