Is it just me or are the Saturday sessions usually better than the Sunday ones? I’ve long thought the best talks are “front-loaded” into the Saturday session to reward those dedicated souls who are willing to give up both their Saturday as well as their Sunday to participate in eight to ten hour hours of conference over the weekend.
Here are the things I’m most eager to see and hear in this upcoming conference:
1. President Monson’s Mantle. Will the President Monson we know and love be noticeably different now that he is President of the Church? Will he wax theological, or will he stick with his trademark folksy heartwarming anecdotes about his days as a Bishop of the “Six-Seventh ward”?
2. Because playing Master of the Obvious is one of my fortés, I have to throw out the question on everyone’s mind: Who will be the next apostle? Will we have our first Latin American apostle in Elder Acosta or Elder Gonzalez, as one of our bloggers has previously mused? Or how about Elder Jensen? He seems to have become more visible ever since he did such an excellent job representing the Church in the PBS documentary.
3. Julie Beck. Will she appear to have been phased at all by the “What Women Know” flap? Will she be extra cautious not to step on any feminists’ toes this time, or will she unapologetically stand her ground? Will any other Church leaders expressly or impliedly address that public outcry, or was it considered so insignificant that it fails to merit mention?
4. With the 30th anniversary of the 1978 priesthood revelation coming up this June, will any declaration be made that repudiates the pre-1978 statements that some leaders made to justify the ban?
5. Personal Voices. I love personal testimonies, stories about personal spiritual journeys, and personal accounts about real people wrestling with real issues. Those are the kinds of talks that particularly move me, and that’s especially what I’ll be looking for.
What about you? What are your hopes and expectations for this Conference?
And as the Conference progresses today, let us know what insights struck you and what testimonies moved you.
Andrew,
imo
1) We, the members, will probably see ‘the mantle’ but he’ll stay the same touching at least one heartwarming story.
2) I doubt elders Acosta or Gonzalez will be called, maybe Zivic or Teh but mostly likely it will be another american like Jensen or Tingey. Just guessing though, and no one guessed elder Cook. We’ll find out in an hour. (2 No. 2’s)
2) They are sure to avoid giving Pt Beck some time this conference, maybe next one we’ll see her again.
3) No, never. Golden rule of mormon management is to do everything possible to not second guess past decisions nor criticize past leaders. I call it the Mountain Meadows Principal -deny at all costs until its too damn obvious.
4) Sure to be plenty of personal stories and testimonies.
I just want to see who the new apostle is and then what Pt Monson & Elders Oaks and Bednar have to say especially. The rest I go through as in any conference.
Plan on a whole lot of talks centered on two issues: (1) that Monson is the chosen prophet of deity, and (2) that LDS members must always follow the prophet. I saw several “changings of the guard” when I was a member of the LDS church, and this always dominated the entire general conference when a new president was sustained.
I love “Lead Kindly Light.” I love this church.
D. Todd Christopherson
Is Pres. Eyring holding a cane? That worries me.
Interesting that they treated the Relief Society and Young Women’s as a separate “quorum” in the voting, rather than lumping all the women in with the “General Membership” (i.e., Primary kids) at the end. I’m fairly certain the Relief Society and YW were not treated as a quorum for voting purposes historically.
Also, my five year old accidentally left her hand up too long and inadvertently voted in opposition. She’s before the age of accountability, but I think I’m going to have to keep an eye on her.
I just realized why Uchtdorf is conducting the solemn assembly. He is pronouncing all these foreign names perfectly.
Elder Eyring recently broke his ankle, thus the cane.
lol Nick - you’re right.
#8 - Oh good. I just don’t want him to get old, I guess.
D. Todd Christopherson, I missed by one, Tingey sits next to him.
Pt Uchtdorf has perfect Spanish pronunciation, amazing for a German.
And Pt Eyring does use a cane now, had one in the photo for the YW meeting.
‘Praise to the man’ what a wonderful hymn
This guy is really pushing the envelope–he has said “Titicaca” three times.
Sorry, my intter 13-year-old got the best of me. Carry on.
Info about D. Todd Christofferson (note the spelling) pulled from lds.org:
Member of Presidency of the Seventy. Called to that position in 1993.
Has presided over Mexico South and North America Northeast areas.
Former executive director of Family and Church History Department.
Bridge builder. Chosen to meet with Jewish groups regarding proxy baptisms, also met with Shinto priests at Meiji shrine.
Defender of the faith. Wrote article entitled “Mormons in the Spotlight” to “set the record straight” on several issues during the media’s focus on Mormons during the Romney candidacy.
Living in Charlotte, North Carolina as of 1993.
This primary president actually sounds like an 8 year old girl! she’s in the right calling.
President Eyring is holding a cane because he fell a month or two ago and I think he broke his ankle. He needs it until the ankle is fully healed.
Darryl - you are correct about President Eyring. That’s why he couldn’t come to the Rexburg Temple dedication.
Can I just say how much I love being able to eat my English muffins and nutella and sip my hot apple cider while listening to these talks? I think those televangelists may be on to something . . .
Do we need a separate thread for favorite “Conference food”?
Oh, notice that Sister Lant went out of her way to say, “we aren’t going to be able to do it perfectly” when talking about being parents. That stood out to me because I’ve been hearing people say “the Church” encourages perfectionism.
Amen Andrew!
I just had spaghetti/napolitano source with 2 potatoes, cause it was only thing handy. Still drinking the 2L Sprite.
Some are lost because they are different. WOW! This is an amazing talk for the Bloggernacle.
I love Joseph B. Wirthin! That’s a big chair.
Wow, great remarks by Elder Wirthlin. We are to go after “the one.” Some are lost because they feel they are “different” and “don’t belong.” They feel they “don’t fit in” and that they are “not needed.”
“Tied to this misconception is the erroneous belief that all members of the church should look, talk and act alike. The Lord did not people the Earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world.”
WOW.
Ray, great minds react alike.
More from Elder Wirthlin:
“If only we had more compassion for those who are different from us. . . . It would certainly make our families and the church a more hallowed and heavenly place.”
“Many feel discouraged because they have not measured up to their potential. Others simply feel too weak to contribute. And so as the flock moves on, gradually, almost imperceptibly, some fall behind. Everyone has felt tired and weary at one time or another. I certainly seem to feel so more now than when I was younger. . . .
“I do not wish to underestimate the weight that members of the Church bear upon their shoulders. Nor do I minimize the emotional and spiritual trials they face. These can be heavy and often difficult to bear. I do however have a testimony of the renewing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiah declared that the Lord giveth power to the faint to them that have no might, he increaseth their strength.”
Love conference. Hate the choir, though. Seriously - this song is creepy as sung/played in this way (I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go as if it were the background music for some 1970s Little House on the Prairie show). It is just me?
I totally agree - this is one of the best Conference talks I can remember hearing. I get the impression that Elder Wirthlin has an especially deep and embracing spirituality. I can’t wait to read over this all again in a few days!
Is this the first time a sister has spoken this early in conference?
More from Elder Wirthlin:
“I am not aware of any sign on the door of our meeting houses that says: ‘Restricted entrance. Perfect people only’.”
Classic!
The LDS Newsroom was quick off the mark… the front page of LDS.org already points to it for an article with information about D. Todd Christofferson!
http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/first-presidency-sustained-new-apostle-and-other-leaders-named
Andrew and Carlos…about Uchtdorf pronouncing the foreign names correctly…I hope you are joking about him having perfect spanish pronunciation…I actually cringed each time he botched a spanish name…definitely not any better than a WASM’s american accent…in fact my colombian wife and I (bolivian) both looked at each other and just laughed about the funny sounding german accent attemtping a spanish rendition
Elder Wirthlin’s counsel isn’t just applicable to our meetinghouses; it applies to how we treat each other here in this “meetinghouse”, as well.
@ jgtown - I wonder whether in Conferences to come we’ll see some abbreviation of the announcement of GA calls and releases. It’s such a long list, and is so often full of bludgeoned pronunciations… I wonder whether there’s a better channel for that information.
It is important stuff, though… we’ve just grown so much in the Church recently, that these announcements become pretty lengthy.
Seems a “family” Theme to this point.
“Those who never give up will find that God never gave up.” That is profound - on more than one level.
I’d like to know if anyone is blogging from the chapel and not home. Just curious.
Quick question: did everyone stand for the sustainings at the appropriate times, in their homes - perhaps in front of their computers?
I did - and it was a wonderfully spiritual moment. ‘…Wherever you are, around the world’. It doesn’t matter where we are - the Spirit attends such occasions.
jgtown,
What?? My native language is spanish -the kings Spanish- and Uchtdorf pronounced the name very well, almost as a native which is difficult for German speakers.
Did you notice my name?
Standing by myself, then watching my wife stand, then two of my daughters, then standing with my entire family - yes, that was special.
Ray (35) I agree. When Elder Wirthlin remarked about the sign that doesn’t exist outside our meetinghouses, I couldn’t help but wonder whether such a sign truly hangs outside God’s heavenly house.
Or perhaps it reads “PerfectED” rather than “Perfect.”
#33 Andy,
I’ve always wondered why the make the general conference sustain area authorities since these are limited by area boundaries, so they are asking members from the Africa sustain AA for Asia even though the african members will never run into the Asian AA.
Hopefully one day they will see this and just have each area sustain their own area authorities.
My girls were excited to stand and raise their hands, too. That was cool.
“perhaps it reads “PerfectED” rather than “Perfect.” - Nice, Andrew.
Carlos (#41),
My wife brought this up this morning. I had never thought about it, but I guess it doesn’t make much sense to be sustaining area authorities in a general conference. I can understand announcing their calling and release, but I don’t know why we sustain them in the GC forum.
That was a major change to have the RS & the YW stand. In the past, they went through all the Priesthood Quorums separately and then to the general membership. I had a Sister I home taught ask me why the deacons were more important than the women. I stumbled through a response about Priesthood, blah, blah, blah.
It’s a small change, but shows that the church is trying. I was very happy to see that.
I think the AA sustainings happen because area conferences don’t, at least not very often.
because, even though they are “area authorities”, they still are considered to be “general authorities” - meaning “not local authorities”
That might change in the future, but the line of demarcation right now between “local” and “general” is between Stake Presidents and Area Authorities - and is positioned practically between those who take their priesthood direction straight from SLC and those who get that direction from an “intermediate” source.
The Area Authorities are basically Regional Representatives with more authority than previously held by the RR. They can preside over Stake Conference and, I suppose call Stake presidents? Maybe not the President but probably replace counselors. We had Elder Bednar at our SC when he was a AA.
The AA report directly to the GAs. There are no more Area Presidents in North America, either.
I will be with a son this afternoon and will miss the second session. I look forward to reading all the comments tonight, after the Priesthood session.
I haven’t read all the posts so I hope this hasn’t been covered already. I thought the major change in how sustainings took place was interesting. In the past I know friends and others that would abstain (not vote) in certain cases or for certain people being sustained. Now that we each stand by quorum it could make that much more difficult or at least a spectacle should you abstain. If this is carried to the local level such as ward conference and there are only a dozen elders etc. you would certainly be called in should you be one of twelve standing before the ward and stake leadership and then not vote. I think this goes straight to a control issue………
Mormonpatriot #50: A solemn assembly is different than a normal session of sustainings. I expect that we’ll be back to normal next conference until the next prophet is sustained.
Carlos…si querido amigo…reconoci tu nombre y precisamente por esa razon me sacaste de onda cuando dijiste que el los habia pronunciado tan bien…a mi parecer y al parecer de mi esposa colombian, los dijo con un acento superfuerte…me sono chistoso no mas…definativamente nada que ver con el acento de un hispanoparlante…pero reasonable minds beg to differ i suppose…pd…de donde eres carlos? was your reference to “kings spanish” a reference to espana por si acaso?
wow, they are having the press conference with Christopherson already. byu tv
But another lawyer, and banker to boot, omg
Elder Wirthlin’s talks are always marvelous, though I think some people tune out because of his delivery. I always enjoy his messages, and today’s was no exception. A point of interest for the bloggernacle would be his emphasis on reaching out to those who have strayed for various reasons. It is interesting that he would delineate the different reasons people stray, showing a deeper understanding of people and their complexities. President Eyring and Elder Johnson also dealt with similar issues, and I have a feeling we’ll hear President Monson reach out to straying members as well. I personally appreciated the emphasis on experiences with the Spirit as the basis for spiritual knowledge and testimony, and I find it interesting that both Elder Wirthlin and Elder Johnson quoted 1 Corinthians 2:11. Apparently this is something that Church members need to be reminded of.
jgtown:
Si español, y por eso hablo el español del Rey, amigo. Lo que pasa es que hay que re-educar a los latinoamericanos para que mejoréis vuestra pronunciación, para volver a lo correcto y educado! Pues vieron como habla Chavez, por eso no le funciona la zabeca muy bien.
Por las dudas volví a oír a Uchtdorf y sigo afirmando que pronuncia casi perfecto, un 98%. Y por ser alemán nativo habla por demás bien.
Carlos…es siempre interesante que los espanoles quieran “re-educarnos” a los latinoamericanos en cuanto a nuestro espanol…tu crees igual que solamente los de inglaterra hablan un ingles correcto y educado?…la verdad es que me fascinan todas las variedades del espanol incluso la de espana…a poco se dice “zabeca” en espana?…pense que solamente los argentinos decian zabeca en vez de cabeza…y el chavez, bueno eso es otro rollo completo eh…igual volvi a escuchar la pronunciacion del uchtdorf…te concedo que es mejor que la de un estadounidense pero igual me suena chistoso y por cierto nada que ver con un 98%…pero de nuevo…cada quien tiene su boda eh
Dejen de hablar en espanol, por favor. Si Jesucristo habla el ingles (y vemos en las escrituras que si, lo habla), todos debemos hablar en ingles. Es el idioma de Adan, y de los cielos.
Si, los ingleses hablan ingles correcto y los yankis hablan ingles yanki!
Y nosotros inventamos zabeca, los argentinos nos copiaron.
Estos gringos: ……..”jesucristo habla ‘el’ ingles…
Estos ex-misioneros nunca van a hablar bien!
딴언어로 말할꺼라면 나도 한국말로 쓰고싶어요. 이 말도 안되는 어이 없는 엘스파니아말로 하는 사람 누군데요…
How do you like it now
I have to join in on this Carlos -
なぜなら、みんながスペイン語を分からないよう。英語で話しましょうか？
oooga booga boooga loogga. Ching chong ching ching chan. Gene Hackman kick your *ss
Dam!
OK, OK, back to english
Andy Munzer - We don’t do the sustainings in our house, but I can see why that would be a good idea, and I definitely liked the change in having the women’s groups stand separately. It was pretty condescening the old way. Hubbie & I were cooking breakfast for a housefull of sleepover kids from my son’s party last night.
We have the phones rigged up on intercom so my hubbie can work in the garage and listen and I can lay out by the pool and listen. My kids all have (non-LDS) friends over playing. I am not very strict with the kids about watching it. I hope they are absorbing by osmosis. We TiVO it and replay it the coming week. I love the advances of technology! Growing up, the Mormons had to beg the local TV station to show just the Sunday morning session. That was all we had access to when I was really young. We didn’t have satellite yet (back then) to get the other sessions. We didn’t even have a real church building yet.
Carlos:
You’re seriously not dragging up the “King’s Spanish” nonsense again, are you?
Tell me you’re not, not after you got slammed when you did it last December on Times and Seasons. Remember how you confused ‘ceceo’ and ’seseo’, and insisted that “correct Spanish” meant pronouncing the letter ’s’ as ‘th’? Remember how you insiste the ‘ceceo’ had existed in Spanish from the beginning?
Stick to the topic at hand, conference, and keep the egg of your face.
What? Innocent. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Here’s the link;
http://www.timesandseasons.org/?p=4313
But I suppose you’re not that Carlos, are you?
The method of sustaining the officers and leaders of the Lord’s Church, that you all witnessed and should have partisapated in today is not a new way of doing it. It was done in the Kirkland temple at the start or the Church, it is called a “solemn assembly” in the order that our Heavenly Father has set. It is the order of the Priesthood and has nothing to do with equality or fairness. It is the way the Lord wants it.
No.
But what’s the point. There was some joking around here until your comment showed up. Anyway, back to conference.
We have done the same thing for every new Prophet and Presidency. since the start of the restored Gospel.
Sorry, my #69 was for this ‘Innocent’ #67
Yes, Bruce, voting by quorums goes back to Kirtland. But I believe that was limited to priesthood quorums. I haven’t read about the Relief Society and YW being treated as separate “quorums” with a separate vote back in those days. I believe that is what was new today: treating the Relief Society and YW as the equivalent of “quorums” who merited a separate vote just like any other priesthood quorum. Please correct me if that is wrong. A citation to a source would be great.
I just went back at listened to Elder Uchtdorf pronounce the names,and while he did better than Pres Monson does, in no way did he pronounce their names “almost like a native”.
jg:
Carlos no es gallego, es un tarado–me tinca que es un argentino, o quizas un uruguayo, viviendo un exilio australiano. Es un latinoamericano que mira en menos a su propia gente.
Y vos y tu mujer tienen razon–Uchtdorf no lo hizo tan mal, pero tampoco pronuncio los nombres como un “nativo”. Te aconsejo que no te pongas a discutir con Carlos, que aparte de terco es bastante ignorante. En fin, no malgastes tu tiempo con el.
The RS and YW are under the direction of the Priesthood. The Lord want a “House of Order” It was done for the last few changes.
Bruce Allen,
There was no Relief Society and no Young Women organization in 1836. The main point is that people in the Church experienced a different order of sustaining than the one we experienced today and they were POSITIVE about it!
When the Primary children vote as a group, I will be ecstatic!
Ok, ‘innocent’ you don’t know what you’re talking about. Nor do you even bother to use a real name. I don’t know who that Carlos is in T&S, there are plenty around with this name of mine. By the way I was born in Madrid but served in BsAs and married there too and lived there for 6 years all up but above all I love the people from argentina and its food and football especially. And in my opinion Uchtdorf did an excellent job trying to pronounce spanish names.
You should have more respect for a first presidency member.
Go back to whatever blog you came from. You’re only here to cause contention and are not needed. (Last comment to you, conference is too good to bother with you any more)
As of 1986 (Pres. Benson), the church was not including Relief Society and YW as separately voting quorums in the solemn assembly:
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=5e0fef960417b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
Nor did they have the Relief Society and YW stand and vote separately in the solemn assembly in 1994 (Pres Hunter).
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=e91c3ff73058b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
But in 1995 (Pres. Hinckley) they DID have the Relief Society and YW stand and vote as a separate “quorum”
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=2f263ff73058b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
That method is only done in a solemn assembly that’s my point.
Carlos,
You were very perceptive in noting that neither Elders Costa nor Gonzalez would be the new apostle. This makes for a lot of lawyers in the hierarchy now.
I found it interesting that the first Portuguese General Authority was called today. How do you feel about that as an Iberian? Are there any Spanish General Authorities serving now?
Carlos and Innocent. Ya! Basta! Por favor! No mas!
Did Carlos Amato sound more pronouncedly accented this time to anyone but me? I was loving his pronunciation of words like “multitudes” [moolt-ee-toodz] and “nature” [nah-tyur].
Scott’s talk about abuse - finally we’re getting this in GC, and not just priesthood session!
I stand corrected and thank you for the clarification. learn something everyday.
#80 John,
I missed that first portuguese GA news. But no, he’s as close to me as Pt Uchtdorf, who is european too.
I don’t know if there is a spaniard there. I think there was one born in spain but raised in uruguay? not sure.
Carlos,
Elder Vinas, I think. I suppose as an American, a French Canadian would be the same distance from me as a Portuguese would be to you…
Elder Scott’s talk is good and true to form focuses on restoring self-esteem and repenting.
Bruce, we were both half right. Relief Society and YW were not included in separate voting since Kirtland, but it has been done before today as you correctly pointed out.
We went long on lunch today so we’re a bit behind on the afternoon talks (thank you TiVo). But my wife and I are astounded by how many talks are about developing a personal testimony. I wonder whether things like the Pew Report, showing negative .1 percent growth of the Church in the U.S. when one factors in those who leave the Church no longer identify themselves as Mormons, has something to do with this. This is a common topic in any church meeting, but there seems to be an unusually high percentage of talks about this topic of developing a personal testimony in today’s sessions.
They were separate but were not asked to stand ( Pres. Benson)
Bruce, ? Are we reading the same document? I double checked and didn’t see Relief Society or YW mentioned in 1986 (Benson)
Elder Scott is truly amazing. His demeanor and love are testimony to me of the reality of the Savior.
Wow I wonder if that was an oversite. I see that a new YW Pres was sustained but not the 1st Presy and not the RS
I just thought that I’d mention that Elder Oaks also quoted 1 Corinthians 2:11. That makes three.
https://secure.lds.org/units/home/0,9781,600-1-7-140716,00.html
Yes, Elder Scott is truly a witness of Christ. He addressed real people struggling with real problems with a perfect love, sensitivity, kindness, encouragement, and empowerment.
I second that about elder Scott. He’s the kind of person who always tries to give you a hug when possible.
Always humble and also spiritual. Great man.
Francisco Viñas was born in Spain but emigrated to Paraguay and then Uruguay as a young child. His parents joined the church in Paraguay; interestingly enough, his father was imprisoned by Franco. Viñas’ dad was an army officer who remained loyal to the Republic during the Spanish Civil War.
Carlos–it is awfully funny how another Carlos imitated your style right down the “look at my name as it shows I know what I’m talking about” defense. That and the assertion about the “deformed” Spanish of Latin Americans and proper “King’s Spanish”–but I suppose stranger things have happened. Enjoy the conference.
Andrew:
That is the last contentious post from me, I swear. Sorry if I’ve caused any commotion.
Innocent, you are forgiven.
There, now you’re truly Innocent again. 
A calming set of sessions. Wonder how Priesthood session will go. I always look forward to it, sit in the back so I’ve got light so I can take notes.
Definitely loved President Monson’s talk. Which other prophets could wiggle their ears?
And President Uchtdorf always takes us for a ride in the clouds. I like his style. I enjoyed that even the talks for youth were applicable to older folks.
It seems like the Presiding Bishopric’s report on humanitarian assistance is becoming a tradition. I like that we seem to be focusing more time and attention on temporal needs around the world. There’s so much more we can do. I was especially impressed by the medical education and vaccinations the Church is sponsoring.
Pres. Monson’s ears wiggling - My son will take that image to his grave. He came home, gathered his mother and sisters into the living room and replayed it for them - laughing hysterically the entire time. Then he told them the application (leaders being the type of men they want the young men to be), and my wife teared up. Even my son retelling it was powerful.
Oh, and I love Pres. Uchdorf’s talks. He has an air of authority that is amazing.
I loved the humanitarian report as well. And Elder Uchtdorf’s talk was the highlight of the evening for me. I found it very interesting that he listed “intolerance” alongside the evils of pornography and violence that he listed as spiritual threats lurking on the Internet.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw two of my Iranian ESL students in the parking lot walking into the meeting. One of them is scheduled to be baptized this coming Saturday. I caught up with them and they lamented that they didn’t know they were supposed to wear suits and ties. I told them they looked just fine and we sat down together on a pew. I was fascinated to see how they would react to their first GC priesthood session. One of them made it until the second talk before he started falling asleep. The other made it until the third talk before he started falling asleep. But they picked themselves back up and paid a remarkable degree of attention. One of them said he understood about 35% of the meeting; the other said he understood about 60%. They laughed hard when Pres. Monson wiggled his ears and commented after the meeting how they liked that he was joking like that.
Afterwards we grabbed some dinner and one of them tells me: “You know what I love about our Church, is that families are very important.” His words hit me hard: “our church.” Here was this good Iranian man who has been in the U.S. for just 20 months and he’s calling it “our church.” I’m looking forward to his upcoming baptism. He will be baptized by the one and only other Iranian convert in our stake, and the baptism will be performed in Farsi.
It looks like the Solemn Assemblies have evolved over time…just as many of the other aspects of the church. This is to be expected as the church grows and the organiztation of the church changes to meet the demands of the growth. But, the most important and beautiful part of it all has remained constant: the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement.
Here is a very lengthy Solemn Assembly when President Spencer W. Kimball was sustained as the President of the Church:
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=f37f3219c786b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
Interesting to read who were in each of the groups. Many of the current 12 are in positions such as Assistants to the 12. It looks as though this is the last Solemn Assembly where there is a Patriarch of the Church. He was also considered a Prophet, Seer and Revelator. Anyone know when the Church stopped having a Patriarch of the Church?
I have really enjoyed studying the progression of the Priesthood Quorums of the Church to where they are today. I find it amazing that as the years progress, the Priesthood is organized more and more (from assistants to the 12 to RRs to AAs and also how the quorums of the 70s have developed. Each of the changes have made it easier and better to serve the membership of the Church and the growing worldwide needs both spiritual and temporal.
I have yet to be able to see the first two sessions, save the voting. But the Priesthood Session was fantastic. There was the perfect mix of doctrine, teaching, humor, personal stories, testimonies and reporting (humanitarian report). I was glad to see Pres. Monson’s humor. That does not always come out with him. He will be a great Prophet for our time.
I bet the Pope can’t wiggle HIS ears… President Monson is clearly in the stick-pulling tradition of Mormon prophet, which I think is fun though I’m sure a minority find it off-putting.
Uchtdorf rocks. I find it very easy and rewarding listening to him, while my mind wanders during Eyring’s cerebral earnestness and my eyes tend to roll with Monson, though he doesn’t bore me because I’m always curious to see what he pulls out of his hat next. I bet I would like Eyring better reading him than listening to him, but Uchtdorf is probably better heard than read.
I thought Uchtdorf’s rolled R’s during the sustaining were VERY impressive.
I bet Sister Uchtdorf has been freaking out. When I worked at the Ensign and interviewed Elder U. for his bio upon becoming a Seventy, I remember the two of them sitting in my office during their flurry of church HQ processing, and Sister U.’s countenance reflected a strong mix of surprise, wariness, and maybe even just the slightest twinge of feeling the just teeniest bit put upon.
#104:
The October 1979 General Conference was when Elder Eldred G. Smith got released from his duties as the Patriarch of the Church.
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=972f615b01a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
Thank you Curtis. I knew it was around that time.