And here you thought we wouldn’t do anything special for April Fool’s Day…
Welcome to By Common Consent’s live coverage of the 181th Annual General Conference, live from Salt Lake City! BCC will provide near-continuous live commentary, photography, and other goodies throughout the weekend’s activities. Don’t forget to check out our minute-by-minute coverage on Twitter in addition to coverage on the blog. We also encourage you to (if you’re not already doing so) watch Conference live, streaming from LDS.org.
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Good morning BCCers! This is Neylan reporting on the Saturday Morning Session of General Conference.
Okay, enough from me. The choir ladies are sporting a lovely magenta this morning. 5:30 minutes till kickoff!
Prelude hymn: Rejoice the Lord is King! Chipper and straightforward. A few people still getting seated.
President Uchdorf conducting. This Conference marks the 75th anniversary of the Church’s Welfare System.
Opening Hymn: Glory to God on High. Wilberg conducting, Clay Christiansen on organ.
Opening Prayer: Elder Allan [didn’t catch first name] and now President Monson welcoming.
“When this building was planned, we thought we’d never fill it. Just look at it now.”
Recapping a highlight from the busy past six months: the rededication of the Laie Hawaii Temple and the cultural celebration, “The Gathering Place,” that accompanied that event.
[Not to be missed is the video about the Kiev Temple dedication’s youth cultural celebration that was recently featured on LDS.org.]
Three new temples announced: Fort Collins, CO; Meridian, ID; Winnepeg, Canada
Hooray for a shout out to the Church’s aid to Japan! 70 tons of supplies; 40,000 hours of service donated by 4,000 volunteers.
“Our help will be ongoing in Japan and in any other areas where there is need.”
Hymn: Come Listen to the Prophet’s Voice, conducted by Ryan Murphy. Promises to be an intriguing arrangement. Men started alone… now women.
Whoa, there’s the modulation! It’s getting exciting! A big ending? Nope, getting quiet again.
Elder Perry up. Testifying that the voice we have just heard, President Monson, is the voice of the living prophet on the earth today.
Jesus Christ: dual citizenship in heaven and on earth. Emphasizing the importance of the New Testament — “a sacred volume which is the centerpiece of scriptural history, as the Savior is the centerpiece of our lives.”
It’s a Sabbath Day talk! “I can think of no better way for us to begin or continue to be an example of the believers than in our observance of the Sabbath Day.”
“The pattern of the Sabbath day observance must always include worship.”
“It is remarkable that even through the dark period of the Apostasy this pattern of the Sabbath Day worship and the Sacrament continued to be practiced in many forms.”
[No longer using quotation marks for direct quotes.]
Partaking of the Sacrament is the center of our Sabbath Day observance.
Looking for extra tickets outside the Conference Center
Three things the Lord requires of us as we consider the Sabbath and the Sacrament: first, to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Second, to go to the house of prayer and offer up our sacraments. And third, to rest from our labors.
I believe He also desires us to dress appropriately. Our youth may think the old saying “Sunday best” is outdated. Still we know that when Sunday dress deteriorates to everyday attire, attitudes and actions follow.
[Teutonic shift? Children don’t have to wear Sunday clothes “until the sun goes down”]
In today’s work, “labors” include the everyday work of our lives. “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” [Although Elder Perry said “the Sacrament” was made for man!”]
Youth reminiscences…. remembering the first Sunday he passed the Sacrament as a deacon… and then as in the Marine Corps in the Pacific during the war.
Next up: Sister Jean A. Stevens of the Primary General Presidency. “There is so much we can learn from children.”
It was Jesus Christ Himself who taught us to look to children as an example. Matthew 18: 3-4
What is it we should learn from children?
Now sharing examples of children’s reverent behavior, including an example from Armenia where a 10-year old greeted the oldest member of his branch.
A close relative, Liam, is battling aggressive brain cancer. Although only 6, he only needed his dad’s voice to lie still during 33 rounds of radiation.
[Modern day Joseph Smith story? Children + disease = the go-to heartstring puller]
Discussing the action of the verb “behold” as in “behold your little ones”
There is not a more perfect place to “behold our little ones” than in our families. We see and appreciate in a more personal way the divine attributes of His spirit children.
[Tearing up while mentioning her own children and their example to her.]
Now: Elder Walter F Gonzalez of the Presidency of the Seventy
Mentioning his visits to Argentina, Ghana and Nigeria and the people he met there. “Most were not members of the Church. We were happy to see their desire to follow Christ expressed in many of their conversations, in their houses, on their cars, on their walls and on their billboards. We had never see so many Christian churches next to one another. As Latter-day Saint, ours is the duty in invite millions such as these to come and see what our Church can add to the good things they already have.”
[Yay for the global perspective of a non-American GA! Love the positive emphasis on “what we can add”]
I have pondered about the purpose of pain… Much of our suffering is not necessarily our fault.
Followers of Christ are loving people. Second, followers of Christ make and keep covenants. Citing Ruth the Moabite and Joseph of Egypt, and comparing them to a Brother Olvera from Ecuador who risked losing family when he decided to serve a mission. [Happy ending to that one: eventually, his parents wanted him to stay on his mission longer cause they were receiving “so many blessings”]
Making covenants is an expression of love. It is a way of saying to Him, yes I will follow thee.
Choir and Congregation together: I Know That My Redeemer Lives [all verses!]
Elder Kent F Richards of the Quorum of the Seventy kicks off the second hour.
I have pondered about the purpose of pain…. Much of our suffering is not necessarily our fault…. There is another kind of pain for which we are responsible.
As Nephi saw in vision, much of Christ’s mortal ministry was devoted to blessing and healing the sick with all kinds of maladies — physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Personal story about when he was a patient and not the doctor. He came to understand that during his mortal life Christ chose to experience pains and afflictions in order to understand us. Perhaps we also need to experience the depths of mortality in order to understand Him and our eternal purposes.
Children’s response to pain – more “naturally accepting.” Story of a child seeing familial angels when coming out of an operation. “Daddy, all of the children here in the intensive care unit have angels helping them.” [Another child + disease story. Definitely moving this time.]
Bears testimony that Jesus is our Redeemer, our Friend our Advocate, the great physician, the great healer.
Twelve Apostle Alert: Elder Quentin L. Cook up now. It’s about the ladies. “LDS women are incredible.”
Most significant attribute of the pioneer women: their unwavering faith in the restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The stories of these women are a “priceless legacy to the Church.”
I believe the women of the Church today are every bit as strong and faithful.
[Holding off commentary till we see where this story goes….]
[Props for the American Grace callout.]
Our women are not incredible because they have managed to avoid the difficulties of life – quite the opposite. They are incredible because of the way they face the trials of life.
Appreciation for sisters – both married and single — and their role in the creation of the new Handbooks.
[Tangent into the execution of the Handbook’s new injunction to delegate Bishop’s responsibilities.] In the Church the role of women in the home is highly respected. When the mother receives a Church calling that requires significant time, the father will often be given a less demanding calling in order to maintain balance in the lives of the family.
Example of a woman – a stake Relief Society president – proposing a plan for preparing young men who hadn’t gone on missions to prepare for the temple, rather than be ostracized.
For some, marriage and family are becoming a menu choice rather than the central organizing principle of our society.
Don’t judge women for wanting to stay home full time. ALSO don’t judge women who work.
I would hope that Latter-day Saint would be at the forefront in creating an environment in the workplace that is more receptive and accommodating to both women and men in their responsibilities as parents.
[Moving right along… ]
Choir: Primary Song… points to the first person who can name it! Both Kristine and I have blanked….
I Know That My Savior Loves Me
Sister missionaries outside after the session
[President Eyring in the house! YES…addressing “poor and the needy” on a global level, not just within our local communities]
“Living the Law of Consecration”… then the “United Order”… in our time, it’s called the “Church Welfare Program.” The names and details of operation are changed to fit the needs and conditions of people. But always the Lord’s way to help those in temporal need requires people who out of love have consecrated themselves and what they have to God and to His work.
Quoting lyrics to “Have I Done Any Good In the World Today?”
More shout outs to our humanitarian aid efforts: 1500 volunteers helped in Queensland, Australia.
Discussing the effects of service on children. “The Lord’s way of caring for the needy provides another opportunity for parents to bless their children.”
Wherever you live, you have seen that miracle of sympathy turned to unselfish action. [Choking up, reflecting on service given in the wake of the Teton Dam burst on June 5, 1976.]
We celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Church’s welfare program this year. The principles at the foundation of the Church Welfare Program are not only for one time or one place. They are for all times and all places.
Yes, that says Hindi.
Elder Eyring’s personal principles of service: First, everyone is happier and feels more self-respect when they can provide for themselves and their family and then reach out to take care of others. I have been grateful for those who helped me become self-reliant. And then I have been most grateful for those who showed me how to use some of my surplus to help others.
Second, the power and blessing of unity.
Third, draw your family into the work with you so that they can learn to care for each other as they care for others.
Fourth, it is the bishop’s duty to find and provide help to those who still need assistance after all they and their families can do. The Holy Ghost makes it possible to find those in need.
[Elder Eyring improvises: RS presidents may get the revelation before the bishop!]
News Flash: there will be a worldwide members “Day of Service”
Three suggestions for planning a project for this day: First, prepare spiritually. Second, chose recipients whose needs will touch the hearts of those who will give the service. Third, draw on the power of the bonds of families, quorums, and organizations.
Choir concludes: High On the Mountain Top. Ye nations now look UP!
This is Neylan signing off. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
It must have been Saturday AM General Conference. President Monson was wearing his cornflower-blue tie.
First slip of the tongue: Thomas S Man–Monson
The family is gathering and the donuts are served.
The word of the session is LOVE. Each time it is spoken, the kids will make a dash on the the candy bowl. ANd some of the adults too.
We have me, my wife, our 8 children, my brother-in-law and his wife, and their 5 children.
Watching via roku. Excellent feed quality and the pre-show was the live practice of the choir. You don’t typically get to see the choir criticized on air!
“We Listen to a Prophet’s Voice?” Interesting choice…
Temples? I thought that was an October thing!
Meridian? Pocatello is still excommunicated…
Looks like it is now an April thing now too.
Pres. Monson with a tip of the cap to social media.
#9 I’m not complaining.
Meridian! That’s my town! Woot!
A mini State of the Church address there.
And, we have the first chocolate milk spill.
Meridian, ID? Sunny gets her own temple, huh?
Conference buzzword: tsunami
Session buzzword: obey
That is right, Sunny–you’re now on par with Ogden.
Neylan–Any chance we can get a preview of the entire lineup for this morning’s session??
Or . . . Brigham City.
That was an impressive arrangement.
Hurray, a temple in Fort Collins, Colorado. That’ll cut down my drive time a lot. And great news for my former ward in Laramie, Wyoming.
The Bible (especially the New Testament) is the centerpiece, as is Jesus. Pretty blunt – and interesting as the first doctrinal talk.
Saturday or Sunday
http://www.gapages.com/menu.htm
is a great resource for quick bios
He said Peter Priesthood!
Scott and B.Russ,
Don’t forget Monticello.
Any other online options for watching besides LDS.org? It’s skipping badly here.
byutv.org
Dude, kids need not wear Sunday clothes all day yo.
Holy crap! An apostle just said that it is not necessary to wear Sunday clothes all day on Sunday! Much rejoicing here upon hearing that!
Perfect, M.C. Thanks.
I like Elder Perry’s point about dress.
Sure, there’s nothing inherently wrong with dressing casually, and we don’t want to get hung up or judgmental about dress. But our mode of dress is communication. It communicates to others what we are trying to say about ourselves at any given time. And it sends a reinforcing message to ourselves as well. When we treat our communication casually, our attitude does tend to follow.
Until I see a copy of Jesus’ birth certificate, proving where he was born, I’m not going to accept his Earthly or Heavenly Citizenship.
Oh crap, another Rob? I was here first!! :)
Scott B where is your birth certificate?
“in the New Testament . . . and other scriptures.”
I’ve never heard the Book of Mormon skipped over as a disclaimer – but I really like it in the context of this talk.
sorry I will be Robert for now on
I have my birth certificate. It’s from Romania. I really cannot be president here.
“daughters and sons” she said!
It’s skipping on roku. Is it still skipping on lds.org?
And the word of the session, LOVE, strikes for the third time!!
Her voice is so… normal. I love it!
#39- My thought exactly!
Funny that I just had an argument with my father-in-law about whether or not we can learn from children. Too bad he doesn’t watch the Saturday general sessions.
37. BYUtv.org is working great.
THere is supposedly a live feed here:
http://www.facebook.com/LDS?sk=app_6009294086
I haven’t tried it as I’m watching on my 46″ flatscreen.
#39. I agree. I can actually listen to this talk.
Leave it to a Primary Presidency member to geed the children lots of Swedish Fish by using the Word of the Session, LOVE, many times throughout her talk.
geed=feed
geed is good.
I’m concerned that some people just heard an anti-medicine message…
Geed is love
Talk: Six days shalt thou labor
Me: Six? No way, thanks to unions we only work five. They need to update that.
Husband: The philosophies of man!
p.s. Love the normal voice but the mouth and teeth scare me.
#50 Don’t worry she doesn’t have the priesthood.
She said that one of the natural attributes of children is obedience. Really!?!?!? I guess this proves that she has never met my children.
Anyone who hears a story about a boy holding still during 33 different radiation treatments and thinks it is an anti-medicine message because the boy didn’t like the way the sedatives made him feel is an idiot.
Its normal-ish. There is a hint of primary in there, but its a huge improvement.
Teutonic shift? C’mon BCC!
Halftime of a soccer game. Watching conference on a phone. Amazing.
Alex, have you ever tried to reason with this type of person? :D
I haven’t heard a “Teutonic” shift since the last time I listened to Wagner.
#45
I think http://www.facebook.com/LDS?sk=app_6009294086
has been crashed by the traffic
Sister Stevens’ talk was actually quite easy to listen to. Definitely a thumbs-up for the mostly normal voice. Not to mention the relatively low-key but effective requisite stories about children. I approve of the subtle shift to potentially more profound talks from the sisters.
Vin – Of course not! But if they asked my opinion, I would gladly share it!
There are going to be some really sugar-infused children at the end of this session.
That candy bowl must be getting pretty empty.
never mind it is working now
Peter LLC, a teutonic shift is a tectonic key change of Wagnerian proportions.
Yes, the bowl has already emptied. My wife, in her infinite LOVE for the children, has refilled it.
donuts? that’s a great idea. where did you get them? buzz word/candy dish is brilliant.
LOVE is a huge theme like you said Rob
My least favorite recent meme in official Church discourse: the replacement of “leaders” with “priesthood leaders.”
is there a difference between the gospel and the church?
#71: We wouldn’t want people listening to socialists like Harry Reid now, would we?
hey all. Just joining in the open thread now. Pan of sukiyaki at the ready.
@73: or women…
Candace — donuts are a tradition we started several years ago. And for the kids 8 and older, they get these big Dough Boy doughnuts. We get them from a local doughnut shop called The Moose is Loose.
The candy dish and “word of the session is something we started about 2 yrs ago. It keeps the kids very attentive.
I love this hymn, but why does it always seem to take twice as long as it ought to?
# 73 Harry Reid has a message for you http://tinyurl.com/3sggfwe
#77 – Read the conference predictions thread. It’s explained in detail there.
The guy conducting the music right now visited our ward a few months ago (son-in-law or something). you would have thought Donny Osmond had made an appearance in 1985 Utah. Priesthood was practically turned over to the guy.
I have heard of a rap group House of Pain
Sounds like a good business model, first charge someone to inflict pain on them. And then, charge them to treat the pain you have inflicted upon them.
I have never watched Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.
Teutonic shift? Perhaps when Uchdorf speaks. :)
I laughed during Major Payne.
I don’t need the candy dish, I have BCC to keep me paying attention. I am tracking ties; listening to voices, yay, even listening to some of the words too. All thanks to BCC
Robert — Nice picture of Reid.
Experiencing enough opposition to help us know the Saviour…an interesting point. I’d love to see that debated in the blogernacle.
byu.tv keeps freezing up.
When I watch c-span, every time Reid uses a profane hand gesture I eat a Reeses Peanut Butter Egg.
IT wouild be nice if this page had an optional 60 second auto refresh on it.
This guy’s voice is putting me to sleep…
Firefox add on “reload every” works well, Rob
92 — Richard G Scott must be his mentor.
I use Google Chrome.
91 similar add-ons for Google Chrome exist too.
@92 – agreed. Though I resurfaced long enough to be reminded of a BCC post on Jesus’ healing, and the difference between healing and curing. That made the talk seem much less soporific.
This morning’s session was made possible in part by the sponsorship of comment #92.
#94 — it may be true, but for some reason Elder Scott never puts me to sleep (his message is usually my favorite, though, even if he is a bit… dry).
#97, thanks for the shout out.
EVERY icu patient has angels helping them? As a nurse who has spent time serving icu patients, I’m not buying it. Unless nurses are angels or something. Meh.
Very good talk.
Freakin’ impotent angels.
Never seen the title “of the seventy” before
I get the feeling this Cook talk is going to become fodder . . . lets see how it goes.
Obligatory women are great talk
Just a reminder brethren. You are not as good as the ladies.
my pop owns a donut shop in pg, ut and gen. conf. rivals halloween for busiest day of year…
“women and men worked side by side…” again, order of gender places women first.
My wife’s blood pressure is visibly rising.
I’ll just be over in my little corner trying to get the taste of throw up out of my mouth…
#101 thanks a lot, Debbie Downer
Maybe I’m just feeling hyper-critical today but so far this session there have been two instances of subject-verb disagreement. It’s rather distracting… then again maybe it’s best I’m distracted during this talk.
Props for the Wallace Stegner quote.
104 — THey’ve been using “Of The Seventy” For several years now, rather than putting which Quorum of the seventy they are a member of.
FWIW, this wasn’t the first time Stegner was mentioned in conference.
“Priesthood leadership acknowledges the contributions of sisters.”
If that doesn’t make you ladies feel good inside, blame your hardened hearts.
#107 Did your wife make you write that?
104, 114 — it’s to emphasize that both quorums are General Authorities, and when they say it about Area Seventies during a stake conference or something, they don’t distinguish because the visiting authority has the same authority as a Big Boy Seventy from Salt Lake.
Angels may be present for no other than to help others remember that they are not alone. And yes, nurses have long been held to be the angels of hospitals!
#100, you’re welcome, Brad.
On another note, I’m waiting to feel like there’s a point to this talk. Right now, I’m enjoying the positive spin placed on riffling through someone else’s purse.
Oh man. This snooping through the purse talking is making me gag!!
“Then they pulled out a pocket edition of Plato’s Republic. ‘Yes!’ they cried, ‘she’s a philosopher!'”
“A delightful and very capable female worker on a newspaper editorial board…”
Gag.
Alex, I was particularly thinking of patients who were (and felt) very, very alone. If there were angels there keeping them company, these angels were not at all recognized by the patients.
Elder Quentin Cook: “RLDS Women are incredible!”
Are there many RLDS women watching the LDS general conference?
“Even in sacrament meeting…”
But not in General Conference.
Rigel FTW.
@125, let’s hope so…otherwise they’ll miss the fact that they just got a big thumbs up.
Is it just me, or when Elder Cook said “Our LDS women are incredible,” did it sound kind of like he said, “RLDS women are incredible”?
“Though they face individual struggles . . . ”
Like patronizing talks.
120 – I think this is a smack on the head to the jerky males in the church who think women are inferior. (I’ve met far too many of them.)
lip-service just paid to single sisters. Because we have to assume we’re talking about them, too.
Turns out the rest hymn was time machine! We’re back in 1985 listening to President Benson. Only with more sugar coating. Sigh.
B. Russ, FTW.
129. It’s just you, Brett.
I can’t get Conference to play on my iPad. Anyone else having problems?
“An iPod! She must be a musician!”
#126– my thoughts exactly
Wow. LR thread is really critical this time around. C’mon guys. do you have to hate everything they do/say?
To Scott, Or Neylan, or anyone else with some pull around here — no Photos this conference? If you are going to produce one, I have a good photo to submit of kids gathered around the candy bowl in anticipation of the word of the session.
Trevor, are you being ironic, or just ironically un-self-aware?
TV Rich and Family Time Poor — only during College Basketball Season!!! : )
DID YOU JUST HEAR THAT?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??! Women working outside the home shouldn’t be judged?!?!?!?!?!
We should not be judgmental (and just stop there) =)
136 — Haven’t tried on my iPad — what site are you trying?
wow… did he really just say that out loud?!?! Hurray!
meh. its always about the girls as far as I’ve heard. good
Single moms, we are here to help you in any way we can…. except in giving you home teachers that actually show up
Of course, those who wish to be judgmental will continue to do so because of his comment that they will be accountable to God.
Still, I appreciate his statement that it isn’t anyone’s business but their own.
What a great thing to touch on and needed to be said. Women would work outside the home should not be judged.
@Rob
lds.org. It says “IPhone / IPad Stream” right on the site but it’s not playing.
I love this song. Absolutely love it. I’m so pleased to have the Choir sing it.
Interesting how as soon as the choir starts singing, my wife and sister in law begin talking about potato salad.
141 Brad, pulling out the “irony” card effectively silences anyone who disagrees with what you guys are doing here. There’s a difference between “criticizing” BCC commenters and making snarky, nitpicky comments about the conference speakers–all of whom are doing their best, however imperfectly.
Do Mormon Tabernacle Choir singers get a financial stipend / salary?
I think the way church members as an over-generalised whole respond to single moms and other single sisters should be worth more than passing words of support. Perhaps in view of some of the YW lessons I’ve amended in teaching them this year, more of a call to repentance is required here.
Black MoTab sighting
Love this hymn, and so glad that the choir is singing one of the children’s songs from last year’s Primary presentation that is not in the hymnal or children’s songbook!
Our house’s assessment of Cook’s talk: “better than can be expected but not as much as one would hope.”
#125 and #129: He wouldn’t have said that, because RLDS (Community of Christ) women hold the priesthood!
Romney — I just loaded it up….And it is running no problem. I’m linked to my home wifi.
MoTab ‘stache!
And what is meant by his suggestion that LDS members whole be at the forefront of respecting women’s and men’s roles as parents in workplace? More advocacy of better maternity and paternity leave? More leeway to leave work early to catch ballgames?
I don’t appreciate the facial hair in the choir!
@150, I look forward to the day when in Conference we hear that it is good for women who want to work outside of the home to do so and then praise them for their and their husband’s ability to provide and nurture their children.
What struck me: After Elder Cook said “A wife is equal to her husband” it at least took him about 2 minutes to follow it up with “her special sphere is the home and nurturing etc etc”. Normally it follows immediately, often in the same breath. Progress!
With about a 15 second delay from the live feed on the TV.
Jenne, honestly until someone at Conference announces women receiving the Priesthood, some people are never going to be pleased with the talks on women – no matter how good they are in other respects. And that’s just the way it is.
Personally, I thought Cook’s talk was quite good.
I missed the mustache. Guy or gal?
What’s with all the Elder Cook negativity? I really loved his talk. I mean, how many times can someone say, “women are important,” and still people are grumpy about it.
Romney 2012 Supporter, no.
Lots of Baldies today
“I missed the mustache. Guy or gal?”
That’s out of bounds. Tone it down a notch.
Fwiw, Pres. Eyring is Jan Shipps’ favorite apostle. I attended a lecture of hers recently, and she said she absolutely loves him.
“Lots of Baldies today”
Are you a hairist?
Interestingly enough, when I loaded the feed up on my iPad, even though I just tuned in, I can rewind all the way back to the Elder Perry’s talk.
I’ll be happy when we get a woman giving a talk about how special the men in the church are. But yes, until then. . . .
Very good remark about the evolution Church economics. What we’re doing now is just as valid as 1831 or 1870.
Care for the poor and needy. Yes!!
The United Order, the Law of Consecration, and the Church Welfare Program are different names for different incarnations of the same thing… that’s a really blunt way of putting it. I kinda like it, even if it’s not ENTIRELY historically accurate.
Seth, and for those who are hoping that women will receive the priesthood: http://agitatingfaithfully.org
FTR I agree that it was a good talk. Like I said better than expected which is progress in and of itself. The effort is appreciated.
#177. That is my husband’s statement too. Frankly, I feel the same way. I think it feel less patronizing if they gave props to the men too.
#182…I think it give it a sense of knowing there’s a lack to make up for by not giving similar kudos to the men.
Romney 2012 Supporter check this great article about Mittens:
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/fischer/110124
I think that, given the enormous set of conservative traditionalism surrounding anything said in a general conference, Elder Cooke’s talk was actually very good. It must be really hard for an apostle to say anything too far outside the norm in a conference, at least without slowly building up to it over a series of talks from conference to conference.
The Teton Dam burst in 1976, not 1966 as he stated.
RE 158: is not in the hymnal or children’s songbook!
2010 Handbook of Instructions 14.4.2:
“other appropriate selections may be used”
Kudos to the MTC for leading the way on this.
177, 182, 183: agreed.
185 – I can respect that, but it should be noted that we are the church of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Audacity should be in our blood.
187 – One of the wishes on the Conference Predictions thread was to have a non-canon song.
@Robert (184)
It’s a shame that Marriott hotels has been offering that type of programming.
But I still think Romney would be better than Mike Huckabee.
“Someone who needed to work to support his or HER family.”
189 — True. I would be delighted to have a modern Brigham Young give talks. Of course, I would also be delighted to have a modern Brigham Young/Orson Pratt kind of back-and-forth at conference…
The last song was semi-canon, it was the central song of 2009’s Primary Program.
Loving Elder Eyring’s talk!
My goodness. BCC’s full of feminists today!
I’m so glad I don’t live in Rexburg, Idaho.
It is also obscure quotes day. Quotes by Orson F. Whitney, Melvin J. Ballard, and Marion G. Romney. You don’t hear quotes from them very often.
The nonjudgmental comment is most welcomed! President Packer has talked about his mother, as a single mom, working to support the family–and her children turned out OK.
When was the last talk that assured men about how special they are?
In contrast, institutionally it is not necessary to extend such assurances to men.
Loving Eyring’s talk too.
Josh (196) – as opposed to?
#191
Marriott recently announced they were dropping that type of program.
First Presidency FTW!
But not soon enough.
I love Henry B. Eyring.
#191 Romney 2012 Supporter, You should throw away your vote like I always have (I really call it voting for principles that I hold dear) and vote for the Constitution Party
I think they are the only ones that follow D&C 98:5-7 http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/98.5-7?lang=eng#4
It’s been a good talk from Eyring. I liked the point about finding someone to give service to whose situation will make the people serving them not begrudge the service they give.
Elder Eyring makes bald look cool.
Laurie (199) – That may be because, institutionally, there is not a problem of women constantly demeaning men in the same way that men so often (and unfortunately) demean women.
201/B. Russ, You’re right (I knew that). You found that comment fast!
Just haven’t seen BCC’s true feminist spirit surface in such magnitude for a while.
But I like Pres. Eyring’s talk. Its not all about complete service without seeing any fruit of our labours…
Speaking of service, none of the members who signed up to clean the church building showed up today… my husband had to do the whole thing by ourselves. May the slackers be smitten with guilt!
Seriously, can you guys put a cork in the Romney election talk? I’m really not interested, and it’s completely irrelevant to the Conference session.
What a lovely talk on caring for the poor and needy.
More of the feeble knees… though it’s not that same hearing it without Elder Ashton’s accent.
#211: will they?
Robert rather than debating over who is more “constitutional”, why not just vote for the best person for the job?
Perhaps I should put a statement in the church bulletin for those who sign up to clean the church but don’t show. If guilt won’t work, maybe public humiliation will do it!
The Choir’s tone on this song is different and a little refreshing. It’s not as bold as it has been in the past for this particular song, it’s nice to hear a little more muffled tone. And Richard Eliot rocks. He’s the best of the organists.
What Seth said. Politics in a Conference thread? Please, drop it.
Robert and Romney supporter: How about taking this conversation outside so we can focus on conference this weekend?
217, you adapt to the best of us. good luck.
another baldie
Romney 2012 Supporter and Robert: get a room already. Enough threadjacking.
Wow. Now THAT is a way a hymn should be sung!
OK, it’s official: based on threads here from AM session iit seems Elder Cook’s talk is going to be fodder for controversy about how insensitive LDS hierarchy is to women. I say just let it go…it seems to me he calculated his talk so carefully to make sure it was positive and non-offensive that anyone who finds fault with it must be out hunting for a mote….
Talks about pain, hospitalization, angels: I’m overly familiar with all three of those topics this year. Anti-medication message? I take pain meds regularly because of my metastatic cancer, but I totally get not wanting to take them, and often have avoided so even when it seemed like a good idea. Side effects are real. And my angels have been the people who reached out to me, including some of the nurses when I was in the hospital. But letting pain bring me closer to God is proving to be quite a challenge.
I tried to keep my response to Robert to a minimum because this was a conference thread.
Trust me, I could have mopped the floor with him.
Besides, the only vote a member of the church can or should make in good conscience is a write-in vote for the prophet – Thomas S. Monson – for any office in any election.
There, I said it. And let that be the end to this discussion.
B. Russ I hope you were joking.
Romney, no one here gives a flip if you would have won the debate.
Can it.
Postlude music is “Have I Done Any Good” very apropos.
Why, don’t you think the prophet would do a good job? Are you not familiar with the 14 fundamentals?
Richard Paul Evans hawking Hoopes Laser Vision COrrection was my commercial
Did anyone have Mr. Mac as their guess?
Alex (209), you have a good point here. My take is that often men feel they have permission or license, from the institutional structure, to demean women and their potential contributions. So when it becomes necessary to offer assurances to men, over the pulpit, about how special they are, we can take that as a sign of substantial progress.
That was great… but now I’ve got less than two hours to go forth and commit random acts of capitalism along with several hundred thousand other rushed Utah County-ites. Back at 2.
I think Elder Eyring’s mention of a HP Group Leader focusing on the need to help someone who needs to work to support his OR her family is going to be one of the most overlooked but important comments of this session.
Agreed, Ray.
Good comment Ken. As an out-patient physician, treating patients with non-cancer pain has resulted in me having less faith in fellowmen. So many view their non cancer pain (or, sometimes, imagined distress) as a key to unlock the door to plentiful narcotics, medical marijuana, or early exit from the work force. Makes me wish I had chosen a field of medicine where treatment of chronic non-cancer pain was not among the major duties of the post.
Amen, Ray.
Did I miss something? Elder Cook said that since our earliest history, women have spoken and prayed in sacrament meeting. When I first heard it, I thought he was flat out wrong about that…am I missing something?
Well Chad, if it’s 2:05 and you’re still on the road, you can listen to (and participate in) the sustainings from your car. I’m sure you won’t be the only one.
BTW, have you heard back from anyone in Japan since the earthquake there?
Women prayed in Sacrament meeting before 1968. I’m not sure when ward-based “Sacrament Meetings” began…maybe late 19th century.
FYI, so far the conference thread at Feminist Mormon Housewives has been very positive about Elder Cook’s talk.
Oh, good. I generally look to fMh for my authoritative interpretations of all things-mormon.
Anyone else notice that the “law of consecration” and “united order” were redefined as the modern day church welfare system, today?
I quite liked Eyring’s overall message, but I was a bit surprised at that particular conflation. In my mind, the 3 couldn’t be more different, even if there are some similarities.
I believe President Eyring was saying that the gospel principles behind all three are the same. I can agree with that statement. It goes along well with the concept that the application of principles can widely vary from time to time.
For anyone who may still peruse this thread, the new church Handbook 2: Administering the church, it explicitly states that men AND women may give both opening and closing prayers in sacrament meeting.
John: All the folks I know in Tokyo are safe, though the quake really made a mess of things. One family’s apartment building has a big crack in the side but the engineers insist everything is structurally sound.
Of course, everyone there knows someone from the Sendai area who they are worried about. My good friend has an aunt from one of the villages hit hardest by the tsunami. She’s fine but everything she owned, including her home, was swept out to sea. She wasn’t able to get word out tho them for the first week.
I’m not sure when ward-based “Sacrament Meetings” began…maybe late 19th century.
Wikipedia has an unsourced claim that weekly administration of the sacrament in the church started sometime in the 1850s.
Surely every congregation in the church has had some sort of Sunday meeting since 1830. I am curious what they referred to those meetings as on those occasions when the sacrament was not going to be administered.
Alex (246): exactly.
Mark (#249) I need to do some work, but I understand that from the mid to late nineteenth century there was weekly sacrament meetings, but they were either general or stake meetings, with general or stake officers speaking.
I wanted to hear more commentary on the Mormon women talk!
Chad #248: Yes, my father knows someone in Sendai as well. Last time I asked, he hadn’t heard from him – but had heard from everyone else over there. I’ll ask again tomorrow when I see him.
225- Ken,
I sincerely believe that Elder Cook tried his best to praise women. But his talk revealed some fundamental attitudes about what women should do and what women should be like that I just can’t support.
According to my map, Meridian, ID is like twelve and a half feet from Boise, which already has a temple. If they’re going to put it in Meridian, wouldn’t Meridian, MS be a better location?