General Conference at home

In the last few months we bought a new computer and upgraded our creeping dial-up internet connection to a high speed DSL line. For the first time ever, we had a fast enough internet connection to watch the annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on our home computer. Wow. Saturday morning we moved our computer from our office to the dining room table so there would be plenty of room for our family to gather around to watch. (We couldn't put it in the living room which would have been more comfortable because the only phone jack in the kitchen/dining/living area is at the far end of the kitchen and our phone cable can only just reach the dining room.) We went to the Church website (www.lds.org) and followed the appropriate links and in short order we were watching Conference in our own home.

In past years we have gone to our local church buildings to watch the Conference broadcasted from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, via satellite. We used to bring all the kids and then sit in the Primary room rather than the chapel so the kids could be a bit noisier without disturbing too many other people. In the last couple years Steven and I have taken turns going to the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions, leaving the other at home to watch the kids, and then going to the church as a family to watch the Sunday morning session together. This year it was wonderful to be able to watch all four general sessions of conference from our own home, not having to worry about the kids disturbing other people.

The special thing about this year's conference was that our beloved prophet Gordon B. Hinkley passed away a couple months ago and a new prophet, Thomas S. Monson was sustained by the Church. It was touching - tears actually came to my eyes as I stood to raise my right arm and covenant that I would sustain President Monson as the president of the Church. President Monson has long been one of my favorite church leaders because of the stories that he shares in his talks, but I also know him as a loving and compassionate man who has served and visited the elderly, especially widows, throughout his life. It was also comforting to listen to the talks that were shared by the other apostles throughout the conference as they each bore their witness that their colleague and friend, Thomas S. Monson, was the man God has chosen to lead his church. I am confident in the knowledge that the priesthood keys that John the baptist, Peter, James and John, and prophets such as Elijah restored to Joseph Smith are still on earth, and are held by these worthy men today. I was glad that I could share that moment with my children, that they, too, could raise their hands to sustain a new prophet. I hope that they will remember that experience.