The following draft of a letter was discovered in the waste paper basket at the Church Public Affairs Office:*<\/p>\n
Dear Sister Kelly,<\/p>\n
We have received your request for a ticket to attend the Priesthood Session of April General Conference. The purpose of this session is to provide instruction from Church leaders specifically for men and boys. Each year the Church receives more requests for tickets from men and boys than it can accommodate. Accordingly, your request for tickets is refused. We appreciate your desire to hear from Church leaders, however, and invite you to watch the live broadcast of the meeting and the other sessions of General Conference. <\/p>\n
We welcome your interest in finding ways that the Church can better serve its female members. God loves and values all of his children, and the Church is always eager to find additional ways of advancing His work. By divine revelation, the priesthood is conferred only on men. The leaders of the Church lack the authority to change this doctrine and practice.<\/p>\n
You are welcome on Temple Square to worship with the Saints as part of General Conference. However, Temple Square is not an appropriate forum for media events aimed at criticizing Church doctrine and practice. Accordingly, we ask that you not invite members of the media onto Temple Square for any events that you might wish to organize. We also ask that you not organize any other public protest on Temple Square. You are, of course, free to express your opinions to the media about the Church and your desire that women be ordained to the priesthood. We ask, however, that you do so on public property. In order to maintain the character of Temple Square and General Conference, the Church will insist that such events not be held on Church property.<\/p>\n
We appreciate the chance to communicate with you on this topic and pray for the Lord\u2019s blessings on you and your family.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,<\/p>\n
Church Public Affairs<\/p><\/blockquote>\n