The beginning of April is an unusual time for flight travel to increase; however, at the Salt Lake City International Airport terminals and baggage claims fill with church members who have tickets for conference. Members come for several different reasons.

“I think the Spirit is a little stronger,” said Peter Mendenhall a freshman from Grand Junction, Colo., “You can see all those believers around you.”

Many members from all over the world make the trek to Salt Lake to see Conference live. Mendenhall’s family received tickets to attend the last session of general conference held in the Tabernacle a few years ago.

“You can hear the music live,” Mendenhall said. “You just look around the Conference Center and it’s huge and you see all these saints singing. When you’re right there in the Conference Center, it’s easier to focus.”

Members who live outside of Utah don’t have as many opportunities to see the prophet and the apostles. So for many non-Utah members, it is exciting to see them in person.

“I live in southern Calif. and so we don’t have apostles and prophets or even a lot of LDS people right next door,” said Sarah Bickford, a freshman from Norwalk, Calif. “When I first had the opportunity to, as the hymn says, ‘Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice,’ I was excited.”

“It’s just different here in Utah,” Bickford said. “You can hear it on the radio, on the TV, at the Conference Center. Back home it just seems like any other weekend.”

Lindsay Johnson, a junior from Fountain Valley, Calif. majoring in humanities, said conference tickets are readily available in Calif. She said she loved the unity she felt seeing so many dedicated members.

“One thing I loved was walking around Temple Square before the Saturday evening priesthood session,” she said. “I just remember how cool it was to see all the priesthood leaders dressed up."



Copyright Brigham Young University 3 Apr 2005