President Henry B. Eyring on the blessing of general conference

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"Gathered in this meeting, which stretches across the world, are millions of disciples of Jesus Christ who are under covenant to always remember Him and serve Him. By the miracle of modern technology, the separation of time and of vast distances vanishes. We meet as if we are all together in one great hall.

"But even more important than our gathering together is in whose name we do so. The Lord promised that even with the great number of His disciples on the earth today, He would be close to each of us. He said to His little band of disciples in 1829, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, … where two or three are gathered together in my name, … behold, there will I be in the midst of them—even so am I in the midst of you' (D&C 6:32).

"Now numbering more than one or two, a multitude of His disciples are gathered in this conference, and as promised, the Lord is in our midst. Because He is a resurrected and glorified being, He is not physically everyplace where Saints gather. But, by the power of the Spirit, we can feel that He is here with us today....

"Today my message to us all is that there will be a precious opportunity in the next few days to choose to have our hearts softened and to receive and nourish the seed. The seed is the word of God, and it will be poured out on all of us who listen, watch, and read the proceedings of this conference. The music, the talks, and the testimonies have been prepared by servants of God who have sought diligently for the Holy Ghost to guide them in their preparation. They have prayed longer and more humbly as the days of the conference have approached.

"They have prayed to have the power to encourage you to make the choices that will create in your heart a more fertile ground for the good word of God to grow and be fruitful. If you listen with the Spirit, you will find your heart softened, your faith strengthened, and your capacity to love the Lord increased.

"Your choice to pray with full purpose of heart will transform your experience in the conference sessions and in the days and months that follow."

- Henry B. Eyring, "Where Two or Three Are Gathered," General Conference April 2016
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President Eyring shared these thoughts as the first speaker in the opening session of the April 2016 conference. It was an invitation to those participating to "feast" together and receive the blessings of the upcoming sessions. One of the most beautiful promises the Lord has given us is that He will be present when we gather in His name. Our invitation, then, is to have hearts that are prepared, minds that are open, and a willingness to listen and to be taught, both from the speakers and from "on high."

"The music, the talks, and the testimonies" were all prepared by humble servants striving to act under the direction of the Holy Spirit. If they are received in that same spirit, they will result in profound blessings. We must begin our preparation by praying "with full purpose of heart" to receive the blessings; then, as the teachings enter our soul, they will be able to "transform your experience in the conference sessions and in the days and months that follow."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)