Were essays mentioned in General Conference?

[oliblish]

I tried to avoid conference as much as I could, but it was on in my house. I could have sworn I heard someone talk about the gospel topics essays, and my ears kind of perked up. Whoever was talking moved on, but can someone verify this? Is this the first time the essays were brought up in conference?

[Mormorrisey]

Yeah, one of the seventies dudes in the final session did mention the gospel topics essays.

I am curious too if this was their first mention in GC. Anybody else know? I think it was.

[Corsair]

I did not hear any reference. I skipped Saturday morning and afternoon, but I did watch the priesthood session and both Sunday sessions. I did not year any reference to the essays. I really doubt they were mentioned since it would have been big news on Reddit, Mormon Stories, and Mormon Think had the essays been mentioned.

[oliblish]

I think the essay mentioned was about the multiple versions of the First Vision. Does that ring any bells? Or did I fall asleep and dream the whole thing?

Also, I know it was on Sunday. I didn't listen to any of the Saturday Sessions.

[moksha]

I think the essay mentioned was about the multiple versions of the First Vision. Does that ring any bells?

I think so. Think it involved a little dog pulling aside a curtain, making a very stately looking Elder rather annoyed and saying, "pay no attention to the varying first vision accounts behind the curtain" or something like that. Hope that helps.

[Mormorrisey]

Thanks a lot, obilish. I was so OCD about finding the mention, to prove that both you and I weren't hearing things, that I re-listened/re-read some of the talks from the Sunday afternoon session. Thanks a bunch for that lovely morning wasted.

But here is the mention, from the lovely kiwi-accented Ian Ardern, and you were right, it was just the one essay mentioned:

"The home is an ideal place for families to study and share valuable insights from the scriptures and the words of the prophets and to access Church material at LDS.org. There you will find an abundance of information about gospel topics such as the First Vision accounts."

So it was just the one, but still, I believe, the first time the essays have been mentioned even in passing. Of course, after this sentence comes this little gem:

"As we study from the best books [meaning anything the church produces, not anything else], we protect ourselves against the menacing jaws of those that seek to gnaw at our spiritual roots."

[Anon70]

"As we study from the best books [meaning anything the church produces, not anything else], we protect ourselves against the menacing jaws of those that seek to gnaw at our spiritual roots."

When I was growing up, I was taught that the modern version of the Bible was disrespectful and made spiritual things common.

Recently I've listened to a few sermons using the modern English versions. Whether or not the translation is accurate I don't know but it was so plain to understand the concepts and principles.

Stuff like "gnaw at our spiritual roots"-what does that even mean? In my current state of apostasy I read it to mean that they don't want us to get our historical roots out in the open because we'd lose faith. But I'm sure he meant something about our faith/testimony being like a seed that grows into a tree that needs to keep its roots protected?

My point is that all of these metaphors and fake stories and complex cliches just obscure their message. I'm actually much happier when they are direct-like oaks about the gays-there is no way for some good hearted member to misinterpret or soften that message.

[oliblish]

Thanks a lot, obilish. I was so OCD about finding the mention, to prove that both you and I weren't hearing things, that I re-listened/re-read some of the talks from the Sunday afternoon session. Thanks a bunch for that lovely morning wasted.

But here is the mention, from the lovely kiwi-accented Ian Ardern, and you were right, it was just the one essay mentioned:

"The home is an ideal place for families to study and share valuable insights from the scriptures and the words of the prophets and to access Church material at LDS.org. There you will find an abundance of information about gospel topics such as the First Vision accounts."

So it was just the one, but still, I believe, the first time the essays have been mentioned even in passing. Of course, after this sentence comes this little gem:

"As we study from the best books [meaning anything the church produces, not anything else], we protect ourselves against the menacing jaws of those that seek to gnaw at our spiritual roots."

I feel really bad that I caused someone to listen to more conference talks. I understand it can be traumatic. But thanks so much for finding this! I was not really listening but when the words "gospel topics" and "First Vision accounts" came out of the TV I suddenly woke up and wondered what I had just missed.

I do think it is the first time the gospel topics essays have been mentioned in conference. It was cleverly worded so that people that didn't know anything about the essays would continue to not know anything about them.

Apologists can now proudly state that the church is not trying to hide anything. They even mentioned the gospel topics essays in conference!

[Mormorrisey]

Apologists can now proudly state that the church is not trying to hide anything. They even mentioned the gospel topics essays in conference!

I suspect you are absolutely correct. The "we've ALWAYS acknowledged these problems, it's nothing new" defence.

[Rob4Hope]

Wait! (written from a hypothetical TBM Perspective)....WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!

Whats a "gospel topic essay"?.....

No one ever told me anything about those. What are those?

(the typical member doesn't even know they exist. I think the church likes it that way.)

[oliblish]

Wait! (written from a hypothetical TBM Perspective)....WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!

Whats a "gospel topic essay"?.....

No one ever told me anything about those. What are those?

(the typical member doesn't even know they exist. I think the church likes it that way.)

It was worded in such a way to prevent the above from occurring. If you didn't know about the gospel topic essays, they are just talking about generic gospel stuff that is on lds.org. Nothing to see here. Move along...