After-conference

**I’m speaking about religious experiences again. If this bothers you, tune in tomorrow for some nice, safe political discussion instead. 😉 **

Every six months, the first weekends of April and October, our church has a general conference for all members around the world. This isn’t exactly easy, considering we’ve over 15 million members in nearly every country in the world. As many as can are invited to watch live as the five separate sessions are beamed by satellite around the globe. Others will watch it online sometime after the fact, and still more will receive the transcript of all the addresses in a magazine sent out the following month.

Each conference is a series of talks, music and prayers. Speakers are selected by the First Presidency, the governing body of the church, but not assigned any particular topic. Each speaker prayerfully selects a topic and then prepares their remarks around what they feel we all need to hear. The intent is to help us all deepen our devotion to Christ, learn to be better disciples, and generally encourage us to keep going in an increasingly hostile world.

I look forward to these conferences almost as much as Christmas. Receiving encouragement and instruction from the leaders of the church gives me a tremendous boost. We are also encouraged to prayerfully consider some questions prior to the conference and then look for answers to those questions in the 30+ talks that will be given. I decided to try it this time, and the results were interesting.

One thing I need to explain first is that our church believes in continuing revelation. We have a prophet and apostles who receive revelation for the church, but we also are entitled to revelation for ourselves and our families through the Holy Ghost, in accordance with John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

So even if the speakers may not specifically address our questions, we believe that the Holy Ghost can whisper thoughts to our minds while we are in the more spiritual mindset induced by listening to the conference addresses. Or he can help us make connections between what is said and our own situation that the speaker could not possibly have anticipated or even intended.

Either way, I have to say it works. Or at least I believe I got my answer. I won’t go into detail, as we also believe such divine inspiration is sacred and not to be treated lightly. But there is a particular weakness that’s been brought painfully to my attention lately, and I’ve been looking for advice on how to overcome it. During one of the very first addresses given a particular idea jumped out, along with the thought that this was my answer. It’s an interesting answer, too, as the connection between my problem and what I feel I need to do about it is not readily clear. It’s going to require some faith on my part, though to be honest, even the most obvious answers require faith if we’re to actually implement them. One form of faith is acting, even when the outcome is not self-evident.

Over the rest of the conference there were numerous addresses that built on that answer, giving me further guidance on how to bring about the change I need, and assuring me that yes, indeed, that was my answer.

I always enjoy the peace that comes into my heart and our home during the two days of General Conference. I love the reassurance that comes that I can become a better person. I enjoy the feeling of love I feel from church leaders through their encouragement and gentle prodding to do better. These are the moments I wish others could experience, the feelings I wish they could feel. Then they would understand why I believe the way I do and belong to the church I belong to.

Now there’s another six months before the next conference. At the moment I’m still experiencing that high, but eventually it will fade, and I’ll need to reinforce the feelings I’ve felt with new experiences. But I’m always glad for these regular oases in the middle of a troubled world. And I’m glad that the people behind the scenes already have every one of the talks converted to mp3 so I can listen to them again. I’ll need that reinforcement as I move forward, implementing the answers I received in the hope of becoming a better person.