General Conference: An Answer, an Easter Egg, a Theme, and a Contrast
An Answer: Elder Renlund’s story about his dog lady was an answer to a prayer I have been praying for a long time. Too many balls.
An Easter Egg: Elder Andersen quoting an altered version of the quote from Chariots of Fire which is itself an altered version of Isaiah was an easter egg to me–I have spent the last week memorizing it.
A Theme: Not spread out over conference at all, but in the last session four talks in a row referenced the sealing power and the Kirtland temple.
A Contrast: the hymns covered the gamut, but quite a few of them had a militant and triumphalist air. Even the children’s song Tell Me the Stories of Jesus ended with Jesus is King! Jesus is King! Which the arrangement emphasized. In constrast, the talks were patient, loving, meek, and inviting. The whole, put together, was transcendent.
dontknockmysmock
April 9, 2026
Some of my conference retrospective:
Themes:
Sustain the prophet, undergo a mighty change of heart, give up anything in life contrary to the gospel, the literal resurrection
Truths witnessed to me by the Holy Ghost
Sustaining in the solemn assembly has weight and power and carries a responsibility to act, my children are a sacred trust, in a literal fashion Christ can swallow up our pain and exhaustion and hurt in joy and victory
Questions I’m pondering
What is my faith anchored on?
What are gospel truths that my opinions and beliefs trace back to?
How do I pray always and pour out my soul to God?
Miscellaneous thoughts:
President Uchtdorf’s closing testimony was powerful. I think he has seen Christ.
According to the law of witnesses, peacemaking must be pretty dang important right now
I miss President Holland
Lots of good stories. ‘When are you going to stop being such a naughty boy’ was a highlight for me
I love reading your conference observations, G. Once conference was over I kept obsessively checking the JG to see when you would put some up. Thanks for sharing the contrast because I would not have noticed 🙂
G.
April 10, 2026
The ‘naughty boy’ story was one of several hilarious gems that no one laughed at. I remarked on it to the Lovely One at the time.
Marilyn
April 13, 2026
That read super funny to me spelled “his Dog lady” instead of “his Dog, Lady,”
Themes: Jesus Christ is the way (repeated 4+ times)
Peacemaking
Abide in me
I miss President Holland too. Elder Kearon fills that specific void a little, but not fully.
I laughed at the naughty boy story! Elder Matswagatata just came to our stake conference and now we love him so much. He met with my husband as part of finding a new stake president and he basically spent the entire time (a short interview, but still…10 min or so) asking interested and loving questions about our son who has wandered from his faith. Asked for his name and wanted to follow up and make sure he is visited. A true minister to the one.