Question
Gramps,
I’ve looked through your topics but couldn’t find this. Could you explain what all takes place at a general conference? Thank you.
Richard
Answer
Dear Richard,
General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are held semi-annually–in April and October (1st weekend) of each year in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two 2-hour conference sessions are held each day beginning at 10 AM and 2 PM, local time. In addition, a General Priesthood session is held Saturday evening at 6 PM in April. A conference session for all women and girls (8 and up) is held Saturday evening in October.
The general sessions of conference are in the LDS Church Conference Center, that seats some 21,000 worshipers, in addition to all of the General Authorities of the Church and a 350-voice Tabernacle Choir. The total membership of the Church is over 16 million. Members not in a position to come to Salt Lake City, Utah for the conferences may view the sessions by closed circuit TV in their local chapels.
In addition to the general sessions of conference, leadership meetings are held with various local Church leaders from around the world. The general sessions of conference are broadcast by TV, radio, short-wave and streamed live via internet, to all parts of the world. If you would wish to listen to the conference sessions, you could very likely find a local TV station that would air at least some of the sessions.
The general conference is an opportunity for the general officers of the church to give counsel, advice, warnings and encouragement to the members of the Church. In addition, in one of the conference sessions, all of the general officers of the Church are presented to the membership for a sustaining vote. All in attendance at the conference have the opportunity to vote to sustain the officers as presented to them by a visible sign. All of the conference addresses are published in the Ensign, the official magazine of the Church, in the month following conference. The general authorities of the Church consist of the President of the Church and his two counselors, and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. All of the above officials are sustained by the membership of the Church as Prophets, Seers and Revelators. In addition to the above, general authorities also include a presiding bishopric of three persons, and the First and Second Quorums of Seventy. In addition, there are three other quorums of Seventy comprised of Area Authority Seventies, who have jurisdiction under the auspices of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve over various areas of the world.
Gramps