NBC airs interview with LDS leader

President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expects that following the Olympics the stereotypes and inaccurate assumptions about the LDS faith will fade.

At least, that was President Hinckley's hope prior to the Olympics when NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw interviewed him. Selected quotes from that interview were aired during NBC's prime-time Olympic coverage Friday evening.

"The Olympics will bring people here from everywhere," President Hinckley said. "Because of that, there will be a better understanding as a result of people coming here. There's still all kinds of misperceptions. I think those will largely fade."

During the eight-minute segment, Brokaw gave a video primer on the LDS Church, interspersing sound bites from the interview with President Hinckley with background information about LDS beliefs, the church's presence in Utah and its growing popularity.

Most of the segment focused on either the misconceptions or criticisms of the church, with President Hinckley's explanations following informational pieces by Brokaw. It also touched on the rapid growth of the church outside of America and the impact of the Olympics on the image of Mormonism.

The story aired just before 7 p.m. between a slew of events, including the USA-Russia men's hockey game, the women's giant slalom, the men's four-man bobsled and the ice skating exhibition.

Along with the NBC story during prime-time television, President Hinckley also made an appearance Friday with an international visitor, meeting with German President Johannes Rau, who was in Salt Lake City for the Olympics this weekend.

Rau met with President Hinckley and his two counselors in the church's First Presidency, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust, for about 25 minutes Friday afternoon in the Church Administration Building.

Rau said a courtesy visit with church leaders is appropriate when visiting Utah.

Early in the NBC segment, President Hinckley addressed one of the most prominent misperceptions about Mormonism, polygamy. Brokaw asked if polygamy, which was outlawed in 1890, was still a problem for the image of the church.

"It's a thing of the past," President Hinckley said. "Of course, it still rises. It's one of those sensational things people like to talk about, to write about."