General Conference Priesthood Meeting

I attended General Conference Priesthood meeting this evening. I did so alone as both of my sons, Jon and Ben are now away from home. I saw other younger fathers with their sons sitting next to them and it caused me to reflect on the parental cycle in attending to this duty. I remember attending the same meeting with my father while growing up in New Jersey and them taking my sons when they reached the appropriate age and knowing that in the future, my sons will take their sons. Hopefully this cycle will repeat throughout the generations of Boizelle posterity.

For those not of our faith, young men, at the age of 12 are admitted into the Aaronic Priesthood which is a preparetory priesthood which they hold until approximately age 18 or until they leave to serve church missions and receive the higher priesthood or the Melchezedek Priesthood.

I think that my father was anxious to have me attend the priesthood session of General Conference because he started taking me when I was 11 years old. We lived in New Jersey and traveled a considerable distance to attend the voice-only broadcast at one of the chapels in northern New Jersey. I don't really remember the talks or the content. I do remember that the time difference between Utah and New Jersey was two hours. At that time, General Priesthood Meeting started at 7PM in Utah which meant 9PM in New Jersey. The broadcast was as long then as it is today - two hours. So the broadcast would end at 11PM and then we would drive that considerable distance home. I would often nod off with sleepiness after about one hour into the broadcast. My father would gently nudge me to keep me awake. The long-term value of attendance was probably more about discipline than spiritual uplift.

What goes around comes around! When my son Jon turned 12, I started to take him to General Conference Priesthood Meeting broadcast (I might have taken him while still 11 years old). I would do my fatherly duty to gently nudge Jon to keep him awake and attentive. I was quite proud to take my son to this great event - sitting in at the Naperville, Illinois, Stake Center among a sea of white shirted men and boys and keep the cycle going. The broadcasts were now via satellite with digital audio and video. the stake center was only 15 minutes from our home.

I also reflected this evening on my good fortune to have been able to attend most every broadcast since I started attending in my youth. I can only recall missing one broadcast while I was out of the country on a business trip. I was heartsick when I realized that my travel was going to cause me to miss. I also recall that I missed the first half of one broadcast due to a miscommunication with my father on meeting timing. Other than that, I believe I have attended every broadcast since I was 11 years old.

I enjoy attending and look forward to general conference season. I am reminded with each broadcast that I am part of a great spiritual brotherhood of priesthood holders. I am instructed plainly by prophets and apostles on my priesthood duty and on the expectations of the oath and covenant that I have made in association with my ordination. My goal is to continue to attend each broadcast for the balance of my life and for as long as I am able to physically attend so that I may continue to be instructed on my duty and to have my faith strengthened.

I would hope that my sons and my daughters' husbands would consider adopting a similar personal attendance goal and to set a companion goal to raise up their sons to follow their example.