When I was a young teenager, living in Berkeley, our family
would gather with another family or two in the ward to watch Conference on
Sunday morning. At first, it was because we didn’t have a television in our home,
and later it was for the sociality of watching Conference with other ward members.
We couldn’t get the Sunday afternoon or Saturday sessions of Conference on
television.
I recall going often with my father and brother, Paul, to listen
to live audio broadcasts of Priesthood sessions on Saturday evenings at the
Oakland Interstake Center. Years later, these Priesthood sessions were
broadcast through direct satellite to stake centers across the world. For many
years I attended these sessions alone, until I could attend with sons-in-law and
eventually grandsons. Those times have been very special for me.
During my mission in Switzerland, I remember listening one
time to audio recordings of conference at the ward chapel in Basel. I really
appreciated hearing the voices of the prophets at that time when I was so far
from home and family.
When Pat and I were a young married couple living in
Torrance, California, and our older children were very young, we got baby sitters and
took the weekend off to take short trips where we could listen to Saturday and
Sunday Conference sessions without interruption. One time we went north to
Santa Barbara, and another time we drove south to San Diego.
For ten years I was fortunate to be a volunteer Institute teacher
at the University of Utah and later at the Jordan campus of Salt Lake Community
College. My favorite class was Teachings
of the Living Prophets. Each semester the students gave oral reports on the
lives of these 15 apostles and prophets, and then we discussed the most recent General
Conference talks and how they applied in the lives of class members. During these classes I came to appreciate the Conference talks more than
ever before.
I learned that when any of us have important questions and
concerns in life, if we will write down our concerns, and pray earnestly and
listen carefully to the Conference talks, take notes and ponder what is being
said, we can usually find answers to the specific questions that matter most to
us. The same approach can also be applied to reading the scriptures, but when living
prophets are speaking to us in our day, I know we are richly blessed when we
listen to them.
While serving in England, we and many missionaries and local
members listened to delayed broadcasts of Conference in our Visitor’s Centre at
the London Temple. Often we had technical difficulties which made it hard to
hear all the broadcasts, but we persisted and were always grateful for what we
heard.
Before coming on this mission to Anaheim, Pat and I served
two years as Guest Service Missionaries at the Conference Center and Temple
Square in Salt Lake City. In addition to participating in many other special events,
we attended each session of General Conference in the Conference Center for two
years. While we were busy hosting and couldn’t concentrate on every talk, the
privilege of being there to witness and hear the words of prophets and apostles in
person left a lasting impression on our hearts. We will forever be grateful for
that special opportunity.
Lately, it seems that so many new changes and policies have
been announced at General Conference that we wonder what is coming next. I want to be tuned in and not miss anything,
but, in truth, I don’t need new announcements or new teachings at Conference. As I gain experience and perspective in life,
I just want to better understand, appreciate, and try to live the important truths
of the gospel of Jesus Christ that I have received and know to be true. This
April 6th and 7th, I will once again look forward to
hearing the words of living prophets. I
am deeply grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. --Don--
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| The First Presidency and Twelve Apostles in Rome, March 2019 |
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