Conference Culture

Imagine the first chapters of Mosiah where King Benjamin gives his famous speech. I'm so sure that the night before, the young adults all got together to celebrate, and danced around a bonfire until 3 am, and then missed his speech. Right?? Anyone?
On that note, I was thinking about this past weekend and some of the funny parts of Mormon culture that have developed here over the years. I was thinking about the dances, the concerts, the activities that happened over General Conference weekend; how people go out, dance til late (often to music that's not even close to being in line with Church teachings), then go out to eat even later, returning home (or not home) in the wee hours of the morning, only to get up when the first session of General Conference is already over. OR, if they manage to get up, they can barely keep their eyes open. Then they put on the clothes they bought specifically for Conference weekend and head over to Temple Square where they "listen" to Conference aka take pictures and look around at who else is there. And another personal favorite, going to Temple Square (which has been sacrilegiously dubbed 'Club T' or even 'Kalapu T') at 11, midnight, even 1 in the morning--times when the Square is actually closed.
What probably used to be celebration of the bi-annual, beloved counsel of the Brethren has become over-celebration which now distracts and detracts from a weekend which, in all reality, needs no embellishment whatsoever. General Conference stands alone as a marvelous celebration, but somehow we've managed to clutter it with other, much-less meaningful activities. This whole over-celebration is a perfect demonstration of a concept we talked about in Social Psychology. Our professor gave an example of an old man who loves children. The neighborhood children love coming to play in his yard, and he loves hearing their voices and watching them enjoy themselves. Because he enjoys this so much, he starts to give them a quarter every time they come. In time, they start to associate the enjoyment they used to receive from the actual playing instead with the money. The same applies to General Conference. People begin to associate Conference weekend with social rather than spiritual uplifting. Social activities are all fine and dandy, but I think we can all agree what the priority is.
I've most definitely been guilty of participating in all of the above activities, but happily the ridiculousness of it all has started to strike me a bit. There are 50 weekends of the year when we can, if we must, stay out late dancing and eating--even then it's not recommended by our leaders. Conference weekend should be the exception weekend, if anything.
And now for some awesomely straightforward and lovely counsel from Elder Holland's Priesthood Session talk I just listened to:

"In this battle between good and evil, you cannot play for the adversary whenever temptation comes along and then expect to suit up for the Savior at temple and mission time as if nothing has happened. That, my young friends, you cannot do. God will not be mocked."

"The Lord has drawn lines of worthiness for those called to labor with Him in this work. No missionary can be unrepentant of sexual transgression, or profane language, or pornographic indulgence and then expect to challenge others to repent of those very things. You cannot do that. The Spirit will not be with you, and the words will choke in your throat as you speak them. You cannot travel down what Lehi called 'forbidden paths' and expect to guide others to the strait and narrow one."

Elder Holland. Shizzam.