Making General Conference a Christ-Centered Celebration

Last updated on December 18th, 2025 at 04:07 pm

Over the last several years, our family has been working hard to make our family traditions to be more Christ-centered. We started with Easter, building new traditions that focused on the Savior. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about General Conference.

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I’ll be honest—growing up, I didn’t appreciate Conference in the way that I do now. As a kid, those were the best two Sundays of the year! No church, no early mornings—you got to sleep in, stay in your pajamas, and relax all day. It felt like a free pass.

But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how amazing Conference is! It’s not just “another weekend.” It’s a wonderful event where God speaks to us through living prophets and apostles. Every six months, our church broadcasts five sessions—three on Saturday and two on Sunday—filled with advice, guidance, and direction from our leaders.

That’s a huge deal. The Lord is coming, and we need the counsel of a prophet, seer, and revelator to prepare.

So how do we approach it that way? How do we prepare our homes and families so Conference becomes a Christ-focused celebration instead of just another weekend in pajamas?

Preparing for General Conference

One of my personal favorite ways to prepare myself is, by revisiting the previous Conference. I enjoy highlighting and writing down quotes that really speak to me. The great thing about this is it can be done either on your own or as a family. Personally, I love reading to them multiple times. My husband loves listening to them.

As a family, you could choose a talk each week to study or watch together. Then come together and discuss insights. It’s also a great time to refresh your little one’s knowledge of who the prophet and apostles.

In Between Sessions

In between sessions is usually getting lunch or dinner ready. This is a great time to have discussions. For older children, you can encourage note-taking during conference and then have a family discussion about what stood out in between sessions. For little ones, keep it simple—ask how a talk made them feel or share what touched your own heart in a way they can understand.

Another great way to pass this time is playing uplifting christ centered music that the entire family can sing to.

During the Sessions

If you children is like mine, then you know it can be tricky keeping children engaged. But there are fun, Christ-centered activities that have helped:

For younger kids: Print coloring pages with Christ-centered themes or use activity books from Deseret Book.
For older kids: Try Conference bingo! You can make bingo cards with apostle names, gospel words, or key phrases to listen for.

These small activities keep kids listening while making the experience enjoyable.

Extra Christ-Centered Activities for Families

If you want to make Conference weekend feel even more like a spiritual celebration, here are some ideas you can mix in between sessions:

Service Jar: Write down simple acts of service (like writing a kind note, making a treat for a neighbor, or calling a grandparent). Between sessions, pull one out and do it as a family.
Scripture Scavenger Hunt: Choose a Christ-centered theme (faith, forgiveness, repentance, love) and challenge your kids to find scriptures that match. Share them together before the next session.
Conference Wall: I love this one! Designate a space on a wall or poster board for notes, quotes, or drawings from Conference. Kids can decorate it and add what stood out to them.
Temple Visit: Visit a nearby temple in between conference sessions or friday before everything gets kicked off.
Christ-Centered Music Break: Play a favorite hymn or song about Christ between sessions. Sing along as a family or listen quietly together.
Prayer Time: Take a few minutes as a family to pray between sessions—thanking God for what you’ve heard so far and asking for guidance to understand what’s coming next.

Making It a Celebration

When I think of celebration, my mind instantly goes to food. (Ask my husband—he’ll tell you I spend way too much at craft fairs on food!) Good food can make General Conference feel special and different from any other Sunday.

Consider making dishes that you don’t often make—family favorites, or fun treats your kids look forward to. Choose foods that are easy to prep ahead or that you can snack on throughout the day so you’re not stuck in the kitchen while Conference is going on.

In our home, we love making cinnamon rolls, German pancakes, and finger foods like homemade pizza. Whatever your family thinks is special, do that. Create traditions around food that your family will remember and get excited about.

Keeping Christ at the Center

Every family’s General Conference traditions will look different, and that’s okay. The important thing is that the focus stays on Christ—not just during the talks, but all throughout the weekend. Let it be a celebration of Him, a day your family eagerly anticipates, and a springboard to keep your hearts centered on the Savior for the next six months.