Islands October General Conference Broadcast

The 192^nd semiannual session of General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was broadcast throughout the isles of Guam, Saipan, and the Republic of Palau, broadcasting through Guam’s KUAM TV 8 and radio. Palau received the broadcast through their local DIAZ Broadcasting over the radio. Music and the Spoken Word were also broadcast 30 min prior to conference Sunday Morning.

Conference in the islands is broadcast a week after the live session in Salt Lake City, Utah. We found members meeting together in meetinghouses, members’ homes, watching on TV’s, cellphones and other devices, listening on radio, and reading the printed sessions downloaded from online. Missionaries and members shared this broadcast with friends and neighbors. Church leaders facilitated their members viewing by opening their meetinghouses, setting up technology giving access to hear the prophet, apostles, and other leaders of the Church.

Melissa Waibel of the Barrigada Guam Stake, in the Barrigada Ward shared her experience of General Conference saying, “I viewed Sunday conference meetings at the Stake Center, which is my Ward building as well. There were several members present and many others watched conference from home. We had a potluck lunch between sessions and a few folks who were watching from home came to share a meal with us.

“I am always joyful during conference, but this year I was overcome with how happy I was to see the Tabernacle Choir and all the general Authorities and members present at the conference center. I knew I had missed them, but I didn’t realize how much until I was watching it! How great it is to meet together, see the smiles and hear the beautiful music!”

The Federated States of Micronesia do not receive this broadcast yet, but members find it available online at lds.org or on YouTube shortly after the live session is aired.

In the Gospel Library app, 16 talks are available to listen to or read in Palauan, 17 talks are available in Kosraen, 11 talks are available in Pohnpeian, and 16 talks are available in Chuukese. All versions are available in English, and many islanders, being fluent in English, can enjoy them.

Some of the islands in Micronesia are without internet, making it a challenge to access the conference broadcast. Conference talks can be downloaded using WIFI then listened to or read in areas where internet is not accessible.

Micronesia borders that have been closed for two years are now open, making contacting the broadcasting companies easier for future conferences to be aired in some of these outer islands of Micronesia, reaching more members and communities.

The Church continues to make progress in reaching out to all nations, and islands, and the ways we can ‘Hear Him’ are as unique as the various isles of the sea.