Historical General Conference

What a historical General Conference! New President and significant changes. 

General Conferences are worldwide semiannual gatherings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members gather to receive guidance and encouragement from Church leaders about gospel living based on the principles taught by Jesus Christ.

In Slovakia, our General Conference is delayed a week for translation purposes. We watched conference with other branch members and stood to sustained our new prophet Russell M. Nelson as the 17th president of the Church during the solemn assembly Saturday morning.

In the Sunday morning session, his first general conference as prophet, Nelson talked about receiving personal revelation. "The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children." said Nelson. When we pray to our Heavenly Father we receive answers for us. "Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true." And told us in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the influence of the Holy Ghost.

President Nelson combined the Melchizedek priesthoods quorums into one elders quorum. "Tonight we announce a significant restructuring of our Melchizedek priesthood quorums to accomplish the work of the Lord more effectively. In each ward, the high priests and the elders will now be combined into one elders quorum. This adjustment will greatly enhance the capacity and ability of men who bear the priesthood to serve others."

President Nelson announced Sunday afternoon, new and improved changes to the home and visiting teaching program as "opening a new chapter in the history of the church" when he said, "We have made the decision to retire home teaching and visiting teaching as we have known them. Instead, we will implement a newer, holier approach to caring and ministering to others. We will refer to those efforts simply as ministering." As members, we are encouraged to minister to each other as Jesus Christ did when he was upon the earth.

At the closing of conference, President Nelson announced plans for seven new temples: Argentina, India, Nicaragua, Philippines, Layton Utah, Richmond Virginia, and Russia. Wow! Did he say Russia? India? Awesome! He added, "construction of these temples may not change your life, but your time in the temple surely will." 

To watch General Conference and learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ go to lds.org.

Surely this general conference will go down in history as memorable for more than one reason.