Local media representatives took advantage of President Gordon B. Hinckley's recent visit to conduct interviews for British Broadcasting Corp. radio and television, London News Radio and a Liverpool newspaper.

On Saturday, Aug. 26, BBC Radio 4 reporter Suzanne Evans interviewed the president at the Maidstone stake center.In response to one of her questions concerning the beliefs and doctrine of the Church, President Hinckley said: "We are Christians. No church in the world speaks up with a stonger witness of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world than does this Church, which carries His name - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And His gospel is the gospel we teach. And the spirit of love which we exemplify is the spirit in which we try to work."

Laurence Spicer of London News Radio interviewed President Hinckley Monday afternoon, Aug. 28, at the Hyde Park Chapel prior to President and Sister Hinckley meeting with missionaries from the England London Mission.

Before the interview with Mr. Spicer, President Hinckley had met with Trevor Barnes of BBC World News Service at Hyde Park Chapel. Several of Mr. Barnes' questions centered on the missionaries and their work. He asked the president if the Church was re-evaluating sending "callow youth" to convince Britons to change their ways.

President Hinckley smiled at the description of the young missionaries and referred to the term "callow youth" several times in subsequent meetings, emphasizing that missionaries are well-prepared to proclaim the truths of the restored gospel. He referred in his radio response to Paul's words to Timothy: "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Tim. 4:12.) He noted that not only is the message of the missionaries a blessing in the lives of those whom they teach, but also that the young missionaries are blessed through their service, and that both those who teach and hear the word are edified and rejoice together. (John 4:36, D&C 50:22.)

Following the two Hyde Park interviews, the subsequent missionary meeting was filmed by a BBC television crew working on a segment of the Sunday evening religious documentary program "Everyman" that will focus on missionary efforts in London. BBC crews have, with Church permission, been following two sets of elders for several weeks as they work in the city and go about their daily routines.

Telecast weekly on BBC Television 1, "Everyman" reaches an estimated audience of 2.3 million people, according to producer Ben Fox, and focuses on a variety of religious themes, denominations and issues. The segment on missionaries is set to run Sept. 21. President Hinckley's visit, including his and Sister Hinckley's shaking hands with all of the missionaries following the meeting, will likely be part of the program.

The producer noted that "the missionaries have been very helpful" during the filming process.

A final, brief interview with President Hinckley during the trip was conducted by a reporter from a Liverpool newspaper following President and Sister Hinckley's visit to the Albert Docks and Merseyside Maritime Museum.