First voice you hear for LDS General Conference likely sounds familiar to some Idahoans
Chris Nestman
EASTERN IDAHO (KIFI) — “From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, this is the one hundred ninety-fifth semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
It’s a familiar sentence to many members of the Church of Jesus Christ in eastern Idaho. The voice of the man who does it, may be familiar to some eastern Idahoans too.
As of the last three conferences, Dale Spaulding of Idaho Falls is the official conference announcer.
“So I was born in Rexburg, raised in Idaho Falls. We spent about, I don’t know, two or three years in Logan, Utah, then we moved back,” said Spaulding. “Essentially, I grew up [here]. I was baptized in a ward on the west side of Idaho Falls.”
Spaulding said he’s always wanted to be the new “Lloyd Newel” when Newel decided to retire. When the opportunity finally came, Spaulding said it happened pretty fast.
“There was a casting call sent through the talent branch of the church, and they were looking for a replacement voice for Conference,” said Spaulding. “My family and I were traveling on the road that day, so I didn’t even see the announcement until two days later. And we got home an hour before the deadline was to close that audition down.”
Spaulding says the process was as simple as him recording an intro to the conference and sending it in.
“They literally texted me and said, ‘Congrats. You got the part.”
The October 2025 General Conference is the third conference that Spaulding voiced over. He said it was a lot more difficult than previous conferences due to the passing of Church President Russell M. Nelson.
“With the passing of President Nelson, with the dissolving of the First Presidency, I had the recordings done two weeks ago,” said Spaulding. “It meant that I had to go back and do it over again.”
Spaulding says his part is just a small piece of the vast team of people that makes General Conference work, but he says he hopes it makes a difference for someone watching or listening in.
“I hope that those who tune into Conference can feel the love of the Savior. Whether it’s by me, or the voice of the prophets.”