For those of us who attended the 58th General Conference Session in St. Louis, it was an incredible experience—mostly about people. However, hundreds of thousands around the world had a digitally generated virtual encounter through the Hope Channel and the Internet. Technology has made the best seat in the house the seat in your house. But no technology can give you the experience of walking the halls of the America's Center, and embracing a newfound brother or sister.

Approximately 2,000 chosen representatives came from all points of the globe to conduct the work of the church. It’s amazing to think that our delegates from the Lake Union participated in “the full measure of authority and influence that God has vested in His church.” Although not infallible, it is God’s chosen method to use “representatives from all parts of the earth” to guard against regarding individuals or small groups as having “sufficient wisdom or power to control the work,” (See Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 260, 261). Other events to augment the work of the church included the SONscreen Film Festival. There are a growing number of young artists whom God has gifted to tell His stories using the arts. I participated in a panel that spoke to issues regarding the use of the arts to accomplish our mission.

Our Lake Union family was involved in all aspects of the session, from playing an active role as priest (Jalen Robinson of Chicago, Illinois), being a delegate (Ivy Posada, Illinois Conference), honorary delegate (Hubert Pierce, Michigan Conference), and host of the Spotlight on Missions program (Emily Beth Bond, daughter of the Lake Union Herald's designer).