General Conference Weekend

As Latter-Day Saints, we have the opportunity twice each year to attend or watch (via TV) our Church-wide General Conference. It's fantastic! There are 4 general sessions (2 hours long) spread over Saturday and Sunday.

It's a chance we have to listen to the Prophet of our Church and most of the 12 Apostles. We also get to hear talks from the other leaders of the Church. And, of course, no conference session would be complete without several hymns from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.



It's a very spiritually uplifting weekend--if you can slow down and let it in. If you're watching from home (in jammies!) getting your kids to slow down and be quiet so that you can listen is sometimes a challenge too.

I find it amazing that none of the speakers confer with one another. None are given a topic. And yet, their talks all mesh together, and often we hear themes. This Conference weekend, I definitely heard some themes: BE GRATEFUL--nothing offends our Heavenly Father more than ingratitude (repeated by many speakers--think we need to re-evaluate our gratitude--or lack thereof?). OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS--if you're obeying the commandments, you will be prepared to meet your life's challenges. HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS EACH OF US--by name--strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. He's mindful of us at all times and is waiting to bless us. OUR SAVIOR LIVES. WORK HARD. LOVE ONE ANOTHER. And there were many other themes we heard in the talks.

Many times, it's the same themes over and over and over and over--but it MUST be important if its repeated. Perhaps we just need reassurance. Perhaps we haven't been listening and following the counsel. As Latter-Day Saints we have the privilege of HAVING a LIVING Prophet--just as in the days of the Old Testament. His "job" is to lead our Church and speak for the Father. We are SO blessed to live in circumstances where we CAN listen to a REAL Prophet of God.



I enjoyed most every talk I heard (this translates to I actually LISTENED). I had a few favorites though: I enjoyed the talk about being more Reverent in Sacrament Meeting (Saturday talk). It reminded me that the purpose of the meeting is to partake of the Sacrament (Duh! Don't we KNOW this?) and that we should arrive ON TIME (or early) and get our minds in the proper place to partake of the Sacrament. Great reminder! Another talk I enjoyed (although I don't remember the name of the speaker) was about a general authority who was in a meeting once where the Sunday School teacher was asking the class participants to relate a great moment in the development of their testimonies. And this speaker couldn't relate a "great and wonderful" moment. He hadn't had a vision or had a monumental thing happen--he just KNEW that the Church is true. I can relate to him, so I appreciated hearing that there was someone out there like me. I enjoyed the talk on the sanctity of marriage--especially the parts that stressed how important it is to be married in the right place, by the right authority, at the right time--and the encouragement the speaker gave to those who maybe didn't--he said that they could always "upgrade" to a Celestial marriage. Other talks I enjoyed were talks that gave testimony of the divinity of President Monson's calling. We got to enjoy sustaining him as a Prophet for the first time in April, and I enjoyed the perspective of others as they testified that they also knew that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God. I enjoyed hearing him speak too--each time. I can't remember what he said in each address, but the talks were filled with love. He's been on that stand as long as I can remember, and President Monson has always been a favorite of mine.

The other thing I just LOVE about Conference weekend is the stuff they play on the TV between sessions. Today they had a great program about President Monson-like a biography. I liked it because I learned so much about him and it made him seem like a "real" person. All of the General Authorities seem so much bigger than life, and I enjoy stories that help me remember that they're just human like me--same problems, joys, and sorrows.



All in all, my Spirit soaked it all up like a sponge. It was a WONDERFUL weekend, and it was great to have an excuse to sit and relax. This is a time when I don't have to feel guilty for sitting in front of the TV. LOVED IT!!