General Observations and Assumptions That Have Molded My Initial Predictions for the October 2018 General Conference

Hello again, everyone! In the last week or two, as time and circumstances have allowed, I have worked on assembling my initial predictions for the October 2018 General Conference. I will share those in a subsequent post, but for now, I wanted to pass along some assumptions I have made that have molded those predictions.

The list of those assumptions follows below. So as not to interrupt the flow of those assumptions, I will end the post here. That does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Assumptions and Conclusions That Have Shaped My Initial Predictions for the October 2018 General Conference

Overall:

1.      Any new temples may be announced as part of President Nelson’s remarks during either the opening session on Saturday Morning or the concluding one on Sunday Afternoon.

2.      President Nelson will continue to share the responsibility for conducting sessions with his counselors, with the exception of the Women’s Session, which may still be conducted by one of the presidents of the Women’s Auxiliaries.

3.      The Sustaining of Church Officers will be conducted at its’ usual time at the beginning of the Saturday Afternoon Session. Since President Oaks did such a wonderful job with the names of area seventies that were released and sustained, President Eyring may lead the Sustaining of Church Officers this go-round, when few (if any) changes in area seventies may be noted.

4.      The First Presidency will continue the tradition established during the April 2018 General Conference of having an equal or greater number of speakers born outside the US as within it.

5.      We will hear from one member of the Presiding Bishopric (likely during the Saturday Afternoon Session), two members of the Presidency of the Seventy (likely during the Saturday and Sunday Morning Sessions), and at least three general officers of the Church (unless only two speak.

6.      From among the General Authorities, we will hear from half of the 8 who were called in April 2018, and also from more seasoned General Authority Seventies who have either not given a second address yet, will likely be granted emeritus status this conference, or who have not had an opportunity to speak in 4.5-6 years.

Saturday Morning:

1.      President Nelson’s remarks will be short to pre-endorse the other addresses that will be given during General Conference. Any major announcements, including new temple locations, may be made during that time.

2.      Three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will speak.

3.      The General Authority Seventies and member of the Presidency of the Seventy that will speak will all be born outside the US.

4.      We may hear from one general officer of the Church.

5.      One of President Nelson’s counselors will speak during this session (whichever one does not present the Sustaining of Church Officers in the following one).

Saturday Afternoon:

1.      As noted above, whichever counselor in the First Presidency does not speak during the Saturday Morning Session will present the Sustaining of Church Officers.

2.      Four members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will speak during this session.

3.      The member of the Presiding Bishopric might speak during this session.

4.      Three or four General Authority Seventies may speak during this session as well.

5.      At least two or three speakers during this session may have been born outside the US.

Women’s Session:

1.      Barring anything unexpected, this session will likely be conducted by one of the presidents of the Church’s three female-led auxiliaries.

2.      No members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will likely speak during this session.

3.      The Church will continue to invite one member from each of the three female-led auxiliaries to speak.

4.      Unlike previous Women’s Sessions, this session will see all three members of the First Presidency speak.

Sunday Morning:

1.      Whichever of the two counselors did not speak during the Saturday Morning Session will speak during this one, and he may be the same person who led the Sustaining of Church Officers in the Saturday Afternoon Session.

2.      Two members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles may speak during this session.

3.      We may hear from another member of the Presidency of the Seventy during this session.

4.      We may also hear from one of the female auxiliary presidency members during this session.

5.      Two or three of the speakers may be selected from those who were born outside the US.

6.      President Nelson will speak at the conclusion of this session, and may announce new temples during that address, if he has not done so in the Saturday Morning Session.

Sunday Afternoon:

1.      The remaining three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will likely speak during this session.

2.      A member of either the Young Men’s or Sunday School General Presidencies may address us during this session.

3.      The Church could either opt to have no speakers born outside the US, or one or two internationally-born speakers during this session.

4.      3-4 speakers will likely be General Authority Seventies.

5.      If a second member of the Presidency of the Seventy has not spoken before this time, it could occur during this session.

6.      President Nelson will likely speak at the conclusion of this session, and may make any announcements (including new temples) that were not made during the previous three general sessions.