Aerial view of the beautiful conference center in Salt Lake City.
I just had to say how much I LOVE conference. I truly enjoy listening to our Prophet, apostles, and other worldwide leaders share their inspired messages. Each year every April and October I surprise myself at how much I look forward to it. We never do anything special, just sit around our house comfortably and watch it on TV, but still, I love it. Of course it's harder to listen as much these days with our boys running around being noisy, but I still get the message I need.
I have so many memories of conference from every stage of my life and it's fun to think back on them. I remember going to the church building to watch it via satellite as early as six years old (I know I've gone all my life, but my memories are clearer at 6). Even being that young I knew missing conference was not an option and I was just kept busy coloring while the older members of the family listened. I have no idea how my parents got 5 children to behave for four, two hour sessions of conference at a church building, but I never remember missing a session or having to be removed from the chapel.
I remember as early as I could spell I was encouraged to write down the speakers and what I thought their talk was about so I could learn how to pay attention. I remember by that time I had already gained a great love for the Prophet and apostles.
When we were finally able to watch it from our home I was almost a teenager and I remember falling asleep because we were so comfortable laying on the floor and couches we just couldn't keep our eyes open that long. My Dad would not allow it and as soon as he realized one of us had closed our eyes we would awake to to a pillow being thrown at our head from across the room. sometimes it was just a really obnoxious wake up call or nudge from the closest family member.....but basically whatever he had to do to make us stay awake was done. If one person fell asleep more than once or twice they were no longer given the privilege to lay down and had to sit up the rest of the conference :). Those days that treatment was so annoying and we thought for sure it would teach us to rebel against watching conference when we could one day choose for ourselves. to my surprise as the years went on I realized it did the opposite to me, it taught me to pay attention. I gained respect for the experience of conference and continued on with that respect long after my parents had no control over my choices. Like in all things, I guess practice makes perfect and my parents wanted us to practice listening to and respecting the message from the Lord through our leaders. I look back and laugh at all the times I was so annoyed with pillows or cups or whatever was handy hitting me and rudely awakening me. Now I catch myself doing similar (yet somewhat kinder) things to wake up Josh when he gets a little too comfortable. :) I'm sure my children will face the same annoyance too one day :) LOL
Each conference I think of the many friends I have that don't share my same beliefs and with all my heart I want to call each of them up and ask them if they would watch conference in the comfort of their own home. I so desire them to feel what I feel and know what I feel so blessed to know, and yet I am too chicken to make the phone calls. I sat there for hours on Saturday and Sunday thinking of many of my friends and trying to work up the courage to call even a couple of them...I couldn't do it...I'm terrified of the rejection.........maybe one day I will gain the courage. It's weird, I have no fear what so ever of talking about what I believe when I am approached about it, but when it comes to me approaching someone, it is terrifying to me. I'm still trying to figure out how to get past that.
I am so grateful we have a Prophet and have the opportunity to hear his council twice a year during General Conference. I am so grateful my parents taught me at such a young age that conference is an opportunity for us and we should do all we can to always take the opportunity to listen to our prophet and apostles.
I have so many memories of conference from every stage of my life and it's fun to think back on them. I remember going to the church building to watch it via satellite as early as six years old (I know I've gone all my life, but my memories are clearer at 6). Even being that young I knew missing conference was not an option and I was just kept busy coloring while the older members of the family listened. I have no idea how my parents got 5 children to behave for four, two hour sessions of conference at a church building, but I never remember missing a session or having to be removed from the chapel.
I remember as early as I could spell I was encouraged to write down the speakers and what I thought their talk was about so I could learn how to pay attention. I remember by that time I had already gained a great love for the Prophet and apostles.
When we were finally able to watch it from our home I was almost a teenager and I remember falling asleep because we were so comfortable laying on the floor and couches we just couldn't keep our eyes open that long. My Dad would not allow it and as soon as he realized one of us had closed our eyes we would awake to to a pillow being thrown at our head from across the room. sometimes it was just a really obnoxious wake up call or nudge from the closest family member.....but basically whatever he had to do to make us stay awake was done. If one person fell asleep more than once or twice they were no longer given the privilege to lay down and had to sit up the rest of the conference :). Those days that treatment was so annoying and we thought for sure it would teach us to rebel against watching conference when we could one day choose for ourselves. to my surprise as the years went on I realized it did the opposite to me, it taught me to pay attention. I gained respect for the experience of conference and continued on with that respect long after my parents had no control over my choices. Like in all things, I guess practice makes perfect and my parents wanted us to practice listening to and respecting the message from the Lord through our leaders. I look back and laugh at all the times I was so annoyed with pillows or cups or whatever was handy hitting me and rudely awakening me. Now I catch myself doing similar (yet somewhat kinder) things to wake up Josh when he gets a little too comfortable. :) I'm sure my children will face the same annoyance too one day :) LOL
Each conference I think of the many friends I have that don't share my same beliefs and with all my heart I want to call each of them up and ask them if they would watch conference in the comfort of their own home. I so desire them to feel what I feel and know what I feel so blessed to know, and yet I am too chicken to make the phone calls. I sat there for hours on Saturday and Sunday thinking of many of my friends and trying to work up the courage to call even a couple of them...I couldn't do it...I'm terrified of the rejection.........maybe one day I will gain the courage. It's weird, I have no fear what so ever of talking about what I believe when I am approached about it, but when it comes to me approaching someone, it is terrifying to me. I'm still trying to figure out how to get past that.
I am so grateful we have a Prophet and have the opportunity to hear his council twice a year during General Conference. I am so grateful my parents taught me at such a young age that conference is an opportunity for us and we should do all we can to always take the opportunity to listen to our prophet and apostles.
The First Presidencey. I love these men!
3 comments:
I too love General Conference! What a blessing it is! That's too funny about the pillows or cups being thrown at you. I should try that with my husband someday;) And I'm the same way when it comes to approaching people about my faith. Why is it so hard? I just don't want to offend anyone or want them to mistake my intent as just trying to convert another Mormon when really I just want them to know the same joy and purpose I get from the gospel. I'm working on it though. Line upon line, right? Great post!
We are blessed to have such enlightened men leading our church. A special link to our Heavenly Father, thank goodness for that.
I really loved General Conference, too. Your memories of watching Conference in via satellite as a child and then from your home are very similar to mine. I think there were even a few pillows thrown in my house too! :)
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