High-ranking LDS leader to speak at regional meeting

How to repent.

How to abstain from smoking and drinking.

How to live a better, cleaner life.

Southern Nevada's 75,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are expecting to hear about doctrine -- about how to be a faithful member of the church -- at the church's Regional Conference on Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The church's "number two man," Thomas S. Monson, will preside over the conference, which is held about every four years to unite the local members and discuss church precepts, said William Stoddard, a Las Vegas spokesman for the church.

Monson is the first counselor in the First Presidency of the church and a senior member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, titles which indicate he is regarded as a "prophet, seer and revelator," and is most likely next in line to lead the worldwide church following current president Gordon B. Hinckley.

Although no agenda is published and local Mormons do not know what the topics of the address will be until they arrive, "it's usually about doctrine, and that's what we expect," said Stoddard. "How to live a better, cleaner life."

"I would be almost 100 percent assured that there is zero chance he will talk about politics or the Olympic issue," said Stoddard, referring to the federal investigation into whether members of the Salt Lake City Olympic Committee and other Utahns, some of whom are members of the church, bribed International Olympic Committee members in order to secure the 2002 Winter Olympics. Salt Lake City, Utah, is where the church headquarters is located.

"The church does not see that as being their business, although we'd have to admit peripherally it does affect us because as church members we are all supposed to be honest and upright," Stoddard said. "But I would doubt that President Monson will comment on that to us. He'll probably stick to the doctrine.

"It is a great honor for us here to hear him speak, and to my knowledge, he hasn't presided over our conference before," Stoddard said. "He's known as a great storyteller -- you never go to sleep when President Monson speaks."

Monson, 72, was born in Salt Lake City, received degrees from both the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, and for 30 years has served as a member of the National Executive Board of Boy Scouts of America. Also speaking at the conference will be church leaders Russell M. Nelson, Richard G. Scott, Rex D. Pinegar, Merrill C. Oaks and R. Gordon Porter.

The conference will be divided into two sessions to accommodate the large Mormon population in the Las Vegas area.

The first session, for those who live west of Interstate 15, will start at 11 a.m. The second session, for those who live east of Interstate 15, will start at 1 p.m.

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