Tag Archives: General Conference

General Conference as a Kid

Elder Robert D. Hales in emphasizing the importance of general conference, made the following statement regarding youth and conference:

Children and youth love to be included. We make a serious mistake if we assume that the conference is above their intellect and spiritual sensitivity. To the young members of the Church, I promise that if you will listen, you will feel the Spirit well up within you. The Lord will tell you what He wants you to do with your life. (General Conference: Strengthening Faith and Testimony)

I thought I would run down a couple conference memories as a kid. All of these were before I was 12.

  • Gordon B. Hinckley challenged a speaker to a duel in the tabernacle basement
  • I remember Neal A. Maxwell spoke to children and told a number of Aesop-like fables to illustrate gospel principles
  • I remember when my Dad invited me to attend Priesthood with him (ten years old)
  • I remember the World News being on in the stake center between sessions and the report on 100 million copies of the Book of Mormon being printed.
  • I remember a regional conference with Thomas S. Monson where he told a number of stories from his life
  • I remember the announcement of the building of the Nauvoo temple

As a youth, I remember a number of specific talks and poignant moments:

  • Dallin H. Oaks spoke on Pornography and made some specific statements about modesty as well.
  • President Hinckley announcing Perpetual Education Fund
  • President Hinckley speaking in different Priesthood sessions about pornography and anger
  • Elder Bednar introducing Church culture to the concept of ‘tender mercies’

I remember very well the thoughts and emotions I had from these talks. For me, they make up a foundation of faith, trust and love of General Conference (and other conferences of the Church). These experiences helped me gain trust enough to seek out their counsel.

What do they have to say?

Today we got a rare opportunity to go down as a family to the Missionary Training Center and volunteer in the TRC. It is an opportunity to help missionaries preparing to go out in the field to practice their Romanian, teaching the gospel.

In the years since I went through, they changed the format to focus on us as individuals instead of us trying to take on some assumed role (like someone who has never heard of the Church). It is simple, but I think it does a lot to help the missionaries focus on the Spirit and meeting needs instead of technique or style.

As a major part of their lesson, they focused on ‘enduring to the end, which means something totally different to me now as a father of two than it did as a student or missionary. With any previous role, it always had pretty clear statute of limitations, an expiration date, a goal line. But as a Father, and in a faith that believes the family is eternal–it is a completely different type of end than I’ve previously encountered. It’s not an end of time or material resources we’re talking about. It’s more along the lines of at the end of your wits, and ‘after all you can do’ kind of end.

So in that thought process, I considered how do I know the best way forward? I think therein lies my love and excitement around LDS General Conference.

Shortly after coming home, my Bishop shared with me his experience coming home from my mission and finding the guidance he needed to endure to the end, from conference. It is an opportunity to hear from inspired men, who have the authority to speak truth and light the path.

I know for some Conference is a chance to take a Sunday off. After all, we get it printed and we’ll hear about many of the talks in Church meetings for the next six months until the next conference.

My evidence is anecdotal, but it is personal. I believe a special spirit and degree of heightened insight comes from demonstrating to the Lord that what the leaders of the Church have to say is important to you. There’s something about that exercise of faith to prepare for and actively listen to conference that brings answers to prayers, peace to the troubled mind and a confirmation to the heart that God is not only mindful of you and your needs, but that He is actively participating in guiding the efforts of this Church.

Come and see. There truly is something for everyone.
General Conference on LDS.org

The Will of The Lord for the Next Six Months

At the end of General Conference in 1973, President Harold B. Lee said,

“Now, you Latter-day Saints, I think you have never attended a conference where … you have heard more inspired declarations on most every subject and problem about which you have been worrying. If you want to know what the Lord would have the Saints know and to have his guidance and direction for the next six months, get a copy of the proceedings of this conference, and you will have the latest word of the Lord as far as the Saints are concerned.”

Closing Remarks
October 1973 General Conference

The Temple: No Sacrifice is Too Great

President Thomas S. Monson said,

Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.

Thomas S. Monson
“The Holy Temple–A Beacon Unto the World”
April 2011 General Conference