051: Preparing for General Conference

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!