What Is General Conference?
Up to 30,000 attend each session of general conference in Salt Lake City, either in the 21,000-seat Conference Center or in overflow facilities on nearby Temple Square. Many millions of Mormons who do not attend in person participate via satellite broadcast in over 6,000 Church buildings in 85 countries or by watching on television or the Internet at home.
General conferences are held each April and October and comprise five two-hour meetings held over two days. The April meetings are called annual conferences and those in October, semiannual.
Church leaders give talks addressing members as well as government, faith and community representatives, and other conference guests. Sermons focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Speakers, including the worldwide leader of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson, encourage individuals and families to live by the principles and doctrines of the Church.
The music sung by attendees and provided by organists, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and other groups also emphasizes gospel themes.
Church leaders have conducted general conferences since 1830, when the Church was organized by Joseph Smith. According to historian Glen M. Leonard, “about 30 baptized members attended the first conference along with others who were interested in the Church.”
Today, the conferences are simultaneously interpreted into 92 languages ranging from Albanian to Yapese to serve a large and growing international membership.American Sign Language interpretation and closed captioning are also available.
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