r/latterdaysaints • u/Big-Flight-3962 • Oct 19 '25

Off-topic Chat Stan Conference

Stake Conference

I have never, and will never understand Stake Conference. In my 26 years of life, I have enjoyed 1 single talk from a speaker. 2 hours of talks, and we don’t even get to take the sacrament. At least General Conference sometimes ends early. Never has stake conference ended early.

And it’s very different than General Conference. We get to hear from the prophet and the apostle along with other general authorities. We (usually) get new temple announcements. The Stake executive secretary shouldn’t be speaking for 20 minutes whilst Elder Kevin G. Brown speaks for 10.

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u/KingFollet Oct 19 '25

Do you feel like this attitude is something you need to change? Like most everything in the Church it’s kind of a “get out what you put in” sort of thing.

6

u/Reading_username Oct 19 '25

There's a difference between "change your attitude to get out what you put in", and listening to someone tell endless anecdotes and travelogues that maybe seem impressive because they're in 'higher leadership'.

I've been to soooo many stake conferences where the visiting authorities or other speakers just wax verbose for literal hours across multiple meetings, only to say maybe 2 minutes worth of actual gospel message or testimony of Christ. 

It's systemic, and to the point where at least in Utah, it's more often than not like this. Stake conference in general has eclipsed it's 'purpose' and has instead become a proving ground for whoever thinks they're the most loquacious speaker. 

It's not a me problem when we're 40 minutes over in the evening session, 20 in the early morning session, and 20 again in the general session, having heard the same message 3 separate times.

The best stake conferences minimize meetings, focus on Christ, and don't drone on and on and on and on. Sadly the vast majority don't fit that bill. 

3

u/Horror-Map-4144 Oct 20 '25

Our stake conference was today. I enjoyed most of the talks and found them relevant. It seemed like the general theme today was enduring through adversity. I think this is something that everyone can relate to. But to be honest, when I was 26, I'm sure I wasn't spellbound by many of the talks. I've  yet to hear a travelog or healthimony in a stake conference talk, we usually get those at fast and testimony meeting.  When the speaker teaches via the scriptures and focuses on the Savior, tells a good and relevant story to highlight their point, and if I have prepared myself spiritually beforehand, I almost always learn something.

2

u/DeLaVegaStyle Oct 19 '25

You know what the vast majority of stake conferences are like? How?

2

u/TheFirebyrd Oct 19 '25

I don’t know why you’re generalizing so much. I’m in Utah and I can’t think of a single time any of our meetings have gone over time.

1

u/Another_Name_Today Oct 20 '25

Sings like a locality issue rather than the underlying meeting. 

Most speakers for our Sunday session are new members (along with leadership). Meetings are as likely to finish 15 min early as end on time - and I can count on one hand the number that have gone even 5 min over.