Urging Latter-day Saints to be better people and "absolutely loyal" to their church, President Gordon B. Hinckley offered an unusual prayer of benediction on the 171st Semiannual General Conference on Sunday.

In what will no doubt be remembered as a historic conference, the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offered a prayer as part of his remarks to conclude the two-day conference, telling God that "we look to thee in faith in this dark and solemn time. Please, dear Father, bless us with faith, bless us with love, bless us with charity in our hearts, bless us with a spirit of perseverance to root out the terrible evils that are in this world.

"Give protection and guidance to those who are engaged actively in carrying forth the things of battle. Bless them, preserve their lives, save them from harm and evil. Hear the prayers of their loved ones for their safety.

"Bless the cause of peace and bring it quickly to us again we humbly plead with thee, asking that thou wilt forgive our errors, pass by our sins, be kind and gracious to us and cause our hearts to turn to thee, we humbly pray."

The fifth and final session of the conference concluded a day of drama for Latter-day Saints, some 20,000 of whom learned of the U.S. retaliatory strike on Afghanistan from President Hinckley as they sat in the Conference Center Sunday morning, unaware that President Bush had given the signal for air attacks to begin.

President Hinckley asked God to "look with mercy upon this our own nation and its friends in this time of need. Spare us and help us to walk with faith ever in thee and ever in thy beloved Son on whose mercy we count and to whom we look as our Savior and our Lord."

Concerned about the effect that the attacks will have on church members and missionaries worldwide, the church issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying, "Mission presidents have been instructed to take all prudent precautions to ensure the safety of their missionaries."

World events added a measure of urgency to messages church leaders shared with their members throughout the day.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell warned those who participate in fornication or adultery — including "promoters, enablers, facilitators or profiteers" — and fail to repent will "suffer even as Jesus did (during the Atonement), as they one day personally experience the full justice of God."

He derided the "fashionable nonjudgmentalism which excuses whatever wrong individuals do — as long as they do anything else right. After all, didn't Mussolini make the trains run on time?"

Elder Russell M. Nelson emphasized the vital nature of family and the responsibility of parents to teach their children gospel truths. Quoting a recent letter to members from the First Presidency, "we call upon parents to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the church.

"The home is the basis of a right-

eous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions."

The focus on relationships among family members is essential, said Elder Wayne S. Peterson of the Seventy. He warned that there are "too many homes where children fear their parents or where wives fear their husbands.

"If we are not on guard, we can fall into the habit of criticizing one another, losing our tempers or behaving selfishly. Because they love us, our spouses and children may be quick to forgive, but they often carry away in silence unseen injuries and unspoken heartache."

Treating neighbors with love and respect was a recurring theme throughout the two-day conference. "To the Savior, there was no reservation in the definition of neighbor," said Presiding Bishop H. David Burton.

Those truly obedient to Christ's commandment to love will "not speak ill of one another but will treat each other with kindness and respect, realizing that each of us is a child of God," said Elder Robert F. Orton of the Seventy. "There will be no Nephites, Lamanites, nor other "ites" among us, and every man, woman and child will deal justly one with another."

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