Follow The Prophet – The Words & Deeds of God's Living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson

Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Home)
Purpose: Taking care of wife

President Monson was scheduled to attend the State of Hawaii Regional Conference of all the stakes of the Hawaiian Islands this last weekend, from the Canon Activities Center at BYU-Hawaii, but a few days before his trip he decided that he could not go.  Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was in attendance, however.  The BYU-Hawaii student news site Ke Alakai reports:

President Monson had originally planned on attending the Regional Conference in person, but an injury sustained by his wife Frances earlier in the week precluded him from coming. Elder Perry described a meeting in Salt Lake City, in which President Monson said to him, “Tom, I’m not going to Hawaii.” President Monson explained that his first responsibility was to his wife and family, and that he needed to attend to them.

President Monson addressed the conference by satellite.  Ke Alakai reports on President Monson’s talk at the Priesthood Leadership Meeting:

President Monson also spoke on the theme of rescuing those who are, as he termed, “wander[ing] in the wilderness of wonder or the swamp of sin.” He counseled the brethren to remember the worth of souls and to never give up on those who are struggling with activity in the church. He also counseled priesthood leaders to remember and attend to the needs of military servicemen and their families in their callings. President Monson stressed the importance of doing, not just hearing. “It’s in doing,” President Monson stated, “not just training, that souls are saved.”

He also spoke about the “lost battalions” today:

These lost battalions include the aged, the sick, the widowed, the handicapped, and those less active in church worship. President Monson urged members to reach out to these people, to extend help and show love.

“Extend them the hand that helps and the heart that knows compassion,” he said. “By doing so we will bring joy into their hearts. We ourselves will experience the rich satisfaction which comes to us when we help another along the pathway to eternal life.”

You can read more about this event at the following links:

Ke Alakai – “Attendance Limited for Monson Conference”
Ke Alakai – “President Monson to give taped address; Elder Perry coming to conference”
Ke Alakai – “President Monson, Elder Perry instruct brethren at Regional Priesthood Leadership Meeting”
Laceykressin tweet
TravisLawrence tweet
BYU-H Newsroom – “President Thomas S. Monson and Elder L. Tom Perry address saints in Hawaii”
Ke Alakai – “Hawaiian Saints receive instruction from prophets and apostles at Regional Conference”
Mormon Times – “President Monson, Elder Perry heard in Hawaii”