The October 2018 General Conference has just ended, but certainly not the discussion of it! Not for many, many months in our wards, stakes, and various gatherings of Mormons, and not here on Mormon Matters podcast (though we promise it won’t be for “months and months”)!
It was a fascinating conference with quite a few different dynamics at play, and so we gathered the next evening three wonderful and brilliant church and conference watcher—Jenne Alderks, Scott Turley, and Sara Lake—to share their immediate, raw, unprocessed but very powerful takes on what they noticed and how they experienced it. What followed was a remarkably energetic, passionate, moving—as well as fun (even a slight bit snarky at times conversation). Along with Mormon Matters host, Dan Wotherspoon, each shared from her or his compassionate and empathetic heart and soul, offering gratitude and praise where they felt it was deserved (and the cases were many), and sorrow, frustration, confusion, and genuine exasperation, sorrow, and hurt over some teachings or leader choices that called for it.
The discussion begins with reactions to, and wondering how the newly announced two-hour block of meetings will play out in the lives of Latter-day Saints. It then turns to key talks and features of the conference. Part 1 addresses a few talks, though some of the same ones continue to be discussed in the second part, but it primarily features an extended conversation about the General Women’s Session and its messaging, both wonderful and hurtful, not to mention confusing in its mixed signaling. Part 2 features discussions of the panelists other highlights or lowlights, and is careful to be aware of those who are listening who might not have followed conference at all and are coming to this episode for their first exposure to what went on and how many our reacting to it. Dan closes this section by offering a few comments that remained on his list but were unspoken during the main recording session.
We believe that anyone who listens to this episode will be captivated by the fun the panelists had together even while they were raising deeply heartfelt issues and experiences. Please tune in! You are also invited to contribute to the conversations in the Comments section for this episode at MormonMatters.org. Thank you!
Comments 5
Hey all!
Just a quick thanks for the support! The podcast name looks as nice as ever!
Some say I’m just an explanation of poorly understood mental health problems and physical illnesses both today and in biblical times, but I like to think of myself as an effective means of contolling and coercing great masses of credulous people!
gotta run, it’s time to feed the serpents…
Yours faithfully,
Satan
I enjoyed this episode but the audio quality continues to be a problem. I wish it could be balanced between the participants. Some of the panel were very loud and at the same time Dan was so soft that I couldn’t really understand what was being said. Fiddling with the audio was a little aggravating and detracted from some important and thoughtful comments.
Yes, I echo these observations. Audio levels were troublesome, leading to many of the participants being too loud, and you, Dan, being very soft at times. Not sure if that is a mic placement issue, or soft speaking, or what, but just something to be aware of.
Thanks for the podcast. Very interesting and thought-provoking, as usual.
Thanks Dan for a quick-turnaround analysis and commentary on conference. Interesting and insightful content.
Just to second the comment about audio: these episodes were challenging to listen to because audio levels were either too high for some speakers or too low for you, Dan. Your voice tends to trail off and get very quiet a lot, not sure if it’s microphone placement issue or what. Just something to consider. Thanks again.
Quick correction: In discussing Elder Holland’s talk, Dan says that Elder Holland acknowledged that the bishop in his story was wrong. That isn’t accurate. Elder Holland says, “I don’t know which of these men had the more accurate facts that day….Regardless of who was right about the tithing, evidently both Morrell and the bishop forgot the Savior’s injunction to “agree with thine adversary quickly” and Paul’s counsel to “let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
So Elder Holland did not say the bishop was in the wrong. He didn’t assert that the bishop was in the right, so that’s something. But I am with Scott. I think it was a missed opportunity to tell all of us that bishops and leaders err. That they may have cause to apologize for the mistakes they make in serving in their callings.