Preparing for General Conference

Next weekend Oct 2 & 3 is the 180th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

The four sessions of conference offers each of us individually and as a worldwide Church a wonderful opportunity to listen to the Prophet’s voice and hear the words of the Lord through him and our Apostles and General Authorities.   We can hear them testify of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Ideas to help prepare for General Conference: “Idea List: Listen, Learn, Live It,” New Era, Mar 2006, 41

• Come to general conference prepared to learn and listen carefully to the talks. Fasting and prayer can help you be prepared.
• Write down what you learn so you can think more about it later.
• Talk about general conference with your family. Share with them what you have learned, and listen to and learn from their experiences.
• Listen carefully to [the Prophet’s] talks, and write down at least three things he asks you to do or to become. Pray about these things, and see how you can make them happen in your life.
• If the Spirit prompts you to do something while you are listening to or pondering general conference, do it.
• Set goals on how and when to apply the counsel you receive during general conference. Write your goals and deadlines in your journal, and refer to them often.
• Be with people who make it easy to do what the prophets say. Then, when you try to apply the speakers’ counsel, you will have support.
• Share what you have learned with a friend who could also benefit.
• Live worthy of the Holy Spirit, and pray for guidance on how to live what you have learned during conference.
• Listen carefully to what the Church leaders encourage you to do, and work on becoming better. Remember to “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (see James 1:22–25).
• Look up and mark in your own scriptures the references quoted in the talks.
• Read the conference talks when the Liahona and Ensign come out so you can gain new insights and renew your enthusiasm.

Family Home Evening Idea: In the family home evening before general conference, prepare to produce your own family’s newspaper on the conference proceedings. Assign different family members to be reporters. Speakers can be divided up ahead of time. Have each reporter take notes on the important points of a talk. Write up a brief summary including a headline. Also include younger siblings by having them draw pictures. Assemble your newspaper on poster board during the family home evening following conference.  “What’s in It for You,” NewEra, Oct 2007, 47

Preparing Children (and ourselves) for General Conference: “It is when children are young that parents must be innovative in helping them develop good habits regarding conference participation. As our children are given opportunities to observe and learn the role of these special witnesses, they will receive a spiritual confirmation of the sacred calling of their Church leaders, and they will feel a deeper love for and interest in these leaders and their message.” Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Presidency of the Seventy, “Teaching Our Children to Love the Prophets,” Ensign, Apr. 1996, 47.

• Use the Insert of the photo chart of the General Authorities from the most recent general conference edition of the Ensign. Use it to learn to identify the names of the speakers.
• Create general conference traditions by participating between sessions in a family activity, such as playing games, watching old family videos, taking a walk, or talking about the session that just ended.
• Each time children hear a key word spoken from the pulpit, let them help themselves to a small reward or treat. You might be surprised by how much young children can and do listen. Praise them for their reverence and their attentiveness.

Children’s Activities for Conference: http://new.lds.org/general-conference/children?locale=eng

• Conference Notebook: http://new.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/content/english/pdf/notebook.pdf
• Conference Squares Game: http://new.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/content/english/pdf/conference_squares.pdf
• Conference Coloring Game: http://new.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/content/english/pdf/conference_coloring2.pdf
• “Preparing Our Children for General Conference,” Ensign, Mar 2009, 23–27
• Conference—a Time for Listening

Conference Sessions: Eastern Time: 12:00 – 2:00pm & 4:00- 6:00pm

• Watch Conference in the Chapel: (any church bldg with satellite transmission)
• Watch or Listen to Conference online: http://lds.org/broadcast/gc/1,5161,9199,00.html
• Watch Conference on TV on BYUtv: Verizon Fios Channel 290; Direct TV, & Dish Network (www.byutv.org)

“It’s such a blessing to watch general Conference at Home!” Unlike these people in the picture, plan and prepare to stay awake and be spiritually filled and edified!

Found this clever blog of comical Mormon commentary: http://www.9thwardcartoons.com/search/label/General%20Conference