Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve thanked regional representatives for their efforts to move the kingdom along before reminding them of the following challenges facing the Church:
- "We still have large numbers of less-active priesthood holders, women and youths.- "Too many newly baptized members are still not fellowshipped as they should be.
- "We still have too many unordained male converts.
"The failure to ordain still means the failure to retain," he emphasized.
"Similarly, too many adult sister converts are not active a year after baptism. Worthy adult sister converts should be called very soon to be visiting teachers.
- "Unendowed members who have not attended the temple for a long time continue to form a group who know not the blessings of going to the House of the Lord."
- "The most inexperienced shepherds elders quorum presidentsT often preside over the largest portion of the flock. Furthermore the tenures of elders quorum presidencies are usually very short.
- "Too many households are without the Melchizedek Priesthood. Often parenting single sisters and children go for months without receiving home teachers.
- "The opportunity under certain approved conditions to use full-time missionaries to assist in activation has frequently not been utilized."
Elder Maxwell said in the face of these challenges, now is the time to train Melchizedek Priesthood leaders to more effectively organize their quorums and groups to bless the members and their families. Sisters also should do more to assist converts and the less-active.
He called for recently activated and baptized brothers and sisters to be given opportunities to serve. "Our motto could be `A place for each, and a call for all,' " he added.