Our semi-annual General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held again the first weekend in October. Living abroad with the time difference, we didn't get to watch Saturday's sessions until Sunday. But it wasn't long after the first session was held, that we started getting texts and emails from family and friends letting us know about the "big change." President Nelson, our prophet, starting discussing a change very generally, but then left it to the next speaker, Elder Cook, to actually make the announcement that we are scaling back from three hours of church, to two hours. With that, is an emphasis on gospel teaching in the home, being supported by church and not the other way around. To aide in the gospel teaching, we will be given a manual to help provide in-home instruction which can be given according to our discretion, hopefully in place of the 3rd hour of church and in conjunction with family home evenings as well.
"Yay!" was my first thought of course as I still think I'm recovering from the PTSD of dealing with young kids at church with their endless energy, missed naps, hungry tummies, etc. But it was interesting as we were discussing the new news in the car after leaving an embassy function, Thomas was actually sad and was wondering how it would work. The girls enthusiastically gave him an optimistic vision of the possibilities, especially getting home earlier to eat lunch. ;) Still hesitating to be too excited about it, Thomas accepted the news.
We watched Saturday's sessions on Sunday the first weekend, and then the next weekend while the branch was watching it in Latvian, we stayed home and watched Sunday's sessions. Another change that has been made is the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir being changed to "The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square." After President Monson passed away and President Nelson got set apart as the new prophet, he felt the need to use the real name of the church and get away from "LDS church" or "The Mormon Church," etc. He stressed that when we don't use the proper and complete name of the church, we make Satan happy because we de-emphasize or totally eliminate the name of the Savior, whose church this is. It's interesting, because I have felt this concern over the past few years. By people knowing us as Mormons, they could easily question whether or not we're Christian and believers in Jesus, and instead, think we worship Mormon and that's why we have "The Book of Mormon." President Nelson has been so inspired as to what we need for the Church of Christ to grow on the earth today. I'm so grateful we have a prophet in our dispensation to lead and guide us.
Rhea doing a little drawing to let some brain and physical energy out during the 8 hours of watching.
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