Apr 1, 2020
It's LDS General Conference week, and in this episode
Ian Thomson and Stephanie Dix
join Latter-day Faith host Dan Wotherspoon in
discussing the ways each of them prepare for it. As God- and
Church-wrestlers, these semi-annual gatherings (and this time
virtually only!) sometimes are greeted with less-than-enthusiastic
attitudes, perhaps fear of the possibility of hurtful or tone-deaf
messages, perhaps confusion as we recognize internal shifts that
cast conference and the speakers and messages differently than the
way we held them before. Each and every member approaches
conference weekends with anticipations unique to them.
Ian, Stephanie, and Dan's conversation centers around the panelists
own journeys with conference, how they thought of it at earlier
times in their lives, what has shifted in them through the years as
their journey took them into new perspectives, and more. Each of
them also speaks of framings they hold today as they approach
conference. Where do they, if they do, find optimism about possibly
wonderfully delivered and inspired messages and announcements? How
do they temper tendencies toward cynicism and dismissing entire
talks or sessions as being ruined or tainted by poorly thought out
or insular speech and/or declarative stances? They share
experiences in which they felt their hearts and minds shift more
toward gratitude and appreciation rather than critique. All in all,
it is just a terrific exchange that works toward ways to "get the
most out of" conference, whether it is through particular spiritual
practices, not engaging with it live but only later in print, or
whatever it may be.
Listen in as you ready yourself for this most unusual conference to
come!