The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints convened its semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday for the faith’s more than 16 million members to hear instructions from their top leaders.
It comes amid many big changes in recent years announced by President Russell M. Nelson — including this week allowing women, not just men, to serve as official witnesses in church ordinances in its temples and at baptisms.
Also this week, President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the church’s First Presidency, dramatically altered the conversation with transgender members of the church, saying God created humans as male and female, who are defined by “biological sex at birth.