I haven’t been reading many books or posting on my blog much this week. I’ve been distracted.
It began Sunday morning at 4:30 a.m.
As all of you were sitting down for 10 a.m. General Conference Saturday morning, I was asleep. It was 2 a.m. Sunday morning. My son awoke at 4:30 a.m., and after attending to his needs and putting him back in bed, I decided I couldn’t wait until next Saturday: I wanted to know who the newest Apostle was. I went online and found out.
D. Todd Christopherson, I read. How exciting! I thought.
I decided I wanted to hear how it was announced. Then I remembered that it was not even 5 a.m. I had to leave for church at 7:45 a.m., and I needed to stay awake during Sacrament meeting. So I went back to bed.
We went to church and came home. When we got home, I started to watch the first session. I am so grateful for the Internet! I could watch the solemn assembly Sunday afternoon in my living room. It was so special. I loved watching it, but I didn’t watch the whole session: there were other things to do.
Monday afternoon, what should appear in my feed reader but all of the mp3 files for the audio of four sessions of General Conference. I subscribed to the feed in December and promptly forgot about it, since, of course, it is only updated twice a year.
I couldn’t wait until Saturday. I listened to President Monson’s talks, then President Eyring’s and President Uchdorf’s talks. They were so excellent, and I was so inspired, so I listened to the rest of it, reverse alphabetically as it appeared in my feed reader. (I listened in reverse because President Thomas S. Monson was the last alphabetically and I wanted to start with him.) I did a lot as I listened’care for my son, work on photographs, etc. So I wasn’t just sitting around.
It has been great. I feel so uplifted and ready to be better. But I guess that’s the key: listening isn’t making me any better. I need to do what I’m learning! Listening doesn’t do any good for the world.
My favorites the first time around:
- President Uchdorf’s talk (the faith of our Father, our Heavenly Father)
- Elder Child’s talk on tithing
- Elder Ballard’s talk to the young mothers
- Elder Bednar’s talk on prayer
- Elder Oaks’s talk on testimony
- Elder Zwick’s talk on fortifying yourself
Which were your favorites?
I get to listen and watch all of them again Saturday and Sunday. (We need to be there this weekend.) What do I do for eight hours Saturday and Sunday as I watch them? I’m going to be sitting on an uncomfortable bench in the chapel.
Ah well; I’ll be inspired all over again. I love general conference!
I loved Pres. Uchdorf’s “Faith of our Fathers” talk, too. And I loved that Elder Christopherson said something about being thankful for his wife making such a wonderful home for them. That has really stuck in my head and been inspiring to me. Being the maker of a home. There are so many ways to think about it.
That sounds like such a neat way to listen to conference. I’m sure you’ll get even more out of it the second time – and you won’t have to be upset if a child distracts you and you miss the end of some concept.