April 2009 General Conference

I LOVED general conference. I got to watch all 4 sessions on my computer. My family was gone so I even got to watch it in peace. I took lots of notes and I am excited for the Ensign to come so I can see how closely my notes fit what was actually said.
One of my favorite talks was given by Margaret S. Lifferth on Respect & Reverence. I know her main topic was how to better teach and encourage our children these things but I feel like there was a real message for all of us "grown-ups" also. She said that we need to teach our children:
#1-Respect for each other
#2-Reverence for God
What if everyone would just do those two things?
She challenged us to ask ourselves if our behaviors give us credibility and if we are being examples of humility and respect. I'm thinking my road rage issues are going to need to go. Dang.
She also challenged us to Exemplify, Teach, Encourage and Testify. This is one of my new goals. I want to be a better example. I want my words to have credibility because of how I live my life. Don't you just love conference??!!
As I was reading Meridian Magazine today they had an article with some statistics and a "Wordle" full of the most used words that someone had put together from this April 2009 conference. I just thought I would share. I am a statistic and word nerd but I realize not everyone will want to go through the whole list--but some of it is enlightening!

General Conference; April 2009 Statistics

Brian Shellabarger (brian@zyx.net)
NOTE: This document may be distributed and forwarded to anyone you wish. However, the statistics should not be relied on for any official research. Please contact me before using any of this data in any official publication or presentation.
Topic breakdown for the April 2009 session of conference; Top 30

1) 553 references to Christ (14.55 avg per talk)

2) 322 references to Families/Children (8.47 avg per talk)

3) 189 references to Priesthood (4.97 avg per talk)

4) 184 references to Temples (4.84 avg per talk)

5) 169 references to Men/Fathers (4.45 avg per talk)

6) 157 references to Faith (4.13 avg per talk)

7) 157 references to Prayer (4.13 avg per talk)

8) 135 references to Women/Mothers (3.55 avg per talk)

9) 115 references to Love (3.03 avg per talk)

10) 101 references to Adversity/Challenges (2.66 avg per talk)

11) 68 references to Missionaries (1.79 avg per talk)

12) 60 references to Service (1.58 avg per talk)

13) 58 references to Scriptures (1.53 avg per talk)

14) 54 references to Revelation (1.42 avg per talk)

15) 50 references to Youth (1.32 avg per talk)

16) 43 references to Food Storage/Preparedness (1.13 avg per talk)

17) 30 references to Sacrifice (0.79 avg per talk)

18) 30 references to Obedience (0.79 avg per talk)

19) 29 references to Reverence (0.76 avg per talk)

20) 28 references to Education (0.74 avg per talk)

21) 26 references to Eternal Life (0.68 avg per talk)

22) 24 references to Debt/Money (0.63 avg per talk)

23) 24 references to Hope (0.63 avg per talk)

24) 22 references to Baptism (0.58 avg per talk)

25) 21 references to Angels/Spirits (0.55 avg per talk)

26) 20 references to Temptation (0.53 avg per talk)

27) 19 references to Courage (0.50 avg per talk)

28) 19 references to Sacrament (0.50 avg per talk)

29) 17 references to Humility (0.45 avg per talk)

30) 17 references to Book of Mormon (0.45 avg per talk)

Historical Comparison: Conferences from the last

10 years

1. 533% increase __ Reverence __ (Average 0.76 references per talk:: Historical: 0.12 references per talk)

2. 136% increase __ Temples __ (Average 4.84 references per talk:: Historical: 2.05 references per talk)

3. 75% increase __ Adversity/Challenges __ (Average 2.66 references per talk:: Historical: 1.52 references per talk)

4. 71% increase __ Temptation __ (Average 0.53 references per talk:: Historical: 0.31 references per talk)

5. 60% increase __ Service __ (Average 1.58 references per talk:: Historical: 0.99 references per talk)

6. 52% increase __ Sacrifice __ (Average 0.79 references per talk:: Historical: 0.52 references per talk)

7. 47% increase __ Debt/Money __ (Average 0.63 references per talk:: Historical: 0.43 references per talk)

8. 46% increase __ Prayer __ (Average 4.13 references per talk:: Historical: 2.83 references per talk)

9. 43% increase __ Courage __ (Average 0.50 references per talk:: Historical: 0.35 references per talk)

10. 42% increase __ Faith __ (Average 4.13 references per talk:: Historical: 2.91 references per talk)

11. 39% increase __ Priesthood __ (Average 4.97 references per talk:: Historical: 3.57 references per talk)

12. 36% increase __ Eternal Life __ (Average 0.68 references per talk:: Historical: 0.50 references per talk)

13. 17% increase __ Education __ (Average 0.74 references per talk:: Historical: 0.63 references per talk)

14. 17% increase __ Revelation __ (Average 1.42 references per talk:: Historical: 1.21 references per talk)

15. 12% increase __ Angels/Spirits __ (Average 0.55 references per talk:: Historical: 0.49 references per talk)

16. 6% increase __ Christ __ (Average 14.55 references per talk:: Historical: 13.74 references per talk)

17. -4% decrease __ Men/Fathers __ (Average 4.45 references per talk:: Historical: 4.62 references per talk)

18. -4% decrease __ Families/Children __ (Average 8.47 references per talk:: Historical: 8.80 references per talk)

19. -7% decrease __ Obedience __ (Average 0.79 references per talk:: Historical: 0.85 references per talk)

20. -7% decrease __ Food Storage/Preparedness __ (Average 1.13 references per talk:: Historical: 1.22 references per talk)

21. -8% decrease __ Youth __ (Average 1.32 references per talk:: Historical: 1.44 references per talk)

22. -9% decrease __ Love __ (Average 3.03 references per talk:: Historical: 3.34 references per talk)

23. -28% decrease __ Missionaries __ (Average 1.79 references per talk:: Historical: 2.49 references per talk)

24. -31% decrease __ Baptism __ (Average 0.58 references per talk:: Historical: 0.84 references per talk)

25. -32% decrease __ Scriptures __ (Average 1.53 references per talk:: Historical: 2.26 references per talk)

26. -34% decrease __ Hope __ (Average 0.63 references per talk:: Historical: 0.96 references per talk)

27. -42% decrease __ Women/Mothers __ (Average 3.55 references per talk:: Historical: 6.13 references per talk)

28. -44% decrease __ Repentance __ (Average 0.45 references per talk:: Historical: 0.80 references per talk)

29. -45% decrease __ Sacrament __ (Average 0.50 references per talk:: Historical: 0.91 references per talk)

30. -52% decrease __ Book of Mormon __ (Average 0.45 references per talk:: Historical: 0.94 references per talk)

31. -58% decrease __ Tithing/FastOfferings __ (Average 0.21 references per talk:: Historical: 0.50 references per talk)

Highlights, by speaker, for the April 2009 Conference:

---[ Thomas S. Monson ]-----------------------------
#1) 50 references to Christ

#2) 36 references to Men/Fathers

#3) 33 references to Priesthood

---[ Robert D. Hales ]-----------------------------

#1) 22 references to Families/Children

#2) 16 references to Debt/Money

#3) 15 references to Christ

---[ Margaret S. Lifferth ]-----------------------------

#1) 30 references to Families/Children

#2) 29 references to Reverence

#3) 14 references to Love

---[ Michael A. Neider ]-----------------------------

#1) 29 references to Priesthood

#2) 13 references to Christ

#3) 12 references to Youth

---[ Allan F. Packer ]-----------------------------

#1) 15 references to Christ

#2) 14 references to Revelation

#3) 5 references to Men/Fathers

---[ D. Todd Christofferson ]-----------------------------

#1) 23 references to Christ

#2) 18 references to Faith

#3) 7 references to Obedience

---[ Henry B. Eyring ]-----------------------------

#1) 35 references to Christ

#2) 27 references to Priesthood

#3) 15 references to Women/Mothers

---[ Dieter F. Uchtdorf ]-----------------------------

#1) 52 references to Christ

#2) 21 references to Men/Fathers

#3) 18 references to Priesthood

---[ Robert W. Cantwell ]-----------------------------

#1) 3 references to Debt/Money

#2) 1 references to Revelation

#3) 1 references to Tithing/FastOfferings

---[ Brook P. Hales ]-----------------------------

#1) 4 references to Temples

#2) 3 references to Missionaries

#3) 1 references to Women/Mothers

---[ M. Russell Ballard ]-----------------------------

#1) 9 references to Families/Children

#2) 8 references to Christ

#3) 6 references to Faith

---[ Russell M. Nelson ]-----------------------------

#1) 51 references to Prayer

#2) 36 references to Christ

#3) 5 references to Forgiveness

---[ Boyd K. Packer ]-----------------------------

#1) 18 references to Priesthood

#2) 12 references to Families/Children

#3) 9 references to Men/Fathers

---[ Richard C. Edgley ]-----------------------------

#1) 14 references to Men/Fathers

#2) 11 references to Priesthood

#3) 5 references to Families/Children

---[ Claudio R. M. Costa ]-----------------------------

#1) 38 references to Families/Children

#2) 12 references to Christ

#3) 11 references to Priesthood

---[ Neil L. Andersen ]-----------------------------

#1) 32 references to Christ

#2) 11 references to Love

#3) 9 references to Families/Children

---[ Steven E. Snow ]-----------------------------

#1) 14 references to Adversity/Challenges

#2) 9 references to Families/Children

#3) 8 references to Missionaries

---[ Barbara Thompson ]-----------------------------

#1) 35 references to Families/Children

#2) 14 references to Christ

#3) 8 references to Prayer

---[ Jeffrey R. Holland ]-----------------------------

#1) 31 references to Christ

#2) 8 references to Women/Mothers

#3) 5 references to Families/Children

---[ Dallin H. Oaks ]-----------------------------

#1) 23 references to Service

#2) 22 references to Christ

#3) 13 references to Families/Children

---[ David A. Bednar ]-----------------------------

#1) 55 references to Temples

#2) 30 references to Christ

#3) 6 references to Priesthood

---[ Gary E. Stevenson ]-----------------------------

#1) 54 references to Temples

#2) 18 references to Christ

#3) 17 references to Families/Children

---[ Quentin L. Cook ]-----------------------------

#1) 24 references to Christ

#2) 9 references to Faith

#3) 8 references to Revelation

---[ Kevin W. Pearson ]-----------------------------

#1) 40 references to Faith

#2) 20 references to Christ

#3) 11 references to Families/Children

---[ Rafael E. Pino ]-----------------------------

#1) 19 references to Christ

#2) 14 references to Families/Children

#3) 10 references to Adversity/Challenges

---[ F. Michael Watson ]-----------------------------

#1) 24 references to Christ

#2) 6 references to Men/Fathers

#3) 4 references to Prayer

---[ L. Tom Perry ]-----------------------------

#1) 18 references to Missionaries

#2) 14 references to Christ

#3) 7 references to Scriptures

---[ Richard G. Scott ]-----------------------------

#1) 38 references to Temples

#2) 18 references to Christ

#3) 9 references to Women/Mothers