In a couple of days, I will raise my hand and sustain the 16th called Prophet of the Lord, President Thomas S. Monson. So will millions of other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes known as Mormons) around the world. Speaking about sustaining other Church Presidents before him, President Monson offered these words in a previous General Conference; “I have been honored and pleased during my lifetime to raise my arm to the square in sustaining nine Church Presidents as their names have been read. This morning I joined you in sustaining once again our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley. It is a joy and a privilege to serve by his side, along with President Faust.”
This weekend, it will be my privilege to raise my hand to the square to sustain President Monson in this sacred calling. I’m looking forward to hearing this humble man speak to us for the first time during General Conference as the living Prophet of God.The 178th General Conference of the Church is this weekend, April 5th and 6th. General Conference is held twice a year, the first weekend in April and the first weekend in October. It is held in the Conference Center located in Salt Lake City and broadcast live to Church meetinghouses around the country and around the world. Depending on the television coverage in your area you may also be able to view it live right from the comfort of your home.
Live Internet video streams will be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and American Sign Language. Audio streams will also be available in many different languages.
General Conference is a time of great spiritual learning for me. I love listening to the Prophet of the Lord and other leaders of the Church as they share their unwavering testimonies of Christ. I love being taught by such faithful men and women. Each General Conference, I experience what I referred to in a previous post as a spiritual high. I leave this wonderful gathering each year with a renewed commitment to my Heavenly Father, with gratitude in my heart for my Savior, and with a profound love for my family and those around me. Each General Conference leaves me a better person than I was just a few days earlier.
I continue to be grateful for the technology that allows us to hear the Prophet’s voice from whichever corner of the world we call Home. I remember a time when we didn’t have such a technology. As a young girl growing up on the small South Pacific island of Samoa, listening to the Prophet of the Lord during General Conference was a privilege available only to those who could afford to travel to Salt Lake City. Today, through the wonders of technology, anyone that wishes to can hear and see the Prophet during General Conference.
President Gordon B. Hinckley (15th President and Prophet of the Church) spoke about General Conference and the technology that has made it possible for everyone to participate in this great meeting:
My brothers and sisters, what a wonderful occasion this is! I know of nothing else like it in all the world. We are gathered this morning as a great family in reverence and worship of the Lord our God. We are of one faith and one doctrine. We speak words of testimony concerning God our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son. We declare with conviction and certainty that they have restored in this last dispensation The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The great voices of radio, television, and cable are now joined by the Internet to carry our words literally to the ends of the earth. To meetinghouses scattered far and wide the satellite will beam our signal to congregations large and small. And Saints across the earth will watch in their own homes the proceedings of this great conference by means of the Internet.
Workmen have labored long and hard in preparing for this great occasion. We thank each one of them for his devoted service.
I invite you to join with us this weekend as we gather to hear a Prophet of the Lord. If you have questions about the Church, this weekend is a great time to get the answers to some of those questions. Please Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice!
