At eight months old, Nathan was diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), an incurable genetic disorder that can inhibit growth and intellectual development. While PWS has created some serious roadblocks for Nathan, he’s found solace over the years in the comforting words and music of general conference.
Every week, Nathan spends hours re-watching past sessions of general conference—it’s his go-to activity. And when general conference is coming up, you can be sure that he is preparing. According to Nathan’s mom, Ellie, “General conference is as exciting for us as Christmas. Nathan gets ready the night before, staking his spot by the TV with his notebook open, ready to listen.”
Nathan’s older brother, Aaron, says that Nathan’s preparation for conference is like a pep rally. “General conference Sunday is like Super Bowl Sunday in our house. Nathan really just gets us all excited and thinking about what we should be doing to prepare.”
Nathan’s love for conference doesn’t only extend to watching conference; he also re-enacts it! Nathan’s family built him a podium that he uses to re-create sessions of general conference. He’ll read the talks, sing the songs, and conduct the meeting. He even has laminated pictures of the prophet, the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and all other General Authorities and General Officers, that he sets up behind his podium to mirror the seating assignments in the Conference Center. Plus he knows the names of all the leaders and refers to each one as “my friend.”
Nathan’s passion for conference inspires everyone who knows him. His mom believes that one of his purposes here on earth is to bring joy and excitement about general conference to others. Everyone in the family says Nathan is fearless. He’ll invite anyone he meets to watch general conference.
Even with his difficult circumstances, Nathan is full of joy and light. His father, John, said: “Having Nathan in our family has taught me a lot about God’s wisdom. Nathan has taught us how to learn the attributes of Christ on a whole other level. That’s been a blessing for our family.” Nathan’s younger brothers, Alex and Samuel, both said that watching Nathan has affected how they set goals, how they listen to conference, and how they treat others.
When asked why he loves conference so much, Nathan said very simply, “because I feel the Spirit.”