I’m going to lovingly and respectfully poke a thumb in Adam’s eye and write some notes about conference. Mostly for the selfish reason that taking notes has always helped me better absorb oral presentations. 

Saturday morning. President Eyring presides.

Very perky rendition of “High On The Mountain Top.” De gustibus non disputandem est.

Opening prayer from a member of the Young Women General Presidency. I didn’t quite catch the name.

President Monson gives the opening talk. He seems more chipper and energetic than in some recent conferences — wonderful to see. Talks about the history of General Conference and Conference broadcasts. Reviews temple status (one dedicated at Fort Lauderdale, one rededicated at Ogden.)  Another will be dedicated in Phoenix next month. Five or more will dedicated or rededicated next year. 170 will be operating at the end of the year. No new temples announced.

88,000 missionaries now serving. Reaffirms that it is a priesthood duty. Expresses gratitude for young women missionaries, but reminds us they do not have the same mandate as the young men.

Testifies to importance of talks that will follow.

Choir performs “Beautiful Zion”.

Boyd K. Packer speaks. Talks about looking for genealogical records at Oxford for his seventh great-grandfather. Gift of scriptures to the college. Shows the chaplain the many pages in the index on Christ. Scriptures speak of His divinity. Chaplain gives learned response.

Testifies of Christ and the Atonement. We agreed in premortality to be subject to His laws and accept the consequences of their violation.  “His merciful arm is outstretched still.”  Atonement erases guilt and makes whole. Not just for sins; offers peace and healing to all, including the wounded innocent. Woman bitter over wrongs: “Someone must pay for this.” God: “Someone has already paid for this.”

CJCLDS to preach Christ. Conference in 94 languages and transmitted over Internet and broadcast to 100+ countries. Membership past 15 million. “Stone cut out of the mountain without hands continues to roll forth.”  But true success not numbers but spiritual strength of individual members.

Each member a critical member of the body of Christ. Our testimonies will row as Joseph Smith’s grew. Gives his apostolic testimony.

Lynn G. Robbins  (70 president)  “Which way do you face?” A 70 represents the prophet to the people, not the people to the prophet. Do not fear men more than God. We seek peaceful coexistence, but we can be too afraid of giving offense. Remember right order of the first and second great commandments. Joseph erred with Martin Harris. Do not try to serve two masters. Courage a gift of the Spirit. C.S. Lewis: “Courage is the form of every virtue at the testing point.” Many examples of wicked who were virtuous until they got to the scary part. Virtue of Moroni.

Prophets always scorned. The guilty taketh the truth to be hard. “The hit bird flutters.” Lowering the Church’s standard to the level of society is apostacy. Degenerate Nephites administered the sacred to the unworthy. Bishops must defend the temple standard.

Christ talked incesssantly of the Father in his sermons to the Nephites. To hear the Son was to hear the Father. In essence indistinguishable.

Go about doing good as anonymously as possible.

Cheryl A. Esplin. Youth: What do we wish we had known at your age? Importance of sacrament. A holy communion. A commitment to do what He wants and not what we or the world want. Last Supper.  Examining oneself when partaking. Draw on His healing power.

Choir and congregation: Guide us, O thou Great Jehovah.

Chee Hong Wang (of the 70) in Cantonese.  Story in Mark 2 of man with palsy.  Modern version; man could not come to church on his own, so they went to him. Did not leave the man by the door. Do we know anyone who is spiritually paralyzed? Make better use of our ward or branch councils. “When Jesus saw their faith…”

D. Todd Christofferson greets in Spanish to amusement. Quotes Shakespeare, Henry V, the great speech. Who is responsible, king or soldiers. Who bears responsibility for things in our lives? Sense of entitlement and its perils. God neither compels nor abandons us. “To taste the bitter, that we may know to prize the good.” Redeemed from the Fall, we begin life innocent before God, and are forever free.

Justice constrains God. God does not cease to be God. Justice required Mercy.  A God who makes no demands is essentially a God who does not exist. Moral relativism then reigns supreme.

Choir: “If I listen…”

Dieter F. Uchdorf: Chooses not to speak in German … though it may sound like it. (Laughter.)

Night flying. Milky Way. Vastness and depth of God’s creations.  Universe mind-bogglingly big.

Modern marvels. Would someone from a century ago believe it?  Is it possible to find truth? God Himself has given us a promise of being able to know truth for ourselves. Great promise of the Book of Mormon.

The Church a place for all kinds of testimonies. Testimony is not “once and done.”

Choir. “Come All That Dwell”

Closing prayer. Did not catch name.