LDS General Conference 2025: 7 Inspiring Highlights From the Saturday Evening Session That You Don’t Want to Miss

SALT LAKE CITY—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has announced that the Saturday evening session of General Conference—long a staple for millions of Latter-day Saints worldwide—will be discontinued beginning with the April 2026 conference. In a letter released Wednesday, the First Presidency said the change will “increase focus on the four daytime sessions” and simplify conference weekend for families, leaders and translators. Why the Saturday evening session is ending • Heritage of the session: Since 2018, the Saturday evening meeting has alternated among a general session for all members, a women’s session and a priesthood session. Church leaders now say its objectives—highlighting messages for women, men and youth—can be met during the morning and afternoon broadcasts. • Streamlined schedule: Eliminating the evening block shortens the conference footprint to four two-hour sessions, reducing logistical pressure on interpreters and on members watching across global time zones. • Emphasis on home-centered worship: Leaders encouraged members to use their Saturday evening “to review messages already shared or to serve together as families,” underscoring the Church’s ongoing shift toward home-centered, Church-supported instruction. What stays the same • Four live broadcasts: Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon sessions will continue from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. • Worldwide access: All sessions remain free to stream on the Church’s website, Gospel Library app, YouTube, BYUtv and affiliated media partners in more than 90 languages. • Leadership addresses: Members will still hear from the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and general officers, who will adjust their talks to reach women, men and youth within the remaining sessions. Reactions from Latter-day Saints Early social-media sentiment ranged from nostalgia for past priesthood and women’s meetings to appreciation for a lighter Saturday schedule that “keeps kids engaged without fatigue,” as one Utah parent wrote on X. Some noted that daylight-saving time changes and late-night streaming had made the evening slot less accessible to international viewers. Historical context The priesthood session began in 1945, while the women’s session formally joined conference weekend in 1994. In 2021, the Church paused Saturday evenings for one year before returning to a hybrid general session in 2022. This week’s decision marks the first permanent removal of the block, signaling what observers call the most significant format change since conference shifted from three days to two in 1977. What to expect next • April 2026 agenda: The Church will release the detailed broadcast schedule and music lineup in early March. • Local adjustments: Stakes and wards that previously gathered for priesthood or women’s sessions are encouraged to plan instruction at times that best fit local needs. • Digital engagement: Hashtags such as #GeneralConference and #HearHim are expected to trend as members share insights from the condensed sessions. Bottom line Cancelling the Saturday evening session redefines “LDS Conference Saturday evening session” from a live broadcast to a historical reference point. By concentrating prophetic messages into four sessions, Church leaders aim to make General Conference more accessible, family-friendly and globally inclusive—while inviting members to turn Saturday night into an opportunity for personal study, service and rest.