After six months marked by reflection and the passing of the Church’s beloved Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, the General Conferenceof The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially began this weekend in Salt Lake City. Members from around the world gathered in person and online to hear messages of hope, faith and divine guidance from Church leaders.
For many attendees, the experience was both emotional and spiritually renewing. Asia Smith, attending in person for the first time, described the atmosphere as uplifting and life-changing.
“This is honestly surreal to be here in person and in the same room as the General Authorities,” Smith said. “You can feel the Spirit so strongly and their love in each of their messages.”
Smith says that despite a few challenges on her way to the Conference Center, the moment she entered the building she felt peace.
“While my friend and I were walking up, we had a couple of unsavory encounters with people who disagreed with our faith,” she said. “I was feeling a little down, but as soon as I came in and saw the General Authorities, I felt peace and love that made any earlier incident worth it.”
While conferencegoers like Smith focus on the messages and spiritual renewal, countless hours of preparation take place behind the scenes, especially in the music department. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, known worldwide for its performances during conference, play a key role in setting the tone for each session.
Quinn Heiner, who has sung with the Choir for over 12 years, described the magnitude of effort involved.
“Countless hours,” Heiner said. “We provide over an hour of music across three sessions, including the weekly Music and the Spoken Word broadcast, and every note is sung from memory. The organists, conductors, arrangers and technical crew all contribute. If you add it all together, it’s easily thousands of hours of preparation.”
Despite the demanding schedule, Heiner said the blessings that come from sharing sacred music make the effort worthwhile.
“For many, music is one of the primary ways to feel the Spirit and to feel God’s personal love,” he said. “There are moments when I’ll look out and see someone in tears, and in that instant, I feel like I know them. The Spirit confirms that we’re all brothers and sisters in Christ. Music unifies and builds so many bridges.”
For Latter-day Saints around the world, the general conference remains a deeply anticipated event, a time to receive counsel, encouragement and revelation from Church leaders. Members and friends around the world are invited to tune in and be uplifted by messages of hope, peace and faith. All sessions are being broadcast on KBYI 94.3 FM, KBYR 91.5/90.9 FM and BYU-Idaho Radio Talk/KBYI HD3 at their scheduled times.