Latter-day Saints around the world are preparing to hear General Conference on Oct. 5 and 6 when Church leaders will address members of the Church. The upcoming conference will be the 183rd installment of General Conference.
For the first time, the Church will broadcast the General Priesthood Session of General Conference live. The general public can access the session via LDS.org, BYUtv and the Mormon Channel. The Church issued a statement announcing this shift as “part of a continued effort to make general conference proceedings more accessible to members around the globe.”
Marged Kirkpatrick, a former member of the Relief Society general board, said she is pleased with the change.
“It’s a great bonus for people all over the world,” she said.
Members around the world who live far away from Church meetinghouses said watching Priesthood session, the only conference session previously unavailable to watch live online, was difficult.
Kirkpatrick served a mission with her husband in Ghana, Africa, where many members were unable to access the Priesthood session live. She believes many more people will be able to view the session as it will be available online.
“The Church is all about embracing technology. We recognize that there are people who can’t go watch the session because they are sick or old, and this provides an opportunity for women to watch it as well,” said Sean Stringham, a junior at BYU studying exercise science.
Other members said the change will not impact the way they view the conference.
“It doesn’t make a huge difference in my life because I have always read the Priesthood session talks in the Ensign,” Kirkpatrick said. “We have such a tradition with women going together during Priesthood session to have a party, and we ask the men what they talked about after,” she said.
Stringham has been attending the Priesthood session at his local meetinghouse for years.
“Going to the Priesthood session is so much more than just talks,” said Stringham. “It’s the experience of going with the brotherhood. It’s a special, even sacred memory for me. I personally want to continue going to the church to watch the session. It’s a tradition I would like to continue with my own sons one day.”
