A ring of stadium lights half a mile around encircled President Gordon B. Hinckley as he addressed some 44,000 Saints in two sessions Thursday, Nov. 14, in this, one of the world's largest cities.

Speaking at his seventh conference on a tour of nine South American cities - four in Brazil - President Hinckley spoke in the Sao Paulo Futbol Clube, a massive three-level soccer stadium in this city of more than 20 million inhabitants. While the stadium holds more than 70,000 people at full capacity, a renovation project on the facility restricted seating to only about 36,000 people on the middle level.Because of the limited seating, an additional smaller session of about 8,000 members was added at the last minute and held earlier in the day, where President Hinckley also spoke.

At the evening conference session, every seat in the center level was filled. As the evening progressed, visibility of the lower and upper levels blackened, leaving a ring of light in the center level.

Providing music for the session and adding to the spirit of the occasion was a choir of 2,000 singers from the Sao Paulo stakes.

A touching scene developed at the conclusion of the conference. As President Hinckley, accompanied by his wife, Marjorie, walked from the podium to the stadium exit, he turned in each direction, and with a white handkerchief, waved to the members. The Sao Paulo Saints responded, waving white handkerchiefs in return. The members seemed to be expressing their love, their testimonies and their commitment as they held their handkerchiefs high and waved slowly, tears coursing down their cheeks.

"I do want to tell you how much I love you," said President Hinckley in his address in the evening session. "We love you dearly. We pray for you and hope you pray for us."

The expressions of love from the prophet and the response of the members was similar at other gatherings in this nation and throughout his entire tour.

Also speaking at both sessions of the Sao Paulo regional conference were Sister Hinckley; Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve, who spoke in Portuguese, Elder Dallas N. Archibald of the Seventy and president of the Brazil Area and his wife, Linda, and Elder Claudio Costa of the Seventy, and his wife, Margareth. Elder W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy and first counselor in the area presidency, and his wife, Jan, spoke in the Recife and Manaus conferences.

In the first session in Sao Paulo, President Hinckley said, "There is a great resevoir of faith in each of us, to know that God our eternal Father bids us to know that Jesus is the Christ, to have that knowledge well up within us as a living fountain of great faith."

He encouraged members to be loyal to the priesthood. "No officer of this Church - the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, the Seventy - aspired to that office. If you knew what it entailed, you would run from it."

In the second session, he observed:

"I first came to Sao Paulo many years ago. Then there was just one mission in all of Brazil, and one small stake in Sao Paulo. There were 150 missionaries to cover all of Brazil. Now the work is growing. We have missionaries up and down this land. What a marvelous and wonderful thing is happening. The few have become many thousands today.

"I thank you for the way you are going to the temple. The temple opens on Friday and doesn't close until Saturday night. The temple is open all night. That is a great and marvelous thing."

"Thank you for the goodness of your lives. Thank you for coming. Know of my love for each one of you."

Before coming to Sao Paulo, President Hinckley went to Porto Alegre, becoming the first Church president to visit that city in southern Brazil. He addressed 357 missionaries of the Porto Algre North and South missions, and then spoke to some 5,500 members of nine area stakes cramped into Ginasao Do Petropolis Tenis Clube.

At the regional conference in Porto Alegre, President Hinckley spoke of the challenges and problems faced by members of the Church. "I hope this meeting tonight will cause each of you to make a resolution in your hearts to live the gospel more fully. The gospel is the answer to your problems, all of them, and the Lord will bless you as you try to live it."

He also bore witness of the reality of revelation guiding Church leaders. "The power of revelation is among us," he said. "We are guided by the Lord in this Church. His voice is heard again speaking in directing where this Church is to go."

He encouraged members to develop a testimony of Christ, Son of the Living God, as did Peter of the New Testatment.

"Brothers and sisters, there is nothing more important than to get in our hearts and minds and souls a conviction of the reality of Christ, the Son of God. Nothing is more important than that. That is the whole purpose of the restoration of the gospel."

He further encouraged the members, saying: "If you do not now have such a testimony, may I suggest you get on your knees and ask for one. May I suggest you read the Book of Mormon. . . . If you do so, there will gradually come into your hearts a living conviction of Jesus, the Son of the Father."

As President Hinckley left the auditorium, an emotional congregation waved white handkerchiefs, and many wept. It was a moment long to be remembered by the Saints of southern Brazil.

In Recife, a resort city of some 4 million near the equator on Brazil's east coast, some 14,000 members filled every available seat in the Ginasio de Esportes Geraldo Magalhaes for the first-ever regional conference in this area. The large choir that had previously sung at the groundbreaking ceremony for the planned Recife Brazil Temple performed again in this conference.

Members came from throughout northern Brazil. Some chartered buses that traveled all day for the 7:30 p.m. conference, and afterward drove all night in returning to their homes.

Surveying the auditorium of members, most of whom had never seen a Church president before, President Hinckley thanked them for coming and said:

"I've been looking at these little boys on the front row and thinking of when they will be missionaries. It won't take many years before they are out and that will be wonderful. Boys, do what is right at all times. Don't let anything, at anytime - get in the way of your going on a mission. You will bless your own lives, you will bless your homes from which you go. And you will bless all who listen to your message as missionaries. So be good. Choose the right at all times."

President Hinckley strongly emphasized personal preparation for the temple soon to be started in Recife.

"It will be the Lord's house, but it will be yours to use. He would be most pleased if you use it constantly. Obtain a temple recommend and keep it current. It will be a constant reminder to you of how to live your lives."

In Manaus, located at the confluence of the Negro and Solimoes rivers that form the Amazon, President Hinckley became the first Church president to visit this city of nearly 1 million people.

President Hinckley noted the youthful history of the Church in this area and recalled that when he visited here 28 years ago, there were no members in the city. Now there are three stakes and a mission in Manaus.

"What I see today is only a shadow of what we'll see in the future. This hall [where 5,500 had gathered] will not be able to hold all the Saints, so large will be the membership in Manaus."

He directed some remarks to the many young men in the congregation. "I hope that every boy here will plan on going on a mission. You will then return here and be leaders of the Church. May the Lord bless you in that desire to serve a mission."

President Hinckley challenged members to gain maturity in their understanding of the gospel. "Go on learning. Develop and grow. Learn the gospel. Make your lives productive in righteousness. This is your obligation as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"I thank the Lord for you," he said. "You look beautiful to me. We love you. We love you. May we live in the light of the testimonies we have."