I made it to UVU okay, and found the venue. Enjoyed being old and decrepit enough that students, both men and women, ran to hold doors open for me — one more evidence of the goodness of this generation.

As I write this, it’s five minutes to start time, and attendance is very sparse, but that’s typical for any conference and I expect it will pick up. I see a very few young people; most appear to be in their 70s or more.

The podium is decorated with seven American flags and six of domething else, all alike but I don’t know what. #mormonsgonnamorm and ‘Merica and all that conflation of religion with nationalism.

Those checking us in were organized and efficient: grade A. Organization of venue: F—–. There are no arrows or other aids to finding the main meeting hall. Apparently the only way to reach it is by going through the sales hall, then finding an opening in some curtains, then making your way IN THE DARK through narrow rows of folded bleachers, and climbing/descending narrow, steep stairs. For a group as elderly as this one — which, by the way, has grown to hundreds — that’s dangerous. I smacked, hard, into a trash receptacle — did I say it was IN THE DARK?

Someone has welcomed us, a prayer by a missionary newly returned from Nauvoo, and now someone is speaking. I don’t know who he is — his name is orobably on the program, which is available online but not printed for attendants. He didn’t introduce himself.

EDIT: Here is the photo with the flags, as requested by MH:

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