Summary Of 184th Annual LDS General Conference, Sunday Afternoon General Session: Elder William Walker Pays Tribute To Mormon Pioneers

The closing session of the 184th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints featured a ringing testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ and a tribute to the Prophet Joseph Smith on the anniversary of the LDS Church's founding. Joseph Smith was cited as a powerful example of how truth is always accompanied by opposition, and the stronger the truth, the greater the opposition. But one of the talks I found most inspirational was delivered by Elder William R. Walker, who sought to renew understanding and appreciation of the sacrifices of Mormon pioneers who trekked across the Great Plains and carved out Zion in the Intermountain West and make them more relevant to a modern globe-girdling church; as a matter of fact, Elder Walker hit the biggest home run of the Conference with his talk, as far as I'm concerned.

Video, audio, and written archives are now available HERE. Mormon Newsroom provides photo galleries of speakers and surroundings.

Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:

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

Summaries of the talks are available through the Deseret News Conference Page, although some of the information is also gleaned from LDSConf Twitter. Clicking on the speaker's name will take you directly to the Deseret News story about the speech (after the jump):

Summary Of 184th Annual LDS General Conference, Sunday Morning General Session: The Meaning Of Gratitude, Adversity, And Love

The Sunday Morning General Session of the 184th Annual LDS General Conference created no headlines, but instead resulted in some good old-fashioned honest counsel. On the menu was a call for more gratitude particularly during times of trouble, following up on good intentions, and a lesson on how Jesus Christ's two great commanders, Love the Lord and love your neighbor, are interactive and inseparable. One of the sisters issued a call for us to resist becoming merely a "checklist church".

Video, audio, and written archives are now available HERE. Mormon Newsroom provides photo galleries of speakers and surroundings. Good secular-oriented coverage and a photo gallery provided by the Salt Lake Tribune.

Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:

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

Summaries of the talks are available through the Deseret News Conference Page. Clicking on the speaker's name will take you directly to the Deseret News story about the speech (after the jump):

Summary Of 184th Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Evening Priesthood Session: Becoming Better "Priesthood Men"

Despite the Ordain Women sideshow, the Saturday Evening Priesthood Session of the 184th Annual LDS General Conference proceeded smoothly. From the counsel given to become better Priesthood men, and the repeated caution for us to show courage and stand for what is right at the risk of social unpopularity, it appears the brethren are trying to firm us up to become a "peculiar people" once again, as the "era of good feeling" towards us begins to wind down. Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave an outstanding talk on the issue of women and the Priesthood, reminding us that although women don't have Priesthood offices, they are not without Priesthood power.

Ordain Women Sideshow: As promised, the Ordain Women activists showed up to attempt to get tickets to enter the all-male Priesthood Session. Although as many as 500 were expected, in the end only 200+ were in evidence according to the Salt Lake Tribune and KSL Channel 5. KSTU Channel 13 claims 300 showed up. They were turned away, and it appears this will be the last time Ordain Women uses this tactic for the foreseeable future. For their part, Ordain Women claims 510 people showed up to support their effort.

Video and audio archives are now available HERE; written transcripts will follow by mid-week. Mormon Newsroom provides photo galleries of speakers and surroundings.

Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:

-- Saturday Morning General Session
-- Saturday Afternoon General Session
-- Sunday Morning General Session
-- Sunday Afternoon General Session

Summaries of the talks are available through the Deseret News Conference Page. Clicking on the speaker's name will take you directly to the Deseret News story about the speech (after the jump):

Summary Of 184th Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Afternoon General Session: LDS Membership Now Over 15 Million Worldwide

The Saturday Afternoon General Session of the 184th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kicked off with the usual spate of housekeeping announcements. The most noteworthy hierarchical change involved Elder Tad R. Callister, who was released as one of the seven presidents of the First Quorum of the seventy and called to serve as the Sunday School General President. There was also counsel offered to improve interpersonal communications, to achieve a higher level of mature obedience, and to persevere in the faith even in the face of opposition and adversity.

In addition, updated membership statistics current as of December 31st, 2013 were provided; the LDS Church now has 15,082,028 members of record, an increase from 14,782,483 members at the end of 2012. The number of children of record, or born to church members, was 115,486. The number of converts baptized was 282,945. The number of Church units grew to 3,050 stakes, 405 missions, 571 districts and 29,253 wards and branches. And the Church had 83,035 full-time missionaries and 24,032 church-service missionaries.

Video, audio, and written archives are now available HERE. Mormon Newsroom provides photo galleries of speakers and surroundings.

Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:

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

Summaries of the talks are available through the Deseret News Conference Page. Clicking on the speaker's name will take you directly to the Deseret News story about the speech (after the jump):

Summary Of 184th Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Morning General Session: No New Temples, But Plenty Of Discipleship And A Defense Of Traditional Marriage

On April 5th, 2014, the Saturday Morning General Session of the 184th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kicked off with the announcement that no new temples are being planned. Instead, President Thomas S. Monson said the Church would focus on completing 28 temples around the world already under construction or announced at earlier conferences. President Monson did add that the Church will continue the process of determining needs and of finding locations for temples yet to come, saying that we are a "temple-building and a temple-attending people". Throughout the remainder of the session, the common theme was discipleship. There were warnings issued against pornography and self-righteousness, and a strong defense of traditional marriage. One new development; for the first time, the general women leaders of the church’s auxiliary organizations -- Relief Society, Young Women and Primary -- were seated among members of the Quorum of the Seventy. Normally, the women sit off to the right.

Video, audio, and written archives are now available HERE. Mormon Newsroom provides photo galleries of speakers and surroundings. Good secular-oriented coverage and a photo gallery provided by the Salt Lake Tribune.

Summaries of Other Conference Sessions:

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

Summaries of the talks are available through the Deseret News Conference Page. Clicking on the speaker's name will take you directly to the Deseret News story about the speech (after the jump):

LDS Church Asks Ordain Women Feminists Not To Crash The Priesthood Session Of The April 2014 General Conference

The 184th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is at hand. It will kick off on Saturday March 29th, 2014 at 6:00 P.M. MDT with the General Women's Meeting, which this year is a combined meeting for all females eight years of age and older, and will culminate with the customary general sessions and priesthood session during the weekend of April 5-6. There are persistent rumors that the Church may announce a modification of the temple wedding policy during this Conference; to wit, that the one year waiting period between a civil marriage and a temple marriage may be eliminated in North America.

Unfortunately, the feminist activists of Ordain Women want to upstage the Conference with their selfish agenda once again. They propose to line up before the all-male Priesthood Session on Saturday April 5th and demand tickets to enter the session. They will begin with opening exercises at City Creek Park at 4:00 P.M., then form up in the standby line outside the Conference Center at 4:30 P.M. to ask for admission tickets. Then, regardless of the outcome, they will reconstitute at City Creek Park. Over 100 of them did this in October 2013 even though LDS authorities told them in advance that they would not be admitted to the Priesthood Session. To their credit, the Ordain Women organizers intend to rigorously police the conduct of activists; they will not permit their people to display signs, vent any anti-Mormon tirades, and they ask activists to dress in Sunday best. The official Ordain Women spokespersons are identified as Kate Kelly, April Young Bennett, Debra Jenson, Suzette Smith, Chelsea Shields Strayer, Hannah Wheelwright, and Lorie Winder.

The LDS Church has fired back. According to the Deseret News, LDS spokeswoman Jessica Moody sent a letter to Ordain Women accusing them of intractability and saying that their activities detract from the helpful discussions that Church leaders have held as they seek to listen to the thoughts, concerns, and hopes of women inside and outside of Church leadership. Moody reminded the group that ordination of women to the priesthood is a matter of doctrine that is currently contrary to the Lord’s revealed organization for His church, and suggested that if they really felt like they needed to make a public statement, they should reconsider their current plans to demonstrate and instead assemble at one of the free-speech zones outside Temple Square. The full letter is published at the end of this post, after the jump.

Kate Kelly quickly responded. She tried to put a positive spin on the Church's letter by characterizing it as a sign that the Church is willing to continue the dialogue. But she rejected the notion of diverting her group to the free speech zones, saying "We feel as faithful, active Mormon women we have nothing in common with people who oppose the church and want to protest against it. The church is its members. We aren't against the church, we are the church." Kelly takes umbrage at the thought of being linked with the customary anti-Mormon protestors in the free speech zones, saying that they're out to destroy the Church, and Ordain Women does not share that goal.

Prognosis: By their response, the LDS Church clearly indicates they would rather not subject these women to disciplinary councils. By suggesting the free speech zones as an alternative, the Church clearly respects Ordain Women's First Amendment rights to advocate for their cause. However, if Ordain Women chooses to line up for tickets, they are doing so against specific counsel; their actions can be interpreted as being in open rebellion against the Church, and they will jeopardize their membership. There is no way the Church could let it go, particularly after excommunicating Denver Snuffer and Brent D. Larsen under more sketchier pretexts. It is interesting that the Ordain Women activists want to stubbornly impose their minority opinion upon a 15-million member church rather than consider transferring to another church which confers priesthood upon women, such as the Community of Christ.

Unofficial LDS Reaction: Lining up in support of Ordain Women is Feminist Mormon Housewives and Approaching Justice. April Young Bennett posted additional support on The Exponent.

In support of the Church's position is Millennial Star, where Geoff B. notes that while the Ordain Women movement has garnered a total of 2,076 “likes” on its Facebook page, a counter-movement started last week called “Mormon Women Stand” already has 2840 “likes” with hundreds being added every day. A brief but eloquent statement of support for the Church's position is also posted on Rains Came Down. Public comments to media outlets such as KSL Channel 5 are mostly supportive of the Church.

LDS Church Combines General Young Women Meeting And General Relief Society Meeting Into A Single Session

On November 4th, 2013, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that the General Young Women Meeting held during the April General Conferences and the General Relief Society Meeting held during the October General Conferences will no longer be separate. They will be combined into a "general women's meeting", as it was from 1984-1993. The meeting will still take place on the Saturday one week before General Conference. From the LDS website:

"The general women’s meeting will be held the Saturday before each general conference and will be conducted by the general presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary organizations. All women, young women, and girls age eight years old and older will be invited to attend".

This is a positive step because it now places the women's meetings on more of a similar plane with the General Priesthood Meeting, which has been open to all males of Priesthood age. What will be interesting is to find out which auxiliary presidency will conduct the combined women's meeting. Will it be the Relief Society Presidency, the Young Women Presidency, or the Primary Presidency? My guess is the Relief Society Presidency would take precedence.

Another positive step the Church could consider would be to bring the new women's meeting directly into the General Conference weekend itself. The best time would be on Saturday afternoon. Of course, this would supersede the Saturday Afternoon General Session of the conference, but we already have three other general sessions, so nothing of substance would be lost. The idea is for the women's meeting to be treated as the direct female equivalent of the men's meeting on Saturday evening. While men and women aren't identical, they should be treated as equally as LDS doctrine permits.

Unofficial LDS Reaction: Posted on Millennial Star and Mormon Momma; there's also an open discussion thread on the feminist-oriented Segullah blog. Most commenters are supportive of the idea, although a significant number question including girls as young as eight years old (the earliest age for baptism). Some suggest the age limit should be 12, just as it is for the General Priesthood Meeting. Ordain Women organizer Kate Kelly also reacted, writing on Facebook, "I see this as a really positive sign that our leaders are hearing our pleas and our prayers are being answered. While this meeting does nothing to address the question of the priesthood and all clerical, fiscal, ritual and other decision-making authority in the church, I see it as an attempt to acknowledge women and men are currently treated unequally in the church..."

LDS Church Reportedly To Allow Women To Offer Prayers At Upcoming 183rd Annual General Conference

On March 18th, 2013, the Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made the decision to allow women to offer invocations or benedictions at the four general sessions of the upcoming 183rd Annual General Conference to be held on April 6-7. This would be a first in the Church's 183-year history, even though LDS women leaders have given addresses during General Conference on a recurring basis since 1994. However, Church spokesman Scott Trotter would not confirm or deny the story, saying only that decisions on speakers and prayers at General Conference were made many weeks ago.

The decision follows in the wake of an Internet-based campaign called Let Women Pray in General Conference, in which activists urged Church members to write letters to six high-ranking LDS leaders, including Linda K. Burton, Relief Society president; Elaine S. Dalton, Young Women general president; Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary general president; Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of Twelve Apostles; and David F. Evans and Anthony D. Perkins, members of the First Quorum of the Seventy. The drive generated about 1,600 letters from 300 participants; activists personally delivered the letters to the various leaders or their secretaries. One of the 300 letter-writers explained herself in this Tribune comment:

gr8scot • 3 hours ago:
It's about time. My letter was one of those sent. It seems like small potatoes, but this is a big deal for women in this church. Those outside the church probably think it's a pointless endeavour, but to those who want to be believing members, but are frustrated by gender inequality (we all choose our own battles to fight), this is an important change in cultural practice within the church. There has never been an edict against women praying in GC, it's just culturally never been done, or encouraged by our male leaders. Women are a force to be reckoned with. We are no longer just "Mrs. (insert spouse's last name)" or "Sister (spouse's name)" We are finally learning to stand up against incorrect cultural practices that have become the norm in the church, and are showing that we have an identity beyond that of our men.

As expected, preliminary reaction is favorable. Analisa Estrada, a Salt Lake City graphic designer who was one of the organizers of the Let Women Pray campaign, said "I am really excited. It’s the kind of thing that came out of a lot of personal prayers on part of the organizers and the letter writers." Feminist Mormon Housewives almost breaks their arms patting themselves on the back, triumphantly crowing that it means the leaders "read and know about Mormon feminism". But true to their insurgent core, FMH says this is only a small step towards "equality", meaning that they will find something else to yap about. Zelophehad's Daughters, despite also being a feminist-themed LDS blog, has a more restrained reaction, merely posting a short excerpt to the Tribune story. Mormon Momma also expresses pleasure at the decision. The feminists need to avoid hijacking this story; allowing women to offer prayers in Conference is long overdue and is a matter of common sense. We don't need to corrupt it with divisive identity politics.

Despite the fact that women haven't offered prayers at the conference general sessions before, Ardis Parshall, who edits the Keepapitchinin historical blog, wanted to point out that women haven't exactly been silenced in Church history. She notes on Juvenile Instructor that from 1915 to 1970, the Relief Society held its own auxiliary conference for the ladies in the Tabernacle each April and October, several sessions over two days, usually on the days immediately before General Conference or, in April, sometimes in the middle of General Conference. This was not a simple meeting like today’s annual women’s meeting — it was a full conference, with reports from the stakes and instructions from the General Board, with breakout sessions for, say, secretaries or education counselors or musicians or whatever. Primary and YMMIA had their conferences, too, but not so directly tied to General Conference. She adds that while we today may not think that speaking at an even beefed-up Relief Society conference is the equivalent of speaking at General Conference, it may well be that the Saints of the mid-20th century, women and men, considered that planning, directing, speaking at, and participating in the full-scale Relief Society Conference was an adequate, equivalent, and satisfactory involvement of women in the Church’s two great annual conferences.

Summary Of 182nd Annual LDS General Conference, Sunday Afternoon General Session

All too soon, another general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is concluded. Although each conference is relatively predictable, there's always a twinge of regret when the president of the Church says "Conference is now over" during his closing remarks. The spirit of general conference does not necessarily require attendance in person to experience; it can apparently be transmitted via cyberspace.

Audio archives of each session available eight hours after the session, video archives available 24 hours later, and written transcripts in English available four days later, all on the Archive Page. Those who don't want to wait can read the LDS Church News summaries of each talk available through their own General Conference portal, subdivided by session.

-- Summary of Saturday morning general session HERE.
-- Summary of Saturday afternoon general session HERE.
-- Summary of Saturday evening priesthood session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday morning general session HERE.

KSL news video embedded below:

LDS General Conference focuses on faith and relationships | ksl.com

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke about the power of deliverance, leavening his discourse with two examples from the Book of Mormon. He constrated the examples of the people of Alma with the people of Limhi; both held captive by the Lamanites, but only one of them, the people of Alma, delivered. The difference: The people of Alma were peaceful and more righteous, they had already been baptized and entered into a covenant with the Lord, and they humbled themselves before the Lord even before their tribulations started. In the final analysis, Elder Perry reminded us that the Book of Mormon is just another testament of Jesus Christ; the first testaments of our Savior are the Old and New Testaments — or the Bible.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve compared the Holy Ghost to a divine version of the GPS navigational system; if heeded, it can bring us safely back onto the right path, where the atoning sacrifice of the Savior can once again take effect and return us home. In contrast to secular conventional wisdom that some sectors of society have stronger values and families because they are more educated and prosperous, Gospel-centered conventional wisdom holds that they are more educated and prosperous because of their values and strong families. Elder Mallard suggested four steps to avoid becoming lost. First, prioritize; second, do things in the right order, which means marriage FIRST, then family; third, husbands and wives should be equal partners in marriage; and fourth, use the family resources of the Church.

Elder O. Vincent Haleck of the Seventy discussed how we can gain the vision necessary to do those things that will bring us closer to the Savior. The trick is to see ourselves as the Savior sees us rather than through our own imperfect mortal perspective. An example is when Jesus called humble fishermen to be his disciples; they may have looked rude and crude on the outside, but Jesus saw an inner strength not visible to most others. The upshot -- although Peter denied the Christ three times in one night, he ultimately became the Rock upon who Christ built his Church. But Elder Haleck also reminded people that the Holy Ghost and inspired Church leaders can help give a deeper understanding of our Savior's vision for us.

Elder Larry Y. Wilson of the Seventy spoke on the necessity of using power only upon principles of righteousness. He cited a personal anecdote where, early in his marriage, he made the mistake of telling his new bride that he had the right to tell her how to drive the car simply because he was her husband and he held the priesthood. A couple of days of being "cut off" from her presence and sleeping on the couch undoubtedly disabused him of that notion. Elder Wilson explained that the Doctrine and Covenants holds that the right to use the priesthood is directly connected with righteousness in our lives, and that we lose access to the Holy Spirit and to whatever authority we may have from God when we exercise control over another person in an unrighteous manner. Another drawback with using unnecessary coercion is that it negates learning opportunities for those being coerced. The bottom line -- some lessons can only be learned through trial and ERROR.

Elder David F. Evans of the Seventy gave a short but useful talk on the importance of sharing the Gospel. Many times, when you convert one person, it opens the door to the convert's family and friends. Elder Evans tells us we can ask our Heavenly Father for inspiration as to who we should reach out to first, and then make sure we act forthwith upon any promptings received. He advises us to do it in a natural and normal way, letting them know of your love for them and for the Lord.

Elder Paul B. Pieper of the Seventy added his voice to those who already addressed this conference on the Holy Spirit and divine encounters. While our experiences with the divine will not be as dramatic as those of Moses or Joseph Smith, they are no less valid, even though they can be so natural and so subtle that we may overlook them or attribute them to reason or intuition, and our strength to endure faithfully depends upon us recognizing, remembering and holding sacred that which we receive from above. But Elder Pieper notes that, just as in ancient times, there is a battle for priority between the sacred and the secular in each human heart. Secular voices increasingly browbeat believers to abandon beliefs the world considers irrational and unreasonable. Nevertheless, Elder Pieper warns us that the sacred cannot be selectively surrendered; those who choose to abandon even one sacred thing will have their minds darkened and, unless they repent, the light they have shall be taken from them.

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve reminded us that Jesus Christ is a two-dimensional figure; while he preaches love, he also condemns sin. "Even with His love for all mankind, Jesus reprovingly referred to some around Him as hypocrites, fools and workers of iniquity," Elder Andersen said. "He approvingly called others children of the kingdom and the light of the world. He disapprovingly referred to some as blinded and unfruitful; He commended others as pure in heart, and hungering after righteousness. He lamented that some were faithless and of the world, but others He esteemed as chosen, disciples, friends..."

President Thomas S. Monson closed out the conference by assuring people that although the Brethren are far removed from many of us, they feel of our spirit and dedication, and they send their love and appreciation to us wherever we are. In closing, President Monson said, "We live in troubled times. I assure you that our Heavenly Father is mindful of the challenges we face. He loves each of us and desires to bless us and to help us. May we call upon Him in prayer, as He admonished when He said: 'Pray always, and I will pour out my spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing — yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth'."

Bloggernacle Reaction: Discussion threads and reaction posted on Times and Seasons, Feminist Mormon Housewives, Wheat and Tares

Summary Of 182nd Annual LDS General Conference, Sunday Morning General Session

The Sunday morning general session of the 182nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was headlined by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who delivered what could be considered a "red-letter address" calling upon Church members to be less judgmental and more forgiving. The primary beneficiary of forgiveness is the forgiver. In addition, the departing Relief Society President Julie M. Beck gave an exit address that effectively communicated the vision and purpose of Relief Society.

Audio archives of each session available eight hours after the session, video archives available 24 hours later, and written transcripts in English available four days later, all on the Archive Page. For those who don't want to wait, LDS Church News makes summaries of each talk available through their own General Conference portal, subdivided by session.

-- Summary of Saturday morning general session HERE.
-- Summary of Saturday afternoon general session HERE.
-- Summary of Saturday evening priesthood session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday afternoon general session HERE.

Summary: President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, delivered a sharp and succinct message calling upon people to stop being judgmental. "When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges or wanting to cause harm — please apply the following: Stop it!", proclaimed President Uchtdorf. He characterized refusal to forgive, to include one's own self, as a grievous sin. Forgiveness is required so that we ourselves can be forgiven. Forgiveness requires a major change in our attitude and way of thinking — even a change of heart, which is exactly what the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring about.

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke of the relationship between body and spirit. Noted that although our Heavenly Father gave us a wondrous physical body, that it is animated by the spirit tabernacle it encloses, which also gives it personality. Elder Nelson noted that the attributes by which we shall be judged one day are all spiritual, including love, virtue, integrity, compassion and service to others.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Seventy discussed how trusting in God's will is central to mortality. He cited the example of parents who willingly and knowingly bring a disabled child into this world, and how their anguish of knowing that this will continues every day, without relief, during the lifetime of the parent or the child is countered by countless heavenly and earthly ministering angels prepared to lighten the burden when it becomes critical. Though many people face trials, adversities, disabilities, heartaches and all manner of afflictions, a loving Savior will always be there.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve noted the growing public interest in the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and used this opportunity to publicly address confusion about our doctrine and how it is established. Unlike some faith traditions, where theologians claim equal teaching authority with the ecclesiastical hierarchy, and doctrinal matters may become a contest of opinions between them, in the LDS Church today, just as in the first Christian church, establishing the doctrine of Christ or correcting doctrinal deviations is a matter of divine revelation to those the Lord endows with apostolic authority. The president of the Church may announce or interpret doctrines based on revelation to him. Doctrinal exposition may also come through the combined council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Revelation is the centerpiece.

Sister Julie M. Beck, the outgoing Relief Society President, summarized the vision of Relief Society in three words: Faith, family, and relief. From the counsel given by living prophets, it is clear that the purposes of Relief Society are to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes and seek out and help those in need. Sister Beck characterized Relief Society as more than just a "program", explaining "It is an official part of the Lord's Church that is divinely ordained of God to teach, strengthen and inspire sisters in their purpose regarding faith, family and relief. Relief Society is a way of life for Latter-day Saint women and its influence extends beyond a Sunday class or social gathering. It follows the pattern of female disciples who served with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles in His ancient Church."

President Thomas S. Monson talked about the race of life. Many get caught up in everyday concerns, but a life crisis a diagnosis of a potentially fatal medical condition can cause one to suddenly shift focus upon more important concerns such as family, friends and the gospel. President Monson noted "It is the celestial glory which we seek. It is in the presence of God we desire to dwell. It is a forever family in which we want membership. Such blessings are earned through a lifetime of striving, seeking, repenting and finally succeeding..."

Bloggernacle Reaction: Discussion threads and reaction posted on Feminist Mormon Housewives, By Common Consent, Times and Seasons, and Latter-Day Snark.

Summary Of 182nd Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Evening Priesthood Session

Special Note: If you're looking for summaries on the October 2012 Semiannual General Conference, click HERE to display all the posts, with the most recent post appearing first.

The Saturday evening priesthood session of the 182nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consisted of the usual advice proffered to Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthood holders to magnify their Priesthood callings along with the customary sprinkling of personal anecdotes designed to drive the message home in the most understandable terms.

Visit the General Conference portal page to learn about the different viewing options available. Audio archives of each session available eight hours after the session, video archives available 24 hours later, and written transcripts in English available four days later, all on the Archive Page. Those who don't want to wait can read the LDS Church News summaries of each talk available through their own General Conference portal, subdivided by session.

-- Summary of Saturday morning general session HERE.
-- Summary of Saturday afternoon general session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday morning general session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday afternoon general session HERE.

Summary: Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke at length about the divine authority of the Priesthood; worthiness and willingness the two qualifiers of Priesthood membership. Elder Bednar stressed that the priesthood is to be inherently active rather than passive; those who receive priesthood authority but who willfully refuse to exercise priesthood power are under condemnation from heaven. At the same time, the priesthood is to be used to to serve, to bless and to strengthen other people; nothing about it is self-centered.

Bishop Richard C. Edgley, who was First Counselor in the just-released Presiding Bishopric, discussed the importance of reaching out to and re-activating less-active Church members. He suggested there are many callings available for less-active members so long as they meet other standards of worthiness. He noted that it is not all that easy or comfortable for less-active members to just walk back into the Church; they need help, support and fellowship. Along those lines, he urged people to treat less-active members as equals and viewed them as fully-vested sons and daughters of a loving God.

Brother Adrian Ochoa, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, directed his remarks primarily towards the younger Aaronic Priesthood members. Like Elder Bednar, Brother Ochoa told the younger set that Priesthood power needs to be exercised in order to be magnified; he observed with frustration that many young men simply do not understand how much good they can do with the power they hold. He said the best way to battle evil is to promote righteousness and stand up boldly for what they know is true. Like John the Baptist, who was also an Aaronic Priesthood holder, current Aaronic Priesthood holders are also preparing the way of the Lord and making His paths straight.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, spoke about the difference between the "what" and the "why" of priesthood service. He explained that it is important to learn and attend to what one must do in priesthood callings, but it is in the "why" of priesthood service that we discover the fire, passion and power of the priesthood. "The what of priesthood service teaches us what to do," he said. "The why inspires our soul. The what informs, but the why transforms."

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, spoke of the importance of being sealed by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood in a holy temple of God. He spoke of the keys held by the apostle Peter and said that at the coming of the prophet Elijah in this dispensation, power was given to the priesthood and hearts were to be turned. President Eyring suggested four things priesthood fathers could do to lift and lead their families back to the Lord once again: Maintain a sure witness that the keys of the priesthood are with us, love our wives, enlist the entire family to love each other, and, when discipline is needed, correct in the Lord's way to lead them toward eternal life.

President Thomas S. Monson shared teachings from some of the most noble of God's leaders who have spoken in previous general priesthood meetings of the Church. All the individuals cited put out the same message, albeit in different forms; namely, that the priesthood is the government of God, the power to act in God's name. President Monson further characterized priesthood as not so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift and an opportunity to bless the lives of others. President Monson also cautioned that at times the wisdom of God may appears to be either foolish or just too difficult, but one of the greatest and most valuable lessons we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and a man obeys, that man will always be right.

Bloggernacle Reaction: Discussion threads and reaction posted on Times and Seasons, Feminist Mormon Housewives, Millennial Star, Latter-Day Snark, and Mormon Momma,

Summary Of 182nd Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Afternoon General Session: Larry EchoHawk Called To The First Quorum Of The Seventy

The Saturday afternoon general session of the 182nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints generated more buzz with the announcement that a new Presiding Bishopric and a new Relief Society Presidency had been called. In addition, an official of the Obama Administration was called to be a Seventy.

Visit the General Conference portal page to learn about the different viewing options available. Audio archives of each session available eight hours after the session, video archives available 24 hours later, and written transcripts in English available four days later, all on the Archive Page. Those who don't want to wait can read the LDS Church News summaries of each talk available through their own General Conference portal, subdivided by session.

-- Summary of Saturday morning general session HERE.
-- Summary of Saturday evening priesthood session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday morning general session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday afternoon general session HERE.

KSL news video embedded below:

Leadership changes announced in LDS General Conference | ksl.com

Summary: Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, announced the new appointments. The headline appointment is the calling of Larry EchoHawk, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior, to the First Quorum of Seventy. He becomes the first American Indian General Authority since George P. Lee. EchoHawk is resigning his Administration position to accept the LDS Church calling.

President Uchtdorf also announced a new Presiding Bishopric including Bishop Gary E. Stevenson, First Counselor Gérald Caussé and Second Counselor Dean M. Davies. The Presiding Bishopric governs the temporal affairs of the church, such as its facilities and welfare programs. In addition, a new Relief Society Presidency was presented, including Sister Linda K. Burton, President; Sister Carole M. Stephens, First Counselor; and Sister Linda S. Reeves, Second Counselor. Short biographies on these new officials, as well as a list of other new callings, are available at LDS Newsroom.

President Uchtdorf also presented the Church's annual statistical report. Total world membership is now 14,441,346, a total of 281,312 converts were baptized in 2011, there are 55,410 full-time missionaries in the field, and 136 temples are currently in operation.

Elder Jeffrey Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve cited the parable of the laborers found in Matthew 20:1-15 to teach and demonstrate God's capacity for mercy and forgiveness. Elder Holland's point is that there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessings or receives some special recognition, and we should not feel offended, because we are not diminished when someone else is added upon. He maintains the real race is not against one another, but against sin.

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke of the need to become truly converted and spiritually self-reliant by prayerfully living our covenants through worthily partaking of the sacrament, being worthy of a temple recommend and sacrificing to serve others. The sacrament is more than just bread and water; it represents the renewal of the covenant made at baptism. For the sacrament to be a spiritually cleansing experience each week, we need to prepare ourselves before coming to sacrament meeting.

Elder David S. Baxter of the Seventy delivered a welcome and perhaps somewhat overdue message towards the single parents within the Church. Specifically, he said "Please never feel that you are in some kind of second-tier, sub-category of Church membership, somehow less entitled to the Lord's blessings than others. In the kingdom of God there are no second-class citizens." Elder Baxter then challenged members and leaders to ask what more they could do to support single-parent families.

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Seventy spoke of the importance of sowing in the spirit and not sowing in the flesh, as taught by the Apostle Paul. He explained that to sow in the spirit means that all our thoughts, words and actions must elevate us to the level of the divinity of our Heavenly Parents. Sowing in the spirit can better immunize us against being influenced by the passion, desires, appetites and drives of the flesh.

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve wants us to tune in to the music of faith. He expressed concern about members who are less interested and less faithful to some of the Savior's teachings, saying that his desire is for these members to awaken fully to faith and increase their activity and commitment. God loves all His children, and wants everyone to be in tune with the sacred music of faith. Elder Cook suggested that a dividing line between those who hear the music of faith and those who are tone deaf or off key is the active study of the scriptures.

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve discussed how to obtain revelation and inspiration for one's personal life. He screens out negative emotions such as anger, hurt or defensiveness, which will drive away the Holy Ghost, and he will fast and pray to find and understand scriptures that will be helpful. Interestingly, he also told the congregation to be cautious with humor, saying that loud inappropriate laughter will offend the Spirit. Elder Scott also distinguished between revelation and inspiration, noting that when the Holy Ghost communicates information that is crisp and clear and essential, it warrants the title of revelation. In contrast, when it is a series of promptings we often have to guide us step by step to a worthy objective, for the purpose of this message, it is inspiration.

Media Reaction: The new callings have triggered media reports on KSL Channel 5 and Salt Lake Tribune stories about the Presiding Bishopric change and the Relief Society change.

Bloggernacle Reaction: Discussion threads and reaction posted on Times and Seasons, By Common Consent, Feminist Mormon Housewives, and The Millennial Star.

Summary Of 182nd Annual LDS General Conference, Saturday Morning General Session

The 182nd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kicked off at 10 A.M. MDT in Salt Lake City, and so far, no one's made any headlines. The precursor event was the General Young Women Meeting held in Salt Lake on March 24th. Directed towards young women 12-18 years of age, the General Young Women Presidency called upon young women to resist the temptations of our popular culture and hold fast to the moral standards of the Church, referring frequently to a manual entitled "For The Strength Of Youth". Video, audio archives, and written transcripts of the talks are available HERE.

Visit the General Conference portal page to learn about the different viewing options available. Audio archives of each session available eight hours after the session, video archives available 24 hours later, and written transcripts in English available four days later, all on the Archive Page. But if you absolutely, positively cannot wait, LDS Church News makes summaries of each talk available through their own General Conference portal, subdivided by session.

-- Summary of Saturday afternoon general session HERE.
-- Summary of Saturday evening priesthood session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday morning general session HERE.
-- Summary of Sunday afternoon general session HERE.

Summary: Apparently the LDS leadership is concerned about reports that many Latter-day Saints are spending too much time on Church callings and not enough time with their families. President Boyd K. Packer declared that family time is a sacred time that should be protected and respected, and called upon local Priesthood leaders to make the Church more family-friendly. And Elder Donald L. Hallstrom cautioned people against sacrificing Gospel activity for the sake of Church activity, noting that Church activity is merely the external manifestation of Gospel activity.

President Packer also added that that some people remain unmarried and childless, while others, due to circumstances beyond their control, are raising children as single mothers or single fathers. He noted that these are temporary states, and that in the eternities, righteous yearning and longing will be fulfilled. The Salt Lake Tribune also reported that President Packer spoke out against elective abortion, relating the story of a college coed who had an abortion and then later married the young man who had fathered the child. The couple went on to have other children, but mourned the loss of that one. President Packer said "She told me how tormented she now was to look at her family, her beautiful children, and see in her mind the empty place where that one child was missing..."

Sister Cheryl Esplin, second counselor in the Primary General Presidency, reminded parents that their responsibility was not merely to teach their children the doctrine, but also to teach them to understand the doctrine. This can often be done within the context of a given moment, which means parents must always be alert for teaching opportunities which can present themselves without prior notice. Elder Paul E. Koelliker noted that establishing righteous patterns is essential in developing the ability to love and nurture others, and in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. He explained that establishing such patterns can also help one learn to heed the Holy Spirit, and concluded that it is through developing the ability to be Christ-centered in how one thinks, speaks and acts that is fundamental in becoming a disciple of Christ.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke of the importance of sacrifice. After enumerating the multitude of ways in which Church members make sacrifices regularly, most notably through missionary service, Elder Oaks concluded by saying that sacrifices of time and means are part of one's schooling and qualifying for eternity. "Just as the Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is at the center of the plan of salvation, we followers of Christ must make our own sacrifices to prepare for the destiny that plan provides for us," Elder Oaks declared.

President Henry B. Eyring said that an unshakable foundation of faith is built by loving as the Savior loved and serving for Him. But he noted that building faith requires exposure to the tests of adversity, and the ground must be carefully prepared for our foundation of faith to withstand the storms that will come into every life. Choosing the right creates the solid ground under one's faith. Serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul can turns testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength.

And, of course, President Thomas S. Monson opened up the session by reminding us that we should be grateful that we live during an era where modern conveniences permit almost instantaneous communication worldwide, permitting us to better come together as one, speaking many languages, living in many lands, but all of one faith and one doctrine and one purpose. President Monson pledged that this great cause in which we are engaged will continue to go forth, changing and blessing lives as it does so, promising that no force in the entire world can stop the work of God from going forward.

Bloggernacle Reaction: Discussion threads and reaction posted on Times and Seasons, By Common Consent, Feminist Mormon Housewives, and The Millennial Star.

LDS 181st Semiannual Conference, Sunday Afternoon General Session; Covenants, Missionary Service, And Prayer

Note: All posts on the October 2011 181st Semiannual General Conference available HERE, with the most recent post appearing first.

During the Sunday afternoon session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the hot topics were covenants, Jesus Christ, missionary service, prayer, and dealing with tragedy. Elder Russell M. Nelsen's talk served as a tutorial on the Church's doctrine regarding covenants.

181st semi-annual LDS General Conference closes Sunday | ksl.com

Source of the summaries published below is the LDS Church News. Video and audio archives will be posted on the Conference Page as soon as they are available; official written transcripts of each address will be posted on the LDS website in about a week from now.

-- Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve: Spoke about covenants. This address is a tutorial on LDS doctrine about covenants. Covenants are sacred promises with God in which He sets the terms, and individuals have the choice of whether they are going to accept those terms. If one accepts the terms of the covenant and obey God's law, he or she receives the blessings associated with the covenant. Because of the renewal of the Abrahamic covenant, all can receive the fullness of the gospel, enjoy the blessings of the priesthood and qualify for God's greatest blessing, eternal life through exaltation. All who make these covenants become part of the Abrahamic family, even if they are not of the physical seed of Abraham. Children of the covenant have the right to receive the Lord's doctrine and to know the plan of salvation. They claim it by making covenants of sacred significance and keep the covenant by obedience to His commandments.

LDS 181st Semiannual Conference, Sunday Morning General Session; Faithfulness, Patience, And Virtue

Note: All posts on the October 2011 181st Semiannual General Conference available HERE, with the most recent post appearing first.

The Sunday morning session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focused on faithfulness, patience, and virtue. Church members were counseled to be better witnesses to God, to wait more patiently on the Lord to manifest His purposes in our lives, and fathers were directed to be guardians of virtue in their own homes to better teach their children by example. Members were also reminded that the Book of Mormon is an "either-or" proposition; there is no middle ground.

Sources of the summaries published below include the LDS Church News, the Salt Lake Tribune, and KTVX Channel 4. Video and audio archives will be posted on the Conference Page as soon as they are available; official written transcripts of each address will be posted on the LDS website in about a week from now.

-- President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency: Spoke of the need for all Latter-day Saints to be witnesses to God. Noted that Church members have made three promises to God; becoming charitable, becoming a witness of God and a promise to endure. He concluded that the Book of Mormon can draw an individual closer to God than any other book, and can change a life for the better.

President Eyring also related a personal experience worth highlighting. He had accepted an invitation to give an address at a major university. However, the organizer, knowing of Eyring's Church position, told him he could not witness for Christ during that address because the university "respected people of all religious beliefs, including those who denied the existence of a God". But instead of canceling, President Eyring noted that the university had been honored for doing what the Church had learned to do in its humanitarian efforts across the world. He said that, in his talk, he described what the university and the Church BOTH had done to lift people in need and said that he knew that Jesus Christ was the source of the blessings that come into the lives of those who were served and who had served. He received a standing ovation. So he kept his agreement to speak AND satisfied the demands of his conscience to witness for God.

LDS 181st Semiannual Conference, Saturday Evening Priesthood Session; Missionary Service, Priesthood Service, And Temporal Welfare

Note: All posts on the October 2011 181st Semiannual General Conference available HERE, with the most recent post appearing first.

During the Saturday evening priesthood session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, various speakers held forth on missionary service, priesthood power, and temporal welfare. While the LDS Church has taken pains to reduce the perceived contrast between it and the rest of the Christian community in recent years, President Thomas S. Monson reminded congregants that there are still times when we may have to act like a "peculiar people", particularly in defense of our core social values.

Sources of the summaries published include the LDS Church News and the Salt Lake Tribune. Video and audio archives will be posted on the Conference Page as soon as they are available; official written transcripts of each address will be posted on the LDS website in about a week from now.

-- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve: Discussed Satan's tactics and put out a renewed appeal for more senior couples to serve missions. The experience of Joseph Smith in being seized upon by a dark power while he was praying in the Sacred Grove is proof of the tangibility of Satan. Elder Holland noted that Satan is real, the very personification of evil. His motives are in every case malicious, and he convulses at the appearance of redeeming light, at the very thought of truth. He knows he will ultimately lose, but wants to take as many with him as possible. Elder Holland also pleaded for thousands of more couples to serve missions of the Church, primarily because they bring a maturity to the work that no number of 19-year-olds, however good they are, can provide.

LDS 181st Semiannual Conference, Saturday Afternoon General Session; Genealogy, Family, And Repentance Get Top Billing

Note: All posts on the October 2011 181st Semiannual General Conference available HERE, with the most recent post appearing first.

The Saturday afternoon session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focused upon genealogy, family, and repentance. The Saturday afternoon session is often used to showcase new Seventies who've never delivered a conference address before; they're considered apprentice Apostles from whose ranks future members of the Quorum of the Twelve are selected. Sources of the summaries published below include the LDS Church News and KTVX Channel 4. Video and audio archives will be posted on the Conference Page as soon as they are available; official written transcripts of each address will be posted on the LDS website in about a week from now.

Preceding the addresses was the announcement of changes in the leadership structure. Among the more prominent people involved were J. Willard Marriott and Jon Huntsman Sr., released as Area Seventies. Since Huntsman was not a full-time employee of the LDS Church, the constraints against Huntsman getting involved in his son's Presidential campaign did not apply to him.

-- Elder David A. Bednar, Quorum of the Twelve: Genealogy was Elder Bednar's chosen topic. He discussed how the restoration of the sealing authority by Elijah in 1836 was necessary to prepare the world for the Savior's second coming and initiated a greatly increased and worldwide interest in family history work. As members of Christ's restored Church, we have the covenant responsibility to search out our ancestors and provide for them the saving ordinances of the gospel. For these reasons we do family history research, build temples and perform vicarious ordinances. Elder Bednar encouraged young people to get more involved in these task, noting that one does not need to wait until some arbitrary age to fulfill the responsibility to assist in the work of salvation for the human family. He also touted FamilySearch.org.

LDS 181st Semiannual Conference, Saturday Morning General Session: Five New Temples Announced

Note: All posts on the October 2011 181st Semiannual General Conference available HERE, with the most recent post appearing first.

The 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began on Saturday October 1st, 2011. Midway through the first hour, President Thomas S. Monson arrived, and announced the Church's intention to construct five new temples: Provo, Utah; Barranquillia, Colombia; Durban, South Africa; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Star Valley, Wyoming. The proposed Paris Temple had been previously announced by the Church in July after the media first broke the story.

The second Provo Temple will be erected upon the ashes of the Provo Tabernacle; which explains why the Church purchased adjacent properties earlier in August. And the announcement of a Congo Temple is truly remarkable, considering that some parts of that country remain ungovernable to this day and that outbreaks of mass rape and murder in the eastern part still occur.

President Monson announces six new temples and program for temple patrons | ksl.com

The summaries combine highlights from single reports on the session from the Salt Lake Tribune and KSL Channel 5 with individual LDS Church News stories on each speaker to provide a broader perspective. Video and audio archives will be posted on the Conference Page as soon as they are available; official written transcripts of each address will be posted on the LDS website in about a week from now.

-- Elder Richard G. Scott, Quorum of the Twelve: Spoke on the power of scripture. Elder Scott described the scriptures as one of the tools to help us be successful in our mortal probation, and the key to opening the channel of communication with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Scriptures can communicate different meanings at different times during an individual's life, according to their needs; a scripture that someone may have read many times can take on a different meaning when a new challenge in life appears.

LDS 181st Annual Conference, Sunday Morning General Session; Revelation, Welfare, And Temple Worthiness

The Sunday morning general session of the 181st Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was dominated by two subjects; revelation and welfare. Dramatic revelation is by exception; the majority of revelation is actually the "still small voice" of quiet inspiration. The Church welfare system is designed to promote recovery as well as assistance; self-reliance is the ultimate objective. There was also a renewed call to increase temple worthiness.

-- All posts about the 181st Annual General Conference, to include session reports, can be simultaneously displayed HERE, with the most recent post displayed first.

Video and audio archives will be posted on the Conference Page as soon as they are available; official written transcripts of each address will be posted on the LDS website in about a week from now. In the interim, LDS Church News is providing news stories on the speakers and the counsel delivered; click on the speaker's name below to go directly to the Church News story.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor to the First Presidency: Cautioned Church members against neglecting or ignoring smaller manifestations of the Spirit in hopes of a major dramatic event such as Paul's vision on the road to Damascus or Joseph Smith's first vision. Urged members to move forward in faith, hope and charity on the basis of inspiration already given. All people who consistently seek divine wisdom will eventually receive a divine portrait of the Master, but it most often comes in the form of a puzzle — one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself — it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. But each piece helps us to see the big picture a little better. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together we recognize the big picture. If we ignore or block out the quiet promptings of the Spirit, they become less noticeable until we cannot hear them at all.

LDS 181st Annual Conference, Saturday Evening Priesthood Session; Honoring And Magnifying The Power Of Priesthood

The Saturday evening priesthood session of the 181st Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, directed towards the men of the Church, focused extensively upon honoring and magnifying Priesthood. The roles of both Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood holders were equally addressed. President Thomas S. Monson capped the session with one of the most impressive, all-encompassing messages I've ever heard delivered at any conference.

-- All posts about the 181st Annual General Conference, to include session reports, can be simultaneously displayed HERE, with the most recent post displayed first.

Video and audio archives will be posted on the Conference Page as soon as they are available; official written transcripts of each address will be posted on the LDS website in about a week from now. In the interim, LDS Church News is providing news stories on the speakers and the counsel delivered; click on the speaker's name below to go directly to the Church News story.

Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve: Directed his remarks primarily at the younger Aaronic Priesthood holders. Told them that with their ordination to the priesthood, their talents and spiritual capacities have been increased, and that one of their important responsibilities is to help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior. Reminded the young men that every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission, and that missionary service requires sacrifice.