Located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, Temple Square is Utah’s most visited attraction and the 16th most visited site in the United States, according to Forbes.
This year Oct. 3, 2015 marks the LDS Church’s 185th Semiannual General Conference, an event that attracts thousands of visitors to the Church’s world headquarters at Temple Square and millions more viewers via television and web broadcasts. Officials at Temple Square have begun their preparations for the influx of visitors.
Rich Robertson, assistant supervisor of Conference Center Hosting at Temple Square, said in a phone interview several security precautions take place as the 10-acre complex prepares for conference weekend. “We are expecting around 250,000 visitors over the span of a week.”
Robertson said this is significant because it makes up a large portion of the 5 million annual visitors to Temple Square. In regards to protecting the Church’s general authorities, Robertson said special measures are taken. “[General Conference] is the only time and place when all of them are seated together in close proximity. This poses a major security threat.”
After each session, the general authorities are directed to a heavily guarded room behind the stage where a lunch is provided as they prepare for the next session, he said.
According to Robertson, Temple Square has an elaborate underground tunnel system connecting all of the major buildings. This tunnel system is frequently used by the general authorities as “a means of safe travel and a way to avoid crowds above them in the streets.”
While serving a full-time mission at Temple Square, Grace Fakahau, a freshman studying social work from Tonga, was allowed to use the underground tunnels as a way to navigate the many buildings. “I was able to see several general authorities and cast members from church films as I traveled those tunnels.”
Fakahau also worked in the call center during General Conference to assist in the influx of calls made to church headquarters. During the events of General Conference, Fakahau explained how they dealt with the increase of the amount of protesting. “We were trained to pass ‘signs’ to the other missionaries. If we felt threatened by protestors or Bible bashers, we sent out distress signals to the other missionaries and security would come to assess the situation.”
Robertson explained conference attendees must have their tickets verified and are required to pass through security checkpoints that consist of metal detectors and bag check stations. Once inside the Conference Center, security personal are stationed throughout the complex observing the many thousands of seated visitors, with the highest concentration located near the stage. “The odds of someone coming up to the prophet are very slim.”
In addition to security increases, much work also goes into preparing translation of the talks. Robertson stated that conference talks are translated into 96 languages for members from all around the world. Fifty-eight of those translations are live, occurring in booths above the congregation. “We start our recruiting for translators early, as each language needs four people. Two are in the booth translating directly, and the other two are stationed outside the door as standbys.”
According to Robertson, the Church looks for service missionaries and returned missionaries who speak other languages until all of the positions are filled. In total, roughly 750 translators are needed to make General Conference possible for all members of the Church, he said.
Robertson said all translators are able to view the scripts on monitors in front of them. Rarely do the general authorities go off script, but on such occasions the translators are required to pay close attention. “The prophet is the one who most often speaks his mind and goes off script. It makes it difficult for us, but he is the boss and whatever he says goes.”
Robertson shared that often times President Gordon B. Hinckley would make gestures with his hands, which meant one of two things: the prompter was going too quick for him, or he was going to go off script. “He received revelation on the spot.”
Temple Square also requires the help of over 800 volunteers during conference weekend who assist in tours of the various attractions, security of the complex, parking, and upkeep of the world-famous gardens, according to Robertson. Overflow areas are also set up to assist the thousands of visitors wishing to watch the live sessions. “We have crews who set up broadcast screens in the tabernacle, visitor centers, and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. An audio broadcast is also prepared for those wishing to sit on the lawn near the tabernacle.”
Ana Carone, a senior studying mathematics from Brazil, said all of this preparation really makes Temple Square the “promised land” the earlier pioneers had envisioned it as. “It’s so beautiful, and you can really feel the spirit.”