Trent Toone: What it meant to take my family to general conference

As a member of the information media, I’ve attended and reported on basic convention for practically a decade now.

The expertise has been each richly rewarding and at instances daunting.

It’s a blessing as a result of I’ve been seated within the Convention Middle for quite a few classes the place I’ve felt the ability of the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Lord’s chosen servants. My religion and testimony have been strengthened immensely. Generally I need to stand and pump my fist as a result of I get to be at basic convention.

It’s additionally a problem as a result of I’m nonetheless working, and overlaying the two-day convention may be intense and demanding. I’m typically juggling varied duties below tight deadlines, which makes it tough to soak up every message. When it’s over I’m normally mentally exhausted and marvel how I’ll resume working the following day and all through the week.

The opposite actuality about reporting on basic convention isn’t spending the weekend with my household. I’ve dearly missed sharing convention weekend with them.

However one thing particular occurred with the October 2022 general conference.

Members of the Church Information workers got tickets to attend one session with household within the Convention Middle — off the clock and laptop computer free.

I used to be thrilled for the chance however grimaced just a little figuring out it might contain further work for my spouse to deliver our particular wants daughter in a wheelchair and our different two youngsters to downtown Salt Lake Metropolis.

Then I thought of all of the Latter-day Saints worldwide who would sacrifice a lot simply to attend one session of their lifetime and knew I couldn’t let this golden second cross.

Trent and Lisa Toone with son Kalen and daughters Emma and Elise (wheelchair) exterior the Convention Middle on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022.

I’m joyful to report the trouble to get our household to the Convention Middle was nicely price it.

We attended the Saturday afternoon session and have been first grateful for the music supplied by a combined missionary choir, which sang a few of my favourite missionary hymns. Our oldest son is at present serving a mission in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the attractive music helped us really feel just a little nearer to him.

However being current additionally produced a profound expertise for our 17-year-old son, who was attending basic convention for the primary time.

It took just a little persuasion to get Kalen to come back, and because the first speaker stepped to the pulpit, our son pulled out his sketchpad and began to doodle.

However inside a speaker or two, I seen Kalen had set the sketchpad apart and was listening extra intently.

Throughout a musical quantity with about half-hour remaining, our son leaned over to my spouse and requested if this was an intermission? She advised him the session was virtually over. Kalen checked out her incredulously — “What?!?! We’ve already been right here for nearly two hours?”

We had anticipated just a little complaining or whining of how he was able to go residence, however his subsequent phrases astonished us.

“So it’s virtually over? How did it cross so shortly? Why have I by no means watched convention earlier than?” he mentioned. “This was superb.”

Kalen confounded us once more when the session was over.

“I don’t suppose I’ve felt like that in a very long time,” he mentioned. “I really feel a lot heat pleasure and love. I really feel mild and peace.”

To be clear, our son had watched convention many instances earlier than. This time he was absolutely engaged and his religion and testimony have been strengthened. As mother and father, we rejoiced.

Proper, Lisa Toone, with daughter Emma and son Kalen, earlier than the Saturday afternoon session of basic convention on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022.

However it wasn’t simply Kalen. Our complete household had felt the “heat pleasure and love” of the Lord as we attended basic convention collectively.

As good as it’s to observe convention at residence, there may be nothing fairly as highly effective as being there collectively within the Convention Middle, wearing Sunday greatest, listening to the music and feeling the affect of Holy Ghost as prophets, seers and revelators ship messages of inspiration and hope concerning the Savior. It’s an expertise I extremely advocate.

I do know the Lord loves my household and made it attainable for us to have this candy expertise.