Lighting and sound teams help General Conference messages spread throughout the world

SALT LAKE CITY — Engineers and lighting technicians have a significant job ahead of the 196th Semiannual General Conference this weekend. They ensure everything is ready as leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints share messages with people listening in the Conference Center and around the world.

Their roles include inspecting between 900 and 1,100 light fixtures, more than 500 speakers in the Conference Center, and many microphones.

The church featured the audio engineers and lighting technicians in a behind-the-scenes video published ahead of the conference.

While general conference is going and between sessions, audio engineers walk miles around the conference center to make sure speakers are working correctly in the hallways, in each room and throughout the seats.

"It may look like we're just turning on microphones and making things louder, but we're also making sure that everybody here has the opportunity to hear the message," said Aaron Kobel, a lead live audio engineer. "The Lord's message is going to get across. It will be heard across the world, no matter what."

In the video, Kobel pulls out a binder with the pulpit height for hundreds of general conference speakers so they can adjust it to the right height.

"Working here has been such a strong testimony builder of how real this is," Kobel said.

The engineers and technicians make sure the messages reach all 21,000 seats in the Conference Center, and the lighting and sound teams also create an experience for the millions of people watching around the world.

The lights are replaced before each general conference, whether they need to be or not, and then checked between each session. Braden Earl Howard, a lighting specialist, said he has no problem reaching his 10,000 steps during general conference.

There are two miles of catwalks sitting above those seats, so technicians won't need to lower anything to work on it. Backup spotlights are on hand as well, ready if something happens to one of the large fixtures focused on the stage.

The lighting team tries to anticipate needs, relying on the Holy Spirit, Howard explained.

"The Lord is very much in the details of general conference — in every facet of it. That's my job to put that light there, the physical light there. He puts the spiritual light there, so I get to couple that," he said.

According to Howard, the lighting system is one of the largest in the world; Broadway plays might have roughly half the number of lights.

Jody Hadfield, a broadcast and events producer for the church, says the effort is like crewing a ship, with each person taking on a different, important role. She said everything has to be "almost perfect" so there are no distractions from the messages and their spirit.

"They all have their role, they all know their job, and they do it really well," she said about her co-workers.

Hadfield has helped with general conference for 23 years, and wishes everyone could have the "front row seat" she has. She said there are often tears in the control room while they are listening to the messages.

"We feel it when you're working, and you can see it and feel it on the other side of the broadcast," Hadfield said.

As she steps out of the booth, she can tell people don't want to leave.

This behind-the-scenes video is one of multiple showcasing efforts behind general conference. Others focus on the people working on translation, magazines, stage setup and guest services.

General conference information

Church leaders will share messages during the 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. general conference sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

They will be broadcast live worldwide from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. The live sessions can be streamed in the church's Gospel Library and Gospel Stream apps, the General Conference YouTube channel, the KSL+ app and on KSL.com. They will also be broadcast on KSL TV and KSL NewsRadio, 102.7 FM and 1160 AM.

This week's general conference will offer a new opportunity for many to see the Salt Lake Temple, as construction barriers have been removed after almost seven years. The church said Temple Square will be open, and people can see the new landscaping and statues.

Attendance at general conference requires tickets. A standby line will begin outside the Tabernacle at Temple Square, with overflow seating available.

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