Speculations for General Conference

[Nofear]

Setting aside the inappropriateness of gossipy chatter, any guesses? For my part, I'm going with China opening its borders to missionaries if anything at all.

Edited August 29, 2018 by Nofear

[PacMan]

Given the new Sunday School material that will implement a coordinated family and church curriculum, I'd expect a change to the Sunday School program.

[carbon dioxide]

24 minutes ago, Nofear said:

Setting aside the inappropriateness of gossipy chatter, any guesses? For my part, I'm going with China opening its borders to missionaries if anything at all.

Given how the Chinese government is cracking down on things, I don't see any missionaries going to China soon before a big change in the Chinese government first.

[Duncan]

For one thing there will be no Priesthood session, due to the reduced sessions

[The Nehor]

Special pews in every chapel only available to Temple Recommend holders so they no longer have to see or mix with the unwashed masses.

[HappyJackWagon]

I'm going with 2 hour block, change of "sacrament meeting" to "worship service", clarifying that the "Mormon name update" applies to the institutional church and media, and changing the temple wedding/sealing uniform across the world- which is to say, civil wedding first and then temple sealing as soon as possible.

Nelson is a mover and shaker. I expect to see some shakin goin on.

Oh, and I also expect an endless parade of "ministering" talks.

[Jeanne]

Just an observation..but I don't think there will be anything other than perhaps a more defined idea of new established ministering programs...and how wonderful the church is doing.

[Scott Lloyd]

5 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

I'm going with 2 hour block, change of "sacrament meeting" to "worship service", clarifying that the "Mormon name update" applies to the institutional church and media, and changing the temple wedding/sealing uniform across the world- which is to say, civil wedding first and then temple sealing as soon as possible.

Nelson is a mover and shaker. I expect to see some shakin goin on.

Oh, and I also expect an endless parade of "ministering" talks.

I've already dealt with the outlandishness of your "Mormon name update" surmisings, so I'll set that aside.

But I'm wondering why you think the name of sacrament meeting would be changed to "worship service," as the sacarament for such a long time has been emphasized as the purpose for which the meeting is held.

[smac97]

Over the weekend our stake hosted President Joy Jones, of the Primary General Presidency.  She gave some indication that there will be additional resources and training and such regarding the ministering program.

Thanks,

-Smac

[HappyJackWagon]

2 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

I've already dealt with the outlandishness of your "Mormon name update" surmisings, so I'll set that aside.

But I'm wondering why you think the name of sacrament meeting would be changed to "worship service," as the sacarament for such a long time has been emphasized as the purpose for which the meeting is held.

1- I think the primary purpose of meeting is to worship God. The sacrament is an important part of that but it is only important inasmuch as it brings one closer to God. The sacrament is not the end unto itself. The worship of God is.

2- Calling something that should be a spiritual experience and devotion to God a "meeting" seems overly formal and off-putting to me. I don't envision God calling a meeting, but rather calling us to worship.

[HappyJackWagon]

1 minute ago, smac97 said:

Over the weekend our stake hosted President Joy Jones, of the Primary General Presidency.  She gave some indication that there will be additional resources and training and such regarding the ministering program.

Thanks,

-Smac

Good call. I'd totally expect this. But I've definitely heard whisperings that there are changes coming and I don't think that would qualify. That seems more like fine-tuning previous changes.

[Scott Lloyd]

8 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

1- I think the primary purpose of meeting is to worship God. The sacrament is an important part of that but it is only important inasmuch as it brings one closer to God. The sacrament is not the end unto itself. The worship of God is.

2- Calling something that should be a spiritual experience and devotion to God a "meeting" seems overly formal and off-putting to me. I don't envision God calling a meeting, but rather calling us to worship.

Number 2 is a fair point. Perhaps that is why the meeting is often called the "sacrament service."

But I still think you're barking up the wrong tree if you think the Brethren would consider even for a moment jettisoning the name or concept of the sacrament from the meeting.

[lostindc]

It's a matter of time before women will have the priesthood and will be eligible to hold the highest of offices in the Church, same-sex marriage will be complete accepted and these couples will have full rights in the Church, acceptance of the original truth claims of the Church is no longer required, e.g. Joseph Smith was a prophet, and the amount of time required at Church will drop.

[Duncan]

I live next door, so to speak, from a  district and the district presidency can't give TR interviews, instead they have to have some Mission Presidency Counselour drive 2 or more hours to give them. I think that should be done away. If a Mission President can delegate it to a counselour why can't he delegate it to the District President? Mind you if a mission president counselour didn't give recommend interviews, then what, pray tell, do they even do?

[smac97]

3 minutes ago, lostindc said:

It's a matter of time before women will have the priesthood and will be eligible to hold the highest of offices in the Church,

While I am open to that theoretical possibility, I really doubt it will happen.

3 minutes ago, lostindc said:

same-sex marriage will be complete accepted

I really doubt this one.  A lot.

3 minutes ago, lostindc said:

and these couples will have full rights in the Church,

What do you mean by "ful rights?"

This seems like wishful thinking.  Purely and nothing but.

3 minutes ago, lostindc said:

acceptance of the original truth claims of the Church is no longer required, e.g. Joseph Smith was a prophet,

The Church has given no indication of this.  Ever.  To the contrary, the Church has given every indication that it will continue to proclaim the truth claims of the Church and use acceptance of them as a condition for baptism.

Again, this just seems like wishful thinking on your part.

3 minutes ago, lostindc said:

and the amount of time required at Church will drop.

That may happen.

Thanks,

-Smac

[Prof]

26 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

1- I think the primary purpose of meeting is to worship God. The sacrament is an important part of that but it is only important inasmuch as it brings one closer to God. The sacrament is not the end unto itself. The worship of God is.

 

I agree with you 100%!!!! But in my ward, the most vocal voices will tell you the reason we meet on Sunday is to take the sacrament. Everything else is a distant second.

We also have a significant number of people who leave after sacrament meeting without going to Sunday school or priesthood/RS.

[Sunday21]

Pres Nelson i is touring  Canada Apparently he has hinted that there will be an easing of our burdens. I an hoping for a reducing in the 3 hr block. Or maybe he just means Gobal Warming? 😉

[rongo]

I think, based on the released statement, that President Nelson is going to ask members to work on eradicating any use of Mormon, Mormonism, LDS, etc. I don't think this was just calling attention to the style guide for the media and public figures. I think that we will hear a lot more about this than was contained in the statement. For example, Elder Anderson and Elder Christofferson (just this week at the MTC) talked more about this, and how it is going to hard for members, but we are in this for the long haul and not going to give up on it like we did in the past.

I think a long-term eradication program on the part of Mormons themselves is the goal. 

A 2 hour block would make my day!  

[Duncan]

Just now, Sunday21 said:

Pres Nelson i is touring  Canada Apparently he has hinted that there will be an easing of our burdens. I an hoping for a reducing in the 3 hr block. Or maybe he just means Gobal Warming? 😉

he came here not 2 weeks ago and never said ticktey boo about that!

[mfbukowski]

14 minutes ago, Duncan said:

I live next door, so to speak, from a  district and the district presidency can't give TR interviews, instead they have to have some Mission Presidency Counselour drive 2 or more hours to give them. I think that should be done away. If a Mission President can delegate it to a counselour why can't he delegate it to the District President? Mind you if a mission president counselour didn't give recommend interviews, then what, pray tell, do they even do?

I think there will be special Provisions for the church in Canada. Specifically, extraneous "U's" will be banned in all Church Communications.

The cost to the environment for all that wasted ink and pigments which pollute the atmosphere will be eliminated.

Not to mention that all of that energy used by millions of index fingers hitting that extra U on a keyboard clearly contributes to global warming.

The cost to our planet of all those extraneous U's is incalculable.

[cdowis]

1 hour ago, Nofear said:

Setting aside the inappropriateness of gossipy chatter, any guesses? For my part, I'm going with China opening its borders to missionaries if anything at all.

I  voted for China and also nothing unusual  since that has been predicted for decades......Yawn...

Now  announcing a temple in Peking.....

Edited August 29, 2018 by cdowis

[Duncan]

Just now, mfbukowski said:

I think there will be special Provisions for the church in Canada. Specifically, extraneous "U's" will be banned in all Church Communications.

The cost to the environment for all that wasted ink and pigments which pollute the atmosphere will be eliminated.

Not to mention that all of that energy used by millions of index fingers hitting that extra U on a keyboard clearly contributes to global warming.

The cost to our planet of all those extraneous U's is incalculable.

i tried, I really tried to eliminate the "u" but I don't know it just sounds so you know, more for the common person😌

[carbon dioxide]

35 minutes ago, lostindc said:

It's a matter of time before women will have the priesthood and will be eligible to hold the highest of offices in the Church, same-sex marriage will be complete accepted and these couples will have full rights in the Church, acceptance of the original truth claims of the Church is no longer required, e.g. Joseph Smith was a prophet, and the amount of time required at Church will drop.

It is also just as likely that North Korea will hit the US with a nuclear weapon before conference.

[Gray]

The adjective "Christologist" will offcially replace the word "Mormon" or "Latter-day Saint".

[rongo]

4 minutes ago, Gray said:

The adjective "Christologist" will offcially replace the word "Mormon" or "Latter-day Saint".

And "Christscientologist" for LDS scientists . . .  

Here's another one: an actual temple site in Russia will be announced, rather than simply that one is being announced for somewhere in Russia.