My Impressions of the October 2005 LDS General Conference

I thought I might post a very brief impression of the recent LDS General Conference (yes, a few weeks late).

My favorite talk of conference came from Dallin H. Oaks. His contrast between the family and the church was very refreshing. It was also meaningful to me because I have a hard time with boy scouts. So, yes, with 4 boys I am going to be involved at some level in scouting for the next 16 years at least. My problem is that life is busy enough, and with scouting taking up so much time and effort on things which I consider indirect to meeting eternal and family goals, I consider that a waste. I wish boy scouts would just go away and that the church would develop its own program similar to the young women's program (and simpler than scouting) for the male youth. Anyway, Elder Oaks comments on single parents, and the need for young men who do not have a father in the home, made me see a more meaningful purpose in the programs of the church.

One talk that I found amusing was Boyd K. Packer. He mentioned in his talk that many people feel that they could endure trials better if there was more revelation in the church today like there was in the early days of the church.

I have heard people say, "I would have willingly endured persecution and
trials if I might have lived in the early years of the Church when there was
such a flow of revelation published as scripture. Why is that not happening
now?"

He then went into a long description regarding the LDS edition of the scriptures, and how it was evidence of continuing revelation. I found this ironic. It seemed like saying that everything since Joseph Smith has been nothing but footnotes - literally.

Anyone have similar thoughts about conference?