Hear Him – The Church Celebrates!

“HEAR HIM!” – an invitation for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, across the world, to listen to the voice of the Lord, through living Prophets and Apostles in the 190^th Annual General Conference held on April 4 – 5, 2020.

Six months ago, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson, told members of the Church that this General Conference would be historic, as it would commemorate two hundred years since the first Church leader, Joseph Smith, prayed and saw God and Christ who spoke with him.

This conference was also historic because of the changes that had to be made as a result of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. It was held in a small auditorium, instead of the Conference Centre. Only persons giving talks or praying were invited to the building. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, one of the largest choirs in the world, previously recorded the hymns that were sung during the conference.

Additionally, members of the Church all over the world, due to the Corona virus outbreak, were not allowed to go to their respective church buildings. However, they could watch the conference in the comfort of their homes via the Internet.

Historically, for members of the Church in Jamaica, not only were they able to watch the conference via the Internet, but the conference was aired via rootsfmja, a local radio station. This accommodated those who may not have had an internet connection or enough data to the watch all the sessions online. This was a historic moment for Jamaica as this is first time that conference had been aired on the radio. What a historic conference indeed!

Other historical happenings included the Saturday evening session being a general session for all members, instead of a general Priesthood session or a general women’s session. During this session, a young woman, age 17, and a young man, age 15, gave talks about the blessings of the Priesthood, instead of only general officers of the Church giving talks. President Nelson also introduced a new symbol for the Church. He said, “[It] is to be used as a visual identifier for official literature, news, and events of the Church. The symbol is meant to remind all that this is the Saviour’s Church and that all we do, as members of His Church, centres on Jesus Christ and His gospel representing the head of the Church, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

During the Sunday Morning session, President Russell M. Nelson presented a proclamation in honour of the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith’s First Vision, titled “The Restoration of the Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,” His reading of the proclamation was done in the Sacred Grove where Joseph saw God and Jesus Christ. This was followed by a celebratory Hosanna Shout, where members waved a white handkerchief or their hands if they didn’t have a handkerchief. The conference was viewed by members of the Church from all over the world via radio, satellite, the Internet and television.

The Conference closed with the hymn, “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet.” This was sung not only via video of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square but by recordings of several choirs from around the world edited together to show them singing in a variety of languages, emphasizing the worldwide membership of the Church. The choirs haled from Ghana, New Zealand, Germany, Mexico, South Korea and Brazil. 

All members of the Church were invited to participate in a worldwide fast to be held on Good Friday, April 10, 2020, so that the COVID-19 pandemic may be controlled, the caregivers protected, the economy strengthened and life normalized.

Members of the Church in Jamaica shared that “this was the conference of a lifetime,” “ the speakers didn’t only focus on the pandemic but their other personal needs,”  “the heavens opened up,” “we are in the last days” “ renewing and refreshing, despite the pandemic.”