I don't feel like discussing conference at the level of a big mormon blog (the bloggernacle, I guess). I would rather make a few not-so-deep observations.
You know how some talks are so good that you remember them and people talk about them for many years? The epitome would be President Benson's talk on pride. I don't know that there has really been one on that level since then, though Elder Maxwell's talk on obeying the will of the Father comes close for me. The only other one that comes close for me was Bishop Edgely's talk, "Behold the Man" in October, 1999. Incidentally, I really enjoyed Bishop Edgely's talk on Sunday morning.
Anyway, on a different level are the especially memorable moments that weren't necesessarily attached to an especially memorable talk. Examples of this would be:
President Hinckley: announcing small temples
President Hinckley: talking about raves
Elder Oaks: Telling women who wear revealing clothes that they are "walking pornography"
Elder Uchtdorf: delivering laundry on bicycle/lung disease story
Elder Wirthlin: talking about playing football with a helmet that was too big, also talking about the wind blowing through his hair.
I could probably think of many more of those.
The reason I brought it up is that I thought what President Hinckley said in the priesthood session about education was really interesting. He told the young men that they needed to be serious about getting higher education. He quoted some statistics about how more women are getting bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees. Then he said something to the effect of, "How do you expect to find a woman to marry and be equally yoked with her if you don't have similar levels of education?"
Of course, this is something that I've ranted on before on this blog. I wonder if this will be one of those things that people remember about conference and are talking about for years to come. I hope so.
Do any of you remember things about this conference that you think will be or should be remembered in particular?
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
General Conference
Posted by JonF at 1:02 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
I thought that was interesting too. At first I thought "oh, they're just worried that all the women with educations will leave the home and go work and their uneducated husbands will try to raise the children" but after thinking on it for a while I've changed my mind. I prefer to think that Pres. Hinckley wants the best for the women in the church and therefore wants the men that marry them to be as educated as they can be.
The talk that I hope people are still talking about in ten years is Elder Bednar's talk on not allowing ourselves to become offended at/by each other. It seems like such an important fundamental principle to me—something grounded in forgiveness and charity—and I get tired of trying to worry about whether the things I say are offensive or not if I'm teaching a lesson or giving a talk. I know we need to be sensitive to the feelings of others, but goodness ... sometimes others need to get over their nurtured injuries and live the gospel.
As for previous years "memorable moments", I think I'll always remember one of Elder Haight's last talks where he wanted to say something about having faith like a.... a..... whats the name of that seed? MUSTARDcomes the reply from several apostles behind him.
"Wave to the people Elder Haight" -pres. Hinckley. That was another memorable one.
The perpetual education fund announcment was another one. I was fresh of my mission from Argentina, and that made me very happy. I was with my dad at priesthood, but he didn't seem to catch the full significance of it, not having been in a third world country.
This time, I'll remember Elder Nash's fishing story. Not that the message was outstandingly delivered, it just he's my old stake president, and that was his first general conference talk. He always used to tell stories of him and his dad our fishing or hiking or whatever.
By the way- I'm with you on the not commenting on the big blogs thing. I'll do it occasionally if I feel I actually have something new and interesting to say, or if it is on one of Jenny's posts, but I much prefer discussing stuff like this with friends.
I think one talk I will always remember would be Elder Wirthlin's talk where he began with the story of him thinking the sun was darkening, only to find out it was his vision that was failing.
Another one that really sticks out in my mind is when Elder Haight came and spoke at UVSC. I mentioned something about how he just used notes now because of his poor eyesight, and held up the piece of paper he was reading off of. The font was so big I could pick out individual letters from about 50 yards away. It was hilarious.
I agree with Jenny, I think one of the more memoriable talks was Elder Bednars. I think it laid out a lot of basic ideas that will affect (effect maybe? I can never remember which) people's thinking about less actives for years to come. And hopefully it will help a lot of them come back to church.
I also agree that Pres. Hinckley's words about education were very important. I had a different impression about it though. My general impression didn't really include anything about wives. I thought that the declining trend in education among men is typical of a general laziness and lack of intiative that the Brethren are concerned about. I think this is also related to Pres. Hinckley's remarks about how men are dressing "slothfully" or something like that. And the education/lack of iniatiative came up again when someone talked about "young men stuck in neutral" although I can't remember who spoke about it.
I remember playing Frisbee Saturday morning getting hit right above the lip by some guys boney elbow and getting a big gash. During the first session, I was bleeding the whole time, and my friend Jen convinced me to go to the hospital. I then spent three hours in the ER to get four stitches. And that was my Saturday.
But from actual talks, the afore mentioned small temples, PEF, and of course the Elder Monson snake story. I’m still not sure what that was about.
I felt like Elder Oaks' talk on the universally healing power of Jesus Christ was fantastic and so needed. There isn't anyone that talk doesn't apply to and I think that's pretty beautiful. I also really liked Elder Holland's talk and testimony about the importance of conference...so, would that be called a meta-talk, Jenny?
As for memorable talks, I've always thought that Elder Holland's talk on tithing a few years ago was and is the best I've ever heard...I think it was called "As a Watered Garden" or something. Also Elder Oaks' talk "On Becoming" and President Monson's talk one time about the ladies who lived next to each other and hated each other but were actually best friends by correspondance. Definitely the snake one, Warren. And who was it this time that talked about how without the Book of Mormon there could be no gathering...was it Elder Nelson? There was something else he said that seemed kind of revolutionary to me, too, but I can't remember what it was.
I also really liked the programs they showed between sessions both days. I've never stuck around to watch those, so maybe they're always that good, but these were super.
Nice work, conference.
Also that talk by Elder Nelson when he talked about rafting and the rubber raft bent in half and catepulted (sp?) him through the air. It was a good talk about clinging to the Savior for safety instead of other things, and the story was a great one, too. He has this super-engaging way of talking that makes you want to open your eyes really wide.
Morgan,
I believe the word President Hinckley said was "slouchy". I love it when President Hinckley, or any person, uses a word that isn't used very often but is nonetheless very descriptive.
He said something about how it concerns him that young men are dressing in a slouchy manner. He later said that he was just as concerned when the speech of those young men was on the same level as their dress.
Elder Nash spoke? I guess it was during Priesthood. I usually have a hard time listening to Conference above Matthew’s toys and noise, but I didn’t think I would miss President Nash. Elder Nash was also my stake president growing up and I hiked with him on a couple of occasions. It’s a little strange to imagine him speaking in General Conference.
This conference I also really liked Elder Bednar’s talk. I really like how he organizes and delivers his talks. I also enjoyed Elder Uchtdorf’s talk. Maybe it’s just that they are new?! I haven’t heard President Hinckley’s talk from Priesthood yet, but I know that Jon really liked it. I look forward to reading the talks, that’s when I seem to get the most out of conference.
Also, here is a list of some of my favorites from years past:
“The Purifying Power of Gethsemane” – President Bruce R. McConkie (I don’t remember this talk first hand, but I think that it is one of the most powerful testimonies of the Savior ever given.)
“Behold the Man” – Bishop Edgely (Again, I didn’t hear it first hand, but I love it nonetheless.)
“The Challenge to Become” – Elder Oaks
“Tender Mercies of the Lord” – Elder Bednar
“To the Women of the Church” – President Hinckley (This was given at the Relief Society Meeting in October 2003. It isn’t especially significant, except it was what I needed to hear at the time)
“The Other Prodigal” – Elder Holland
“It is Not Good for Man or Woman to Be Alone” – Sheri Dew
“Lessons from Laman and Lamuel” – Elder Maxwell
“An High Priest of Good Things to Come” – Elder Holland
President Hinckley's and Elder Christofferson's (why hasn't anybody mentioned his talk from priesthood session? It was extremely complementary to President Hinckley's) comments about the need to arise from the dust/rise up as men of God most certainly pertained to multiple things.
They definitely spoke to our (men's) need to measure up to our wives/future wives/other women in our lives--it was mentioned specifically by President Hinckley: "Do you wish to marry a girl whose education has been far superior to your own? We speak of being 'equally yoked.' That applies, I think, to the matter of education."
But I agree with Morgan that it had very much of a "get off your duff and do something with your life" feel to it as well. That really came through from Elder Christofferson. I felt like it was a call, along with the other things mentioned in the talks, to rise up to our callings as priesthood holders. We're the Lord's agents; we should act like it. Second-rate isn't good enough for people who act in the Lord's name.
Anyway, that's my fourteen cents (allowing for inflation).
-Jared
By the way, the text for all of the talks, including priesthood session, is now on lds.org.
The word was indeed "slouchy."
-Jared
Thanks for the clarification of the word guys. I was sure it definitely started with slo...something.
Post a Comment