RELIGION
Saturday Evening Sessions To Remain Part Of General Conference
Jul 27, 2021, 3:04 PM | Updated: 3:06 pm
FILE: General Conference is a semiannual gathering of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
(Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Saturday evening sessions will remain a part of General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Church’s First Presidency, on Tuesday, announced the session will be part of October’s General Conference. Church leaders had announced in June that the Saturday evening sessions were going to be discontinued.
“We recognize the increasing challenges facing members of the Church worldwide in our day,” Church officials said. “An important way to fortify against these challenges comes through hearing the word of God (see Alma 31:5). Therefore, after additional study and prayer, we have felt impressed to continue to hold the Saturday evening session of General Conference, albeit in a different format than in the past.”
Saturday evening sessions, beginning with October’s General Conference, “will not have a specific theme, nor will it be intended for any particular demographic or leadership group.”
After additional study and prayer, the First Presidency has felt impressed to continue to hold the Saturday evening session of general conference. Visit the link to read their letter explaining this adjustment.https://t.co/9vYu0X2JZp
— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) July 27, 2021
In previous years, certain Saturday evening sessions were directed to the women of the Church or the Church’s priesthood holders.
According to the Church History Department, the priesthood session had been a consistent meeting since 1933, and the women’s and young women’s meeting since 1984.
The First Presidency said the change “will allow for more gospel topics to be taught and permit more general leaders to address the conference.”
“We thank the Lord for His direction in this matter,” The First Presidency said. “We express our deep love and appreciation for the faithful members of the Church throughout the world and look forward to General Conference, when the word of the Lord will be imparted through His servants.”
This fall’s General Conference will be held on Oct. 2 and 3, and proceedings can be seen on KSL TV.
The First Presidency’s June statement also said October’s General Conference will originate from the Conference Center Auditorium with no in-person attendance, and the Conference Center will be closed to the public.
General Conference is an opportunity for Church members and friends worldwide to receive messages about the Savior Jesus Christ from living prophets and apostles through ever-expanding technologies.
