Last Saturday and Sunday, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest Mormon denomination, gathered for our 192nd annual General Conference. It’s a long-standing tradition. Recently, it’s also become a tradition for some Church members to share our thoughts and interact with each other during the conference via Twitter. I often participate in that. Below is an edited list of the thoughts that I shared on Twitter about April 2022 General Conference. They include affirmations, elaborations, and constructive criticisms. As always, my intent is to promote serious engagement with the ideas and experiences that Church leaders share during the conference. And I welcome any feedback or questions you might have in the comments. Well, while waiting for General Conference, I’m enjoying the Tabernacle Choir music, whether it’s live or not. One thing’s for sure. That picture of the Salt Lake Temple during the intro to General Conference certainly isn’t live. The temple is under tons of scaffolding right now. There we go. It looks like the Tabernacle Choir is in the conference center to present live for General Conference. Good.:) Listening to the opening prayer of General Conference, I’m reminded that the Church’s focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ is consistent and long-standing. Somehow that never stops some Christians from rejecting our status as Christians – which isn’t particularly Christian. President Russell Nelson initiates General Conference with remarks on war. He encourages peaceful resolution. And asserts that “contention violates everything that Jesus taught.” I generally agree, although the Bible depicts Jesus as exemplifying some exceptions to that. President Nelson comments that missions for women are “optional.” This seems to imply a reinforcement of the common understanding that missions for men aren’t optional. In my family, we’ve always emphasized that missions are optional. Elder Russell Ballard continues talking about missions. Given this, President Nelson’s opening remarks, and the fact that the Church IT system for missionary applications has been offline, I wonder if they’re gearing up to announce a missionary policy change. Elder Ballard reaffirms the Church expectation that all men serve missions. In my observation, this expectation too often results in resentful and counter-productive missionaries. Perhaps there’s a way to recruit effectively without cultivating resentment. In the least, we should remind family and friends of potential missionaries not to engage in shaming or targeting other forms of social rejection at those who choose not to serve missions. At the same time, I have a strong favorable opinion of missions. I served. My wife served. My two oldest sons served. And it’s been an overall excellent experience for all of us, helping us grow considerably and become better people. Sister ​Reyna Aburto talks about the Relief Society, the women’s organization in the Church. She advocates relief from “poverty, illness, doubt, ignorance, and all that hinders joy and progress.” I like that characterization, although “doubt” is a misfit there. Elder David Bednar encourages Church members to “heed not” those who ridicule us. This is wise advice. There are plenty of criticisms that merit careful consideration. None requires ridicule as a vehicle, unless its intent is destructive. Elder Bednar’s comments about ridicule are also applicable to members of the Church who ridicule each other. In my observation and experience, sadly, that happens far too frequently. There are much better ways to disagree. Elder Neil Andersen says the Internet is “a blessing and a challenge.” But, he points out, the most extreme voices tend to get the most attention. Sadly, all too sadly, that’s true. Centrism, moderation, and reconciliation receive too little attention. Elder Andersen suggests a distinction between “offspring of God” and “children of God” – the former as passive and the latter as active ...