General Conference Sessions Consolidated

[ksfisher]

http://www.sltrib.com/religion/local/2017/10/27/major-change-announced-for-mormon-general-conferences-one-less-session/

[rockpond]

From Mormon Newsroom:  General Conference sessions will be consolidated with the Priesthood session being held on the Saturday in April and the Women's session being held on the Saturday in October.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/general-conference-sessions-consolidated-april-2018?__prclt=VfneShpG

From the article:  ...consolidating general conference sessions into one weekend furthers Church efforts "of reducing and simplifying the work of the Church and the demands made upon leaders and members."

Seems like a nice change and will reduce some of the burden on our leaders.

[juliann]

It will likely reduce the number of women's voices unless they plan on adding an additional 3 women to the regular sessions on top of the 1 or 2 they allow now.

[rockpond]

3 minutes ago, juliann said:

It will likely reduce the number of women's voices unless they plan on adding an additional 3 women to the regular sessions on top of the 1 or 2 they allow now.

I really hope that they will do that!  My sweet 9 year old daughter listens intently and takes pages and pages of notes during conference.  I'd love for her to be able to hear from more sisters.

[The Nehor]

Nice, will not have to cancel game night for one conference at least.

[Tacenda]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but the women's conference this year wasn't very filled, maybe that's why? 

[Duncan]

it'll be interesting to see how this plays out and i'm sure they'll make adjustments over time.

[HappyJackWagon]

49 minutes ago, juliann said:

It will likely reduce the number of women's voices unless they plan on adding an additional 3 women to the regular sessions on top of the 1 or 2 they allow now.

I hope that's exactly what they do, but I'm skeptical

[stemelbow]

This is a nice step.  Next step, cut out one of the other sessions of conference and move this rotating session in it's place.  Hopefully we'll be down to one session every 6 mos.  and that one session will contain something really useful, as if God Himself has something to say to us.   

 

[rockpond]

1 minute ago, stemelbow said:

This is a nice step.  Next step, cut out one of the other sessions of conference and move this rotating session in it's place.  Hopefully we'll be down to one session every 6 mos.  and that one session will contain something really useful, as if God Himself has something to say to us.   

 

Not a bad idea!  What about using the 10am and 2pm slots on Saturday for Men's and Women's sessions (respectively)?  Then you could still have both sessions every six months while freeing up Saturday evening for family time.

[hope_for_things]

1 hour ago, rockpond said:

From Mormon Newsroom:  General Conference sessions will be consolidated with the Priesthood session being held on the Saturday in April and the Women's session being held on the Saturday in October.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/general-conference-sessions-consolidated-april-2018?__prclt=VfneShpG

From the article:  ...consolidating general conference sessions into one weekend furthers Church efforts "of reducing and simplifying the work of the Church and the demands made upon leaders and members."

Seems like a nice change and will reduce some of the burden on our leaders.

Good move, it does two things, it reduces the number of hours each conference, and it elevates the Women's conference a little bit more though moving it to the same weekend as everything else, so even though they started calling the women's meetings part of conference before, having them on a separate weekend still gave a perception of less importance in my opinion.  

Happy for baby steps.

Edited October 27, 2017 by hope_for_things

[hope_for_things]

23 minutes ago, stemelbow said:

This is a nice step.  Next step, cut out one of the other sessions of conference and move this rotating session in it's place.  Hopefully we'll be down to one session every 6 mos.  and that one session will contain something really useful, as if God Himself has something to say to us.   

 

I agree with your impulse to change, but I would say lets think outside the box even more.

I think they need to change the format completely.  I think in our modern day that attention spans to sit through hours and hours of meetings just aren't the same as they used to be.  Perhaps they could have collaborative teaching format sessions, or special themes for conference announced ahead of time and something different than having leaders step up to a pulpit and read a rehearsed talk from a teleprompter.  I would love to see some completely different innovation, they could even call it revelation.  The boring old method is not resonating with the changing of the times and they aren't effectively reaching younger generations anymore.  Mix things up, change the format, change the messages, change the messengers, make it interesting, inspirational and compelling.  

[JAHS]

Good. Now we only have to get this once per year 

[The Nehor]

And I was hoping the sudden unexpected special Stake Conference we are having in two weeks was a sign of the End or Days. Unlikely if we are still planning for conference next year.

Unless that is what they want us to think.........

[juliann]

41 minutes ago, hope_for_things said:

I agree with your impulse to change, but I would say lets think outside the box even more.

I think they need to change the format completely.  I think in our modern day that attention spans to sit through hours and hours of meetings just aren't the same as they used to be.  Perhaps they could have collaborative teaching format sessions, or special themes for conference announced ahead of time and something different than having leaders step up to a pulpit and read a rehearsed talk from a teleprompter.  I would love to see some completely different innovation, they could even call it revelation.  The boring old method is not resonating with the changing of the times and they aren't effectively reaching younger generations anymore.  Mix things up, change the format, change the messages, change the messengers, make it interesting, inspirational and compelling.  

They kind of do that all year long if you track LDS.org. 

I love conference. Sure, I tune out here and there. Maybe even fall asleep since I'm lounging around. I'd like more not less. When else do we get to see our leaders all together?

[juliann]

34 minutes ago, JAHS said:

Good. Now we only have to get this once per year 

 What a burden to have to listen to stuff like this every six months:

Quote

 

An Aaronic Priesthood holder covenants to avoid evil, help others be reconciled to God, and prepare to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. These sacred responsibilities are fulfilled as he teaches, baptizes, strengthens Church members, and invites others to accept the gospel. These are his “rocket” functions. In return, God promises hope, forgiveness, the ministering of angels, and the keys of the gospel of repentance and baptism.

A Melchizedek Priesthood holder covenants to fulfill the responsibilities associated with the Aaronic Priesthood and to magnify his calling in the Melchizedek Priesthood.  He does so by keeping the commandments associated with the covenant. These commandments include giving “diligent heed to the words of eternal life” by living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, bearing testimony of Jesus Christ and His latter-day work,  not boasting of himself,  and becoming the Savior’s friend, trusting Him as a friend would.

In return, God promises that a Melchizedek Priesthood holder will receive keys to understand the mysteries of God. He will become perfect so that he can stand in the presence of God. He will be able to fulfill his role in the work of salvation. Jesus Christ will prepare the way before the priesthood holder and will be with him. The Holy Ghost will be in the priesthood holder’s heart, and angels will bear him up. His body will be strengthened and renewed. He will become heir to the blessings of Abraham and, along with his wife, joint-heir with Jesus Christ to Heavenly Father’s kingdom. These are “exceeding great and precious promises.” No greater promises can be imagined. - Elder Renlund

 

 

[hope_for_things]

5 minutes ago, juliann said:

They kind of do that all year long if you track LDS.org. 

I love conference. Sure, I tune out here and there. Maybe even fall asleep since I'm lounging around. I'd like more not less. When else do we get to see our leaders all together?

Do more of what's working and do less of what's not, and innovate more.  I think some of what they are doing with the youth Q&A sessions is interesting and a good step.  They need more of that.  Why stick to the old fashion lectures from a pulpit in dry pre-rehearsed language.  15-20 minute talk format, its not effective, and I'm generation X and as an orthodox member I had a hard time paying attention to all of it.  Its just not in touch with society.  Its not innovative and its not connecting very well. 

Surely they have the resources to do better, they can experiment more, get focus groups together, find out what is working in media and resonating with people.  They have marketing departments, and heartsell, and so many church resources.  Maybe do a Studio C style skit as a conference lesson.  Maybe create a movie for a conference session and play that instead, people learn through story telling.  Get more of the arts, music, literature.  How about service projects that are collaborative, how about training people how to live more financially responsible.  

Mormon theology teaches that the temporal and the spiritual are both God's work, why not put that into practice more.  The possibilities are endless, the opportunities are great, the current traditional approach seems so small and boring...

 

[JAHS]

32 minutes ago, juliann said:

In return, God promises that a Melchizedek Priesthood holder will receive keys to understand the mysteries of God. He will become perfect so that he can stand in the presence of God. He will be able to fulfill his role in the work of salvation. Jesus Christ will prepare the way before the priesthood holder and will be with him. The Holy Ghost will be in the priesthood holder’s heart, and angels will bear him up. His body will be strengthened and renewed. He will become heir to the blessings of Abraham and, along with his wife, joint-heir with Jesus Christ to Heavenly Father’s kingdom. These are “exceeding great and precious promises.” No greater promises can be imagined. - Elder Renlund

Interesting you should mention this.  When I heard him say this it made me think about how women might respond to what he said here.  I guess somehow women should be able to receive all these same blessings even though they don't hold the priesthood, right? It would seem unfair if they could not.
By the way the cartoons were a joke. I really do like the priesthood session of General Conference.

Edited October 27, 2017 by JAHS

[strappinglad]

You will notice that no matter what, there is always a " concerned critic " .

[juliann]

1 hour ago, JAHS said:

Interesting you should mention this.  When I heard him say this it made me think about how women might respond to what he said here.  I guess somehow women should be able to receive all these same blessings even though they don't hold the priesthood, right? It would seem unfair if they could not.
By the way the cartoons were a joke. I really do like the priesthood session of General Conference.

When we women talk about such things, we still chuckle over the knee jerk defense against OW by some men. It consisted of telling women that the priesthood did nothing for them personally, it was just to serve others. So it was silly of women to want such a thing. That always included some scolding about how women wanted power by asking for what they were told was the greatest blessing God could bestow on anyone.  It is being acknowledged, piecemeal, that women do operate under the authority of and use the power of the priesthood without "holding it."

Fun times. I call it the Throw the Priesthood Under the Bus defense. It might be a little too soon for those kinds of cartoons because this thinking is not yet a relic of past times for some. 

[juliann]

1 hour ago, hope_for_things said:

 

Surely they have the resources to do better, they can experiment more, get focus groups together, find out what is working in media and resonating with people.  They have marketing departments, and heartsell, and so many church resources.  Maybe do a Studio C style skit as a conference lesson.  Maybe create a movie for a conference session and play that instead, people learn through story telling.  Get more of the arts, music, literature.  How about service projects that are collaborative, how about training people how to live more financially responsible.  

 

 

Trying to visualize Elder Oaks in a wig and costume.....

 

[rongo]

My wife is annoyed by this. She doesn't want to have the full Saturday that my sons and I do (two sessions plus a session at the stake center). Yes, we know that we can just watch it at home, but we feel that Priesthood session is special and that we should actually go somewhere, not watch it online at home. So, we go. She feels obligated to go, and actually likes having it be the Saturday before, so it's not crammed with the other sessions. 

She is annoyed, and thinks this is simply a move to make feminists happy (men get one Saturday, women get the other one. Not "second class citizen" -style on the weekend before "real" Conference starts. Equal!).

[rongo]

6 minutes ago, juliann said:

When we women talk about such things, we still chuckle over the knee jerk defense against OW by some men. It consisted of telling women that the priesthood did nothing for them personally, it was just to serve others. So it was silly of women to want such a thing. That always included some scolding about how women wanted power by asking for what they were told was the greatest blessing God could bestow on anyone.  It is being acknowledged, piecemeal, that women do operate under the authority of and use the power of the priesthood without "holding it."

We had three women and girls come sit in priesthood session this time. They are from fanatical "tent city" pyramid scam families (I used to be their bishop when I was in their ward), and were nervous and self-conscious about being there, like they were testing the waters and taking the big step. Nobody said anything, but several looked at them like, "what the heck?"

[bluebell]

6 minutes ago, rongo said:

My wife is annoyed by this. She doesn't want to have the full Saturday that my sons and I do (two sessions plus a session at the stake center). Yes, we know that we can just watch it at home, but we feel that Priesthood session is special and that we should actually go somewhere, not watch it online at home. So, we go. She feels obligated to go, and actually likes having it be the Saturday before, so it's not crammed with the other sessions. 

She is annoyed, and thinks this is simply a move to make feminists happy (men get one Saturday, women get the other one. Not "second class citizen" -style on the weekend before "real" Conference starts. Equal!).

Maybe it's a move to make one conference Saturday easier on the men, like she feels it has been on the women?

Does your family feel that the priesthood session is more special than the other conference sessions, or do you actually go to the stake center to watch all of them?

[rongo]

5 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Maybe it's a move to make one conference Saturday easier on the men, like she feels it has been on the women?

I don't think so. They already stream it on the internet, and men's attendance at the stake center has gone way down. The Saturday is already easy on the men, as far as conference goes (if PH session is burdensome, then watch it at home).   I think this move is all about making discontented women feel better (and my wife agrees, and is more annoyed than I am).

Does your family feel that the priesthood session is more special than the other conference sessions, or do you actually go to the stake center to watch all of them?

In a way. Priesthood usually has dynamite talks, and is special. Now, it's cut in half throughout the year. We watch the general sessions at home, and go to the stake center for priesthood.