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When a small group of members and onlookers met together for the very first official conference of the Church nearly 184 years ago, they probably never imagined the enormity of the worldwide event we all look forward to every six months.
And they certainly never could have imagined the global gathering we all experience through the internet and social media during these two days.
Related reading: The Evolution of general conference: 30+ Milestones (Infographic)
With so many people talking about #LDSConf (enough that it globally trends on Twitter every April and October without fail) in such a short amount of time, taking it all in can be daunting.
In this gallery, you'll find our #LDSConf Cheat Sheet with accounts and hashtags you've simply got to follow while enjoying conference this weekend.
1. LDS Church
This is the most obvious choice on our list, but an important one nonetheless. Follow the Church's official Twitter feed, Facebook page, or watch conference directly on lds.org. If you can only stay tuned to one account this weekend, we recommend this one.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Website
Not all of life's questions have yes or no answers. #ldsconf can help. http://t.co/dXECk2QJCz pic.twitter.com/mKvyPDqS3z — The LDS Church (@LDSchurch) April 1, 2014
2. LDS Living
We realize we're a bit biased, but we take conference seriously here at LDS Living. Complete with live-tweets, shareable quotes on Facebook and Pinterest, Instagram updates from Temple Square, and helpful tips on LDSLiving.com, we get super excited every six months for the weekend of all weekends. And we'd love to have you join us.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Website
Plus, follow our LDSConf Twitter List (the best people to follow during conference)
3. #ldsconf
You may have noticed this funny little word appearing on your television screen during general conference. That's because this hashtag is the official recommended hashtag for general conference. Search for this term on most social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram most notably) and you'll find thousands of members of the Church sharing the gospel and reacting to the talks and events surrounding conference.
Search on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
4. LDS Media Talk
Managed by Larry Richman who works in the Priesthood Department at the Church, LDSMediaTalk.com offers "Ideas for using new technology and media to build families, strengthen faith in Jesus Christ, and share the message of His restored gospel." They also provide some fantastic content during conference.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest
5. Deseret Book
Known for its well-designed, eye-catching quote images, Deseret Book is an excellent account to follow for fun, printable resources perfect for sticking to your refrigerator or bathroom mirror all year round. They also live-tweet conference and host great events in their retails stores if you happen to be near one.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
6. LDS Quotes (@LDSquotable on Twitter)
The LDS Quotable Twitter account provides year-round "Quotes from Mormon Prophets, Apostles, leaders, teachers, scriptures, hymns & other sources of truth" and is "Meant to inspire, instill hope, & build faith in Christ." They, along with other Twitter users found in this article will be live-tweeting general conference.
Follow on Twitter
7. First Presidency Hashtags: #presmonson, #preseyring, #presuchtdorf
This year, the Church officially released recommended hashtags for each member of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other major Church leaders. If you love something President Monson said, be sure to use hashtag #PresMonson when posting to Facebook or Twitter. If you're lucky enough to get a selfie with the Prophet, you can use the hashtag on Instagram as well.
8. Quorum of the Twelve Hashtags: #prespacker, #elderperry, #eldernelson, etc.
Not only can you tag your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts with the names of each member of the Quorum of the Twelve, but the Church has released dozens of official recommended hashtags for social media conversation this weekend. See the full list here. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-hashtag-recommendations
9. LDSGeneralconference (@ldsconf on Twitter)
Managed by Deseret News in Salt Lake City, @ldsconf is a great place for shareable images and other fun conference resources
Ready for #ldsconf again? We are. https://t.co/AOzqrf8SGq — LDSGeneralconference (@ldsconf) March 28, 2014
10. Deseret News
Deseret News offers an excellent journalistic view into what happens at conference each April and October. They feature personal interest stories, conference talk overviews, and recap stories the week after.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Website
11. Mormon Tabernacle Choir
We've yet to see someone sitting in the stands posting to Facebook from their mobile phone, but someone who works with the Choir keeps us updated all weekend long with fun facts about the music and Tabernacle Choir itself.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Website
(PS: Do you know what the most-sung conference hymn is?)
12. Mormon Channel
The Mormon Channel "originates from Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, and broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Content for the station comes from the vast archives of the Church, along with several new series created specifically for this station. The Mormon Channel also features great programming from various partner organizations." As expected, the Mormon Channel offers great coverage of conference both on their web site and mobile app, and on their social media accounts.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
13. #motab
If you geek out about the music at general conference, then share your passion with the world by using the hashtag #motab.
Search on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
14. Larry Richman
"Larry Richman is an Online Marketer and internet strategist who works for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." He also manages LDSMediaTalk.com and is great at keeping his finger on the pulse of general conference every six months. Larry will weed out a lot of the unnecessary content and post only the best stuff #LDSConf has to offer.
15. Sistas in Zion
Self-described as the "official #ldsconf urban translators for this year," the Sistas in Zion offer an entertaining perspective on Mormon life and will surely bring just the right amount of light-hearted joviality to conference this weekend.
Follow on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
16. MyMormonOpinion
MyMormonOpinion not only offers great retweetable content during conference, but also already has loads of fantastic image quotes from the General Women's Meeting.
17. #SketchNotes from James Valentine
Each of James' sketches are a mini work-of-art and tell the story of entire talks or entire sessions of conference at a time. Take a look at James' Instagram feed for some of his previous #SketchNotes. We can't wait to see what James sketches up this weekend.
18. Mormon Network
The Mormon Network shares tons of great photos and resources for members of the Church year round. And they seem to be joining in the fun this year with #LDSConf.
Follow on Instagram
19. #Twitterstake
One of the most prevalent Twitter hashtags for members of the LDS Church is #Twitterstake. Search #Twitterstake on Twitter and you'll find anything from ward party photos to intellectual conversations about the gospel. We're sure you'll see lots of great conversation on Twitter this weekend around this hashtag as well.
Search on Twitter
What did we miss?
Do you know about an awesome conference social account or trend that we didn't pick up on? Share it with us in the comments.
We hope to see you around on the social web this weekend!