This is for you!

If you believe in God, and even if you don’t, this is for You! 

 

There are over 30,000 denominations in just Christianity alone. I sat on a plane by a fellow who was the son of a Baptist minister.  He followed his example and became a Baptist minister too until one day he listened to General Conference which changed his life. He is currently serving as the ward organist in Seminole, Florida.  

 

We, members of the Church of Latter-day Saints, love Conference weekend. We usually attend it live but not this year because of the pandemic. The broadcast is transmitted live from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. It begins Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. followed by 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 pm (MST) and on Sunday it starts with Music and Spoken word at 9:30 and followed by 2:00 p.m.  people have various alternatives to watch it live using the home page of ChurchofJesusChirst.org or on YouTube or the Mormon Channel Website, apps, Roku, etc.

 

A large amount of time and resources go into preparing for the General Conference. They begin in May to get ready for the October Conference and November to get ready for the April Conference so the preparation is year-round. “General Conference is like scripture. The pattern of how God reveals His will to His children is manifest beautifully at conference as God’s servants deliver messages to those who have come prepared to receive them and be inspired.” Elder Sitati 

 

Staging an event the size of General Conference is a major undertaking. Just imagine all the hours spent as many volunteers and employees perform a variety of interesting tasks for example: The choir rehearses and memorizes about 30 songs, they come fasting at 7:00 a.m. The rest of the volunteers come way before 7:00 a.m. The Seventy are given a nine- minute talk to prepare and no topic is given. The Apostles get fifteen minutes. The concluding speaker is given twenty minutes. Usually there are around 30 speakers. 

 

The talks are translated to over 100 languages using a staff of over 1000 translators. The Conferences are broadcasted to 190 countries and to 8,000 Church building and over 2000 cable stations. The last three Conferences were watched by more people around the world than any other time in the history of General Conferences. There are over 100 people operating the cameras and equipment. The Church has a security team who before the event, Wards and Stakes come in to simulate evacuation exercises in case of any emergency they would know what to do. They take security very seriously.

 

In the kitchen, food services are preparing meals for the Choir, General Authorities and their guests.  They want to make sure they are fed, they serve 1200 meals at a conference weekend. There are two satellite systems, two teleprompters and two electrical feeds, why? Because if one goes out, another one can be up and running almost instantly

 

Elder Holland declared, “one of us will touch on your circumstance sending a personal prophetic epistle just for you. I promise that if you will listen, the Lord will tell you what He wants you to do with your life. In Conferences, we can receive the word of the Lord meant just for us.” This Conference, let’s write down a few questions. What’s on our mind? And as we tune in, look for those answers if we stay attentive through the power of the Holy Ghost. As a family, let’s bring our open heart and open mind. We invite you to have a wonderful experience watching the General Conference all together in our various homes but with one heart and one mind to love the Lord, His gospel and His Church. 

 

I invite you to take a listen.

 

Con amor,

Vero