Conference in General-1 of 4

Today we are at home watching General Conference over the Internet. I look forward to General Conference weekend every six months. I'm a nerd like that. I love listening to the talks from our General Authorities.

Today was a special session called a Solemn Assembly. I assume this is my second Solemn Assembly since I was a new member when President Hunter died and President Hinckley was sustained... I just do not remember how the session was organized. But, I DO remember how I felt seeing President Hinckley speak as our Prophet for the first time--I knew without a doubt he was our Prophet, speaking to us on behalf of our Lord. So, today we sustained our new Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I attended the Young Women General Broadcast last weekend and was able to see President Monson speak to us for the first time as our Prophet in a pre-recorded video presentation shared during the broadcast--I had very similar feelings I had about thirteen years ago--I knew the moment I saw him speaking to us that he was our new Prophet and knew he carried a solemn responsibility to teach us the ways of the Lord and to care for us. I felt it was an honor to stand in my home and sustain President Monson and his wonderful counselors and other general authorities.


The Young Women General Presidency was also reorganized today. I was surprised! I was sad for a moment since I am very fond of Sis. Susan W. Tanner... but when I went to the YW broadcast last weekend, I was particularly fond of her counselor, Elaine S. Dalton (and not because we share the same first name--I just really loved her style, her spirit, her stories... I just really loved her). So, when Sis. Dalton was called as the new Young Women General President, my sadness went away immediately!
Here's a photo of President Dalton, Mary N. Cook (1st Counselor) and Ann M. Dibb (2nd Counselor... and President Monson's daughter!)



We have a new apostle: D. Todd Christofferson. I'm sure we'll learn a lot more about him in the months to come.


Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin was my favorite talk in the morning session Saturday. He talked about how we need to be concerned for the one, how each individual instrument is important in the complex sound of the orchestra. He urged us to have more compassion for those who are different from us. He said to remember that sometimes those who start off the slowest are often the ones who go the farthest.


President Eyring, who has always been one of my most favorite apostles (maybe in part because he was the first one I saw sustained and remembered his name, and also in part because of his love for the Church Education System, and also how he is so emotional when discussing spiritual matters), also addressed us. He talked about how we should never give up on our children because God never gives up. He also reminded us how it is our responsibility to live righteously in order to sustain the church and its officers whom we have raised our hands to promise to sustain in their callings. I love him.


More later...