General Conference

Salt Lake City LDS Temple

A few weeks ago we rented a 15 passenger van and took our Priests & Laurels (Ages 16-18) out to see General Conference in Salt Lake. The trip was about 1600 miles each way. We left Thursday afternoon at 4:30pm and drove strait arriving in Salt Lake at 6 pm on Friday. The boys stayed in the city and us girls stayed with a parent of someone in our ward down in South Jordan. The overnight accommodations were very nice and we appreciate the generosity of those that let us crash in their homes.

The Girls at Temple Square (minus Deandra)

We went to Temple Square Saturday morning, it rained most of the day, but didn't seem to put a damper on the day at all. And then we attended the Saturday afternoon session at the new Conference Center.

If you are not familiar with GC, the LDS church holds General Conference twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. From this center it is broadcasted worldwide through satellite, cable and the internet. Millions of Saints gather together through these sources to listen and better their lives. We believe in modern-day prophets, that the Lord has always sent prophets and still does today to give counsel and comfort to His children in an ever changing world. Today that is Thomas S. Monson. Along with his address, other General Authorities and leaders also speak on issues that are pressing in today's world.

This was the first time I have seen the new conference center, it is massive, I think someone said it seats 25,000 people and it was full. The speakers were great and the spirit was strong as we listened to Elder Wirthlin, Holland and Bednar, among others. It was a great experience. The older I get the more I enjoy listening to Conference. Its great counsel and comfort about what is happening in the world today.

LISTEN OR WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE

LDS Conference Center

After the session was over we grabbed dinner and jumped back into the van to get home before school on Monday. We added a few extra hours to our trip because we ran out of gas at 4 am nine miles north of Cuba New Mexico (a.k.a the middle of nowhere). Brian and Cory started running (still in their white shirts and dress slacks) to the next town, but were picked up by a nice Military Police. They were thankful for the lift, but I am not sure how comfortable cory was sitting in the backseat with the guys pure-bread Timber Wolf tracking dog. Guess the military is not messing around these days. That was the only hickup in the trip. It was a great trip and experience.

Chris and the Timber Wolf (she was midly excited)

Hanging on the side of the road somewhere in New Mexico