October 2004 General Conference Report: Day One

Some random thoughts and comments from Saturday's session of LDS General Conference:

1. As expected, quite a few tributes to departed Elders Maxwell and Haight. Also, not surprisingly, a greater emphasis on the position of apostle and Church organization in talk topics. Considering it's been almost ten years since the Church has had to call a new apostle (just think...all this time Elder Eyring has had to be known as the "New Guy") and at least three million members hadn't even joined the Church yet the last time it happened, it was probably time for a refresher course.

2. Elder Perry refered the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as a 'fraternity'. The use of the word is probably appropriate given the context--however the modern connotation of 'fraternity' nowadays can lead one to create some interesting (and irreverent) mental pictures of things that go on in their quorum meetings. I wonder what the 'hazing' ritual is for new apostles... :)

3. Sister Parkin, showing no disappointment from not being called to the apostleship, testified of the power of Relief Society not just for women, but for everyone. This is one thing I would like to see more from the (male) apostles...more emphasis on Relief Society and the good it gives to everyone. I can't remember the last time, anyone not in the Relief Society general presidency talked just about Relief Society (hmmm...maybe I'll look that up...)

4. Everytime I hear Elder Groberg speak, it makes me like the movie "The Other Side of Heaven" less (if that's possible...). Elder Groberg almost always shares experiences from his time as a missionary and/or mission president in Tonga whenever he speaks, but today he shared two specific experiences that were both captured in the movie. Doesn't anyone but me see the difference? Elder Groberg (the speaker) shared the experience, but then immediately shared the point (or lesson) of the experience: namely, the shaping of his testimony of the love of God. All you who continually give "OSH" the movie praise and awards, clip out Elder Groberg's talk from Saturday, watch those two scenes again on your cherished DVD and explain how the movie demonstrates Elder Groberg's lesson from those two experiences in movie form (Hint: it doesn't...) Once again, Elder Groberg provides more content in one sentence relating to his mission experience ("Things are how they are...and complaining doesn't help") than the entire movie could in two hours. And yet, Church members still see fit to make it the highest grossing LDS movie to date... Grrr--I'd better stop before a blow a blood vessel in my head...

5. Elder Stabeli (sp?) made multiple references to living in 'the mission field'. I'm assuming he means 'outside of Utah'--not 'as a mission president'? That's been the meaning of the phrase in common, casual usage around Utah, but I hadn't heard a General Authority use it that way before...

6. Subtle comment from Elder Eyring about the 'bloodsport' of personal criticism used in political elections (like--coincidently--our current presidential one). Remember in the old days of US history, where the loser of the election became the vice president? Glad we got rid of that--can you imagine the chaos if both Bush and Kerry had to coexist together in the same White House? Can you imagine the chaos if the Church held popular elections for new prophets or apostles? Do you think in that case, potential Church leaders could hold off from 'attacking' their opponents to gain popular support? I doubt it...

7. Film critic Roger Ebert has a saying: "It's not what a movie is about that matters, but how it is about it." A new romantic comedy or action movie might be a four-star movie, while another one might be one star or less--even though from a plot standpoint they might be exactly the same. The way you present a message can make a difference in whether it's good or bad, even if the message itself is the same. For example, Elder Scott talked about repentance on Saturday (like he almost always does) but his talk also demonstrates this principle that "it's not what a conference talk is about that matters, but how it is about it" The "repentance" talk is something that we've heard many, many times before (often from Elder Scott himself) but his presenting it in the 'peace of mind/peace of conscious' context gives the subject a new way of looking at it. There are no new ideas in the gospel, of course--the same messages have been given for centuries, and will continue to be in the future--but Elder Scott's talk shows how old, familiar topics can seem new and fresh by how you phrase it...