Standing by for a seat at conference

People in the standby line were directed into the Tabernacle, from which they could go into the conference center if seats became available. Egbert was in the Tabernacle for the afternoon session, but never made it inside the conference center.

"Even though I didn't get in, it was so great. I've never seen so many Mormons in my life," she said. "I still got the whole experience, just not from the actual conference center. … I was a little bit disappointed about that, but still, I'd never been in the tabernacle before."

Many people getting into line asked the ushers what chance they had of getting into the conference center.

"Slim," Zimmerman told one person. "There (are) about 1,000 people in front of you now."

But that didn't stop people from lining up.

Scott Syndergaard, a service missionary from the Draper 1st Ward, Draper Utah Stake, helped facilitate Saturday's standby lines. He said as long as there's a hope of getting in, people will keep coming.

And, he added, "There's always hope."

Email: rbrutsch@desnews.com