General Conference word counts

[Nofear]

Clint Goodman does a lot of statistics on this.
https://www.heraldextra.com/news/faith/2023/mar/27/saratoga-springs-man-uses-analytics-to-see-trends-in-general-conference-talks/

https://cgood92.github.io/general-conference-stats/

I suspect some here will find this interesting.

PS: He also apparently notes that the Church's growth isn't dropping (just increasing less quickly).

[Nofear]

A somewhat variant topic: pandemic influence on church attendance
https://www.deseret.com/faith/2023/3/28/23659997/pew-survey-church-attendance-pandemic

[Rain]

This is great and caused me to text my family. 😁 

Back 15-20 years ago we did a bingo thing for our kids where they put candy on words they heard in conference.  I found another site similar to this one and chose different words from it.  I chose "supernal" because it was used occasionally in talks, but not very often. 

At the end of that session, my family was disappointed that no one had used the word, but my youngest quickly asked "Do you think (a specific hymn sung) was supernal?"   I had to pull out the dictionary because I didn't actually know what it meant! I thought about it and had to say yes to his great delight.  The word has been a thing in our conference discussions since.  

I remember last fall not recalling anyone saying it.  Well, I was right, no one said it in all of 2022!  That hasn't happened since 1989!

[Pyreaux]

4 hours ago, Nofear said:

Clint Goodman does a lot of statistics on this.
https://www.heraldextra.com/news/faith/2023/mar/27/saratoga-springs-man-uses-analytics-to-see-trends-in-general-conference-talks/

https://cgood92.github.io/general-conference-stats/

I suspect some here will find this interesting.

PS: He also apparently notes that the Church's growth isn't dropping (just increasing less quickly).

Word counts... With this information we can make up some serious drinking games... With root beer. Or candy bingo... Whatever.

[LoudmouthMormon]

Elder Oaks just said “supernal”!

[Rain]

2 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

Elder Oaks just said “supernal”!

Lol yes! We caught it too. 😁 It was also in one of the songs. And 2 other speakers!

Edited April 1 by Rain

[Kenngo1969]

Then pure and supernal, our Friendship Eternal, with Jesus we'll live and His Counsels obey!  And then, wondrous story, the Lord in His Glory will come in His pow'r in the Beautiful Day!

Beautiful day, of peace and rest, Bright be Thy Dawn from east to west!  Hail to thine earliest Morning Ray, Beautiful, Bright, Millennial Day!

[Kenngo1969]

On 3/29/2023 at 5:37 PM, Pyreaux said:

Word counts... With this information we can make up some serious drinking games... With root beer. ...

"... Eternal Life ...."

Chugga-chugga-chugga, chugga-chugga-chugga ...

"Braaaaaaaaaap!"

What?  

Oh.  

Don't mind me.  

Carry on!  

 

[Bernard Gui]

On 3/29/2023 at 4:23 PM, Rain said:

I chose "supernal" because it was used occasionally in talks, but not very often. 

Supernal was first used in Conference in 1888 by Franklin Richards.

Quote

The sum of the whole matter is, that having found the straight and narrow path that leads to the tree of eternal life, our only safety is in seizing hold of the rod of iron, which is the word of God, and clinging to it through all the dark, misty and troublesome experiences we may be called to pass through; and that if we do this we shall find ourselves eventually partaking of those fruits which will bring to us eternal life, with joys supernal.

I’m interested because it is rarely heard outside of LDS circles. When I first heard it in the mid-1960s from Elder Hugh B. Brown, I thought he had made it up. Not so.

Quote

Supernal…adjective

being in or belonging to the heaven of divine beings; heavenly, celestial, or divine; lofty; of more than earthly or human excellence, powers, etc.; being on high or in the sky or visible heavens.

Between 1888 and 1980, it was used only 15 more times.

From 1990 to 2021 supernal has been used 118 times.

So far, Elder Boyd K. Packer holds the title at 16 times with Elders Faust and Uchtdorf at 12. 

 

[Bernard Gui]

9 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Then pure and supernal, our Friendship Eternal, with Jesus we'll live and His Counsels obey!  And then, wondrous story, the Lord in His Glory will come in His pow'r in the Beautiful Day!

Beautiful day, of peace and rest, Bright be Thy Dawn from east to west!  Hail to thine earliest Morning Ray, Beautiful, Bright, Millennial Day!

“The world-wide commotion from ocean to ocean…”

[Navidad]

3 hours ago, Bernard Gui said:

I’m interested because it is rarely heard outside of LDS circles. When I first heard it in the mid-1960s from Elder Hugh B. Brown, I thought he had made it up. Not so.

Here you go . . . In the 1960s every Evangelical youth, child, or adult sang this chorus several times a week. It still brings a smile to my remembrance. John Peterson was a prolific hymn and chorus writer in my tradition. Find the hidden word!

O, what a wonderful, wonderful day, day I will never forget;
after I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met.
O, what a tender, compassionate friend, He met the need of my heart;
shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart.

CHORUS
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, (filled my soul)
when at the cross the Savior made me whole; (made me whole)
my sins were washed away and my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul! (filled my soul)

Born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine,
justified fully thru Calvary’s love, O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made, when as a sinner I came,
took of the offer, of grace He did proffer, He saved me, O praise His dear name! (CHORUS)

Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time;
I have a future in Heaven for sure there in those mansions sublime.
And it’s because of that wonderful day, when at the cross I believed;
riches eternal and blessings supernal, from His precious hand I received. (CHORUS)

Edited April 2 by Navidad

[mfbukowski]

Once again I must protest the Utah Mormon usage of "even".

"Even I will get to heaven" is quite different from "We thank thee for our apostles and prophets and savior, even Jesus Christ".

Yes we thank God for all our blessings, even Jesus Christ 

Yes I twisted it a little, but that's the way I hear it sometimes!

This ain't the 19th century anymore guys!

I NEVER EVER hear that kind of usage ANYWHERE except in church 😄 talks!

 

Edited April 2 by mfbukowski

[MustardSeed]

3 minutes ago, mfbukowski said:

Once again I must protest the Utah Mormon usage of "even".

"Even I will get to heaven" is quite different from "We thank thee for our apostles and prophets and even Jesus Christ ".

Yes I twisted it a little, but that's the way I hear it sometimes!

This ain't the 19th century anymore guys!

I NEVER EVER hear that kind of usage ANYWHERE except in church 😄 talks!

 

I was thinking about this just yesterday.  Same brain. 

[Rain]

19 minutes ago, mfbukowski said:

Once again I must protest the Utah Mormon usage of "even".

"Even I will get to heaven" is quite different from "We thank thee for our apostles and prophets and savior, even Jesus Christ".

Yes we thank God for all our blessings, even Jesus Christ 

Yes I twisted it a little, but that's the way I hear it sometimes!

This ain't the 19th century anymore guys!

I NEVER EVER hear that kind of usage ANYWHERE except in church 😄 talks!

 

I've been wondering what the usage means.

[mfbukowski]

1 minute ago, Rain said:

I've been wondering what the usage means.

It's not EVEN in the dictionary, as far as I can tell

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/even

[Rain]

My daughter asked if she could come for the afternoon session and I said "yes!"  (My youngest is 21 and she is 24). Then I thought "hmm" and decided to relive old times. 

Edited April 2 by Rain

[bluebell]

15 minutes ago, Rain said:

My daughter asked if she could come for the afternoon session and I said "yes!"  (My youngest is 21 and she is 24). Then I thought "hmm" and decided to relive old times. 

Love it. 

[Rain]

Obviously my memory is bad as my children have protested, one vigorously. 😁 Apparently, there was no bingo game.  You just have to hear the word.

[Peacefully]

President Nelson used “supernal.”

[jpv]

On 3/29/2023 at 12:36 PM, Nofear said:

Clint Goodman does a lot of statistics on this.
https://www.heraldextra.com/news/faith/2023/mar/27/saratoga-springs-man-uses-analytics-to-see-trends-in-general-conference-talks/

https://cgood92.github.io/general-conference-stats/

I suspect some here will find this interesting.

PS: He also apparently notes that the Church's growth isn't dropping (just increasing less quickly).

Great resource, but it only goes back to 1971 as the church only has published talks on the Church site that have gone through correlation. 

This goes pre-correlation:

https://www.lds-general-conference.org

Also an excellent index resource for scriptures/topics quotes going all the way back:

https://scriptures.byu.edu/

[Tacenda]

Maybe my ears are playing tricks, I thought Pres Nelson said the choir was supernal for his last talk of conference at the beginning of the talk.

[Rain]

14 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Maybe my ears are playing tricks, I thought Pres Nelson said the choir was supernal for his last talk of conference at the beginning of the talk.

I asked my family.  He said the choir was superb, but close! 🙂 Elder Bednar did say it though.

[Rain]

My daughter commented that she thought it was funny that the words/candy more distracting now than when they were young. I had to tell her "it's not the game that is distracting.  It's your brother!" 😁

[The Nehor]

2 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

Once again I must protest the Utah Mormon usage of "even".

"Even I will get to heaven" is quite different from "We thank thee for our apostles and prophets and savior, even Jesus Christ".

Yes we thank God for all our blessings, even Jesus Christ 

Yes I twisted it a little, but that's the way I hear it sometimes!

This ain't the 19th century anymore guys!

I NEVER EVER hear that kind of usage ANYWHERE except in church 😄 talks!

 

It is an archaic use of the word "even" that basically means "namely". For some reason even more modern Bible translations often use it. It also shows up in our scripture.

It is kind of silly. Was anyone present wondering who the Savior was going to end up being? The only time I have seen the messiah's identification kept in (failed) suspense was in bad fiction where a Jewish scholar discovered the Jewish messiah was (surprise!) Jesus in an unbelievably inane situation.

[rockpond]

On 3/29/2023 at 12:36 PM, Nofear said:

PS: He also apparently notes that the Church's growth isn't dropping (just increasing less quickly).

He's correct.  Church membership numbers have grown every year over the past half century.  But the RATE of growth has been in an overall decline over that same time period.  There have been some ups/downs in the rate, for example, the 2021-2022 numbers have been increasing after an understandably large drop in 2020.