The following article was written by Breanna Olaveson for Utah Valley 360.
LDS Church spokesman Dale Jones announced Monday that general conference speakers “whose primary language is not English now have the choice to deliver their talks in their native tongue.” If speakers elect to do so, English subtitles will be shown in the Conference Center with live English interpretation provided for all English-language broadcasts.
Exactly who will speak in this October’s conference is still a mystery, but at least 12 general authorities and general auxiliary officers speak languages other than English as their first language. Here are 12 languages you might hear in this or future general conferences.
1. Spanish
Besides English, Spanish is the most commonly spoken first language among the general authorities and general officers of the Church. Thirteen members of the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy speak Spanish, though no current members of other quorums of general auxiliary presidencies do.
2. Portuguese
Though less common, Portuguese is the second-most common foreign language spoken among potential General Conference speakers. If Elder Ulisses Soares (from Brazil), Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis (Brazil), Elder Claudio R. M. Costa (Brazil), Elder Carlos A. Godoy (Brazil), Elder José A. Teixeira (Portugal) or Elder Jairo Mazzagardi (Brazil) speak in October, they may choose to do so in Portuguese.
3. German
Perhaps the most anticipated address will be from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, whose first language is German. If this General Conference follows tradition, President Uchtdorf may speak as many as four times during October’s general conference (including the General Women’s Meeting) and he will have the option to speak in either English or German. Elder Jörg Klebingat (Germany) and Elder Erich W. Kopischke (Germany) may also choose to deliver addresses in German.
4. Japanese
Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita of the First Quorum of the Seventy and Elder Koichi Aoyagi of the Second were both born in Japan and, if they are assigned to speak in general conference, may do so in Japanese.
Read Olaveson’s full article at utahvalley360.com.
