Conference Sunday

What would you do if you heard that there was an opportunity to hear Moses, Ezekiel, Daniel or Jonah or some of the other biblical prophets giving talks at a local venue? What sacrifice would you be willing to make to be sure you were there?
This weekend I am going to have that very sort of opportunity. It will not be BIBLICAL prophets. It will be living, breathing modern day prophets. While that may lack some of the novelty of hearing from Noah or Joshua, to my way of thinking, that has even more value since they will be prepared to address folks about the challenges of TODAY.

One of the unique characteristics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that we believe that God speaks to prophets today much the same as he did anciently. We sustain the presidents of our church as prophets. We believe they truly receive messages from God which are meant for all the world. We also consider the members of the Quorum of the Twelve to be prophets, seers and revelators.
I have had many experiences of listening to these inspired leaders and have felt the witness of the Holy Ghost telling me their words were true and truly from God.

Some may think that is just more than a little wacko. For me, it is something very sacred.

This weekend my church will be holding a world-wide conference, which they do twice a year. Speakers from among the general authorities (meaning leaders whose assignment is worldwide rather than specific to a particular area) will address us from the conference center at Salt Lake City. It will be broadcast live by satellite, TV, radio and internet to hundreds of countries throughout the world. Some will get a delayed recorded feed with translation. In addition, the messages given will be written and printed in the Ensign magazine, which can be accessed both in print and online at lds.org

This conference isn’t just another church meeting. It truly is a gathering of prophets giving the precise council to the world that the Lord has inspired them to know as what is most needful for this time. I think that is pretty significant.

Different people have different attitudes about general conference. For some, it is treated like an LDS holiday. It is one of the few Sundays when people don’t have to worry about preparing lessons or doing their “calling”, whatever work assignment they may have in the church which could range from leading music to tending the library, caring for toddlers in nursery or counting the number of people who attend sacrament. Because it is so easy to access the messages later, a lot of people skip out on conference Sundays. I’ve certainly been known to be among that group.

In years past, I must admit, I found conference to be pretty boring. It was just a bunch of old white men (for the most part) talking on and on and on about things I had already heard a hundred times.
Pray.
Read Your Scriptures.
Pay Tithing.
Follow the commandments.

There was nothing sparkling or new.

So, way more times than I care to admit, I would pass on the live sessions of conference, with the best of intentions of viewing it later, or at the very least reading the messages with they came out in Ensign. Sometimes I followed up. Sometimes I did not.

In recent years, however, my attitude has changed about general conference.
Now I find myself getting genuinely EXCITED at the prospect of hearing these messages.

This time I am working to prepare myself to be open, ready, alert and worthy to not only hear what these leaders will share, but especially to get my own witness from the Holy Spirit of the truth of those words.

I believe in living prophets.

I believe they will have a message that will apply specifically to ME, that will help me to address the challenges in my own life – perhaps even some things I have confided to no one, but which surely my creator knows.

The degree to which I will receive those answers will be directly proportional to the extent to which I come to conference SEEKING personal revelation and ready to be led.

I am so grateful for the modern technology which allows me to sit in the comfort of my home and listen to living prophets.

I am eager to discover what it is that God has in store for me and for the world right now.