We Meet Again

Day 93

I had to work today. There was no way out of it. Not since a Cross Country meet in '97 have I missed a Saturday's sessions of General Conference. And by golly, I wasn't going to this time. I mean, I knew I could watch later, but there is something about hearing it live. Being there right as it is being spoken. Maybe it's knowing that only a few decades ago, even that wasn't possible. At least, not so easily as it is now. Or maybe it's just that I'm a "Molly Mormon" and anxious to hear what there is to be said. So be it. I am. And proud of it.

I planned on watching the first hour of the first session on my lunch break. Everything wanted to work against me. The other person who was to help me cover the children's room called out. The weather was breath-takingly amazing. Video (requiring flash) does not play on our computers unless it is downloaded, and we aren't allowed to download it otherwise. Firefox often has it downloaded, but my computer won't recognize Firefox. I finally was able to go to ksl radio station and listen that way.

Except for the 1/2 hour bus ride up to the Conference center when we of the BYU audition choirs were singing in the afternoon Saturday session, I have never just listened to Conference. It was rather interesting not to see the faces of the choir singing, or the expressions of these leaders who are so dear to me. Eyes are the windows to the soul and the testimonies of the speakers and singers comes to me as much with what I see in their eyes as what I hear from their mouths.

I worried I wouldn't be able to focus. Not so. I was focused, and gaining wonderful insights from the Spirit. Yes. I felt the Spirit in that most unfamiliar of settings for Conference. And felt in some ways I was getting even more out than I have before. Plus, I knew that anything I might miss I could watch again and would be able to read about in my Ensign.

What I hadn't expected and am so grateful to a loving, mindful Heavenly Father was having such a slow day and just me in the room that I was able to listen to all of the first session and 3/4 of the second. Indeed, when I returned for the evening, instead of 3 hours of sessions to catch up on, I only had the 1/2 hour I missed to drive home. And I felt just as filled as any other day of Conference sessions--although a little discombobulated from change of normalcy.

I love Conference. I love that Conference is so readily available in so many medias. I love that I can feel the Spirit no matter my circumstances, so long as my heart and mind are in tune and ready to receive. And I am especially grateful that though I had no way out of "missing" Conference (live) today, the Lord allowed me to not miss much of it (live) at all! He is so wonderful and I don't deserve it. But I thank Him anyway.