Stake Conference

We had priesthood leadership session of stake conference tonight. It was the relatively new satellite-broadcast format. Marlin K. Jensen conducted, and Thomas S. Monson presided. Both of them spoke. David A. Bednar also spoke.

When the stake conference was announced, we were told it would be Southern Alberta and Calgary and that it would be 2-3 hours in length. According to President Monson, all six Calgary stakes were in attendance as well as twenty other stakes in BC (presumable Cranbrook since it is in the Canada Calgary Mission), Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as well as the Fort Frances Branch in Ontario. Presumably, the stakes are as follows:

BC

Cranbrook

ALBERTA

Calgary (6), Cardston (2), Edmonton (4), Fort MacLeod, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge (3), Magrath, Medicine Hat, Raymond, Red Deer, Taber

SASKATCHEWAN

Regina, Saskatoon

MANITOBA

Winnipeg

These stakes comprise roughly 80,000 Latter-day Saints (based on 2003 figures), or roughly half of all Church membership in Canada. The area is covered by three missions and three temples.

It was a very good session that went four hours. The last time I attended a four-hour leadership session was when James E. Faust presided over one in Vancouver in 1997. I really enjoyed tonight’s session. The leaders had a lot to say and what they said caused me to ponder my own life and what may lay ahead in the near future.

It’s been a long time since I have been this moved at a stake priesthood leadership meeting.

Some around me were impatient and just wished it would end. I enjoyed it. I could have stayed another hour.

My only regret is that I had to sit in the dark straining my neck while looking at the screen.

UPDATE (01 May 2005): According to Elder Jensen, the broadcast was sent to 96 meetinghouses, including the Yellowknife Branch.