The Funnest General Conference Ever!

Preparations began in the morning. I researched and printed out fun activities for the kids. Janessa pasted together the bingo cards. Carinna divvied out the M&M’s and other candies for bingo and just for eating, putting a few extra in her own bag. Ron roused our teenage son Ryan out of bed. We all met at 10 am MST in our family room to watch two hours of church on TV (the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held two weekends a year for the 15 million members worldwide.) Normally, this is an endurance test for kids and parents alike. But today was surprisingly different.

Carinna and Janessa had a sheet to checkmark every time they saw things like a men’s tie, glasses, the organ… When the TV camera panned across the 21,000 LDS members attending the conference where it was being broadcast, Janessa tried to keep up checking off all the ties she saw on all the men there. Bingo became quite competitive to see who would hear a bingo topic first and win. I was surprised how well the children listened and picked up on the topics being addressed.

Then the real fun began. Every time I stood up to mark my bingo page on the coffee table, one or more of my children would pile clothes or stuffed animals on my seat for me to sit back on. Janessa would say “The speaker said ‘love’ Mom, mark it on your bingo.” I’d get up to mark it on my bingo and sure enough, I sat back down on a pile of clothes or stuffed animals. Then Janessa would say, “I tricked you, Mom. The speaker didn’t say ‘love.’” I feigned surprise each time and the game went on and on. We tickled, joked and laughed.

There were coloring contests of who could color the best picture of the prophet and first presidency, including accurate tie color. Did you notice the prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, wore a purple tie? During the closing song, we took turns lip syncing in an operatic style to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The more dramatic, the better. I thought I was watching Mr. Bean lip sync in the movie “Mr. Bean’s Holiday.” Toward the end of the Sunday morning session of General Conference, I blurted out, “This was the funnest General Conference ever!” Everyone laughed and agreed.

During the closing prayer, I held Janessa close in my arms. After the prayer, Ryan and Carinna played Adventure Time and were having a sword fight with Carinna’s new Finn’s Golden Sword. Ron asked Carinna if she wanted to go to Grandma’s house. Carinna said “No, I want to hang out with Ryan.” I never thought I would hear those words come from her lips with how they usually get along. More fun ensued with eating chips with lunch (Carinna’s favorite) and talk of making brownies or cookie dough with M&M’s later in the afternoon. Isn't life good?!

Before conference, Janessa was looking for an object and we said a prayer and found it. I said “Prayer works” and Janessa shared her witness of prayer working in finding other lost objects. During lunch, Carinna and I spoke of how we only have afflictions during this life and how our bodies will be perfect when we’re resurrected like Jesus. Carinna asked, “You mean I won’t have anxiety anymore?” I replied in the affirmative. Then Carinna exclaimed, “I can’t wait to get to heaven!” I kinda felt like I had a glimpse of heaven today. I can’t say our watching General Conference was the most reverent, but the kids were engaged, having fun and feeling love. It truly was the “funnest General Conference ever!”