Elder Ballard Announced as Keynote Speaker at World Congress of Families to Meet Next Month

The World Congress of Families announced that Elder Russell M. Ballard will be a keynote speaker at the opening session of the conference next month.

The annual conference is the world’s largest gathering of supporters of traditional marriage, and is meeting in an American city for the first time ever. Janice Shaw Crouse, executive director of the World Congress of Families IX, expressed her excitement to have Ballard speak at the conference this year. In a press-release, she said,

[pull_quote_center]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long been a strong ally to the World Congress of Families and it is an honor to have one of its senior apostles speak at our conference—particularly someone whose lifelong commitment and leadership has been to preserve and strengthen the family unit.[/pull_quote_center]

The conference aims to “affirm, celebrate, and encourage the natural family.” Deseret News reports that the conference has previously sparked some controversy as some believe the congress to be “an attack on the LGBT community.” The World Congress of Families expects to see the controversy continue this year. “I understand there will be protests and so forth,” Crouse said. “We will welcome them in and invite them to participate. We have a really good relationship with the local people and the LGBT community, and we expect that to continue.”

Two hundred speakers will present at the conference, which will take place in Salt Lake City from October 27-30. Among the 200 presenters, and in addition to Ballard, other well-known Latter-day Saints will present and share their talents at the conference, including, Stephanie Nielson, Brad Wilcox and The Piano Guys.