April 2019 General Conference Predictions Results: Part One—Speaking Order Results

Hello again, everyone! Although it has been more than a month since General Conference, I wanted to share the results of my April 2019 General Conference predictions. I am going to do so in 3 parts. This first part will share how my projection for the speaking order compared with the actual thing. The second part will cover the results of my projections for the changes in general Church leadership and the statistical report numbers, and the final part will share the results of my temple predictions and the overall percentage. With that overview out of the way, Part One follows below.  

In order to not disturb the flow of that information, I will end here and now as I always do: That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly0-added content, please feel free to subscribe. 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.

April 2019 General Conference Predictions[i] (Text in brackets denote differences)

Sess.	Conducting	Speaker
SAM	President Dallin H. Oaks	President Russell M. Nelson [Did not speak]
		Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf [Elder Ulisses Soares]
		Bishop W. Christopher Waddell [Becky Craven]
		Elder Terence M. Vinson [Elder Brook P. Hales]
		Lisa L. Harkness [Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf]
		Elder Gerrit W. Gong [Bishop W. Christopher Waddell]
		President Henry B. Eyring
SAA	President Henry B. Eyring	President Dallin H. Oaks (Sustaining of Church Officers)[ii]
	Church Auditing Department Report[iii]	Kevin R. Jergensen
		President M. Russell Ballard
		Elder Scott D. Whiting [Elder Mathias Held]
		Elder Neil L. Andersen
		Elder Quentin L. Cook [Elder Takashi Wada]
		Elder Mathias Held [Elder David P. Homer]
		Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
SPH	President Dallin H. Oaks	Elder Gary E. Stevenson
	[Elder Carl B. Cook]	Stephen W. Owen
	[Elder Kim B. Clark]	Elder David P. Homer
		President Henry B. Eyring
		President Dallin H. Oaks
		President Russell M. Nelson[iv]
SUM	President Russell M. Nelson [President Dallin H. Oaks]	Elder D. Todd Christofferson [Elder Dale G. Renlund]
		Sharon [L.] Eubank
	[Elder Quentin L. Cook]	Elder Carlos A. Godoy
	[Elder D. Todd Christofferson]	Elder Ulisses Soares
	[Tad R. Callister]	Elder Marcus B. Nash
	[No one]	Elder Dale G. Renlund
		President Russell M. Nelson
SUA	President Henry B. Eyring	President Dallin H. Oaks[v]
	[Elder Juan Pablo Villar]	Tad R. Callister
	[Elder Gerrit W. Gong]	Elder Anthony D. Perkins
		Elder David A. Bednar
		Elder Kyle S. McKay
	[No one]	Elder David S. Baxter
		Elder Ronald A. Rasband
		President Russell M. Nelson

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[i]General Conferences within the last two decades or so have almost always conformed to general patterns. There have, however, been a handful of exceptions in recent years, and both the April and October General Conferences held last year were examples of that. With that in mind, I have used more of a traditional pattern, but made some alterations to the speaking order offered here which seem practical based on what is not currently known. And I will continue to allow myself a very small margin of error for the next 2-3 General Conferences until I can get a better feel for how the typical patterns have changed.

[ii]Because President Eyring led the Sustaining of Church Officers last October, and because President Oaks did such a great job with the long list of new Area Seventies in April of 2018, I feel confident that President Oaks will continue to lead that process each April, and that President Eyring will do so each October.

[iii]This report has traditionally been read during each April General Conference for the preceding year. The purpose of the report is to certify the financial stability of the Church, based on practices prescribed by revelation. The report is usually presented by the managing director of the Church Auditing Department (with Kevin R. Jergensen serving in that position as of last year). But according to an article published in “The Daily Herald”, in late May 2018, this report may no longer be read over the pulpit either. If it is not, then the Church could adjust the amount of time allotted for the other speakers, or call on one other leader to speak during this session.

[iv]If there are any changes to priesthood quorums, curriculum, or practices, those will likely be detailed at some point by President Nelson during this session, whether he does so in his customary time-slot at the conclusion of this session, or by a separate brief address to present the changes earlier in that session, followed at the session’s end by his usual address.

[v]While this session has typically seen the last 3 members of the Quorum of the Twelve speak, last April, the final 5 members of that Quorum spoke during this session. As mentioned in note 8 above, President Eyring opened this session last October, and the remaining 2 members of the Quorum also spoke. Since 7 of the 12 apostles have spoken during this session within the last year, it is my theory that President Oaks may open this session, with the final two members of the Quorum also giving their addresses here. In subsequent conferences, the traditional patterns may resume as has been usual for General Conferences.