Non-English speech a first at Mormon conference

SALT LAKE CITY - A Mormon leader from Hong Kong delivered a speech in Mandarin on Saturday in what marked the first time in the history of the faith's signature conference that an address was delivered in a language other than English.

As Chi Hong Wong spoke, the 21,000 in attendance at the conference center read English subtitles on big screens. Church leaders have in the past given speeches in English, no matter their native language.

Wong's speech focused on the importance of people in local congregations working together to help those in need. He said the record number of missionaries serving around the world - 88,000 currently - offers a perfect opportunity for local church leaders to organize and figure out who needs help in the congregation.

"They are young and full of energy," was the English translation of Wong's speech. "They love to have a list of specific names of people to work with."

Earlier this year, Wong was named to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Quorum of the Seventy, a group of high-ranking leaders from around the world. Wong's speech came during the first day of the faith's biannual general conference in Salt Lake City.

When Wong finished his speech, English-speaking church leader D. Todd Christofferson took the stage and said, "Buenos Dias," drawing laughs from the crowd. He then began his speech in English.

There may be more non-English speeches during the rest of the weekend's sessions.

The foreign-language speech marked an important representation of the church's growing international reach, Mormons scholars said. In 1997, the number of members outside the U.S. surpassed the number inside the country, and since 2000, there have been more non-English-speaking Mormons than those that speak English.

"It's a hugely important symbol, because it reveals that the religion is becoming less and less a small, interesting American sect, and more and more a diverse, global religion," said Matthew Bowman, a Mormon scholar and history professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

The historical moment put the faith's growing international footprint on full display. Church leaders were expecting 65 countries to be represented over the weekend when 100,000 people attend five sessions Saturday and Sunday.

One of them was Juan Lint, who stood in his suit and tie on a street corner outside the Mormon Church's conference center Saturday morning holding a sign: "I am from Peru. I need four tickets."

It didn't take long for Lint to secure the free tickets from fellow Latter-day Saints happy to help make sure he and family could watch Saturday's opening session of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' general conference.

"It's always been my dream to come to the conference and see up close the prophets and listen to the word of the Lord through them," said Lint in Spanish.

Lint, 48, a certified nursing assistant from Chimbote, Peru, is among thousands of international LDS members in Utah for the biannual conference.

During the general conference, Latter-day Saints gather to listen to speeches from church leaders who offer guidance and inspiration, and sometimes announce new church initiatives. There are five sessions over the weekend, with a new group of people filling the 21,000-seat conference center for each one.