Oh General Conference.
So many words I could use to describe general conference.
Hectic. Loud. Spiritual. Member-filled. Protesters. The works. General Conference.
So if you have ever experienced General Conference on Temple Square that about sums it up but if you haven't or would like to know what it is like for a missionary on Temple Square read on.
The missionary's schedule on Temple Square is very VERY busy, 24/7 all year round. General Conference comes around and we times that by 1 million! 13 straight hours on Temple Square talking with people, members, anti's, confused tourists in jeans, you name it we talk to them. With 20 minute lunch and dinner breaks there is rarely (if any) down time. So you could say it was a pretty hectic weekend to say the least. But with all of the work it is always so much fun to see familiar faces, be surrounded by members, and hear the interesting stories of where people came from and what they had to sacrifice to come to General Conference.
To begin, yes, we do get to attend 1 session of general conference. And my companion and I were able to attend the Saturday Afternoon session! How cool is that!?!?! We sat off to the left side only about 6-7 rows from the front. We all got to see President Monson as he stood up and spoke and Elder Cook as he entered from the wrong side I guess. It was amazing to have the opportunity to sit in live during that most historical general conference, hearing three new apostles of the Lord called. These men truly are chosen by divine inspiration.
After the session we walk around trying to talk to members.....(who sometimes don't want to talk) and seeking out anyone wearing jeans. And the miracles were amazing. There is one specifically I would like to share. My companion and I were speaking with this older couple, who were very closed off to the church. They did not want to listen or hear the prophets speak at all (general conference is broadcast over the loud speakers on Temple Square), so we talked to them about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, who just so happens to perform in between speakers. The gentleman was very upset and did not even want to have to listen to them speak at all, no way no how did he want to hear these men of God talk. So we talked about how important families are and begin talking about the Family: A Proclamation to the World (this is a document that the Prophet and twelve apostles wrote about 20 years ago encouraging everyone to place family and the teachings of Jesus Christ as a priority, much needed just before the disintegration of family life within our modern day culture). They loved it. And just as I was talking about it we hear, over the loud speakers, the speaker loudly and clearly says "The Family:A Proclamation to the World" and begins quoting it. I tell them that the speaker is actually explaining it right now and for a good two-three minutes we sit in silence as these people who were so closed off to the gospel and the idea of a living prophet, listen intently to their words. By the end the woman says that she is going to bring that document back to her church and show it to her pastor because it is truly an inspired piece. Hearts were softened, if only an inch, and a miracle occurred that day :)
So in summary Conference was a blast, unfortunately because we don't hear all of Conference I have no idea what "ponderizing" is or what any of the other speakers talked about. I am going to have to study up. Since then my companion and I have been trying to catch up on sleep (we get 1 "sleep-in" day after Conference hallelujah!) and fight being sick.....because we have gotten sick..... All in all such a great week.
We also had our first day in the Humanitarian Center. Seriously if you don't know anything about the Humanitarian work the church does I encourage you to look it up because it is amazing. The Church helps EVERYONE.......
Fun Story: Yesterday my companion got a personal referral!.......for her dating pool...... We met these two people visiting and after they left the girl came back and had the desk call us because she had a "teaching referral" for my companion. Apparently her friend thought she was cute so the girl ran back without him to give her his address. And so my companion’s "teaching pool" gets bigger and bigger every day. hahahaha
(Shoutout to my home girl Emily Gore for being called to serve in the California Roseville mission! What what!?)
Sky is Blue
Church is True
xoxo Sister Eging
PS – My new companion is really great. She likes running and yoga and juicing and all that good stuff! So we get a long pretty well. She's pretty quiet. But it's been a lot of fun. We are announcing choir coordinators together 5k team leaders within our apartment complex! We are now roommates with two other sisters too, one, who is from Pakistan and another from Tahiti! I didn't even know there were members in Pakistan but we have one.
We also had a special guest after general conference. John Schmidt from the piano guys and his family came and played the piano for us :)
At Saturday's afternoon session of conference:
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