Many people like to refer to Mosiah 2:5 as an example of families getting together for General Conference.
5 And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family being separate one from another.
What do you think? Is it a stretch to call this General Conference? It’s the only mention in the Book of Mormon.
It also mentions children. My kids are getting a little older so they don’t bother us so much during conference, but they aren’t exactly listening either. Frankly we’re just glad they’re relatively quiet so we can watch. Is it better they can learn from our example, or do you try to get them to listen?
Wheat & Tares 
Within moments of tweeting this, I got the following tweet:
https://twitter.com/JonahBarnes/status/650697441478447104
Looks like people are setting up their very own adorable Benjamin tents!
Thats awesome!
A modern-day equivalent would be, I suppose, renting out one of the few remaining drive-ins for a family conference, done informally. In a way, it’s too bad we’re a bit stuffy in our LDS culture to put together such a thing, it’d probably be spiritually uplifting and a great time as well.
Interesting that as the multitude gathered that they pitched their tents even at distances well beyond the audible range, wherein messengers had to run and distribute what Benjamin said. If only they had a Jumbotron…
I had a religion professor who compared this event to the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the major 3 Jewish festivals where Jewish families build temporary shelter to remind them of the wandering in the wilderness prior to permanent settlement. I think it’s a neat interpretation with the few details we have. (In a way pioneer treks commemorate a similar way idea of being led through wilderness by divine direction until reaching the promised land.)
The major Jewish festivals were times when Jews gathered to the temple and were taught out of books of scripture by Levites and other leaders. It’s an appropriate comparison to our modern general conferences, though the Book of Mormon and LDS versions are a bit different with their emphasis on a single authoritative prophet-leader. There were prophets in the OT who preached at the temple, but they weren’t really organized into any hierarchy that I could tell.
We usually make our kids sit through one session (they color and do quiet activities while in the room), though my husband and I make an effort to watch all of them. I didn’t get a whole lot out of conference as a kid, and I don’t really expect them to, either. It’s more developing a respect for the semi-annual event, and exposure to seeing and hearing the church leaders they learn about during the year.
I had my brother and his wife over and one of my three daughters and her husband and their one year old son over. Every once in a while there is more talking than I would like but I just put up with the commotion and I enjoy the company. I thought the site Andrew showed was different and maybe I’ll try it sometime.
I really don’t go to priesthood to get some pie but as long as it’s there I’ll eat some.
Did you mean the Julie Rowe style tent (cities)? Sorry, couldn’t resist.