Millions will gather virtually from around the world this weekend to listen to the voices of leaders they consider prophets and apostles during the 191st Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
General Conferences for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have had a varied history from humble beginnings in 1830 in Fayette, New York.
President Russell M. Nelson and other leaders will speak from the main auditorium of the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, but the 20,000-seat center will be closed to the public due to the spread of the COVID-19 delta variant.
Deseret.com will provide full coverage of all sessions, including a livestream in English.
Though it will be the fourth consecutive virtual general conference for the church, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will return to perform for the first time since October 2019. Half of the choir will perform in the Saturday morning session and the other half will sing during the two Sunday sessions, part of new protocols that include vaccination, testing before each performance and face coverings when not singing.
The choir returned to rehearsals less than two weeks ago after an 18-month hiatus caused by the pandemic.
A multicultural choir including immigrants, refugees and people from across the United States will perform in the Saturday afternoon session. The choir’s 180 men and women will represent 39 countries on six continents and 35 languages.
The last conference six months ago concluded with President Nelson announcing a record-setting 20 locations for new temples and delivering a stirring Easter morning message.
“The atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ changed each of our lives forever,” he said. “Each of God’s children deserves the opportunity to hear and accept the healing, redeeming message of Jesus Christ. No other message is more vital to our happiness — now and forever. No other message is more filled with hope. No other message can eliminate contention in our society.”
In 1840, the only General Conference ever to be held outside of the United States was convened in Preston, England. The first woman to speak in conference was Lucy Mack Smith, mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith, in 1845.
Between 1885 and 1887 conferences were held outside Salt Lake City including Provo in 1886 and 1887 because of safety concerns. U.S. marshals had beguin arresting people for polygamy.
The April 1919 General Conference was postponed until June because of the 1918-1919 influenza outbreak. More recently, the first virtual conferences have been held because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Timeline Compiled by Marina McNairy and Emma Keddington.
