A best-selling author and a former CBS anchor will join the American Mothers, Inc. in urging a return to traditional family values at "Lets Go Home. A Celebration on the Family!", a national interfaith conference held Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Conference Center in Salt Lake City.

Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of the Seven Habits series, will speak in the morning session and Marla Cilley, widely known as the "Fly Lady," will speak in the afternoon. Jane Clayson Johnson, a former Early Show host who retired to become a full-time mother, will MC the event.

The Lowes, BYU graduates who were involved in Young Ambassadors, will sing, dance and perform original pieces written for Saturday's event with their five children.

The Conference focuses on strengthening traditional family ties.

"We're saying come back home; visit together, eat together, pray together. That's what is going to save the family and bring people back into the home," said Wendy McKenna, president of the Utah Association of AMI.

The Washington-based American Mothers, Inc. offered to sponser a nationwide conference in Salt Lake City after the Utah Association held a successful statewide conference on the family here in 2003.

McKenna said people from across the nation will attend Saturday's conference, and members of many religious communities will be represented.

"The one thing I feel is so important is that different faiths can all come together in one unifying effort to focus on the family," McKenna said.

Tickets are being sold at $8 each. Fifty percent of the 6,900 tickets were purchased by donors to help recognized AMI members and less fortunate mothers attend the conference free of charge.

"Every seat is important because it's a statement to the world that this many people are involved in supporting the family," McKenna said.

Tickets are available to those 8 years of age and older online at amiutah.org and lds.org or by calling 801-570-0080 and 1-866-537-8457.Tickets may also be purchased at the Conference Center on the day of the event. Parking passes are available with the tickets at door four of the Conference Center.

The Utah Association of AMI has twenty-six chapters extending from Logan to St. George. The local Provo chapter is headed by Karmel Larson and meets monthly at the Provo City Library.

For more information on local chapters or this weekend's conference visit amiutah.org.

Copyright Brigham Young University 8 Sep 2006