Comments on: Saturday Morning General Conference Open Thread

By: merrybits

merrybits — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:43:45 +0000

I’ve been in several So. Cal wards and women have not been allowed to give the opening prayer. It’s a problem that needs to be addressed.

By: Tanya S.

Tanya S. — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:51:47 +0000

Misty,

That’s a bishop or stake president rule. I’ve never been in a ward with rules about one sex only being allowed to give the opening or closing prayer, or who speaks last, but others have, so it’s not a Church rule.

By: Johnna Cornett

Johnna Cornett — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:41:31 +0000

When Elder Holland was talking about the seven-year-old boy and his cows and the high river, I admit I cried when the dad showed up.

By: Misty

Misty — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:27:58 +0000

And what’s the deal with a man always being the closing speaker in Sacrament meetings? Why can’t a woman speak last?

By: Buck J.

Buck J. — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:13:50 +0000

It looks like Gen Conference speakers were chosen this time to show that we don’t all speak English. Or am I crazy?

By: A Guy Named Eddie

A Guy Named Eddie — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:12:15 +0000

PH Holders offering the opening prayer in sacrament meeting is one of those “unwritten” rules.

By: Justin

Justin — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:35:18 +0000

“Seen or unseen they [angels] are always near.”

Wow!

By: Patricia Lahtinen

Patricia Lahtinen — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:19:35 +0000

Unfortunately, Brewhaha (223), it’s not that at all, because women have given the opening prayer in our ward. However, in a recent Sacrament meeting, in which two members of our stake presidency were present, a sister who had offered to pray in place of her sick-at-home husband (who had originally been scheduled to pray) was told at the pulpit, essentially, “Thank you, but no thank you. We appreciate your offer, but a priesthood holder must open our Sacrament meetings with prayer. Brother So-and-so, would you please offer us our opening prayer this morning?”

Yes, a word would have helped.

Good point, Seth R.(220), on preferring not to have Sacrament meeting at the end of the 3-hour block.

By: DavidH

DavidH — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:19:32 +0000

Tony and Ray,

As noted above, the current handbook specifically states that white shirts are desirable for Sacrament administration, but should not be enforced as a rigid mandatory prerequisite to administer the Sacrament. I do not think Elder Holland’s and Elder Oaks’ encouragement of white shirts changes either component of that.

I hope bishops who listened to the talk will take into account both components of the handbook’s policy. If a young man (or in wards with few young men) and adult does not happen to wear a white shirt on a Sunday, I do not think either Elder Oaks or Elder Holland would suggest that they should be automatically disqualified from administering the Sacrament that Sunday.

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:56:29 +0000

I’m sorry, Steve, am I keeping you awake?