2018 Conference
March 15-17, 2018
2018 Conference
In Our FAther’s Hands
March 15-17, 2018
Provo, Utah
Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
101 W 100 N, Provo, UT, 84601
President’s Message
My beloved brothers and sisters,
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, I welcome you to the 2018 North Star Conference. Please know that you are among friends who love you dearly and who share your desire to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so grateful you are here and look forward to learning and growing with you this weekend.
The purpose of the North Star Conference is to bring together Latter-day Saints who share a unique path and precious perspectives, to gather with their loved ones, families and church leaders, so that we might learn from and strengthen each other as we strive to live the gospel and make and keep sacred covenants. The Conference Committee has spent the last year seeking the guidance of the Lord to put together a program that will educate and edify our dear North Star family. Here you will have the opportunity to attend general keynote sessions and a wide variety of breakout sessions. We hope that you will find what you might be seeking while you are here.
I believe with all of my heart that we have been blessed with unique capabilities and perspectives that are crucial to building the kingdom of God and establishing Zion. There is within each of us a strength and an aptitude that could come in no other way. I encourage you as you go through this Conference weekend to consider what unique talents, abilities and perspectives you bring to the gospel that can help your fellow saints grow and learn, and how you can bring them to bear in your part of the vineyard.
As Elder Holland has said, “Believe in yourself, and believe in Him. Don’t demean your worth or denigrate your contribution. Above all, don’t abandon your role in the chorus. Why? Because you are unique; you are irreplaceable. The loss of even one voice diminishes every other singer in this great mortal choir of ours, including the loss of those who feel they are on the margins of society or the margins of the Church.”
I pray the Lord’s blessings be upon each of you while you are here and hope that you might strengthen your voice, lengthen your stride, and be filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
With love and gratitude,
Bennett B. Borden
President, North Star International
Leadership
Board of Directors
- Tera Brown, Chair
- Bennett B. Borden, Vice Chair
- Becky Mackintosh, Member
- Brigit Pack, Member
- Joseph Stith, Member
- Julio Ospina, Member
- Kyle Merkley, Member
- Ty Mansfield, Member
(Current List of Board Members)
Executive Committee
- Bennett B. Borden, President
- Rebecca Borden, Senior Vice President
- Chris Staggs, VP, Marketing & Content
- Kevin Denny, VP, Finance
- Mark Buckley, VP, Online Communities
- Rob Wood, VP, Information Technology
- Sarah Langford, VP, Community Relations
- Spencer Thompson, VP, Community Events
- Travis Steward, VP, Church Leader Outreach
(Current List of Executive Committee Members)
Conference Committee
- Spencer Thompson, Chair
- Brigit Pack, Vice Chair
- Chris Staggs, Marketing Lead
- JJ Barrett, Technology Lead
- Lana Garfield, Logistics Lead
- Tim Goode, Program Lead
- Vaughn Armstrong, Administrative Lead
Conference Program
Keynote Speakers
Shannon Rants
Friday Morning
Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four
Friday Afternoon
Jared Halverson
Saturday Morning
Panel Discussion
Saturday Afternoon
Friday (currently under construction)
7:30am - 9:00am Registration & Check-in
9:00am - 10:30am Opening Session
Conducting: Tera Brown
Hymn: I Am a Child of God, #301
President’s Address: Bennett Borden, President, North Star International
Musical Number: I Can Only Imagine, by Jordan Dahl
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Matt Townsend
10:45am - 12:15pm Breakout Session 1
- Aspen: Maintaining the Faith When Life Gets Hard
Presenter: Dr. Hank Smith
Target Demographic: SSA Men - Ampitheater: Essentials for Thriving in the Gospel
Presenter: Dr. Ty Mansfield
Target Demographic: SSA Men, SSA Women - Elm: Building Your Support Network Within the Trans Community
Presenter: Blaine Hickman
Panelists: Kris Ivins, Justin Bingham, Victoria Adam, Nick Gregory
Target Demographic: Gender Identity/Trans - Birch: Tools for Thriving in a Mixed-Orientation Marriage
Presenter: Kristin Hodson
Panelists: Spencer Thompson, Mary Thompson, Bennet Borden, Becky Borden, Jeff Bennion, Tanya Bennion
Target Demographic: SSA Women, Spouses, Couples - Cedar: From Despair to Divine Serenity: Tools for Working Through the Grieving Process as a Parent
Presenter: Rick Dixon & Christine Dixon
Target Demographic: Parents, Church Leaders
12:30pm - 1:30pm Lunch
1:45pm - 2:45pm Breakout Session 2
- Aspen: Being Emotionally Strong All the Time
Presenter: Kim Giles
Target Demographic: Gender Identity/Trans - Birch: Creativitiy at the Crossroads: Ponder Anew What the Almighty Can Do
Presenter: Vaughn Armstrong
Target Demographic: SSA Men, Gender Identity/Trans - Cedar: A House Divided – Navigating Family Dynamics
Presenter: Debby Jackson
Panelists: Scott Mackintosh, Xian Mackintosh, Wendy Eldredge, Beatriz Killpack, Debbie Tanne
Target Demographic: Parents, Church Leaders - Juniper: Why I Choose to Stay
Presenter: LaNell Moore & Tera Brown
Target Demographic: SSA Women, Spouses - Ampitheater: Sexual Identity: Recognizing Competing Scripts, Narratives, & Counter-Narratives
Presenter: Dr. Mark Yarhouse
Target Demographic: General - Elm: Finding Your Way in the Wilderness
Presenter: Kristin Hodson
Target Demographic: SSA Women
3:00pm - 4:00pm Breakout Session 3
- Aspen: Living With Joy as a SSA/Gay Latter-Day Saint Man
Presenter: Jeff Bennion
Panelists: Kimball Ungermann, Garrick Hyde, Randy Doge, Bill Seeger
Target Demographic: SSA Men - Birch: Toolbox for Navigating Relationships With Church Leaders & Members
Presenter: Dr. Justin McPheters
Target Demographic: Church Leaders, General - Elm: Gender Identity: Finding Your Plateau Rather Than Assuming the Summit
Presenter: Dr. Mark Yarhouse
Target Demographic: Gender Identity/Trans - Cedar: Love Them Today, Reach Them Tomorrow, Defining Our Stewardship
Presenter: Janae Monson
Target Demographic: Parents - Juniper: Making & Keeping Female Friends: A workshop for SSA Women
Presenter: Becky Borden
Target Demographic: SSA Women - Ampitheater: My Story: Putting My Life in Our Father’s Hands
Presenter: Jeni David, Greg Reichmann, Mary Thompson, Courtney Jensen
Target Demographic: SSA Men, Spouses, Church Leaders
4:00pm - 6:00pm General Session
Conducting: Brigit Pack
Hymn: How Great Thou Art, #86
Musical Number: I Believe in Christ, by Sarah Langford & Megan Worsley, acc. Brandon Langford
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Mark Yarhouse
Saturday (currently under construction)
7:30am-9:00am Registration & Check-in
9:00am - 10:15am General Session
Conducting: Bennett Borden
Hymn: A Child’s Prayer
Musical Number: North Star Conference Choir, acc. John Sergeant
Keynote Speaker: Stephanie Nielson
10:30am - 12:00pm Breakout Session 4
- Aspen: Ministering to Our LGBT Members
Presenter: Kurt Francom
Panelists:Sarah Langford, Jeff Christensen, Spencer Thompson, Ryan Warnick
Target Demographic: Parents, Church Leaders - Birch: Serving Our LGBT Members: An Introduction for Church Leaders
Presenter: Dr. Ben Schilaty & Brigit Pack
Target Demographic: Church Leaders - Elm: Understanding & Navigating Faith Crisis With Love & Compassion
Presenter: Jana Spengler
Target Demographic: Gender Identity/Trans, General - Ampitheater: A Path to Brotherhood: Fostering Meaningful Male Connections
Presenter: Thomas Mark Zuniga
Target Demographic: SSA Men - Cedar: Bridging the Desire Gap: Dealing With Differences in Sexual Desire
Presenter: Laura Brotherson
Target Demographic: Spouses, Couples, Married - Juniper: Including Others in My Journey: A Dsicussion on Being “Out” About SSA
Presenter: Becky Borden
Panelists: Kim Shores, Myrna Moll, Karen Dufresne, Brittany Ellis
Target Demographic: SSA Women
12:15pm - 1:15pm Lunch
1:30pm - 2:30pm Breakout Session 5
- Birch: The Healing Power of Stories: How Stories We Hold About Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Impact Our Mental Health
Presenter: Jodie Palmer
Target Demographic: SSA Men, SSA Women - Aspen: Living Joyfully as a Gay Mormon
Presenter: Tom Christofferson
Target Demographic: SSA Men - Elm: Transgender, Intersex, Non-Binary: Enduring, Supporting, & Healing Within the Gospel
Presenter: Corinne Votaw & Jeremy Stephan
Target Demographic: Gender Identity/Trans - Cedar: A Place in His Kingdom: Ministering to the One
Presenter: Dr. Steve Smith
Target Demographic: Church Leaders - Juniper: Self-Care 101 for Spouses
Presenter: Tammy Stevens
Target Demographic: Spouses, Couples - Ampitheater: Love, Support, Embrace: Exploring the Gift & Challenge of Having an SSA Family Member or Friend
Presenter: Lisa Arnold & Jessamyn Thurston
Target Demographic: Parents
2:45pm - 3:45pm Breakout Session 6
- Juniper: Overcoming the Natural Man When Applying the Scriptures
Presenter: Tyler Moore
Target Demographic: SSA Men, General - Birch: Assertiveness Skills for Women
Presenter: Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks
Target Demographic: SSA Women, Spouses of SSA Men - Ampitheater: My Story: Coming Home to the Gospel
Presenter: Will Edgel, Rachelle Wofford, Mark Green, Tricia Green
Target Demographic: SSA Women, Spouses, Parents, Church Leaders - Cedar: Embracing the Promptings of the Holy Ghost
Presenter: Julio Ospina
Target Demographic: General - Aspen: The Power of Vulnerable Storytelling
Presenter: Thomas Mark Zuniga
Target Demographic: SSA Men, General - Elm: Myths About Transgender Relationships & the Truth Is?
Presenter: Terri Busch
Target Demographic: Gender Identity/Trans
4:00pm - 5:50pm Closing Session
Conducting: Julio Ospina
Keynote Speaker: Bennett Borden
Musical Guest: David Archuleta
Hymn: God Be With You Till We Meet Again, #152