Conference open thread

[Donuthole]

I really enjoyed Carol Makita's piece on Cambodia between the Sunday sessions. Lots of cool humanitarion projects going on there, it seems. The part about the guy who left his Hollywood career to start a school was particularly inspiring.

[jay santos]

which talk was the one about mission calls? Are the talks up on lds.org yet?

I am curious to see how the account given this weekend stacks up with the account given to us in our ward when D-Todd came and visited us.

Ron Rasband in priesthood session was the one I was referring to.

[smokymountainrain]

I am curious to see how the account given this weekend stacks up with the account given to us in our ward when D-Todd came and visited us.

Rasband's account was more detailed, but it sounds like essentially the same process as you described.

[TripletDaddy]

Ron Rasband in priesthood session was the one I was referring to.

what was said about how calls were extended?

[TripletDaddy]

Rasband's account was more detailed, but it sounds like essentially the same process as you described.

D-Todd...vindicated!

[smokymountainrain]

D-Todd...vindicated!

I just assumed your were lying about the entire experience.

You're a really good guesser or you were telling the truth. Either way, Good job!

[TripletDaddy]

I just assumed your were lying about the entire experience.

You're a really good guesser or you were telling the truth. Either way, Good job!

TripletDaddy....vindicated!

[MarkGrace]

5. Speaking of the choir, three black guys and a I believe one black girl now. I think just one year ago, we had one black guy, six months ago two black guys, now 4 total

.

One of the guys they showed from every camera angle possible. I think they were trying to give the viewer the idea that there were more, but for now they should just be happy with their expanding numbers.

6. I know I'll be struck by lightning, but what's the deal with Pres. Monson's sandal bare foot cheating story? That's the most absurd story I've heard in Gen Conf for a long time.

That story was so bad. Nothing about it seemed plausible.

8. Sat afternoon is a great place to tuck away Bednar.

lol!

[MarkGrace]

Every so often I hear someone say how a decision they made was "poor" and they would have been better off making another decision. Sometimes, it is obvious, like doing something that gets you put in jail for 10 years.

However, a lot of times how does one know. We only know what happened because of the path we took, we don't know what would have happened had we taken the other path.

It is kind of like a football coach being chewed out for passing the ball, as if we knew for sure what would have happened if he had run the ball.

This was my reaction as well. He's in a convenient place where he has both fulfilled his academic goals and raised a family. In hindsight it's easy to say you should have pursued those two things differently, but a different course may not have led to the same outcome. I know enough people that didn't get to the place they wanted to academically because they started families, and have always regretted it. Of course many have, so kudos to them. I just don't think there's a specific way to go about this, and would rather see people encouraged to be prayerful and thoughtful about how they are going to handle what can be competing interests.

That said, what SMR mentioned (that maybe it was poor judgment in his case, not in general) may be true, but when you convey that to millions of people, I don't think they're going to hear it as some type of personal anecdotal history. I think people take what they hear from the pulpit as general counsel.

The only thing he didn't really explain is "why?" Why would have it been poor judgment on his part? But at this point I'm used to leaders speaking in terms of conclusions and not explanations.

[byu71]

That said, what SMR mentioned (that maybe it was poor judgment in his case, not in general) may be true, but when you convey that to millions of people, I don't think they're going to hear it as some type of personal anecdotal history. In general people take what they hear from the pulpit as general counsel.

The only thing he didn't really explain is "why?" Why would have it been poor judgment on his part? But at this point I'm used to leaders speaking in terms of conclusions and not explanations.

In his case, yes maybe it was a bad decision. That is for him to decide personally and it really isn't my business to tell him one way or another.

I would ask to what is the point though. Maybe the point was he didn't seek enough counseling and spiritual guidance to make a sound decision. Heck, I can support that. That is good counsel to get opinions and spiritual guidance in making a decision.

However, as oft happens in conference, someone hears a GA speak and then interprets what he said for everyone else. Trust me, someone somewhere is quoting this speech as evidence that brethern think "you" shouldn't put off having children and that it is a commandment you are not to put off having children.

[Portland Ute]

.

One of the guys they showed from every camera angle possible. I think they were trying to give the viewer the idea that there were more, but for now they should just be happy with their expanding numbers.

That's always the case. The Church camera people LOVE to over-represent the minorities in any setting. Take a look at the conference Ensign, for instance. It's a given that the lone black guy in the priesthood session choir will get 10-20% of the camera shots even though there are 100+ people in the choir.

It's really become quite comedic. It's like the camera people and producers are using their shots to scream: "SEE WE AREN'T ALL JUST WHITE PEOPLE!!!!"

[The_Tick]

All audio and video is already up on the site. Those folks are quick.

[The_Tick]

Two thoughts, not directed at you:
2. Both me and my mother-in-law encouraged my wife to finish her degree prior to wanting kids. She graduated 8 months pregnant (my boys sure can swim ). An education is very important, but there are other ways to educate oneself outside of the typical four-year university. My fear is not that my daughters will forego a college education, it's that they will stop learning throughout their entire life. A mom who dropped out of college, but continues to read and study is much more prolific in my eyes than a mom who got her degree and spends her days watching soap operas and eating bon bons while her kids play video games (consider this last sentence a very big generalization but hopefully it gets my point across).

Some jobs require a degree and some don't. Sometimes having the degree is what gets you an interview.

I agree that it is good to keep oneself up to date on things pertaining to the field that you educated yourself in once you have graduated. That is great.

But what you mentioned in your example isn't quite right. And here is why...

Your husband dies in a car crash:

1. You have your degree. It may have been sometime since you graduated, but the job you applied for requires a degree in hand.

2. You don't have a degree, but are up to date in the field and know what is going on.

Some jobs wont give you the benefit of the doubt. No goverment job will. If they say degree required, that is the be all end all.

Getting the degree is very very important. Continuing to study and learn is just smart.

The speaker was just talking about himself. He wasn't giving council.

[Mrs. Funk]

My daughters will hear a constant stream of "finish your education before having babies" from me and my wife.

You're a good man, Dr. Wuap.

[Surfah]

My daughters will hear a steady stream of marrying earning potential.