As mentioned in my Pre-conference notes, I had to watch this session at work. I got called out of my office at about 11:45, and didn’t get back to my desk until almost 12:30. I was surprised to note how anxious I was to get to my computer and watch conference. I felt like I was missing something. Then throughout the session, I kept getting calls. Usually I can just sit there and watch, but not today. There must have been something that the Adversary didn’t want me to hear!
I thought it was interesting that the Church is promoting the #ldsconf hashtag
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang Redeemer of Israel
President Dieter F Uchtdorf conducted
The choir sang In Hymns of Praise
Elder Randall K Bennett offered the invocation
President Thomas S Monson
- Traveled to Germany, Alberta, Idaho in the last 6 months (the last two to dedicate temples)
- Didn’t attend cultural celebration in Calgary as it was Sister Monson’s birthday
- President Uchtdorf dedicated to Honduras to dedicated a temple
- Announced new temples in Cedar City Utah and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- In October changes to missionary age announced
- As of April 4, 65634 full-time missionaries
- More than 20,000 more have received their call
- 6,000 are in process
- 58 new missions
- We were invited to donate to the general missionary fund of the church
The choir sang Hark, All Ye Nations!
President Boyd K Packer (he looked good, but spoke from his chair and had oxygen tubes in his nose)
- In 1992 he turned 68
- He shared a short poem he wrote at that time (he updated it at 78 and again at 88)
- He is getting older. Although he loses physical ability, there are “great spiritual gains” that come with age
- We need to protect our homes
- The priesthood has been given to protect the home
- There are few things more powerful than the prayers of a righteous mother
Bishop Dean M Davies
- Talked about earthquakes in California
- We must build on sure foundations in order to be safe
- Just as buildings use the right material, we need to be built properly spiritually
- We wouldn’t knowingly build our homes on sand
Sister Elaine S Dalton
- spoke about the first line in the YW theme… we are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love him
- we need to understand who we are and whose we are
- we must never lose sight of the strength of the women
- we need virtue to be a vital value in society
The choir and congregation sang Let Us All Press On
Elder Craig A Cardon
- The Savior forgives sin on earth, not just in the eternities
- In this forgiveness the enabling power of the Atonement helps us
- False faith does not justify sin
- “I will be merciful unto your weakness”
- He knows our weakness
- “Notwithstanding your sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you”
- The Savior wants to forgive
Elder M Russell Ballard
- “And worlds without number have I created”
- The Milky Way is just one of 200+ billion galaxies
- It is impossible to fathom
- The power by which these were created is the priesthood
- The source of this power is God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ
- Men administer the priesthood but they are NOT the priesthood
- Just as a woman cannot have a child without a man, a man can’t properly use his priesthood without a woman
- Shared an analogy of growing a tomato plant, it’s potential, and what happens when it is neglected
- Those who hold the priesthood but don’t honour it will wilt spiritually
- Spoke of the recent Worldwide Leadership Training videos about the role of priesthood and strengthening the family
The choir sang Faith
President Henry B Eyring
- This is His church and we take His name upon us as we enter the Church
- “I will encircle thee in the arms of my love”
- Recounted much of the life of Christ
- Great blessings come from faithful service
- Christ has shown us how to hear our Heavenly Father
- He bore powerful witness that he knows Christ lives as surely as if he were there
The choir sang My Redeemer Lives
Sister Jean A Stevens offered the benediction
Read the recaps and other notes from the 183rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
- 183rd Annual General Conference – Pre-conference notes
- 183rd Annual General Conference – Saturday Morning General Session
- 183rd Annual General Conference – Saturday Afternoon General Session
- 183rd Annual General Conference – Priesthood Session
- 183rd Annual General Conference – Sunday Morning General Session
- 183rd Annual General Conference – Sunday Afternoon General Session
- 183rd Annual General Conference – Post-conference notes
