For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon,) every April brings an opportunity to hear teaching and words of encouragement from their prophet, apostles, and other church leaders at general conference. Get details on the schedule for general conference in April 2011, how to watch or listen, and instructions for finding archived talks of conference after it is over.
When is General Conference?
LDS general conference is held during the first weekend of April and October, respectively. Conference consists of four general sessions addressed to the public (each is different) and one priesthood session addressed to LDS priesthood holders. A session addressed to either the young women or relief society is broadcast the weekend before.
April 2011 General Conference Schedule
General conference session dates and times for April 2011 are:
- Saturday, March 26, 2011 – LDS Young Women broadcast from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. MDT
- Saturday, April 2, 2011 – General sessions from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; LDS priesthood session from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. MDT
- Sunday, April 3, 2011 – General sessions from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. MDT
Please note that audio and video broadcasts of general conference are not adjusted for time zone differences. The general conference schedule above is given in Mountain Daylight Time, the local time zone where conference is held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Please adjust accordingly for other time zones throughout the world.
Watching General Conference in April 2011
There are many ways to tune in to a Mormon general conference, including:
- LDS Church Website. Audio and video of the proceedings are available at the church's official website in a variety of languages. Due to the traffic volume at the site, it's a good idea to set up well in advance of general conference.
- Mormon Channel HD Radio. English-only audio of April 2011 general conference is available at the official media channel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Bonneville Communications. LDS-owned Bonneville Communications maintains a list of cable television stations and AM/FM radio channels that will be transmitting Mormon conference broadcasts in your area.
- KSL News. Utah news station KSL provides Windows Media Player coverage of general conference.
- K-BYU. Students at Mormon-owned Brigham Young University can watch on television, as well as many Utah residents or satellite owners.
- Local LDS meetinghouse. Locate an LDS chapel near you to attend the broadcast of general conference. Sunday dress is generally worn to the chapel to watch conference.
- Attend live. Those who want to attend a live session at the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, can get free tickets by contacting their local church leader. Sunday dress is encouraged and only those over age 8 (age 12 for the priesthood session) are admitted.
If you plan to participate in conference online or on television, you'll have complete access to the four general sessions of conference. However, those who wish to see the young women or priesthood broadcast will need to attend at the Salt Lake conference center or view the broadcast at their local LDS chapel. The text and video of these sessions are available afterward at the LDS Church's website.
Can Only Mormons Watch General Conference?
Everyone is welcome to view or listen to LDS general conference, regardless of religious affiliation. Most of the talks are geared toward Mormons, but tuning in to general conference can be a no-pressure way for curious non-Mormons to learn about LDS beliefs and practices from the comfort of their own home.
Archived General Conference Talks
Within 24 hours, English-language audio and video of all LDS general conference talks generally appear on the church's website. Text transcripts of the proceedings are generally available within the week. The May issue of the church's official magazine the Ensign is dedicated to reproducing the text of the April 2011 general conference talks, as well.
Millions of Mormons all over the globe will make time for general conference in April 2011. At church, on TV, on the radio, or online, Latter-day Saints and their interested friends and co-workers can tune in to the 180th annual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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