2022 Plenary Sessions
Wednesday, July 27th
Smith-Pettit Lecture: Becoming Brigham
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
When Scott Michael Campbell was cast as Brigham Young in Under the Banner of Heaven, he started on a fascinating journey to become one of the most provocative characters in United States history. In this session, Campbell will talk about how he developed Brigham's character, share personal insights into the filming of the production, and explore the effects Brigham had on him.
The Smith-Pettit lecture is free and open to the public. Register for the rest of the conference at Sunstone.org/Registration
Thursday, July 28th
Evening Plenary: Curt Bench Memorial
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Curt Bench has been an essential presence at Sunstone events as long as any of us can remember, and the Symposium just won't be the same without him there. Join us in celebrating his life and all that he meant to the Sunstone community in a celebration of life at this year's Symposium.
If you cannot attend in person but would like to share a video memory of Curt, please upload the video here.
Friday, July 29th
Friday Opening Plenary: Resigning in the Headlines
9:00 - 10:00 AM
What is the ethical thing to do with a billion dollars? Jeff T. Green decided to give 90 percent of his billions away and critiqued the LDS Church for not doing something similar with its vast wealth. How did a boy who dreamed of being a seminary teacher become a billionaire and then leave the LDS Church to become a philanthropist? Lindsay Hansen Park interviews Green about his life in this session.
8:00 PM
After a great day of conferencing, join us at Brewvies in Salt Lake for comedy and a movie! Grab some food, a drink, and enjoy a comedy set by The Fresh King Benjamin! (@thefreshkingbenjamin on TikTok)! Then, we'll screen the Mormon kitsch classic Plan 10 from Outer Space. Admission free with conference badge. Non-conference attendees can attend for a $10 cover.
Theater doors open at 7:45pm, show begins at 8:00. All attendees must be 21+ and bring an ID for admission. Arrive early to order food and get a great seat!
Brewvies: 677 South 200 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Saturday, July 30th
Saturday Opening Plenary: Depicting Emma: Portrayals of Emma Smith in Art
9:00 - 10:00 AM
Actor Tyner Rushing will speak about her role depicting Emma Smith in Hulu’s limited series, “Under the Banner of Heaven.” Actor and Writer Emily Marie Palmer will perform her song “Holy Magic” about the life of Emma Smith.
7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
PICNIC:
One of Sunstone's most beloved traditions! Close out a day of great conferencing with a picnic in the park. This catered picnic requires a separate registration, which can be purchased at Sunstone.org/Registration
The closing picnic will be held at Bicentennial Park: 440 East 8680 South Sandy, UT 84070
TRIVIA:
In 2021, we introduced an instant hit: The Sunstone Trivia Contest! Hosted by Bryan Buchanan and Lindsay Hansen Park, this trivia game is for Mormons of all levels of nerddom. We're playing for fun, and points are awarded not just for right answers, but for funny ones, too! Email Grace@Sunstone.org to sign up! Organize your own team, or let us assign you to one and spend the closing picnic flexing your niche Mormon trivia muscles!
KICKBALL:
A Sunstone favorite! End the conference with a Mormon classic: KICKBALL! Organized by The Punk Rock Polygamist himself Moroni Lopez Jessop, we'll pit a team of fundamentalist Mormons (Team Higher Law) against a team of exMormons (Team Outer Darkness) in an all-out kickball war. Eat, drink, and root for your favorites to wind down from a great weekend.