This is our General Conference blog. For this blog I would like you to discuss or do one of the following: 1) describe your favorite general conference viewing experience (type of media and how you were impacted), 2) find a past conference talk that makes reference to the media and Church teachings, or 3) Listen for references to media-related topics in the current conference talks and describe the teachings. You can also select your favorite talk and explain why it was your favorite. Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Blog #10
This is our General Conference blog. For this blog I would like you to discuss or do one of the following: 1) describe your favorite general conference viewing experience (type of media and how you were impacted), 2) find a past conference talk that makes reference to the media and Church teachings, or 3) Listen for references to media-related topics in the current conference talks and describe the teachings. You can also select your favorite talk and explain why it was your favorite. Enjoy your weekend!
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I had an interesting viewing experience this weekend. I watched Conference over a variety of media types. I watched it on a YouTube live stream. I also watched it on TV. I've never really thought about the multiple ways that conference is broadcasted. We usually also have it on the radio somewhere in the house in case we have to walk away from the TV. It's really interesting to me that the church uses every way available to them to broadcast conference.
ReplyDeleteI also really like President Uchtdorf talk. He spoke a lot about media and how he never used it until he became a General Authority. Now he has computers, tablets and many different social media pages. I found it interesting to see the evolution of media use within the church with its leaders.
My favorite way to watch conference is definitely on the television (or streamed from the internet). There are a few reasons: 1. I am lazy and like to be able to wake up at 9:30 for conference, 2. I like knowing that I can access this kind of edifying, spiritual material from my own house, and it invites the spirit into my home, 3. There are fewer distractions at my own house (as long as I leave my phone somewhere else). I watched conference live-streamed from lds.org to my television. I loved all of the talks, even people whose talks usually don't do much for me I found really inspiring. One comment is that I watched almost all of the sessions in Portuguese on account of my husband, whose English isn't good enough to understand Conference in English. Watching in Portuguese was like a double-edged sword. On one hand, it was way too easy for me to just not pay attention because it's not even my native language so it's really easy to tun out. On the other hand, hearing it in Portuguese meant that most of the more "cliché" or commonly used conference talk phrases weren't quite so familiar to my ears, so I actually listened to them instead of just taking for granted that I knew what they were saying. I do look forward to reading all of the talks in English, since as my native language, I do feel that I get more out of them that way, but I am grateful to have had the opportunity to stream Conference in English, or in Portuguese, with or without subtitles, and to be able to read them both online and in the Ensign. The Church has done a wonderful job making these messages accessible to everyone in various media.
ReplyDeleteThis session I spent one of the sessions paying attention to twitter and instagram reactions for a story I was writing for the Universe. I had the session playing on my tv, and my laptop pulled with following the #LDSConf trends to see what was happening. It was crazy to me to watch how quickly quotes, memes, and reactions were spreading. The second an apostle would say something really important it could be found popping up on twitter and being shared within minutes. This was a really interesting viewing experience for me because I began to realize just how powerful the media can be when it comes to spreading hope across the world. I began to think of those who aren't members of the church who live in other states, even other nations. They might have a very strange idea about what the Gospel is and who Mormons are, but I could see how spreading these messages instantly throughout the world can help give those individuals a better understanding of the Church. To me, this was a great example of how the media can positively influence the world.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed seeing the mormon jokes pop up throughout conference. Again, this went back to the discussion we had about why we are able to make fun of ourselves. There were some hilarious memes and quotes that were put out. I think this is also positive because it shows people that we are just people who don't take themselves so seriously. I think this can also help non members across the globe discover that we are more like them than they may think. All in all, writing and following social media while watching conference was a really enlightening experience. Although, I am not really sure if I remember what the actual speakers said... Give and take I guess?
My favorite general conference viewing experience is at home with my family, viewing and listening in the comfort of our own home. Being from Utah, I have been blessed to be able to attend General Conference at the conference center a number of times however, I feel a greater sense of family companionship and bonding when I watch it at home, able to take notes and be edified in my pajamas. I feel like, because I am more comfortable, I am better able to pay attention and listen closely, pausing the talks and discussing them with my family. It gives us a chance to really understand what we are being taught and to learn together.
ReplyDeleteI recently re-read a talk by Elder Russell M. Ballard called “Mothers and Daughters” given in a General Conference session in April of 2010. Elder Ballard talked about how women and girls are plagued with the contemporary portrayal of women and continuously fed images of immodest, immoral, and intemperate women. I love this talk because it encourages mothers and daughters to teach each other, to love each other, and to lean on each other for strength in this perilous time. Elder Ballard reminds mothers of their important example they set for their daughters and reminds all of us that the safest and easiest way to eternal happiness is keeping our covenants.
In this weekend’s conference talks, I enjoyed listening to Elder W. Mark Basset because he talked about how we live in a world where knowledge is instantaneous, where we are able to learn anything in a moment. He reminded us that faith and trust in the Lord requires time and patience and that we shouldn’t discount our feelings or faith if our prayers aren't answered immediately. He also said that difficult information is often dismissed or mistrusted rather than acknowledged and pondered. He also reminds us that that is what the Holy Ghost is here for, to guide us on a path we don’t know perfectly but to guide us on a path aided by faith and spiritual progress.
My favorite viewing experience for conference has always been either over the TV or streaming from the internet, and even more so in my college years. I say this for a few reasons; firstly the ease of access, the ability to rewind, pause, and even start late, secondly I am not a morning person in any sense of the word, and finally I feel that it's a good opportunity to spend time with friends and/or family. Being able to watch conference from the comfort of my own home, I can roll out of bed without having to worry about getting all dressed and ready in time for church. Like I stated earlier, I am not a morning person at all, so waking up for early church can be hard for me. I like the freedom that I have with conference to be able to watch it any time during the day. Not to mention being able to pause is a nice feature. Something that I've started since being at college, is I often have close friends over to watch general conference, we make food, hang out and enjoy the spirit of general conference. It's something that I have really grown to enjoy. I also love that all of the conference talks are available online, so that if I ever miss any, I can listen to them any time and just about anywhere during the week.
ReplyDeleteAs I listened and watched the talks given at this General Conference, I was amazed at how often media was mentioned. From President Monson’s talk on the impact of the film Man’s Search for Happiness at the 1964 World’s Fair to President Nelson’s warning about the philosophies of men found online and in the blogosphere, media was referred to often in General Conference. The teachings related to media mostly warned against its misuse, especially social media. I appreciated President Uchtdorf’s comments about how social media and technology are a positive part of his life. However, he also said that like many things in life, we take media for granted as we become more accustomed to it.
ReplyDeleteI remember saying to myself on my mission, “I will never take a dishwasher for granted ever again.” When I returned home, I lived with my mom and her dishwasher for several months. I was so excited at first not to have to wash everything by hand. After using the dishwasher a few times, it became, as President Uchtdorf said, “commonplace.” Now I live in an apartment without a dishwasher and I am again reminded how much I took it for granted. I thought of this experience as I was listening to President Uchtdorf’s talk and was reminded that social media can help me spread the Gospel if I remember that it is a positive and useful tool. If not, it become commonplace and ineffective for the Lord’s purposes.
I've always loved watching General Conference on TV with my family. We'd always bring all the pillows and blankets we owned to the family room so we could watch it as comfortably as possible, we'd eat our traditional Sunday morning session crepes, and I'd draw the different Apostles and General Authorities as I listened to them speak with my dog cuddled up next to me.
ReplyDeleteAs fond as a memory that this is, I must admit that I definitely didn't get as much out of Conference as I should until my mission. In Argentina, whenever I had free time (or sometimes I would do this as my language study), I would pull out one of the old General Conference editions of the Liahona (Ensign) magazine and I would carefully read all of the talks in it. Maybe it was because I was on my mission and therefore I was more in tune with the Spirit than ever before, or maybe it was because I didn't have the distraction of crepes, blankets, drawings, and puppies; but I'd never before received so much revelation from Conference talks. Every word seemed to sink deeply into my heart, and would stay with me throughout the coming days and weeks.
I've been home for 2 years now and while I wish I had as much time to sit down and read Conference talks, I do still make an effort to at least read most of the talks carefully once they're up on lds.org. It helps a lot to reflect back on what I heard during Conference and to remember all of the things I'd forgotten about (which is usually a lot more than I wish it was).
So while watching it on TV is a fun time to be with family and make memories, reading the talks online or in the Ensign is personally my favorite way to get the most out of it.
The traditions my parents instilled growing up made me love Conference. We typically get something like donuts on Saturday morning to watch, and then make a big breakfast on Sunday. Especially when my sisters were in college and I was home alone, conference was always the best because our family was all together for the weekend. We love to watch it in our living room together in a casual setting instead of going to the chapel like others did. I can even remember certain conferences when the weekend fell over fall break or spring break and we ended up trading our big breakfast for McDonalds and our TV for the Radio. This year, I spent the conference weekend streaming conference through satellite TV to the middle of Lake Powell. Although it was against the usual tradition, It was a nice escape from the world to watch conference on the lake (while boating in between sessions).
ReplyDeleteIt is incredible that we live in a day and age that modern technology and media can bring us conference in places that are other wise considered wilderness! But for me the best part of conference is that it doesn’t end with the last session Sunday afternoon. We now have access to talks instantly/within a few hours of their broadcast. While driving home we even re listened to a few talks that we missed on the lake. I love going back and listening to talks from years and years ago and comparing them to what we are taught today. The messages of this conference focused on love, joy in our difficulties, missionary work, and the problems of our day. It was cool to hear the same doctrine that talks from the past contained, but taken and applied to how we need them now.
My favorite general conference viewing experience was watching the Saturday session with my husband on my laptop in our new home. This was our first general conference together as a married couple and it was so special to hear the words of prophets and promises from the prophets and apostles and how they effect our marriage and our futures. I am so grateful that we were able to be alone together watching on my laptop so we could talk openly about our thoughts throughout the sessions and enjoy the warmth of our new home. Watching general conference on my laptop gave us flexibility to be together and make goals and plans right then together how we would apply the teachings we were learning.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough, originally when we planned on watching conference, we planned to do a bit of remodeling while listening to the Saturday sessions. We are in the middle of putting in new flooring and thought it would be good to “kill two birds with one stone.” But during breakfast, my husband was so good he said we should probably wait on putting in the rest of the new flooring, and just take time to actually pay attention and listen to conference. He knew that we would grow more and listen more if we could focus solely on general conference. We were edified by the words of the prophets as we took the time to really focus.
So, I think that since general conference is broadcast over so many means of media, it can be tempting to make light of it and not pay full attention like we might in person or in a church building. But I also know that we can use these different mediums for good and help us to get the most from conference. I also was able to go back on twitter after some phrases were given in my favorite talks and review them so I could add them to my journal simply by searching the names of the speakers or other trending hashtags. This also enhanced my experience during conference, but I can see how if I was wasting time on twitter, it could have been a negative and distracting experience.
Watching conference with my family on TV is my favorite way to listen to the prophet and apostles speak. Although, after conference is over, it is my absolute favorite to re-read each talk one day at a time. I started re-reading them this last conference and It has really helped me study and grasp the concepts that were taught. I am able to gain so much more out of each talk when I can take the time to study each word and the meaning behind it.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite talk was Elder Cook's talk on Saturday afternoon's session. He talked about stumbling blocks and how to stumble spiritually is to fall into sin. He gives examples of these stumbling blocks: the philosophies of man, refusing to see sin in its true light and looking beyond the mark. Cook talks about extremism in gospel principles. This is something I feel like mormon culture is guilty of. He gives an example of taking one aspect of the word of wisdom and making additions to or creating a primary emphasis to it. He talks about if we take a position that makes one principle more important than another, then we are looking beyond the mark. Jesus Christ is the mark. The testimony of Jesus is the simple test between those who will inherit the celestial kingdom then those of the lesser. Sometimes we forget the simplicity of the gospel. When we focus on Jesus Christ, use repentance to cleanse us from our sins, and seek knowledge that avoids the philosophies of men we can evade those stumbling blocks and come closer to Christ.
This year’s general conference was very different for me. Typically I am with my family in San Diego watching all together propped on the couch in our PJs all day in between making delicious breakfast foods in the kitchen. This weekend was pretty crazy and I watched it in multiple ways and in different places. I love the way we are able to listen to conference through pretty much every medium here. For the first Saturday session I was all by myself watching conference while cleaning the apartment. I was able to stream conference on my laptop. I brought it into the laundry room and listened while I folded clothes. I brought it around the apartment with me wherever I needed to go so I could watch and listen. For the afternoon my husband and I headed to my in-laws house where we were able to just sit on the couch and watch on TV.
ReplyDeleteOn Sunday we had to pick up some stuff from my parents home an hour away so we were able to watch on the TV at their place. Then we caught the second session on the radio while driving back to the in-laws.
I’m extremely grateful that media and technology is so advanced that it helps us listen and watch conference literally anywhere.
Another thing I appreciated about the media this weekend was the trending #ldsconf on twitter. If I heard something I really liked from conference I could find the quote on twitter instantly. It was amazing to see people’s responses to conference on social media. Amidst all the negativity and profanity that we usually see on social media, there were many people posting quotes, sharing testimonies and uplifting videos. All weekend I felt a sense of peace and another confirmation of the testimony I have for the prophet, apostles and the gospel.
I don't think I have one preferred way to watch conference, nor do I think one particular media outlet is the better for watching conference: I've watched it in the actual conference center all dressed up and in the physical presence of the Prophet and Apostles; I have watched it at home in my pj's cuddled up in a blanket; I have also listened to it as I have been traveling and away from TV access. The impact each of these has on me, depends upon how I personally engaged in the conference. For instance, I've fallen asleep while in the actual conference center just as I have fallen in my house watching it but I have also really enjoyed certain parts of conference in both places too-- it really just depends on how engaged I choose to be.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very unique time where we are blessed to have to many ways to access General Conference. One thing that I love is how shortly after a talk is given, there are memes posted of quotes that the speakers had just given. It enables us to have the opportunity to share what we learned and to engage in other people's conference experiences. These ongoing discussions even after conference is over is a great way for people to be accountable for what was they learned and even allows for missionary experiences.
This conference, I posted a quote from one of my favorite talks after it was given. I did it to share what I really liked, but also for me to remember what stood out to me.
I’m always amazed by how I can receive teachings from the Lord from almost anywhere. A friend and I drove up to Idaho this weekend to visit extended family. While driving up on Saturday, we just tuned in on the car ride. We were in the middle of nowhere and listening to conference over the radio. Kind of cool. On the Sunday session, we listed and watched on TV. The fact that the gospel can really travel almost anywhere is something I too often take for granted, though. As others have mentioned, I too think President Uchtdorf’s comments were spot on.
ReplyDeleteI felt President Uchtdorf’s talk was very encouraging and shed a good light on social media. For the first time, I almost felt bad for not using social media more to spread the gospel. He said that we shouldn’t view such technology and blessings as common place. Once this happens, we don’t use things to the best of its abilities. With social media, we can share the gospel better than ever before. I cracked up when he listed all the social media accounts he has. He probably even knows how to use Twitter better than I do. His perspective helped me as I’ve been battling my use with social media. I’ve been trying to minimize the amount of time I spend using social media because I’ve felt it’s nothing more than a time-zapper. But I wasn’t having the right perspective. Using social media as a tool for a higher purpose, rather than a substitute for boredom, is the key. As a use social media in the future, I’m going to try to do so with a higher purpose in mind. By sharing the gospel and uplifting others, I know I won’t have that empty feeling I too often have after scrolling through social media aimlessly.
My favorite way to view general conference is at home in my pajamas with my husband and family while we are eating yummy food! Personally, I gain the most out of the experience when I am listening and watching the prophet and apostles on an actual TV. I have never listened to live conference on the radio, or on my laptop, so I think that I mainly like to watch it on TV because that is what my family has always done and it would feel weird to use any other type of media. I like this form of media because I am relaxed and I take good notes. I am grateful though, that we have so many media outlets to choose from when we are watching conference. My mother and father-in-law are serving as mission presidents in Spain and I think it is so cool that we all were able to hear the messages at the same time, when I was only miles away from the prophet and apostles and they were 5,000 miles away. The church is true no matter what part of the world you are in. I love that media brings us all, church members and non-church members, together two times a year. I feel like during conference weekend especially, I have a lot of friends that post on their social media accounts about their favorite talks and how conference has blessed their life, which in return strengthens my testimony.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite talk from conference this year was given by Sister Oscarson in the general women’s session last week. The main focus of her talk was that women need to rise up and have faith. She was very bold in what the sisters in the church must do. For example, this was my favorite quote of all of conference: “ I worry that we live in such an atmosphere of avoiding offense that we sometimes altogether avoid teaching correct principles. We fail to teach our young women that preparing to be a mother is of utmost importance because we don’t want to offend those who aren’t married or those who can’t have children, or to be seen as stifling future choices. On the other hand, we may also fail to emphasize the importance of education because we don’t want to send the message that it is more important than marriage. We avoid declaring that our Heavenly Father defines marriage as being between a man and woman because we don’t want to offend those who experience same-sex attraction. And we may find it uncomfortable to discuss gender issues or healthy sexuality.” I know that is a really long quote, but it really had an impact on me. I have seen struggles with topics like these in my ward this past year and I feel like a lot of times these sensitive subjects are swept under the rug and we don’t want to talk about them. The gospel is straightforward and so are it’s teachings, we need to be clear in our beliefs with others because they are what set us apart.
My favorite way to experience conference has been listening by radio. I'm not usually a fan of radio listening in general, and talk radio kind of drives me nuts, but listening to conference by radio is a very different experience. I find that watching has the potential to be a bit distracting, as I will get caught up looking around and distracting myself from what's going on, rather than in engaging with what is being said. I'll admit sometimes I tend to lose focus when sitting through sacrament meetings, and though I try, viewing general conference can be the same way. However, I feel that when I listen by radio, my effort is more deliberate and focused on 'tuning in' and having an experience.
ReplyDeleteAs it turns out, this preference has only increased since coming out to college. I tend to really enjoy getting outside on the weekends and hiking around, so I've tried to make a tradition during the Saturday sessions of driving out and getting somewhere outdoorsy to hike up and then relaxing and listening, Conference seems to come right in the best time of the season, with Spring session in April, and Fall session right as the leaves are starting to turn and we have the last good days before winter. I think the talks are all the more powerful in the presence of nature, and it builds on that numinous feeling you get as you stand at the foot of a mountain to have inspiring words pouring over you.
I thought that it was very interesting how many comments were made about cell phones and similar technology during this general conference. It was repeated by several people that the younger generations need to be very careful with how they spend their time and how many people nowadays are spending hours upon hours on their technological devices. Time spent going through social media and doing other entertaining things can waste a lot of time.
ReplyDeleteI heard a quote one time that said something along the lines of, the devil isn't trying to get people to do bad things, he is putting a lot of his focus on stopping people from doing good things by filling up their time with useless things. I think this problem has become very prominent in today's society and the leaders of the church are recognizing that and have encouraged us to fill our time with good, uplifting things. So many people find it so easy to spend hours just mindlessly going through their phones and taking advantage of the blessings that they can provide if used in the right way.
Despite all of the other things we can use our phones for, I think it is incredible that we can access any kind of church writings at any times from our phones. Never before have people been able to access that amount of data so quickly and conveniently. Technology offers many incredible advantages, we just have to be careful to use it properly.
My favorite conference viewing experience was on my mission. I remember waiting in the stake center chapel for investigators to come the session and being disappointed that they didn’t. As I was sitting with my companion, I tuned into Elder Bednar’s talk “Pray Always”. I remember him talking about how to connect your morning and evening prayers and how that is truly how we pray always. It changed my whole perspective and essentially changed my life and my relationship with Heavenly Father.
ReplyDeleteI remember Elder Ballard’s talk in 2003 that was addressing the newly emerging social media and beginning of the TV series boom. He talked about how with 37 new TV shows coming out that Fall, very few of them were even remotely appropriate for a family. I contract that to know when the amount of new media is astronomically high all the time. We are pressured to be in the know and have seen all the new season premiers when we get to work the next day. Elder Ballard makes it very clear that this is exactly how the adversary attacks and it is becoming increasingly important to choose better media.
My favorite talk this conference was by Elder Bednar. I loved how he made the distinction of believing the Savior not just believing IN him. Absolutely important to have faith in our Savior’s life and atonement, but also absolutely trusting in his promises and believing that he truly will come through for us. That we will actually have confidence in his ability to redeem heal and strengthen us. I had a renewed desire to better understand our Savior and truly trust him.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to report on General Conference for Channel Eleven News. I was able to sit in the media booth and receive print copies of all the talks before each session. It was so interesting seeing the other reporters and journalists in the media room typing away on their computers, taking notes, and trying to stay ahead of the other news professionals. I couldn't help but think, would would life be like without computers? One of my favorite talks was President Uchtdorf's. He explained exactly how life was when the world was taking a curve and becoming familiar with computers and technology. He said,
ReplyDelete"Able tech people tried to teach me how to use the computer. They literally stood behind me, reaching over my shoulder, their fingers moving quickly and tapping a percussive symphony against the keyboard. "See?" they would say proudly. "That's how you do it." I did not see. It was a rocky transition. My learning curve was more like a brick wall. It took a great deal of time, repetition, patience, no small amount of hope and faith, lots of reassurance from my wife, and many liters of a diet soda that shall remain nameless."
This experience that Elder Uchtdorf had was only 22 years ago. That makes me think, what new technology will be out in another 22 years? What could possibly be invented that we don't already have? It amazes me how important technology is. Without it, we would never be able to get in contact with people, spread news quickly or even find information.
Another great talk was by Elder Cook. He told a short story of his childhood when his father had a power pole build directly in front of the window blocking the view of the scenery outside. He asked his dad why he allowed this to happen. His dad replied, "Quentin, that power pole is the most beautiful thing to me on the entire ranch!" His father was so grateful for the power pole because it represented a "new life." I think most of us are like Quentin, we take for granted technology and the things that are just simply their for our use. But what if we didn't have these resources? Then how grateful would we become for what we had? There is a saying, 'be grateful for what you have before you have to be grateful for what you had.' I think that is a moto that we should all learn to live by.
My most memorable conference viewing experience was on my mission in Argentina. It took so long to try to figure out the technology, with hundreds of cords, stretching from a house to another house to a little projector we rented. It took a lot more work than I was used to of just watching it on the tv. Though fairly stressful, because of the sacrifice, I think I appreciated it more than in previous years. Besides that, I simply like to just sit on the couch with a paper and pen or phone to take notes on, and listen to it with family/sister by my side. Bonding experience. To be honest though, I usually get most out of conference later, when I go over the talks a second time, as I am more able to concentrate and not fall asleep because of all the meat I just ate at Tucanos.
ReplyDeleteAs far as talks about media go, I remember Elder Bednar's talk about Flooding the Earth with light. Just getting home from my mission about three years ago, this talk stood out, and was what got me to join facebook and twitter (which may need to be reinstated, as they are no longer part of my life). I liked the quote this conference that basically said, "Maybe it should be said ' and their thumbs will be loosened (instead of 'their tounges')." Once again, the church leaders were balanced in their approach to media use. I liked that.
My favorite talks tied in well with media use, balance, and what we discussed in our last class regarding agency, addiction, and reality. I liked both Elder christoffersons and Elder Cooks address on bold discipleship. I liked what Elder Cook (I think) said- "sharing the gospel and influencing others for good is not a pass/fail test." There's always a bigger, unseen force at work, and God is directing it all, through any of my efforts, unperfect or timely as they may be. This gave me peace in knowing I can share light, and not have to worry about the results.
He went on to say that no one is impressed by the church when its members make comparisons with other religions. Rather it is best to be bold and confident (like Hinckley in the interview we watched the other day). You have their attention when you explain with confidence and simplicity the plan of salvation and the points of doctrine that make us different and incredible.
We do know incredible things. I keep thinking back to the interview with Hinckley. It inspired me to own what I know and be proud of it, even in the face of "learnedness" and the pressures of philosophy and man.
More than anything, I gained a witness that our leaders are in tune and inspired in their prophecy and teaching. They know truth as it is, was, and is to come. They are a source of stability and truthfullness in a world of relativity and change. And for that, I am so grateful.
My favorite viewing experience was when I went over to a friend’s apartment and watched a session that played on the laptop. It’s easy to take for granted the ability to watch conference from the computer, but I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to do so. I knew as well that if I had to I could watch on my phone. While watching conference I couldn’t help but think about one of my friends that just started streaming videos of himself playing video games on a service called Twitch. Twitch allows users to stream themselves playing games, listening to music, and hosting shows, and was acquired by Amazon for about $1 billion. I started watching it because of him, and I joined his channel to watch him. It was fun at the beginning, but I realized a lot of time could be wasted by watching it for too long. I thought of Elder Bednar’s talk “Things as they really are” and all of the examples he gives of Second Life and other games that had a destructive impact on the lives of those who got caught up in it. Twitch has little redeeming value, and is more than anything a way to pass time. I don’t consider it bad, but I don’t think it’s good either.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I noticed the stark contrast between the uplifting “stream” of LDS conference that I listened to over the weekend versus the time that can be wasted on Twitch. Conference also “streams” people speaking, but the messages invite its viewers to change and become a better disciple of Jesus Christ. In my mind, it is a clear example of the same technology used for vastly different purposes.
One of my favorite talks was by Elder Eyring about gratitude on/for the Sabbath day. I think showing gratitude is a tremendous power that allows us change perspective and become humble. I recently started focusing on stating my gratitude in my nightly prayers, and even though I thought it wouldn’t really matter, I have found that I am happier! Specifically, Elder Eyring notes that we should be grateful to even be able to go to church on Sunday, as some people are ill, others are working, and even more do not have opportunity. He noted we should also be grateful for the ability to serve others on Sunday, even if we do not see the immediate results of it. As we do so, we will be blessed and look back on our lives with joy rather than regret.
In General Conference, there were quite a few references to media. On Saturday morning, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf introduced his first talk with media. He related his technology experience to the ability of a seven year old. He talked about how he had grown in technology from when he had his first computer in the church office building to how technology impacts his life today. It was definitely an interesting way to introduce his talk.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting reference to media was made by President Thomas S. Monson during the Sunday morning session. He talked about the video "Man's Search for Happiness." This talk allowed me to gain understanding about how important Mormon media is in the sharing the gospel. After hearing a prophet discuss this video and speaking about its impact, my thoughts on Mormon media were influenced for the better.
As a communications major, I desire to strengthen Mormon media. From using Mormon media, I would love to see a profound impact on others. I know that the impact is possible from how we have seen church videos used in the past. I also think the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is key in increasing awareness about the church. Around the world, the choir stands as an example of the entire LDS faith. It is amazing to see the potential that this church has through using media resources.
This conference, I had a variety of viewing experiences. I watched on the television at home, I listened on my phone while I was out and about on Saturday, and I got to go to a session on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI think the overwhelming thing that hit me this weekend was that the viewing experience didn't seem to matter much at all. I really feel like I was able to grab the spirit of conference anywhere it was playing. I know the prophet is the prophet whether I see him on T.V. or in person.
However, I do think the way we share the content matters, especially for individuals who don't necessarily have an acquaintance with the church or a testimony. I often see recaps of conference talks summarized very effectively with memes or short quotes, which I think is very effective. However, when we share a full scale video or a long quote, I think it's very ineffective for those who don't affiliate with our faith.
I don't know why, but I see my LDS friends post 2 or 3 large paragraphs of a dense conference talk with a small picture. I personally have an attention span for about 2-3 sentences max on social media. I feel like we need to cater to the amount of information people can take in online if we want to effectively share messages from conference to non-members.
My preferred viewing method for General Conference has always been watching them on the television. I love seeing the speakers' facial expressions and seeing the light in their eyes. It's been a tradition ever since I was a kid to watch conference live on the TV ever since they started broadcasting it that way. However, this past conference a group of friends and I decided to break the norm. We were enjoying such beautiful weather on Saturday and knowing that the bitter cold will soon be upon us we decided we just couldn't lose a perfect opportunity to be outside. So thanks to the miracle of modern technology we grabbed our hammocks and took to the mountains. We found a great spot in some beautiful trees where we still had service. Relaxing in my hammock and being out amongst nature while just listening to conference was a new experience and I loved it. The only time I missed seeing their faces was with the members of the 70 because I don't recognize their voices so I was left to my own imagination to put a face to the voice.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite talks from this conference was that of Elder Andersen. He spoke about how each individual is apart of a larger puzzle. I thought this was a beautiful analogy because it illustrated the interdependence of humankind. As families, as church members and as humans we cannot stand alone. We exist together and need one another to get through life and fulfill our purpose.
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ReplyDeleteDRU LAWS - My favorite way to watch General Conference is on my laptop, in my bed, right after I wake up:) It is so convenient, I can pause it, walk away and listen to it while I'm doing something else, WHATEVER i want! It is literally the best thing in the world. Conference weekends are the ultimate lazy, but amazing weekends. It's crazy to see how far we've come just in the conferences that I've lived through. We never watched conference individually on our laptops. I loved gathering around the TV with my family, but it is very cool that we are able to do that now.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that Uchtdorf talked a lot about media, because he never had to learn how to use it until he became such a major part of our church. It was difficult, but it was helpful. I liked that he related it to real life. Awesome talk as always by him.
Ever since I began studying film and working on sets, my life has been pretty hectic on weekends. Most Saturdays, I'm running around doing who-knows-what in regards to some film or commercial or music video. This past weekend was no different; I spent most of my Saturday running errands for a shoot that would begin at 5pm that night. That being said, I've found the easiest way for me to listen to conference is actually on the radio. It makes the most sense to me because I can either stream the audio on my phone or in my car no matter what I'm doing, so I can still get things done while listening to conference. Sunday is usually different, since I can sit down and actually watch, but I like the freedom of being able to listen to our prophets' words without being tied down to a couch. Honestly, I don't think I'm missing much by not watching conference on TV, because I have this terrible habit of falling asleep when I'm all comfortable on the couch in my pajamas on a Sunday morning. If I'm able to do something else while listening to conference I stay alert and I think I get more out of it lesson-wise. There's also this tendency (at least in my group of friends) to focus on what the speakers looks like, mostly if they look like they're having a hard time or look unhealthy, and with the radio I don't have to focus on that. I can just focus on the words which I think really helps me.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the opening of President Uchtdorf's talk, where he explained how he had grown up without all the modern technological amenities we have today, and yet they make a huge impact on his life now. It was interesting to think about how I have been working with computers in particular from a very young age and haven't thought much about it, but in reality, it's pretty incredible that I knew how to use a computer since I was five years old. For just about everyone I know, technology influences their life or is a vital part of daily life. I think it's important to remember that media and technology should always be used for good.
My General Conference experience came in three waves. First, I watched it with my wife on our TV. Next, we listened to it as we drove the Alpine Loop, and we finished by watching it with my in-laws in a larger group. There is an interesting difference between watching and listening to General Conference -- and I can't quite decide which I prefer. It seems to me that listening to conference on the radio has helped me connect with the message of the speaker better with being caught up in certain distractions that come only through watching conference.
ReplyDeleteWhile watching sessions of General Conference, I have often caught myself analyzing the speakers tie, looking at the flower arrangements, observing the glistening of sweat from the speakers forehead, or simply noticing how old certain General Authorities are getting. These things are removed when listening to their messages via radio. I first noticed this effect of listening to the radio when I heard President Packer speak in the fall session two years ago. He bore a wonderful testimony of the divinity of Christ and His ministry. Before while watching President Packer, a chain of thoughts would come to my mind -- thoughts similar to the following... "Wow he is so old!," "I hope he finishing his message fine," "I wonder how much longer he will be with us," "It will be sad when he is gone," "Is he on oxygen?" "What if he falls over?"... While these thoughts are passing through my head -- he was delivering a wonderful message that I unfortunately missed due to my over analyzation. But as I listened to President Packer by radio -- I was able to focus on the message and feel the spirit of his words.
While watching Conference on TV may be more engaging, listening to it by radio has interesting benefits and may even be a more effect way of communication than by video.
I watched general conference form my home in San Diego. We turned it on our TV and laid on couches and love sacks. Sunday’s session the TV connection was very poor so we grabbed our laptops and streamed it through the apple TV.
ReplyDeleteI have cousins that live in Ghana and they posted on Facebook about how they stayed up really late watching general conference. My heart was warmed thinking about hoe the lord makes his counsel and guidance so available for us.
When I was younger we didn’t have a TV and would drive to the church building so we could watch General Conference. I remember being so grateful when they started streaming GC because then I could sit in my PJs and sleep. In October our pomegranate trees will produce the juiciest, most delicious pomegranates and we would make it a tradition to peel and extract the seeds while listening. This is one thing I have since missed about not being home for GC.
Two years ago I was able to attend my first session in the conference center and it was such a special experience. I loved being there and feeling the spirit so strong. I also loved seeing so many different people there from all over the world. It was such a beautiful experience.