Welcome to By Common Consent’s live coverage of General Conference. We will be updating this post throughout the session, providing commentary, quotes, and photography as events unroll. For more up-to-the-minute coverage, please see our live coverage on Twitter.
It would appear that the swine flu has wiped out a significant portion of the Tabernacle Choir. There are only about 30 people in the stands. No music. Just spoken word. Okay. I was wrong. The MoTab just started speaking and is in fine form!
5 new temples: Brigham City, Florida, Chile, Japan, Brazil. Wow–Brigham City is amazing–the Logan temple is only about 20 minutes away…thoughts?
Elder Scott:
“What can you do to enhance your capacity to be led to correct decisions in your life?…What are the potential barriers to such communication that you need to avoid?”
“Spirituality yields two fruits. The first is inspiration, to know what to do. The second is power, or the capacity to do it.”
Very interesting remarks regarding the Sunday School instructor who used lessons as an opportunity to impress people, rather than to teach by the Spirit.
My wife is uploading photos now!, so stay tuned!!
Bio Information for Elder Clayton:
* Born 1950 Salt Lake City, Utah
* Baptized as a child; Aaronic Priesthood as a child; Melchizedek Priesthood as a young man
* Mission to the Andes (Peru) 1970-1973
* Married Kathy Ann Kipp 1973, Salt Lake Temple; seven children
* Branch President, Bishop, High Councilor, Regional Representative
* First Quorum of the Seventy 2001-present
* Presidency of the Seventy 2008-present
Fun Fact: Elder Clayton is the brother of my Stake President. They look and sound almost exactly the same. Wonderful, wonderful men.
[PHOTO THREAD JUST POSTED ON BCC]
From Brother Osguthorpe’s talk, “Teaching Saves Lives.”
“When inspiration comes, do I close the manual and open their eyes and ears and hearts to the glory of God?”
Elder Bednar up now: “More Diligent and Concerned at Home”
Alright, bloggernaclites! Fess up! Who among you has told the congregation how much you love your spouse and children, and that you don’t tell them such enough? How many of you make the leaders of our Church squirm?
Final speaker just announced as President Uchtdorf. What themes have you seen in the morning session? From my seat, communication with God through the Spirit has been the message–both for our own spiritual benefit, as well as for others through teaching and missionary efforts.
Absolutely beautiful statement from President Uchtdorf:
“Since the beginning of time, love has been the source of both the highest bliss and the heaviest burdens. At the heart of misery from the days of Adam until today, you will find the love of wrong things. And at the heart of joy, you will find the love of good things.”
What an amazing sermon on love. I had a hard time focusing on blog/Twitter…just so thoroughly powerful and engrossing. President Uchtdorf simply outdoes my very high expectations every single time he speaks.
And the choir sends out with Come, Come Ye Saints. All is well! Thanks to all who contributed. Don’t forget to check out the last few new pictures that my wife just put up, and let’s all meet back here in a couple of hours, okay?
(Also, please remember to be courteous in driving.)
________________________
woot!
I’ll be in the conference center for the afternoon session. Who else will be on Temple Square today?
When will you be posting the speakers for this morning’s session?
am on BYU radio audio only- looks like lds.org and BYU tv don’t like google chrome as a browser. will BYU radio broadcast conference?
Who wants the speakers? Some opposed any spoilers…
I am pumped and ready to go.
I don’t want to hear about waffles on twitter. Come on.
Give us the speakers PLEASE Scott
And if you happen to have the text to the talks already, I’ll send you my email for those too.
Text of talks to my email would be wonderful :D
But please, PLEASE post the speakers!
Yes, want speakers, please. Do it, Scott. Don’t let your hurt feelings over the Aggies’ loss last night ruin your day. [smirk]
Pres. Monson first…
I’m going to stop reading if you post the speakers ahead of time. It was anticlimatic to hear Sister Matsumori announced.
Tally: Supernal 1, Tender Mercies 0
Looks like the Move Networks feed at lds.org is about 5 minutes behind, based on comparison with the BCC tweets.
Just barely finished Rejoice, the Lord is King.
5 New Temples:
Brigham City
COncepcion, Chile
Ft. LauderDale FL
Soppora, Japan
Brazil
wow… temples!
You know what they say about doors.
Ardis is outnumbered. I say post the whole session. All in favor, please manifest it.
Ben, mine is only about 2.5 minutes behind.
Maybe we need a separate post for spoilers so only those who want them have to see them.
This Japan RM is in tears
Don’t post the speakers. I don’t want to lose Ardis as a commenter.
Aww… Chad, I remember how I felt when my hometown temple was announced. *hugs*
My son and I watch Dutcher’s Brigham City again last night.
Sapporo! Woo hoo!
I wanna see if ARdis will make good on his threat.
Ft. Lauderdale! That would have been our temple when we lived in Boca! Woot!
I wrote a roadshow spoofing that. Who knew? We did it South Florida!
I am with hunter.
are all these temples in Utah running at full capacity? just curious.
He probably will, Sister Rob.
The temple in Brazil will be in Fortaleza. Amazing.
I was waiting for “Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo” temple. Well, not yet. But someday.
Anne, Brigham makes a lot of geographical sense, compared to more in south salt lake county. More the merrier.
Anne, the temples in Utah are packed whenever I go, especially on Friday evenings (date night). Jordan River is especially bad, but the two new temples as well as the main Salt Lake temple seem full as well. At least in my experience.
I need to do more to make them fuller.
Chad, I almost was that way when Rome was announced last year.
SCOTT–If you have text of the talks for today and are willing to share them, please email them to me at robthereferee@gmail.com
Anne, if you go in the middle of a weekday, they aren’t busy, but evenings and Saturdays (especially Saturday) they’re packed.
If anybody in the Salt Lake area wants to make these temples fuller, I have thousands of French-speaking Swiss people who need someone to do their work. It’s more than I can handle, even with all the institute groups helping me.
I’m glad you’re still here Ardis.
It’s time to go looking for the Brigham Young prophecy that stated a temple would grace the foothills of Brigham City. Does anyone wonder if President Packer had a hand in this? As has been noted, Ogden and Logan are not that far away.
Elder Scott started talking less than a second after the choir stopped singing. Efficient, but I prefer to have a few seconds of quiet to process the music.
SCOTT – Same here if you’re willing to do so. nocoolnametom@gmail.com.
Anne, define “full capacity.”
We just moved from living a block away from the Timpanogos Temple. I can tell you the parking lot was crowded from 5:00 am to close and I never went to a tiny session there. Always half to two-thirds full when I attended.
I did attend a session with three people once in Orlando, but that was pretty rare.
I noted the same thing to my wife Ariel. He must have been standing at the pulpit before they finished singing.
I think Brigham City is more than 20 minutes from Logan, what with having to drive that mountain road. I’d think Ogden would be faster, just down I15.
Ardis, my SLC institute ward is always complaining about needing names, but someone mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we have a bunch of French names… I wonder if we’re already doing yours.
Ariel, try the pause button. :)
Scott is constantly telling a variation of this same talk. That’s not a complaint, I love it and I need to hear it. Just noticing.
Ariel, yes, you are. If you want to know the story behind them, write to me at AEParshall at AOLdot com. (The problem is that institute women can often do only baptisms, and institute men are RMs who want to do endowments — the imblance in this project is getting worse by the day!)
lol@Alison
THe word of this session is JESUS. Every time that word is mentioned this session, there is a bowl of treats which the children can partake from. Maximum of 3 treats per talk.
Elder Scott to Gospel Doctrine teachers:
Don’t use the lecturn as an opportunity to show off.
thanks all!
I love grapes.
Ardis, my ward is one with many endowed women and comparatively few active men. I’ll mention the imbalance in RS and see if I can help a little.
This sounds like a talk about the JSPP revelations volume.
Brad, are you talking about Elder Scott?
Straight talk for a Saturday morning!
yes
Curiosity got the cat addicted to pornography.
Either that, Seth R., or “revelation is able to come through a humble teacher as well as through an arrogant one. Look for spiritual guidance in even unlikely places.”
??
Ironically, I think eating an jalapeno would actually enhance the flavor of a grape.
Using the messy process of personal revelation — including Elder Scott’s own experience writing down then revising revelations he has received — as a template for understanding the general principles by which revelation is given and received. Nice preparation for volumes that describe in intimate detail the messy revision processes that led to the composition and publication of what we accept as canonized revelation.
Following up on the Brigham City temple. It will probably serve a large chunk of NW Utah and parts of Idaho. It is a great area.
Good catch, Brad.
I’m glad Elder Scott was an early speaker today. His monotone voice usually puts me to sleep, but the sugar high from my donut hasn’t worn off yet.
Elder Scott has gravitas.
I keep wondering when someone is going to actually tackle the issue of female use of pornography.
Seth R.,
I don’t think pornography use is rampant among females.
Yay! She’s giving a talk not just addressed to the Primary! :-) I’m liking this. A good missionary talk.
Seth,
Female use does not seem to be the social problem of concern with the Church. This is not to say that it is not a problem, but it is not the root of the crisis facing families and ward today.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, Seth R.
“baptism by farr…” teehee
Is Elder Scott’s GD teacher on the bloggernacle, bcz that’d be awesome.
#71… perhaps, but I think i heard this same talk when I was in primary.
Plufyn–Ouse of pornography is more rampant among females than many people realize.
My 11-year-old just said she likes Sister Matsumori’s voice
The announcement of the Concepcion, Chile temple is just amazing! I served in the Santiago South Mission. Elder Vinas of the Seventy was the 2nd counselor to Elder Holland in the Area Presidency while I was on my mission. Our Mission President related to us at a zone conference that Elder Vinas had been in Concepcion for a Stake Conference or a Regional Conference and was harping on the members about tithing (a real issue down there). He told the members there that there would be a temple built in Concepcion one day, with our without the tithing of the people. He told them that if it was built with their tithing it would be a blessing unto them, if it was built without it would be a condemnation unto them. When I heard Pres Monson announce this temple I got goosebumps all over and I sure hope that those members have been paying their tithing.
What, no radio?
Kim, I agree with your 11 year old.
#LDSCONF is finally a TRENDING TOPIC on TWITTER!!
#ldsconf is a trending topic on Twitter
On the female pornography thing:
I think it’s more because we have a culture of not criticizing women from the pulpit than anything else. Criticism from authorities is directed at men 7 times out of 10.
Point taken.
@ Kim–I like it too! It doesn’t sound like she’s talking to a bunch of three year olds! I’m really liking this talk. It’s even about a serious spiritual topic.
I just lost my internet feed to conference.
#84 — That is so true Seth. Seems like Priesthood meeting is always a good time to get a tongue lashing!!
Seth, I also think that that is because men don’t take the criticism personal like the women do.
I don’t even bother with the video feeds anymore. Even when they’re working they’re 5 minutes behind. I’ve never had problems with the audio feeds off lds.org, tho.
Seth,
This complaint is the Mormon version of the angry white male syndrome. “The GA’s are so mean to us and never mean to the women.”
On this issue, it is the men who need to be pounded.
Great, now we even have the porn bots on twitter using #LDSCONF in their posts.
Um, is the “cursed for thy sake” an English misreading (for thy benefit)? I always though it represented “because of you”.
Not that I don’t appreciate the idea.
Tom I think it is a propitious misreading, if it is one..
From Twitter: asdavis Hmmm…#ldsconf is a trending topic? The LDS Tech team must be doing something right.
Good stuff
RT @kentonpieper wow, #ldsconf is on the top trending topics. maybe this will make people quit confusing mormons with the amish.
NRSV of Genesis 3:17:
“…cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;”
#93- it’s ambiguous in English. It’s slightly less amiguous in the Bible where it often translates a phrase “on your account” so it can either be “source” (ie. because of you) or “goal” (i.e. with some end in mind for you.)
I don’t really care about parity in criticism.
What I am concerned about is that the focus on male use of porn blinds us to the essential attributes of pornography that make it destructive in the first place, and how to distinguish it from healthy sexual behavior. By removing the female element, a clear picture of the problem is impossible.
I don’t seem to recall Elder Scott’s pornography comments being specifically addressed to men only. Considering he mentioned many forms of pornography, starting with print, he could just as easily have been warning women about salacious romance novels, too.
Twitter even has an official explanation of why #ldsconf is trending (however, they did capitalize the day in Latter-day). How many millions of people will see this on Twitter? What a great missionary tool.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church) is holding its 179th semi-annual General Conference in Salt Lake City, UT Oct. 3-4, 2009.”
Ahh Seth. I am always delighted and intrigued to read what you have to say.
“I don’t seem to recall Elder Scott’s pornography comments being specifically addressed to men only.”
I do. He specifically pulled out the “no worthy Priesthood holder would…” line.
He had guys in mind. It seemed clear enough to me.
Women do look at pornography. But then there is our own little tool that Satan uses on Women.
We watch, and it goes off, “You could never wear that nightie/neglige/whatever. You would look SOOOO FAT” “You could never do THAT, not in BROAD DAYLIGHT!”
The visual stimuli appeard to work in the reverse.
I think it fitting Elder Clayton talked about burdens given the trials the Samoan and Tongan saints are experiencing.
I was going to point out that same line Seth, but I was too busy singing since my kids called me out for not singing.
99 – Thanks, Ben. I really need to learn Hebrew.
I think it fitting Elder Clayton talked about burdens given the trials gay and lesbian saints are experiencing.
THere’s the fist reference to PREACH MY GOSPEL.
All teachers are messengers of God. :-D
For those who want live coverage via CoverItLive, check out the page here.
http://www.patheos.com/Community/Events/LDS-General-Conference.html
Who is this? I just lost my feed…
Yeah, the Brigham City temple is a shocker for me. The Ogden temple is closer to BC than the Logan temple, but both are less than 30 minutes away and, given the right traffic conditions, you can get to Ogden in 20 minutes flat.
Besides, there are only 18,000 people in Brigham (not including the suburbs), so I can’t see whom this temple is supposed to serve. There is not a significant population to the west of Brigham City (Promontory, anyone?), and people in Southern Idaho already have temples in Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, and–depending on where you are in Idaho–Logan. Logan and Vernal are both closer to Wyoming (which, if memory serves, doesn’t even have its own temple).
Not that I’m complaining. My parents live in the foothills of Brigham City. Perhaps my inheritance just became more valuable. There’s no where else to build it in BC proper. (West of the tracks / freeway? No way.) But, I suppose there are places out in the Perry / Willard area that could work… though that puts it dangerously close to Ogden.
I can only assume that it will be one of the mini ones… are they still even doing that?
“The goal of gospel teaching is not to pour information [into the learners]”
I think this might be why Gospel Doctrine class is typically taught at an 8th grade level.
The problem comes when the membership assumes that all the “information pouring” is supposed to happen at Church and don’t bother with personal study.
Do people actually sing along during Conference? Weird.
Vernal DOES Have it’s own temple.
Orwell,
I am just angry that they did not put it in Tremonton.
Zack.
Yes, my father always had us all stand as kids and sing along. I still do. My young kids enjoyed it since they just learned “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet” in Primary.
Left Field, the mountain road to Logan has long since been widened. It’s four lanes and not that windy or even steep… but yes, the trip down I-15 in the 75 mph zone is faster.
I washed dishes while singing along with the choir on the last break.
If we’re submitting nominations for temple sites, I’d like to put in a plug for Laramie, Wyoming. Just one of those small, limited capacity temples.
“When inspiration comes, do we close the manual….”
Nice.
Seth, I am sure somebody would complain that Laramie is too close to the Denver temple.
@118
You dirty bear!
@117
I know, I’m saying that putting one in Brigham City doesn’t geographically improve over the already existing ones in Logan and Vernal.
Sometimes when watching TV, we do push ups during commercials. I think from now on, we’ll do them during musical numbers during conference.
My mistake…..You were saying that Wyoming didn’t have one, not Vernal.
Haha, he said “assume” and I soooo wanted him to say “you know what happens when you assume things…”
Here’s more of President Monson’s quote shared by Elder Osguthorpe.
“The goal of gospel teaching today … is not to ‘pour information’ into the minds of class members. It is not to show how much the teacher knows, nor is it merely to increase knowledge about the Church. The basic goal of teaching in the Church is to help bring about worthwhile changes in the lives of boys and girls, men and women. The aim is to inspire the individual to think about, feel about, and then do something about living gospel principles.”
President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency, in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 107.
It’s not that Laramie is too close to the Denver Temple (actually, it’s south of Denver). It’s that Casper, Rawlins, Green River, and Sheridan are not close to Denver at all, but are within striking distance of Laramie, if you make a day of it. And Laramie does have a large indigenous LDS population (about 10% of the city last I heard).
Oh, and folks in Fort Collins and Casper would have an easier time getting to Laramie than Denver.
Except in the winter….
No more over the pulpit PDA, folks.
Did anyone else think that Elder Scott kinda looks like he already has a grandpa mustache? He could grow it out an no one would even notice.
Despite this, his talk really bowled me over. Amazing.
Cheyenne that is…
I think we should just be happy for the people in the Brigham area (and those other places with newly announced temples). I just moved from Rexburg. THe new temple has brought a lot of excitement and energy. It is wonderful. Did they “need” a temple 25 miles from the Idaho Falls Temple? No. Is it being used anywhere near capacity? Absolutely not. But I am thinking that there might be other factors at play which are of greater importance.
Seth R.,
I think Laramie is north of Denver.
Seth, I was joking about Denver/Laramie. I think a Wyoming temple would be awesone.
He’s touching me!!
I’m aware of that.
What I’m saying is that the “Denver TEMPLE” is about 45 minutes SOUTH of Denver.
He’s breathing my air!!!
Right now, I’m sitting next to my wife on the couch, and she’s leaning on me!!
Funny. My oldest daughter just complained that her sister “won’t stop looking at me.”
He’s hogging my broadband!
“did not always produce high levels of edification.”
True :)
Mom, he’s using my bandwidth!!
I need this reminder from Elder Bednar. WIth young kids, it is easy to wonder what good scripture study, FHE, and even attending church does. It is all about the big picture. I needed that.
consistency for the sake of consistency?
Children are often the most alert when it comes to recognizing hypocrisy.
SOOOOO TRUE!!
I find art references to be moving, as long as they aren’t references to Kinkade (and artists aesthetically like him, unfortunately this represents many Mormon artists) and/or this: http://www.mcnaughtonart.com/
Or adapting the point to blogging:
“Mom, he’s ruining my testimony!”
I like that photo of Elder Bednar’s office.
Barely halfway through the first session and already there have been 2 talks that seem very worthy of consideration for Teachings for Our TImes topics.
Seth (#150): lol
Stealth Proclamation on the Family reference!
“Brushstrokes on the canvas of our souls…”
Awesome.
MCQ (155),
Sounds a bit like Maxwell in that quote. I like it.
I loved Elder Bednar’s talk, but I’m kind of at a loss about how it applies to my family of one. I hope someone addresses singles during this conference.
Too much music.
music = snack time
I really liked Elder Bednar’s talk.
Is it just me or does the choir director look like the teacher from Glee?
UCHTDORF!! UCHTDORF!!
Yup.
Bro. Wilberg! The altos are breathing my air!
Rob, anathema!
Uchtdorf! Uchtdorf!
Sorry to intrude, but I’m not LDS, and I’m watching the Conference for the first time right now. I noticed that Elder Bednar (?) said something like “the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Spirit”, which kind of confused me. What does that mean?
Just yesterday I had a discussion with a lady at work about “3 hours” and how this weekend it would be 4.
Popcorn Popping reference FTW
Kate,
In standard Mormon parlance, “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit” are often used (sloppily) interchangeably.
“THe Labytinth of Good Ideas”
166,
Well, the distinctions are somewhat nuanced and would take a while to discuss, but, in general, “Godhead” is the term that Most Mormons use for “Trinity” – a different term to help represent our differing view of it where there are three distinct individuals: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Kate, we believe the members of the Godhead are God the Father (or Heavenly Father), Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). (I think that’s what you were asking?)
Kate, it’s apposition (to use the grammatical term.) It’s like saying, my Uncle, Bob. Bob is my uncle.
The three members of the Godhead (or Trinity in non-LDS terminology) are the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
What does “FTW” mean?
Kate, the Holy Ghost is the third member of the godhead, which includes God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit is just another way of saying the Holy Ghost.
It’s an old Hollywood Squares reference: “For the Win!”
Uchtdorf makes my wife swoon… she thinks he’s so handsome. He’s talking about love… well, my wife is right there with him. lol.
sounds like Bruder Uchtdorf ist krank.
#166 Kate:
We believe that three beings constitute the “godhead” -
Father
Son
Holy Spirit
All three are perfectly united, and, for all practical purposes, constitute one God. But we still believe them to be three individual beings.
Kate we call God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, the Godhead.
also see this
Godhead was a term used by most by most 19th century american christians as a synonym for trinity. Mormons just still use it.
“God does not need us to love him.”
I’m not sure I agree with this statement theologically.
Love is truly the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.”
Because I just can’t leave the Brigham City temple thing alone… I suppose they could put it in Honeyville.
“This is my work and MY glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
That doesn’t sound like a God who “doesn’t need our love.”
Is Pres. Uchtdorf’s shirt purple??? Or is that just shading?
Curse you, Orwell…
It’s the same in my church; It’s the “even” that confused me; I guess it’s an odd phrasing that I’m not used to.
(By the way, I think that mainstream Christians could be a little more LDS-like in their understanding of the Trinity. The doctrine is that three persons make up one God, not that one God takes the form of three persons, which you often hear people saying. I think it’s just a confusing concept in general.)
I really liked Elder Bednar. He was quiet and calm without being boring. I also like the man speaking now.
Jobe, maybe you should stop laughing and start worrying. That or start developing a german accent.
Seth #182,
I have to agree I’m having difficulty wrapping my brain around that statement.
Yes, Plufyn, but the temple is south of Denver.
I love Elder Uchtdorf!!!!!
Kate,
In the Mormon Church, sometimes we mimic the phrasing from the King James Bible when we are saying something reverent.
Seth, I think the emphasis in that statement is on “need.” He doesn’t need our love, but wants us to love him as our father.
Indeed, a peculiar little Mormon rhetorical flourish.
#189
I am trying but I only have reruns of Hogan’s Heroes to practice my German accent. I’m not too worried. She’s already sealed to me so it’s too late…mwahahahaha! (evil laughter)
#186 — LT — The shading on my screen makes it appear pinkish, but I think it’s probably just the bright light and the reflection off his tie.
Kate, for “even” see here and the following comment.
#LDSCONF peaked at #5 on trending topics on Twitter, but has dropped back to #6 now.
This talk will present problems for hyperorthodox CES types who seem (weirdly) preoccupied with the idea that God’s love is not unconditional.
LT,
Of course Elder Uchtdorf’s shirt is white.
The silver in his tie matches the silver in his hair.
I’m pretty sure it’s a light purple. The center peeking out doesn’t match the torso that I can see.
Kate, what you are describing is modalism:
The idea of one Being who wears different hats. One day he has on his Jesus hat, the other day, his Holy Spirit hat, etc.
I should point out that most scholars of both Catholic and Protestant traditions denounce this view as a heresy.
The problem is that they also denounce tri-theism as a heresy. The idea that there are three separate beings who are merely playing for the same team.
Instead, traditional Christian trinitarianism holds that “they are three beings, but they are also one being.”
In my view, it tries to have it both ways and winds up making no sense whatsoever. Mormonism solves the problem by starting from an assumption of three beings, and then simply positing that they are perfectly unified in will, mind, purpose and love such that – as a practical matter – there is only one will in charge of the universe.
That’s how we make sense of it anyway.
I think his shirt really is purple/pinkish. I approve.
“EVEN immortal glory.”
It’s just that his collar doesn’t match his shirt…and the collar is clearly white…I’m just going to pretend it’s purple even if it isn’t because that makes him even more awesome.
I hope that as I age, I go “silver” rather than “bald.”
Uchtdorf strokes on the canvas are masterful and beautiful—
He is doctrinally striking at the roots and not the periphery of the gospel. I feel his discipleship and love. Others may be more impressed with “strokes” of rules (one earring and not two) and endless examples of their consistent personal obedience….
but hey “different strokes for different folks..”
I’d bet my bottom dollar that his shirt is white. If it is anything else, he will be released from the first presidency this afternoon.
On my screen the collar looks like the same purplish/pinkish as the rest of the shirt.
It looks white to me.
Come, Come Ye Saints FTW
Chris H., thanks especially for your comments during this session.
Who’s the dude sitting right in front of the choir, between the front row of the choir and where the conducto stands?
I’m guessing it’s a thin shirt, and he prefers the thin/corban silky undershirts, which lets a little skin color through.
No. The act of wearing a non-white shirt itself causes the spirit to withdraw. Amen to his priesthood. And to his position in the FP.
After hearing President Uchtdorf, I realize how little I listen in my everyday life.
My daughter got one marshmallow for each time she heard Pres. Uchtdorf say, “Christ” during his talk. She has 28 marshmallows. Awesome talk.
if anyone is going to wear a pink/purple shirt, it will be President Uchtdorf!
Elder Uchtdorf once again delivers a command performance.
Maybe I’m a little dyslexic, but I keep reading all these FTW’s as WTF’s…
How did Pres. Uchtdorf get through his talk without mentioning airplanes?
THey just showed the black guy in the choir!!
#222
If you play his talk backwards, I think there is a mention of airplanes.
The aviation analogy is no doubt being saved for Priesthood Session.
Pinkish-purple shirt
on President Uchtdorf is
a Tender Mercy
or the Sunday Morning Session
“Who’s the dude sitting right in front of the choir, between the front row of the choir and where the conducto stands?”
I would guess Church security.
If you’re viewing on BYUTV– the shirt is snowy white.
I think Carol in #49 on the What do You Want From Conference thread just got her wish from Pres Uchtdorf.
Short prayer.
Huzzah for singing the 4th verse of Come, Come Ye Saints LOUD!!
re Airplanes
Elder Uchtdorf seems like the type of guy who knows when to stop using an analogy before it gets old.
“If you’re viewing on BYUTV– the shirt is snowy white.”
BYU whitewashes everything.
Next speaker: Mr Mac.
Time for mountainbiking!!!
“If you’re viewing on BYUTV– the shirt is snowy white.”
BYU whitewashes everything.
LOL
Including the hopes and dreams of BCC readers.
“EVEN Thomas S. Monson.”
LOL that the camera was on the basses in the choir while they rested during the penultimate verse of Come, Come Ye Saints.
Short prayer. Bravo.
My feeling is that the longer you talk during a public prayer, the higher the likelihood that you’ve failed to represent the feelings of the people in the congregation.
I just checked conference records–the closing prayer just given was the shortest conference prayer in church history.
Thanks for the explanation of “even”, even the links.
Okay, maybe I don’t quite have it down, but it’s interesting. I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard it used quite that way before. It’s kind of nice to keep an old usage like that around.
See you all in a couple of hours. I think I’m going for a bike ride to burn off that donut and chocolate milk
That was one of the most awesome prayers I have ever heard in conference.
Re the temple in Concepcion, Chile -
I served in the Osorno Mission, and it’s amazing to think that the Saints between Temuco and Puerto Montt now have a temple they can go to that isn’t a 12-hour overnight bus ride to Santiago…
(Personal bias says it would have been better if it were in Valdivia, but the Saints there will take Concepcion, gladly…)
Amazing…
The length of the closing prayer is determined by how much broadcast time is left. (That’s also why the closing hymn is sometimes sung slowly.)
Kate,
thanks for the questions. What’s got you listening to conference this weekend?
Kate, here are some examples.
English: “Let me introduce you to my friend, Elder Jones.”
Mormon Reverent English: “Let me introduce you to my friend, even Elder Jones.”
I just find the LDS church interesting, and I don’t really have anything else to do now.
I am going to market the Elder Uchtdorf talking clock to Deseret Book. Instead of chiming on the hour we will hear President Uchtdorf say soothing words like create, listen, airplane. I have orders already.
If it’s truly not white, I’m burning my 2 white shirts and never buying another one the rest of my life :-)
Why the hate for white shirts? They are the pinnacle of male fashion.
I feel sorry for guys who favor ugly dark ones.
I <3 BCC General Conference threads.
Thanks, friends.
Actually, I watched BYU TV, and I’m one of the purplish/pinkish believers.
By the way, BYU TV really needs to broadcast in HD. Only then will I truly get everything out of conference.
Late, but I served in the Sapporro, Japan mission. I’m on Cloud 9 right now!
Nice to see you again, Ray.
husband watched at the stake center (i watched at bcc!) and says the shirt is white.
two uchtdorf clocks, please!
For what it’s worth, a 1953 Brigham City ward history had under the section, “Old Time Tales” as told to Hazel Bott (a life-long resident of Brigham City): “In 1855 the townsite of Brigham was laid out and named in honor of Brigham Young, who had predicted to Lorenzo Snow that ‘A mighty city and commonwealth would arise here and that on the hills east of the city a beautiful Temple would be erected to the name of the Lord.’”
Someone who spent a fair amount of time in Brigham City’s land records told me the Church once owned some land on the east bench and it had been identified as the temple site – though it was later sold to the gravel company. If I could, I’d visit the court house Monday morning to verify this myself.
So women didn’t get the priesthood and the coffee ban wasn’t lifted. Sure, this stuff about love and Jesus is uplifting and all, and perhaps I was just expecting too much, but who can blame me for feeling disappointed?
Favofrite moments for me:
Elder Clayton talking about the man in Peru with his burden. As I watch my bishop-husband negotiate the huge burdens he now bears, this talk was especially meaningful. I loved his citing the scripture in the BOM–”I will cause your burdens to be light that ye may not feel them ” (or something similar). THinking about my husband and about a few missionaries who are feeling burdened right now.
Loved Pres. Uchtdorf’s expressions of and about love. He radiates love. “Divine love makes common words into scripture.” That whole series of how divine love transmutes the ordinary into the supernal was wonderful.
I’d love to hear favorite quotes from others. I don’t really care about the color of anyone’s shirt.
This is the internet DKL.
You can always find someone willing to blame you.
Thanks for the commentary. This is my first chance to review it and therefore get a sense for the session, which I very much appreciate.
I’m a little bit ambivalent about the statements to the effect that GD teachers shouldn’t “show off” in front of the class. When phrased that way, of course anyone would agree. But if the GD teacher doesn’t bring actual substance to the lesson, then the likelihood of achieving the stated goal of influencing the class members spiritually and affecting their lives isn’t going to be achieved; people will just tune the teacher out or hang out in the hallways. I would hate to see us equate actual substance in GD lessons with a desire for the teacher to “show off”; I think this formulation is liable to misunderstanding at the local level, and to a tendency to worsen rather than strengthen local teaching.
But I’m just reacting to the quotes I read here: am I missing the point that was being made? If so, could you articulate it in a way I can understand?
My wife just pointed out that I mis-spelled Sapporo. *hangs his head in shame*
Thanks, queuno.
Of course, the flip side of “Divine love makes common words into scripture” is “Divine wrath makes common words into hate crimes.”
DKL, if you had asked me before this session which I thought to be more likely: lifting the coffee ban, giving women the priesthood, or announcing a temple for Brigham City, the Brigham City temple would have come in third.
Does anyone have any recommendations for what “Mormon programming” to watch in between conference sessions? And preferably on the internet — we are watching the lds.org feed right now but if anyone knows of anything better, post it please. (My parents are visiting and want to watch something.)
Kate, one of my initial contacts with the LDS church was watching the entire 8 hours of the April 2008 conference. I ended up getting baptized in June 2008. In any case, I think the conference has good messages for everyone, no matter what their beliefs.
Kevin, I took it as a companion to the “please close the manual when the Spirit moves you to do so” instruction. Iow, I took it to be a plea to not tend to either extreme in how we teach – the approach that draws attention to ourselves OR the approach that relies solely on the manual or (by extension, on my own) reading a General Conference talk instead of preparing a lesson or talk about that GC talk.
I took it to be saying that we shouldn’t rely strictly on our own intellect OR a correlated manual – that the Spirit really is the key.
For those who stopped to eat lunch, the between sessions chat on lds.org is all in spanish with English Subtitles, about the new spanish bible. Richard G. Scott is doing pretty good for a Gringo. I love that guy. One of my missionaries was in his ward and so I got an inside peek through him of his personal ministery. What a great man!
Kevin,
I think his overall point was that you can receive spiritual promptings even when a teacher is bad, although it was obliquely stated. He was also attempting to discourage showing off or pride in instruction. I too found his method of delivery unfortunate, but not damaging.
I thought both Eldar Bednar’s and President Uchtdorf’s talks were fantastic. With all the ordinary focus on details in the church, or in external appearances, I found President Uchtdorf’s talk on the essentials to be refreshing and inspiring. Wouldn’t that be something if we were known as a church for our great love?
Elder Bednar’s talk gave me a feeling of wholeness and integrity that I can attain, can strengthen in myself. I crave that feeling of wholeness of being. This was a great session, this morning!
I found this session to be so inspiring, I had to do a whole favorite thoughts post over on FMH. My favorites were also Elder Bednar’s and President Uchtdorf’s, but boy, Brother Osguthorpe was no slouch either. Close the manual when inspiration strikes! I think he must be a Beginnings New fan.
Kevin – I think his statement was tempered by the detailed description he gave of that teacher. He mentioned that it seemed like the teacher went out of his way to pick the *most* obscure references. I’ve sat through GD lessons where it became more about the Bethlehem tax code than about the birth of the Savior, so I felt like it was a nice correction without going anti-scholarship.
Orwell: DKL, if you had asked me before this session which I thought to be more likely: lifting the coffee ban, giving women the priesthood, or announcing a temple for Brigham City, the Brigham City temple would have come in third.
Me, too. Perhaps they’re putting a temple in Brigham City just to make giving priesthood to the women more palatable to old timers.
Late question about Elder Scott’s porn admonition –Does porn really destroy families? Or does villifying it to the point that women view it as the equivilant of cheating destroy families?
My understanding is that it destroys families first by causing unhappiness when there’s nothing that one spouse is able to do to satisfy the other who uses p*rn. Because it trains the p*rn-user’s body to respond only to extreme and unrealistic situations and images. The one spouse can come to feel beleaguered and pressured, while the p*rn using spouse can come to feel that their needs are unmet due to lack of love. By causing deep contention and dissatisfaction with the most intimate connections between spouse, p*rn can indeed destroy families.
What if the couple is using porn together, then wouldn’t it be bringing families closer?
276. The same could be said for robbing banks.
So, Tatiana, could the same go for sisters reading too many vampire romance novels? ;)
I can see how not being as good as Edward could cause some major issues for men in the church. No matter how much body glitter I use I can’t look as dashing as that dude.
#277 if this were FMH you might have a bunch of people rushing to the defense of anonymous. I think what he/she is suggesting is more prevalent than many of us might think.
I’m shocked at the Brigham City temple. Maybe I’m going at weird times but the Ogden temple never seems that busy and it’s only 20 minutes away.
What if the couple is using porn together, then wouldn’t it be bringing families closer?
Elder Nelson talked about this once, didn’t he? I don’t get the sense that our leaders think there is any appropriate use of porn. My thought is that if you are partaking of it, then someone is making it, and that, too, is damaging to the spirit and negatively impacts our world in general.
Kevin, my thoughts on teaching: I think a lot depends on what ‘substance’ is defined as. I think the greatest substance in our classes comes through the Spirit, and that can be done without anything particularly novel being done or said. I’m consistently amazed at how the basic, simple principles of the gospel can open up our spirits to powerful insights. I tend to think that the simple is often the most substantial, when accompanied by the Spirit and by powerful testimony.
Of course p*rn use can destroy families — all addictions and compulsive behaviors can — because using p*rn compulsively (being an alcoholic, etc.) are symptoms of a deeper problem. Yes it can destroy a family if “p*rn addiction” is short hand for: lies to family about whereabouts, spends family money on material, views it at work, gets fired from work, avoids family and other responsibilities, withdraws from relationships — those things destroy families — not p*rn, not alcohol, not prescription drugs, not romance novels.
Porn is destructive to the people involved in its creation too. There is no safe involvement in it.
HeidiAnn, I think you’re probably right that porn is damaging to everyone involved. And I certainly agree with Mary AA that using porn compulsively can destroy families.
My bigger question is whether we are doing ourselves any favors by vilifying the users of porn so much. Does shaming people motivate them to repent? Or does it drive their behavior deeper underground and cause them to be less likely to seek help? And does teaching that porn use is so evil make the consequences of porn use worse than they inherently are?
I don’t know the answer to the last question. But I do believe that admitting to porn use in the Mormon culture is unnecessarily high on the shame-meter, which makes it very difficult for men to have the courage to seek help.
This is a “I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend” concerning the Brigham City temple but nonetheless: “I suspect the temple will be built across Main Street from the Tabernacle, where Central Elementary was. The lot has been vacant for a few years and two weeks ago the sign went from “For Sale” To “Sale Pending-All 7 Lots”….makes me wonder, especially since Elder Packer’s nephew is the owner of the lots.”
That would be better than gutting the current tabernacle IMO (although I have to admit I love the Vernal Temple).
I don’t see them gutting the tabernacle… there’s no reason to. That would be more expensive than just building another building, not to mention logistically problematic. It was my understanding that they only did that in Vernal because it was a question of either conversion or tearing the tabernacle down (though I could be mistaken, I really know nothing about the case). The Box Elder Tabernacle is not in bad enough shape for such drastic measures.
As for the Central Elementary lot, I have to wonder if it’s big enough, given that they’ll want to include parking and at least modest-sized grounds as well. Facing the back of Smith’s on one side isn’t so hot either.
Still, it would be nice to have it across the street from the tabernacle. It would be great for downtown Brigham, I guess. But there are so many other choices on higher ground. We’ll see, I suppose. Interesting that those lots are now “pending.” I’ll have to ask around and see if I can get anyone to confirm that.
Joseph #283: Elizabeth at juvenileinstructor.com posted another perspective on this today that may or may not address your concerns. An excerpt,
“P*rnographic looking requires objectification of the person being viewed and self-gratification of the viewer. Christianity conversely promotes subjectification of people viewed and selflessness on the part of the viewer. … Until we frame this particular argument in a Christo-centric way, any reason for not looking at p*rnography is not going to be good enough. It does not convince or convict, as true conversion does.”
Oops. Make that juvenileinstructor.org.
The “sale pending” signs are down and the ground has been tilled as of this morning, Oct. 6, across from the Tabernacle. I have it from pretty good sources that the temple will go in that spot and other land bought. In the tilled area, you can easily fit three BC tabernacles in that spot and the parking can be left the way it is. Take a look at google earth and see how big it is. We were all surprised by the announcement up here, but Pres. Monson must have a reason, I think it’s called revelation. :)