What is it about General Conference that feels like a holiday? Maybe it’s because it’s like going to church in your pajamas. Maybe it’s because we get to delay Fast Sunday one more week. Or maybe it is just because we get to hear from the Lord’s living mouthpiece on Earth today. With all of the reasons we love Conference so evident, it’s easy to understand why the word that keeps coming to my mind when I think of the upcoming week is JOY. And letzbereal JOY is my word and my theme for most everything but it seems especially true about this weekend.
It’s important to realize though that not every General Conference has been pure joy. Not because of anything the speakers said, but because of what I did to take away some of that joy. In the past I have:
Stressed that I couldn’t watch a session in one solid seating
Been sad I didn’t listen to a talk because I was doing Saturday things that needed to be done
Been mad that my family wouldn’t stop talking during the talks
Freak out that people might see me doing other things than listening to conference
Felt ashamed that I fell asleep during an apostle’s talk
Have any of those things happened to you? Conference shaming can be real. And so that is why I’ve fully committed myself (and recommit myself every 6 months) to making General Conference a joy NO MATTER WHAT.
My baby might scream through a whole session.
I might miss multiple talks.
I will more than likely fall asleep by the Sunday afternoon session.
My family will talk and eat and do their thing all during every session.
So what? Thanks to modern technology we can listen to Conference anywhere, anytime, all the time. And while I believe in making a huge effort to watch and listen while a session is live, I also believe in finding balance.
My favorite thing in the whole world is to listen over and over to the latest conference on Youtube as I get dressed and ready every morning. This practice alone helped me to get rid of “Conference Guilt”.
So while I listen and pray and ponder over the inspired messaged being delivered the next two days I’m going to do so with joy and not guilt.
xoxo,
Abbi J
How do you make General Conference a delight and a joyful weekend?