Conference moment: 'One of thousands'
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Katherine Walker returned to her New Zealand home blessed with a journal's worth of memories from the 174th Annual General Conference.
The conference messages of the General Authorities and Church auxiliary leaders brought Sister Walker comfort and counsel. She was touched by the musical talents of Brazilian soloist Liriel Domiciano and the many who sang in the various choirs. She won't soon forget the unity of joining her voice with fellow members gathered in the vastness of the Conference Center.
"As we stood for the intermediary hymn, I thought, 'Wow, I'm one of thousands here — from different nationalities — all gathered for the same purpose," said Sister Walker.
Katherine and Ken Walker attended general conference in Salt Lake City for the first time last year with Sister Walker's 88-year-old mother, Grace Scott. That experience boosted the Walkers' testimonies, prompting them to make an encore visit to the Conference Center in 2004 and attend several of the sessions.
The couple belong to the Palmerston North Ward, Palmerston North New Zealand Stake. Watching general conference every six months has long been a spiritual highlight — although the Walkers typically can't view the sessions live because of the dramatic time difference between Utah and the Pacific nations. Instead, their ward gathers together on a Sunday a short time later to watch videotapes of the many conference messages.
A father and grandfather, Brother Walker was grateful for the many conference talks that reaffirmed the centrality of families. When President Boyd K. Packer spoke optimistically about the future of his 2-year-old grandson, Brother Walker's comforted thoughts drifted to his own toddler-aged grandchild, Joe Walker.
When President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of the Church being an international family, Brother Walker glanced around the Conference Center and took in the faces of fellow members from the Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia and the isles of the sea.
The Walkers' own family perhaps reflects the global LDS family highlighted in general conference.
"We don't have the perfect family — but we stand by them and love them," said Sister Walker. — Jason Swensen
