Summary Of 185th Annual LDS General Conference, Sunday Afternoon General Session: Elder Robert D. Hales Gives A Powerful Defense Of Religious Liberty

The 185th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued on Sunday afternoon, and what a great way to commemorate Easter Sunday! My personal highlight was the powerful defense of religious liberty articulated by Elder Robert Hales, who explained that liberty originated with our Heavenly Father, has been opposed and distorted by Satan, and why it is important for us as Latter-day Saints to respect the religious liberty of others. Elder Joseph Sitati also became another of the many speakers to offer an explanation and defense of traditional marriage.

-- Salt Lake Tribune photo gallery of Conference.
-- KSL Channel 5 photo gallery of Conference.

Other Sessions:

-- Summary of General Women's Session
-- Summary of Saturday Morning General Session
-- Summary of Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Summary of Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Summary of Sunday Morning General Session

For the first time, the LDS Church provides immediate real-time summaries of the talks on their Conference At A Glance Page; nice innovation, but I also choose to provide my traditional summaries. Video and audio archives will be available on the designated General Conference page shortly after the Conference; written transcripts will be posted later in the week. LDSConf Twitter also used as a source. For the time being, I have posted short summaries of the highlights of each talk along with any pertinent personal impressions. Links posted below take you directly to the Deseret News account of the talk.

-- Elder Robert D. Hales, Quorum of the Twelve: For some reason, Elder Hales does not get as much public attention as the other apostles. Maybe today's talk will garner the public attention he richly deserves, because Elder Hales spoke of agency. He's grateful for our freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly, and acknowledges that agency was always part of the plan of salvation and exaltation. Agency is so important to the Father that the desire to take it away caused Lucifer and his followers to be cast out forever. But even from his fallen position, Satan continues to oppose and undermine agency and religious freedom; he deliberately promotes a confused definition of religious freedom. In contrast, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Elder Hales outlines four cornerstones of religious liberty: freedom to believe, freedom to share beliefs with others, freedom to form a church, and freedom to live one's faith not only at home and church, but also in public places. But he adds that all of the cornerstones apply to all religions, so he charges us to be tolerant of all religions. No one should criticize, persecute, or attack an individual for what he or she believes about God. As disciples of Jesus Christ we have the responsibility to work together. In the final analysis, Elder Hales finds that how we live our religion is far more important than what we may say about our religion.

-- Elder Kevin W. Pearson, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Pearson wants us to stay by the "tree" (the Tree of Life as outlined in Lehi's vision) and endure to the end, which is not only a hallmark of true discipleship, but is also essential to eternal life. He cautioned us to resist two of Satan’s most powerful tools, distraction and deception. Casual obedience and lukewarm commitment can weaken faith; enduring to the end requires total commitment to the Savior and to our covenants. Elder Pearson suggested six important principles to help individuals endure to the end. First, don’t forget to pray; second, come unto Christ and be perfected in Him; third, press forward with faith; fourth, use the Book of Mormon as the key to spiritual survival; fifth, avoid distraction and deception; and finally, stay by the tree.

-- Elder Rafael E. Pino, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Pino became the second speaker to deliver a talk in a language other than English (Spanish is his native language); some people on Twitter criticized the use of voiceovers rather than subtitles for translation. In any event, Elder Pino spoke about the eternal perspective, noting that the eternal perspective of the gospel leads us to understand the place that we occupy in God’s plan, to accept difficulties and progress through them, to make decisions, and to center our lives on our divine potential. Understanding the plan of happiness devised for us by our Heavenly Father provides us with that eternal perspective. Elder Pino added that it is extremely important that we do not make decisions of eternal value from the perspective of mortality; decisions affecting eternity require a gospel perspective. He concluded that not having an eternal perspective can lead us to have an earthly perspective as our personal standard and to make decisions that are not in harmony with the will of God.

-- Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Andersen talked about the worldwide growth of the Church, and attributes it in part to the Lord's miracles. We marvel as we watch Him open doors we cannot open and perform miracles we can scarcely imagine. Elder Andersen explained why the Church selected Thailand, Ivory Coast, and Haiti for new temples. He spoke of continued growth of the Church in Haiti after a devastating earthquake in 2010; the faithful example of Sathit Kaivalvatana, a faithful member in Thailand who overcame an accident in which he was paralyzed and serves as president of the Bangkok Thailand North Stake; and the growth of the Church in the Ivory Coast, where two couples started a Sunday School 30 years ago and there are now eight stakes and 27,000 members. He asked the congregation if they could see the hand of God moving His work forward in Haiti, Thailand and the Ivory Coast.

-- Elder Jorge F. Zeballos, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Zeballos identified two primary responsibilities for Latter-day Saints: First, to seek their own salvation; and second, to help others realize their salvation. These responsibilities, freely accepted and entrusted to us, must define our priorities, our desires, our decisions and our daily conduct. Four principles he suggests will enable us to accomplish this mission include learning our duty, making the decision, acting accordingly, and willingly accepting the Father's will.

-- Elder Joseph W. Sitati, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Sitati was yet another speaker who spoke in defense of traditional marriage, but within the context of the three fundamental charges given by God to His children found in Moses 2:28: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Elder Sitati noted that physical bodies are a blessing from God that provide God’s children the opportunity to experience life on earth, and that marriage between a man and a woman is the institution that God ordained for the fulfillment of the charge to multiply. Furthermore, it is a marriage performed in the temple where covenants are honored that creates the best experience of love and preparation for a fruitful life, as the promise given to those sealed in the covenant of eternal marriage is that the adversary will never have power to undermine the foundation of their eternal companionship.

-- Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Nelson made a pitch for Sabbath observance, saying that the fullness of the earth is promised to those who keep the Sabbath Day holy. But although the Sabbath was given as a perpetual covenant -- a constant reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people -- Elder Nelson also pointed out that it was the Savior who taught that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Christ wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was His gift to us, granting real respite from the rigors of daily life, and opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal, and not for amusement or daily labor. Elder Nelson rejects the notion of publishing long Pharasaical laundry lists of "don'ts" on the Sabbath, instead deciding that his conduct and attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between him and his Heavenly Father. With that understanding, he no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. Some of the more common worthy Sabbath activities include attending Sunday services, partaking of the sacrament, tending to Church callings, performing family history work, and reaching out to those who are lonely or in need.

Unlike in the past, President Uchtdorf closed the Conference rather than President Monson.

From the Bloggernacle: Reaction from rank-and-file LDS around the Web.

-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: One commenter opined that the Brethren are "really beating the drum on gay marriage this year".

-- Times & Seasons: The usual bulletized summaries of the talks.

Summary Of 185th Annual LDS General Conference, Sunday Morning General Session: Three New Temples Planned, Including One In Haiti

The 185th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued on Sunday morning with the announcement that, after a two-year hiatus on new temples, the Church is planning to build three new temples. One of the proposed locations is unsurprising and seemingly past due; Bangkok, Thailand. But the other two are a surprise and illustrate that sometimes the Lord sees things differently than us mere mortals: Abidjan, Ivory Coast and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Looks like the Lord has finally bestowed some long-delayed mercy upon those two troubled lands. But this session of Conference was also marked by specific outreach towards Latter-day Saints considered "less active", as two speakers, Sister Rosemary Wixom and Elder Brent Nielson, pointed to prospective paths back to full activity.

Other Sessions:

-- Summary of General Women's Session
-- Summary of Saturday Morning General Session
-- Summary of Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Summary of Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session

For the first time, the LDS Church provides immediate real-time summaries of the talks on their Conference At A Glance Page; nice innovation, but I also choose to provide my traditional summaries. Video and audio archives will be available on the designated General Conference page shortly after the Conference; written transcripts will be posted later in the week. LDSConf Twitter also used as a source. For the time being, I have posted short summaries of the highlights of each talk along with any pertinent personal impressions. Links posted below take you directly to the Deseret News account of the talk.

-- President Thomas S. Monson: It was during this talk that President Monson made the surprising announcement of new temples planned for Thailand, Ivory Coast, and Haiti. According to him, there are currently 144 temples in operation worldwide, with five being renovated and 13 more under construction. In addition, 13 temples, which were previously announced, are in various stages of preparation before construction begins. In 2015, the Church anticipates rededicating two temples and dedicating five new temples that are scheduled for completion. But President Monson also made a pitch for the blessings of the temple, citing two stories to drive the message home. Temples not only provide rest for our souls and a respite from the cares of our lives, but also offer a dimension of spirituality and a feeling of peace which will transcend any other feeling which could come into the human heart.

NOTE: The five new temples are scheduled for dedication this year are in Córdoba Argentina (May 17), Payson Utah (June 7), Trujillo Peru (June 21), Indianapolis Indiana (dedication, Aug. 23), and Tijuana Mexico (Dec. 13). The two temples being rededicated this year after renovations are completed are Mexico City Mexico (Sept. 13), and Montreal Quebec Canada (no date yet set). The other temples under renovation are in Idaho Falls, Fiji, and Freiberg, Germany.

-- Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary General President: Sister Wixom was tailoring her talk towards less-active members. She cited the classical example of a woman who was active, but developed questions that had increasingly difficult answers. These prompted even more questions that shook the foundations of her faith. Despite a support system from her bishop and ward members, she became less active. After reading a book of Mother Teresa's writings, she began the slow journey back to activity, but she had to start with basic gospel truths. She purchased a Primary Children’s Songbook and read the words of the songs. She also continued to study the scriptures. Soon, this woman accepted a calling as the Primary pianist, which allowed her to strengthen her testimony of the truths she did know in a place she felt safe.

-- Elder Jose A. Teixeira, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Teixeira spoke of the need to deepen understanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ. The more individuals understand the role of Christ, the more conscious they become of their purpose in mortality, which is to have joy. Elder Teixeira encouraged members to have interactions with the teachings of Christ every day, and touted the small and simple gestures and acts as being particularly instrumental. To prevent today's networked lifestyle from removing us from what is essential, Elder Teixeira gave three habits to establish healthy online activity: First, visit the Church’s official website for resources; second, subscribe to the Church’s official social networks; and third, make time to set aside mobile devices.

-- Bishop Gerald Causse, First Counselor Presiding Bishopric: With the Gospel flooding over the entire earth and temples seemingly everywhere, Bishop Causee cautioned members against taking our Heavenly Father's marvels for granted. He suggested three things to help members see, hear, feel and marvel at the gospel available to them: First, never tire of discovering or rediscovering the truths of the gospel; second, anchor faith in the plain and simple truths of the gospel; and third, seek and cherish the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

-- Elder Brent H. Nielson, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Nielson also reached out towards less-active members, using the Prodigal Son analogy. Since his sister left the Church, he has been affected personally. But he never stopped loving his sister, and his mother kept placing his sister on the prayer roll of the local temple. Finally, his sister felt impressed to watch the sessions of Conference in 2009 and began her slow journey back. The idea is that just because someone chooses to walk out of the Church doesn't mean we have to lock the door behind them; we continue to love that person, we watch, we pray and we wait for the Lord’s hand in their lives to be revealed.

-- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Holland spoke on the significance of the Atonement. He noted that understanding the fall of Adam and Eve is required to adequately comprehend the significance of the Atonement. Because we were subsequently born into that same fallen world and would also transgress the laws of God, we also were sentenced to the same penalties that Adam and Eve faced. This fallen state would leave all men without hope of immortality or eternal life. But a Savior was prepared to overcome the Fall through the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son. That Atonement would achieve complete victory over physical death, unconditionally granting resurrection to every person who has been born or ever will be born into this world. Mercifully it would also provide forgiveness for the personal sins of all, from Adam to the end of the world, conditioned upon repentance and obedience to divine commandments. A logical confluence of justice and mercy; the Atonement represents the mercy without which we cannot return to the Father.

-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor First Presidency: In teaching of the divine gift of God's grace, President Uchtdorf said it does not merely restore one to a state of innocence. The Father’s aim is much higher: He wants His sons and daughters to become like Him. This will lead to heights we can scarcely comprehend; namely, exaltation in the celestial kingdom, where we, surrounded by our loved ones, receive of the fulness and glory of the Father. We become heirs of the Father and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

President Uchtdorf gave an interesting explanation of the relationship between grace and obedience (another way of describing faith and works). He acknowledged that salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience, but is purchased by the blood of the Son of God. So why is obedience stressed? President Uchtdorf explained that we obey the commandments of God out of love for Him, adding that trying to understand God’s gifts of grace with all our heart and mind gives us all the more reasons to love and obey our Heavenly Father with meekness and gratitude. As we walk the path of discipleship it refines us, it improves us, it helps us to become more like Him, and it leads us back to His presence. Thus faith justifies, and works sanctify.

From the Bloggernacle: Reaction from rank-and-file LDS around the Web.

-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: Surprisingly detailed and upbeat summaries of the talks, free of the male-bashing which normally characterizes this source. Talks by Sister Wixom and Elder Nielson received some acclaim.

-- Millennial Star: Faith-promoting summaries of talks. President Uchtdorf's talk drew some acclaim.

-- Times & Seasons: Good bulletized summaries of each talk.

Summary Of 185th Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Evening Priesthood Session:

The 185th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued with the Priesthood Session this evening. Counsel given to Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthood holders was of the more traditional variety. Elder M. Russell Ballard delivered one of the more important talks, urging young men to raise the bar and better prepare themselves for missionary service, while discussing the missionary selection process in greater detail. President Monson delivered his first talk of the Conference, and, while looking more and more his age, was no less eloquent than he has been in the past.

Other Sessions:

-- Summary of General Women's Session
-- Summary of Saturday Morning General Session
-- Summary of Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session

For the first time, the LDS Church provides immediate real-time summaries of the talks on their Conference At A Glance Page; nice innovation, but I also choose to provide my traditional summaries. Video and audio archives will be available on the designated General Conference page shortly after the Conference; written transcripts will be posted later in the week. LDSConf Twitter also used as a source. For the time being, I have posted short summaries of the highlights of each talk along with any pertinent personal impressions. Links posted below take you directly to the Deseret News account of the talk.

-- Elder M. Russell Ballard, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Ballard is considered the designated "technology wonk" of the Quorum, and he lived up to that billing. However, this was embedded within a challenge he issued to bishops, parents and prospective missionaries to raise the bar for full time missionary service. Elder Ballard said that what we need now is the greatest generation of young adults in the history of the Church, to respond with whole heart and soul. We need vibrant, thinking, passionate young adults who know how to listen and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. Elder Ballard also discussed the missionary selection process at length, characterizing it as a marriage of technology and revelation. He explained that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve assigns every missionary to his or her mission. The prospective missionary’s photograph comes up on a computer screen together with key information provided by the bishop and stake president. When the picture appears, the Apostle looks into the eyes and reviews the answers to the missionary recommendation questions. For that brief moment, it seems as if the missionary is personally present responding directly. Then, by the power of the Spirit and under the direction of President Monson, the Church assigns the missionary to one of the Church’s 406 worldwide missions.

Sounds quite similar to the process used by Joseph Smith to translate the unsealed portion of the Golden Plates into the modern Book of Mormon. View the character, study it out in his mind, ask the Lord if it is right, then get the answer.

Elder Ballard then posed nine questions the prospective missionary should be able to answer affirmatively:

– Do you read the scriptures?
– Do you kneel in prayer daily?
– Do you fast and donate a fast offering each month?
– Do you think deeply about the Savior during the Sacrament?
– Do you try to keep the Sabbath day holy?
– Are you honest at home, church and work?
– Do you avoid looking at pornography and photos that might embarrass you?
– Are you careful with your time? (Avoid Tinder and Snapchat).
– Is there anything in your life you need to change and fix beginning tonight?

-- Elder Ulisses Soares, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Soares continued a new tradition begun at the October 2014 Conference by delivering his talk in Portuguese; simultaneous translation into English was available. He spoke about the war against sin that we wage daily, and cited Captain Moroni during the middle portion of the Book of Mromon as an ideal example of a total spiritual warrior, saying that all of us need to become modern Captain Moronis in order to win the wars against evil. He cited the example of a deacon who reproved some of his friends for accessing porn on their cell phones, and the ridicule he received in response, except for one individual who followed his counsel. Elder Soares warned us against allowing ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, saying that many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt of our society to justify sin.

-- Brother Larry M. Gibson, former First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency: Since he was just released from the position today, this could be considered his "farewell address". He cited an example from his own childhood which drove home the importance of thinking about the eternal destiny his Heavenly Father has for him. His father showed him a silver dollar, explaining that if it was melted down and mixed with the right ingredients, it would become silver nitrate, which forms the reflective surface of a mirror. His father warned him that if he focused only on the silver, all he would see is himself and, like a veil, it would keep him from seeing clearly the eternal destiny Heavenly Father has prepared just for him. His father then gave him the silver dollar to keep as a reminder of that principle. And fatherhood is the eternal destiny of a man.

-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: Authenticity was the watchword of President Uchtdorf's address, as he sought to convince people of the need to be genuine. He cited the historical example of the Potemkin villages in Russia which misled Catherine the Great as to the true condition of the peasants in her empire; such misinformation can potentially be destructive. Likewise, Priesthood holders should avoid trying to cover their sins, or to gratify their pride or vain ambition through hypocrisy. Mistaking the form of godliness for the power thereof can result in us directing our outward expressions of discipleship to impress others for personal gain or influence rather than to serve.

President Uchtdorf added that the Church is not an automobile showroom, where we put ourselves on display so that others can admire our spirituality, capacity or prosperity. It is more like a service center, where vehicles in need of repair come for maintenance and rehabilitation. And all of us at one time or another need repair, maintenance and rehabilitation? We come to church not to hide our problems but to heal them.

-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency: President Eyring discussed the importance of enjoying the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Often there is little to no time for prior preparation, particularly when faced with a situation warranting the administration of a Priesthood blessing. The power to speak and act in God’s name requires revelation, which requires the companionship of the Holy Ghost. And receiving guidance from the Holy Ghost as one studies the words of prophets will take more than casual listening and reading; we will need to pray and work in faith to put the words of truth down into our hearts. We must pray that God will bless us with His Spirit, that He will lead us into all truth and show us the right way.

-- President Thomas S. Monson: President Monson characterized the Priesthood as one of the most precious gifts ever bestowed upon mankind. He noted that he formed his conscientious habits back when he was the secretary of his deacon's quorum and took great pride in maintaining the records meticulously. From there, doing all he can to the very best of his ability has been his goal in any position he has ever held. Preident Monson noted that he has witnessed the power and strength of the Priesthood time and time again, and marvels at the miracles it has wrought, citing one noteworthy healing incident while he was in the Navy. President Monson concluded: “As bearers of the priesthood of God, we are engaged in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have answered His call; we are on His errand. Let us follow in His footsteps. Let us live by His precepts. By so doing, we will be prepared for any service he calls us to perform. This is His work. This is His Church. Indeed, He is our captain, the King of Glory, even the Son of God.”

LDS Peanut Gallery: Reaction from rank-and-file Mormons on the Web.

-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: President Uchtdorf's talk received positive feedback as it usually does from this source, otherwise not much of consequence.

-- Millennial Star: Good faith-promoting summaries of the talks. Geoff noted that it appeared President Monson was laboring a bit with health problems by his speech.

-- Times & Seasons: Good bulletized summaries of the talks.

Summary Of 185th Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Afternoon General Session: LDS Church Membership Now At 15,372,337

Update: Post updated April 6th to reflect the new report that there were seven dissenters who voted No, that all but one of them were at the Conference Center, and that four of them have now been identified by name.

The 185th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued on Saturday afternoon. This is generally the "housekeeping" session when changes in policies and leadership are announced. The Church announced five new General Authorities, a new Young Men general presidency, a new counselor in the Primary general presidency and 53 Area Seventies. You can read more details about the new auxiliary leaders HERE.

There was an attempt by at least seven dissidents to disrupt this portion of the Conference by deliberately casting dissenting votes against the sustaining of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve; the dissidents planned this in advance. According to KSTU Channel 13 and a later story by the Salt Lake Tribune, four of the dissidents were identified as Don Braegger, M'lisa D. Martinez Glyndwr, Micah Nickolaisen, and Laura Pennock. All but Pennock were at the Conference Center; Pennock was in the overflow venue at the Tabernacle. President Dieter Uchtdorf made a brief statement regarding those who opposed the proposals, saying “We invite those who oppose any of the proposals to contact their Stake Presidents. My dear brothers and sisters, we thank you for your faith and prayers in behalf of the leaders of the church.”

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Braegger said he filled a Mormon mission and served in an LDS bishopric and stake presidency, and his concerns are the perception that LDS history is rife with disturbing episodes, that the faith does not treat lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons fairly or offer wide enough roles for women. Separately, Pennock said she is also is unhappy with the excommunications of Ordain Women founder Kate Kelly and podcaster John Dehlin. It should be noted that Ordain Women has denied any connection with this AnyOpposed group.

LDS Living explained the voting procedure:

In the event that member concerns are raised in this manner, the Church Handbook 2, which applies to all Church meetings, explains the protocol for dealing with these issues:

“If a member in good standing gives a dissenting vote when someone is presented to be sustained, the presiding officer or another assigned priesthood officer confers with the dissenting member in private after the meeting. The officer determines whether the dissenting vote was based on knowledge that the person who was presented is guilty of conduct that should disqualify him or her from serving in the position” (19.3).

The annual demographic report, compiled as of December 31st, 2014, was issued. There are now 3,114 stakes, 406 missions, 561 districts, 29,621 wards, 85,147 missionaries, and three new temples (144 temples total). Membership of record is now 15,372,337, up by 290,309 from 15,082,028 members in December 2013 and 14,782,483 in December 2012. Read the complete statistical report HERE.

-- Salt Lake Tribune photo gallery of Conference.
-- KSL Channel 5 photo gallery of Conference.

Other Sessions:

-- Summary of General Women's Session
-- Summary of Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session

For the first time, the LDS Church provides immediate real-time summaries of the talks on their Conference At A Glance Page; nice innovation, but I also choose to provide my traditional summaries. Video and audio archives will be available on the designated General Conference page shortly after the Conference; written transcripts will be posted later in the week. LDSConf Twitter also used as a source. For the time being, I have posted short summaries of the highlights of each talk along with any pertinent personal impressions. Links posted below take you directly to the Deseret News account of the talk.

-- Elder David A. Bednar, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Bednar explained how fear can be dispelled through a correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy and grace lead to hope through His Atonement in the resurrection and eternal life. The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells the despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do and become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity. Elder Bednar also said that three principles are central to hushing fears in a contemporary world: Look to Christ, build upon the foundation of Christ, and press forward with faith in Christ. Elder Bednar also spoke of Godly fear, which he characterized as a righteous fear producing a deep feeling of reverence, respect and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ, obedience to His commandments, and anticipation of the final judgment and justice at His hand. Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, Godly fear is a source of peace, assurance and confidence.

-- Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve: Continuing the pro-family pushback, Elder Christofferson became the fourth speaker to address the sanctity of traditional marriage today. He identified marriage as being one of four things necessary to realize God’s plan of happiness, the others being the creation of earth as a dwelling place, the condition of mortality, and a redemption from the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. Elder Christofferson pointed out that marriage is more than love; it creates a link in the chain of generations. It is marriage, not love, that joins two together before God and man. God ordained marriage as an essential step towards living with Him again. Because the plan is so simple, clear, and important, Satan uses every possible strategem to try to distort the truth of it. But those who, through no fault of their own, do not receive the blessings of marriage need not fear; the Atonement has anticipated, and in the end will compensate for, all loss.

-- Elder Wilford W. Andersen, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Anderson likened the Gospel to dancing and music, explaining that while the dance steps of the Gospel are the things we do; the music of the Gospel is the joyful spiritual feeling that comes from the Holy Ghost. Our problem is that sometimes in our homes, we successfully teach the dance steps, but are not as successful in helping our family members to hear the music. Elder Andersen suggested that to hear the "beautiful music" of the Gospel, we must keep their lives attuned to the correct spiritual frequency and to avoid the use of coercion; no power of the Priesthood is to be used except by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness and meekness, by love unfeigned, and by kindness. To those who struggle to hear the music of the Gospel in their homes, keep practicing.

Note: Elder Andersen's talk resonated particularly strong with many people on LDSConf Twitter.

-- Elder Dale G. Redlund, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Redlund spoke of the need for Latter-day Saints to keep on trying to live the gospel, explaining that a saint is actually a sinner who keeps on trying. He explained that God cares a lot more about who we are, and who we are becoming, than about who we once were, so we should continue to strive to live the doctrine of Christ — exercising faith, repenting, making and renewing the covenant of baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost as a constant companion. Only Satan would have us believe that our sins are too great to be forgiven. Even more importantly, we must allow others room to keep on trying.

-- Elder Michael T. Ringwood, First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Ringwood spoke of the need to be more anxious to serve than to have dominion. Such people are not motivated by the possibility of receiving titles or authority, but are disciples of Christ, going about doing good continually and are trying to please their Heavenly Father. One does not need a formal calling in the Church to serve the Lord.

-- Elder Quentin L. Cook, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Cook became the fifth speaker to deliver an explicit pro-family message during this Conference. He explained that the role of the family in God’s plan is to bring us happiness, to help us learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere and to prepare us for eternal life. Elder Cook also noted that traditions of religious observance in the home -- family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings and Sabbath day observance -- need to be imbedded in the hearts of children. And in this effort, husbands and wives are equal partners; husbands and wives are equal, but their respective roles are different and complementary.

Elder Cook also rebutted accusations that more members are leaving the Church today, and that there is more doubt and unbelief than in the past, saying “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has never been stronger. The number of members removing their names from the records of the Church has always been very small and is significantly less in recent years than in the past. The increase in demonstrably measurable areas, such as endowed members with a current temple recommend, adult full-tithe payers and those serving missions, has been dramatic." The numbers cited earlier bear this out -- the LDS Church gained 290,309 new members in 2014.

LDS Peanut Gallery: Reaction from rank-and-file Mormons on the Web.

-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: Most of the discussion was about the actions of the dissidents, although Elder Redlund's talk was lauded by the original poster.

-- LDS Freedom Forum: A designated thread for the entire Conference.

-- Millennial Star: Good set of faith-promoting summaries.

Summary Of 185th Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Morning General Session: Promoting Traditional Marriage And Family, Resisting The Devaluation Of Men

On April 4th, 2015, the 185th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which officially began with the General Women's Session on March 28th, resumed on Saturday morning. It was marked by several vigorous defenses of traditional marriage and family values, and a call by the Relief Society General President to resist the devaluation of men promoted by the dominant secular culture. The Salt Lake Tribune took note of the fact that President Thomas S. Monson did not give a talk at this session, although he was present and plans to give a talk later. The British media have already picked up on the Conference with an article in the left-wing Guardian provocatively entitled "Mormon leaders decry same-sex marriage and counterfeit lifestyles".

-- Salt Lake Tribune photo gallery of Conference.
-- KSL Channel 5 photo gallery of Conference.

Other Sessions:

-- Summary of General Women's Session
-- Summary of Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session

For the first time, the LDS Church provides immediate real-time summaries of the talks on their Conference At A Glance Page; nice innovation, but I also choose to provide my traditional summaries. Video and audio archives will be available on the designated General Conference page shortly after the Conference; written transcripts will be posted later in the week. For the time being, I have posted short summaries of the highlights of each talk along with some pertinent personal impressions. Links posted below take you directly to the Deseret News account of the talk.

-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency: President Eyring focused upon the commandment and the blessings of the law of the fast. This is pertinent because observant LDS members fast on the first Sunday of each month and donate what they would have spent on the two missed meals as a fast offering. We give a generous fast offering through our bishop or branch president for the benefit of the poor and the needy, and the funds will then be used to help people in need, some of whom will be people close to an individual, possibly even a family member. Ward and stake leaders pray and fast for the revelation to know whom to help and what help to give; that which is not needed locally will become available to bless other Church members across the world. Fasting can confer additional spiritual benefits on top of prayer; it can heal and change hearts. This reminds me of the Biblical verse (Matthew 17:21) on how to deal with particularly stubborn spiritual adversaries; namely, "this kind goeth not out but by prayer AND fasting".

-- President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve: Launched the opening session with a vigorous defense of traditional marriage and family values. Marriage is more than romance; it's a full-blown life partnership. Mature love has a bliss not even imagined by newlyweds. But true love requires reserving until after marriage the sharing of procreative powers. When entered into worthily, this process combines the most exquisite and exalted physical, emotional, and spiritual feelings associated with the word love. But President Packer also assured worthy people who are unable to bear children or who do not marry that God remains our Father. President Packer truly is a champion for Christ.

-- Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President: Gently took issue with the anti-male rhetoric permeating society, which implies that men are dispensable. She noted that Satan is the author of the false ideas that men are inherently self-centered or that fathers are unnecessary in today’s society. Sister Burton asserted that being a father is a sacred calling, and that a father’s role as a priesthood holder serves to strengthen and protect the family. Sister Burton is convinced that a husband is never more attractive to his wife than when he is serving in his God-given roles as a worthy priesthood holder, most importantly in the home. This effectively supports LDS doctrine that men and women can only be exalted in the celestial kingdom together, not singly.

-- Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Oaks brought the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4) into his talk, noting that if we are not rooted in the teachings of the Gospel and regular in its practices, any one of us can develop a stony heart, which is stony ground for spiritual seeds. He also identified the keyhole view of the Gospel, which focuses inordinately upon a particular point of doctrine or deficiency in a leader and ignores the fullness of the gospel plan and the personal and communal fruits of its harvest, as problematic. In addition, Elder Oaks cautioned against becoming seduced by prosperity theology, saying that whoever has an abundance of material things is in jeopardy of being sedated by riches and other things of the world. In the final analysis, Elder Oaks suggested that genuine conversion can only be achieved by prayer, by scripture-reading, by serving, and by regularly partaking of the sacrament to always have the Holy Spirit to be with us, counseling people to seek that mighty change of heart (Alma 5:21-14) that replaces evil desires and selfish concerns with the love of God and the desire to serve Him and His children.

-- Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Clayton spoke about the value of choosing to believe in the Gospel. Elder Clayton noted that individuals must choose to believe before faith can grow. Second, belief must be put into action through means such as prayer, reading the scriptures, and making and keeping covenants. And finally, one must never give up, even in difficult spiritual times when progress seems to have slowed, in order to further grow faith. This is what makes mortality such an essential step in eternal progression; it is the only environment where our faith can immediately be tested by adversity, which serves as an isometric exercise for our character.

-- Elder L. Tom Perry, Quorum of the Twelve: Elder Perry spoke of his participation in a Colloquium on Marriage and Family at the Vatican in Rome, Italy. He noted that there was a powerful sense of commonality and unity felt by the various religious representatives in attendance, who numbered from among 14 different faiths and six of the seven continents. He found it remarkable to see how marriage and family-centered priorities cut across and superseded any political, economic or religious differences. But Elder Perry noted that what differentiated the LDS Church from the others represented at the Colloqium was we make it a subject of eternity; we take the commitment and the sanctity of marriage to a greater level because of our belief and understanding that families go back to before this earth was, and they can go forward into eternity. Because the media and entertainment industries wrongly depict immorality and amorality as the social norm; the Church will continue to participate in various ecumenical efforts, in sharing family-focused values in the media and social media and in sharing genealogical and extended family records to effectively counter the degeneracy of the mass media and the entertainment industry.

LDS Peanut Gallery: Reaction from rank-and-file Mormons on the Web.

-- Feminist Mormon Housewives: As usual, many commenters question the relevance of the family remarks to those who don't have traditional families.

-- Times and Seasons: Good faith-promoting summaries of the talks.

-- LDS Freedom Forum: Designated thread. President Eyring's talk attracted considerable praise. One person questions whether or not the Church is catering too much to the gay lobby with their support of Utah's nondiscrimination law. But former BYU Professor Stephen Jones takes issue with this assessment, praising Elder Perry's talk.

-- Millennial Star: Another batch of good faith-promoting summaries of the talks.

Summary Of 185th Annual LDS General Conference, General Women's Session: Sister Bonnie Oscarson Defends The Proclamation On The Family And Traditional Marriage

The 185th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially kicked off on Saturday March 28th, 2015 with the General Women's Session. Yes, although it occurs a week in advance of the other sessions, the Women's Session is now considered an official part of Conference. One noteworthy innovation: For the first time, the LDS Church allowed female reporters access to cover the event without restriction. Previously, only male reporters were allowed to cover that priesthood meeting. Eventually, even male reporters were not given media access, though they could go in and watch the proceedings without raising suspicions because they were men.

Other Conference Sessions:

-- Summary of Saturday Morning General Session
-- Summary of Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Summary of Saturday Evening Priesthood Session
-- Summary of Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session

Video and audio archives and written transcripts are already available on the designated General Conference page. However, the General Women's Session is also available on YouTube, which users of slower computers may find easier to deal with. Total time is 1:27.



Summaries published below are based on the written transcripts of the talks:

-- Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, Second Counselor Primary General Presidency: Sister Esplin spoke of the need to be filled with light and Gospel truth to withstand the pressures of the world. To illustrate her point, she compared two soda cans; one filled, and the other empty. When the empty can was squeezed, it began to bend and then collapsed under the pressure. But when the unopened can was squeezed, it held firm. It didn’t bend or collapse like the empty can -- because it was filled. Compare this with our individual lives and to our homes and families. When filled with the Spirit and with gospel truth, we have the power to withstand the outside forces of the world that surround and push against us. However, if we are not filled spiritually, we don’t have the inner strength to resist the outside pressures and can collapse when forces push against us.

Satan knows that in order for us and our families to withstand the pressures of the world, we must be filled with light and gospel truth. So he does everything in his power to dilute, distort, and destroy the truth of the gospel and to keep us separated from that truth. The takeaway is that we will have to do our best to hold on to whatever light and truth we currently have, especially in difficult circumstances. The answers to our prayers may not come dramatically, but we must find quiet moments to seek greater light and truth. And when we receive it, it is our responsibility to live it, to share it, and to defend it.

-- Sister Carole M. Stephens, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency: Sister Stephens discussed why we each belong to and are needed in the family of God. In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father. In that realm, we learned about our eternal female identity. We knew that we were each a beloved daughter of heavenly parents. Our mortal journey to earth did not change those truths. We each belong to and are needed in the family of God. Earthly families all look different. And while we do the best we can to create strong traditional families, membership in the family of God is not contingent upon any kind of status -- marital status, parental status, financial status, social status, or even the kind of status we post on social media.

Sister Stephens noted that our opportunity as covenant-keeping daughters of God is not just to learn from our own challenges, but also to unite in empathy and compassion as we support other members of the family of God in their struggles, as we have covenanted to do. If we are to be successful in our sacred responsibilities as daughters of God, we must understand the eternal significance of and our individual responsibility to teach truths about our Heavenly Father’s plan for His family. The takeaway is that the sisters belong, are loved, and are needed. They have a divine purpose, work, place, and role in the Church and kingdom of God and in His eternal family.

-- Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women General President: Being that this Conference marks the 20th anniversary of the Proclamation On The Family, Sister Oscarson's talk proceeded along this theme. She noted that when President Gordon B. Hinckley first read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” 20 years ago, we were grateful for and valued the clarity, simplicity, and truth of this revelatory document. Little did we realize then how very desperately we would need these basic declarations in today’s world as the criteria by which we could judge each new wind of worldly dogma coming at us from the media, the Internet, scholars, TV and films, and even legislators. The proclamation on the family has become our benchmark for judging the philosophies of the world, and she testified that the principles set forth within this statement are as true today as they were when they were given to us by a prophet of God nearly 20 years ago. Sister Oscarson did acknowledge that life rarely goes exactly according to plan for anyone, and she is aware that not all women are experiencing what the proclamation describes. But it is still important to understand and teach the Lord’s pattern and strive for the realization of that pattern the best we can.

There are three principles taught in the proclamation which especially need steadfast defenders. The first is marriage between a man and a woman. We are taught in the scriptures, “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.” For anyone to attain the fulness of priesthood blessings, there must be a husband and a wife sealed in the house of the Lord, working together in righteousness and remaining faithful to their covenants. This is the Lord’s plan for His children, and no amount of public discourse or criticism will change what the Lord has declared. We need to continue to model righteous marriages, seek for that blessing in our lives, and have faith if it is slow in coming. We need to be defenders of marriage as the Lord has ordained it while continuing to show love and compassion for those with differing views.

The second principle which calls for our defending voices is elevating the divine roles of mothers and fathers. We eagerly teach our children to aim high in this life. We want to make sure that our daughters know that they have the potential to achieve and be whatever they can imagine. We hope they will love learning, be educated, talented, and maybe even become the next Marie Curie or Eliza R. Snow.

And the third principle we need to stand and defend is the sanctity of the home. We need to take a term which is sometimes spoken of with derision and elevate it. It is the term homemaker. All of us -- women, men, youth, and children, single or married -- can work at being homemakers. We should make our homes places of order, refuge, holiness, and safety. Our homes should be places where the Spirit of the Lord is felt in rich abundance and where the scriptures and the gospel are studied, taught, and lived. What a difference it would make in the world if all people would see themselves as makers of righteous homes. Let us defend the home as a place which is second only to the temple in holiness. The takeaway is that today's women have opportunities and possibilities which no other generation of women has had in the world. Let us help build the kingdom of God by standing up boldly and being defenders of marriage, parenthood, and the home. The Lord needs us to be brave, steadfast, and immovable warriors who will defend His plan and teach the upcoming generations His truths.

-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor First Presidency: President Eyring assured the women that the Savior knows them and loves them, and that they have felt His love for those seated around them. They are your sisters, spirit daughters of our Heavenly Father. He cares for them, understands all their sorrows, and wants to succor them. President Eyring's message to them is that they can and must be an important part of His giving comfort to those who need comfort. the women can play your part best if they know more of how He answers those prayers for help. Jesus Christ gave this sweet promise: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The burdens His faithful servants must carry in life are made lighter by His Atonement. The burden of sin can be taken away, but the trials of mortal life for good people can still be heavy burdens.