Report on the Sunday Morning Session

Hello, everyone! I am back with my report on the Sunday Morning Session, which concluded less than an hour ago. It was another wonderful session. Conducted by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, it featured an invocation offered by Elder Michael T. Ringwood (President Nelson's son-in-law who was sustained to the Seventy in April 2009) and a benediction by Elder Jose A. Teixeira (the last currently-serving GA Seventy who was among the first group called in President Monson's first General Conference as Church President).

The session was absolutely wonderful. We first heard from Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society General President. She was followed by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, recently released from the Presidency of the Seventy, who now is the second most senior GA Seventy currently serving. It is interesting that both Elder Maynes and Elder Hallstrom spoke during this General Conference following their release from the Presidency of the Seventy. I honestly don't know if we will be hearing from any current members of the Presidency of the Seventy, or if these two outgoing members will cover the two usual talks from members of that Presidency. It will be interesting to see. Rounding out the first half of that session was Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the only member of that Quorum to speak during this session, which means that we most likely will not hear a second time from President Nelson).

Following the congregational hymn, we heard from Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, the Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, who gave his second talk in that capacity. Oddly enough, 1.5 years ago (in April 2016), when he gave his first talk as a new member of the Presiding Bishopric, he spoke in the Sunday Morning Session as well. After Bishop Waddell's address, we heard from Elder W. Craig Zwick, who, as noted previously, was granted emeritus status in the Saturday Afternoon Session. The Church doesn't often have GA Seventies speak after being granted emeritus status, but it happens periodically.

As the session came to a close, President Eyring offered his remarks. The reason why I asserted in my last post that we would likely not see any new temples announced in this General Conference is that, in President Monson's absence, he would have authorized one of his counselors to make that announcement, and President Eyring's concluding remarks in this session mark the last time we will hear from a member of the First Presidency in this General Conference.

So, what do we have to look forward to in the Sunday Afternoon Session? While we typically hear from the final three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the last session of General Conference, in Elder Hales's absence from the conference, there are only two members of the Twelve left to speak, Elders Ballard and Andersen. Unless they have President Nelson give a second talk to conclude the conference (which is unlikely), then either Elder Andersen or Elder Ballard will be the first speaker in the session, and the other will be the last. There have typically been seven total speakers in that session, which has meant that four other speakers have been featured between the three apostles. With only Elders Ballard and Andersen left to speak, to fill time that would have been taken by the third apostolic speaker in the session, the Church may call on 2-3 additional speakers.

But who might be speaking today between Elders Ballard and Andersen? Well, unless I am incorrect, one of those 5 or 6 speakers will be Tad R. Callister, the Sunday School General President. The Church could call upon a current member of the Presidency of the Seventy, and if that happens, there are 4 possibilities: either Gerrit W. Gong or Patrick Kearon, who last addressed us in the Sunday Afternoon Session of the April 2016 General Conference, or Craig C. Christensen or Juan A. Uceda (both of whom spoke in the Saturday Morning Session of General Conference in October 2016.

There is an equal possibility that the Church could also call upon one of the female auxiliary leaders (which would be a member of the Primary General Presidency), or that the Church could call upon however many General Authority Seventies that would be needed to fill up the time.

Whatever might actually happen, you can depend on my report of it, which will be coming in 3 hours or so. That does it for this post. Comments are always welcome and appreciated. For now, thank you for the privilege of your time, and may the Lord continue to bless each of you in all that you do.