My 1st General Conference in Peru

September 6th was my first General Conference in Peru. I came to the stake center and I can’t recall the last time I went to a General Conference session at the stake center. It was a bit surreal. I'm in Peru, yet thanks to the technology, I can watch and participate in Conference. 

For Latter-Day Saints, twice a year, we gather to listen to selected Church leaders to be inspired and edified on various topics. It is a chance for us to gather and reconnect, in person or via digital devices. Topics range from spiritual instruction to reaffirm our faith to temporal matters.

I was told that there would be a room at the stake center broadcasting the sessions in English for the missionaries. So, since my internet connection is wonky at best, I put on my skirt and hired a moto to take me to my stake center. I had to miss the Saturday morning session because I had agreed to fill in for a colleague’s English lesson with some children. I was looking forward to seeing the Saturday afternoon session.  

I arrived, and didn't see where anyone was. I walked around the quiet and empty building. I found two missionaries from my ward, and asked them about watching the conference in English. I figured there would be other English speakers in the room with me. I had imagined other missionaries with me, but it turned out there was no one else in the room with me.

Elder Smith, who is from Utah and has been very nice to me, turned the channel to broadcast in English with Portuguese subtitles. It ended up being a very spiritual experience. It was a bit unusual for me to be in a room in the church alone watching General Conference, but the spirit was sweet and strong in the church, as compared to my dirty room at home and the flaky internet connection.  

The spirit was so strong as we sustained the 1st Presidency.  It seemed funny to sit in a room by myself in a stake center in Piura, Peru but still raise my hand to sustain the church officers. 

Everything was so quiet around me. I could hear the quiet Spanish conversation in the hallway. I could hear the ceiling fans softly turning as their breeze kept me cool. I had plastic chairs to keep me company. I felt like I should bring a pillow and blanket for the Sunday sessions.

After the Saturday afternoon session, there was a baptism for my ward. Hermana Nora was being baptized, a few weeks after her granddaughter, Guadalupe was baptized. I stayed for the baptism. It was a choice experience, full of the spirit. Elder Smith performed the baptism. He was glowing with happiness. I could see it radiate from him. I told him that his mother would be so proud!Hermana Nora also had a sweet spirit with her.

I left the stake center to head towards the supermarket nearby and I felt lighter, uplifted and buoyed up against the challenges I have been having. Truly, the Lord is aware of each of us.

On Sunday, I again hired a moto to take me. I felt guilty to pay for something on Sunday, but after hurting my ankle, I wasn't up to walking nearly 2 miles one way. I arrived at the stake center and found some friendly faces from my ward, but I discovered no rooms were playing conference in English. I asked a friend and he asked someone else and they got the same room for me, and the TV audio was in English with the same subtitles.  However, my solace from Saturday afternoon was shattered as the room filled up with other stake members. Then the Spanish translation was blasting through the recessed speakers in the room.  

I could barely hear what the speakers were saying in English, over the booming Spanish, but could pick out some of the Portuguese. I did hear key messages I think were just for me though, especially from President Henry B. Eyring’s talk. It was an extra challenge to hear Spanish, barely hear English but read the Portuguese. Yet, the spirit speaks all languages and it was reaffirmed to me that the church is true no matter where you go in the world.  I felt the spirit that session. The Lord loves all of His children and in all of their languages and homes.

For the Sunday afternoon session, I watched at home on the internet, and thankfully, I didn’t have too many internet problems. I am grateful that even 5,000 miles from home, I can still participate and partake of General Conference and that through technology, I can re-hear and re-watch the talks I missed and the talks I need to help me in my life.