Family Separated By Pandemic Finds Comfort During General Conference
Apr 5, 2020, 6:48 PM | Updated: 6:57 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – This weekend’s General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was especially meaningful for one family that has been separated as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The last time Heather Evertsen saw her husband in person was five weeks ago. David Evertsen, who travels internationally as a consultant, was stranded in Utah when Italy closed its borders due to the pandemic.
He was in Utah visiting his daughter, who is going to school here. Both of them are in Utah while the other six members of their family are in Italy.
“It’s been very emotional for all of us,” Heather told KSL in a virtual interview.
But on Sunday, she said their family was brought together through the messages of General Conference.
“To know that it was reaching every part of the earth and we are unified together,” she said.
“I was wiping tears from my face so many times,” David said.
But especially meaningful on Sunday was a chance to join in the sacred Hosanna Shout.
The Hosanna Shout is a way for members of the Church to honor and praise God. It has been conducted at temple dedications, solemn assemblies and multiple General Conferences before Sunday.
A historic first. President @NelsonRussellM leads the worldwide #churchofjesuschrist in the sacred Hosanna shout. A symbol of praising God. #GeneralConference credit: Intellectual Reserve, Inc. & Deseret News pic.twitter.com/GZvCWh3H01
— Dan Rascon (@TVDanRascon) April 5, 2020
“To know that people all over the world in China, in South America, in Europe, all of our brothers and sisters joining together. It’s unprecedented. It’s never been done before,” David said.
For the Evertsen family, the Hosanna Shout has very special meaning. The last time they did it was a year ago at the dedication of the Rome Italy Temple. That was also the last time they were together as a family of eight.
“Doing the Hosanna Shout, that was a very powerful experience for all of us being in the temple,” Heather said. “That is an experience our family will never forget very powerful…[and] to be doing that Hosanna Shout, which was such a powerful experience for us a year ago. And to do it again with the prophet — it was so powerful.