General Conference

The 180th General conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held over Easter weekend. There are four general sessions, one young women session and one priesthood session. In Utah, due to the large LDS population, it is broadcast through a television channel to homes in the state. In other areas of the world it can be viewed over the Internet or at chapels where there is a satellite. I watched the first session at home (quite surreal) then headed into town to meet up with Marj to watch the second session outside in Temple square. They broadcast the sessions through large speakers which usually play uplifting music. However, we discovered that you did not need a ticket to watch conference in the Tabernacle and, since this was not very full, we got good seats with an excellent view of the screen. Some people from the standby queue were ushered into the Tabernacle after the session had commenced as there was not room for them in the conference centre.

Joel was in town visiting many of his mission companions and other friends. He had got us tickets for the conference centre for the Sunday morning session of conference. We arrived at 7:30am and waited for half an hour for the doors to open. It is a standing joke in my family that I am always early for everything with far too much lee way than is actually required! However, even I did not want to be there more than half an hour before the session as it had snowed during the night! As we were second in the queue at the door we got excellent seats and were right in the middle, at the front, on the edge of a row! We met a lovely couple from South Carolina who had travelled especially for conference.

Until you have experience a session of conference you cannot fully comprehend the vastness of the conference centre! Joel then drove me out to Erda, so I could watch the final session with Jodi and her family, then drove back to Draper to see more friends!I am grateful for the instruction I received and the spirit which I felt from watching and listening to the speakers at General Conference.