LDS Church Ends Saturday Evening Sessions in Major Schedule Shift

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a significant change to its General Conference schedule on Wednesday. Beginning in April 2026, the church will no longer hold a Saturday evening session during its semiannual meetings.

This decision was made by the church’s First Presidency, led by President Dallin H. Oaks, who took leadership in October 2025 following the death of Russell M. Nelson. The church plans to increase focus on the four daytime sessions held on Saturday and Sunday.

The Saturday evening session has been a fixture in the church’s conference format since 2021, initially serving as the general priesthood session while the women’s session occurred the week before. A mix of these sessions began in 2017, alternating between the priesthood and the women’s sessions in spring and fall.

While the Saturday evening gathering was reinstated after a brief hiatus, church leaders have now decided to eliminate it altogether. In a brief announcement, they stated, “Church Increases Focus on Four Daytime Sessions of General Conference.” Details explaining the reasoning behind this change were not provided.

General Conferences are held each year in April and October, where church leaders deliver messages and sermons to members worldwide. The upcoming April 2026 session will mark the first under President Oaks’ leadership, following significant adjustments to the First Presidency.