Stokes Sounds Off: General Conference Predictions

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Sunday, March 15, 2015

General Conference Predictions

I wanted to post my predictions for the next General Conference, as it was about this time six months ago that I posted my predictions for last General Conference. Since the First Presidency has in the interim decided and declared that the General Women's Meeting is now an official session of General Conference, for the first time, my predictions include who I believe will speak at the General Women's Session on March 28. Now for my predictions.

First, near the end of each year, I take a look at past changes in Church membership numbers each year. Based upon the average number of members added each year of President Monson's presidency, I then make a projection about the number of Church members there were at the end of each year. My predictions for this have general been way off, but I enjoy making them anyways. I recently reconfigured that chart to make it more readable and easier to understand. I include it to show you what I mean:

Statistical Yearly Report Record During President Monson's Presidency

Year covered by statistical report
# of Church Members
2007 (reported in the April 2008 General Conference)         
13,193,999
                                                                                            Increase
314,510
2008 (reported in the April 2009 General Conference)
13,508,509
                                                                                            Increase
316,345
2009 (reported in the April 2010 General Conference)
13,824,854
                                                                                            Increase
306,613
2010 (reported in the April 2011 General Conference)
14,131,467
                                                                                            Increase
309,879
2011 (reported in the April 2012 General Conference)
14,441,346
                                                                                            Increase
341,127
2012 (reported in the April 2013 General Conference)
14,782,473
                                                                                            Increase
299,555
2013 (reported in the April 2014 General Conference)
15,082,028  
                                                                                            Increase
314,672          
2014 (reported in the April 2015 General Conference (projected))
15,396,700

Now, here are the changes I predict we will see in general Church leadership next conference:

April 2015 Predictions for Changes in General Church Leadership
First Quorum of the Seventy: New members added from Second Quorum of the Seventy, Area Seventies, or Church at large.
NOTE:
Second Quorum of the Seventy: New members added from Area Seventies or Church at large.
NOTE:
Area seventies: Releases and sustainings.
NOTE:
Young Men General Presidency: David L. Beck, Larry M. Gibson, and Randall L. Ridd released; new Young Men General Presidency sustained (perhaps with Randall L. Ridd remaining as President or Counselor).
NOTE:
Primary General Presidency: Rosemary M. Wixom, Jean A. Stevens and Cheryl A. Esplin released; new Primary General Presidency sustained.
NOTE:

Here are my predictions for General Conference speakers, including, as noted before, for the first time ever, the General Women's Meeting:

April 2015 Conference Predictions [Text in Brackets indicates what actually happened.]
Session
Conducting
Speaker
General Women’s
Bonnie L. Oscarson
Cheryl A. Esplin


Carol F. McConkie


Carole M. Stephens


President Thomas S. Monson
Saturday Morning
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
President Thomas S. Monson


Elder L. Tom Perry


Bishop Gérald Caussé


Linda K. Burton


Elder L. Whitney Clayton


Elder Richard G. Scott


President Henry B. Eyring
Saturday Afternoon
President Henry B. Eyring
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Sustaining of Church Officers)

Church Auditing Department Report, 2014
Kevin R. Jergensen

Statistical Report, 2014
Brook P. Hales


President Boyd K. Packer


Elder David A. Bednar


Elder Kevin W. Pearson


Elder Rafael E. Pino


Elder M. Russell Ballard


Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Saturday Priesthood
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Elder Russell M. Nelson


Elder Ulisses Soares


Larry M. Gibson


President Dieter F. Uchtdorf


President Henry B. Eyring


President Thomas S. Monson
Sunday Morning
President Henry B. Eyring
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf


Elder Quentin L. Cook


Rosemary M. Wixom


Elder Jose A. Teixeira


Elder Neil L. Andersen


President Thomas S. Monson
Sunday Afternoon
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Elder Robert D. Hales


Elder Jeffrey R. Holland


Elder Jorge F. Zeballos


Elder Mervyn B. Arnold


Elder Yoon Hwan Choi


Elder Brent H. Nielson


Elder Dallin H. Oaks


President Thomas S. Monson

I will post again sometime after General Conference to update you on how my predictions turned out.  In the meantime, I will post again in a few minutes. Only one or two more posts to go!

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