Needed To Hear It Again

Since the new Ensign magazine arrived at our home, I have made it a goal to read one talk a day and ponder the messages from October's General Conference one at a time.  This morning I read Elder Christofferson's "The Moral Force of Women".  (You can review it HERE.)

I remember hearing it during conference as I watched it live on TV, and wondered how many of the "Ordain Women" sisters he was speaking to.  A cynical thought, I know, but that was what I had thought at the time.

This morning, however, I read his words and heard them as if they were given to teach ME.  As I read this morning, I realized that I really want to be like Sister Daines, whom Elder Christofferson wrote about as having influenced him for good when hew as growing up.  I had a member of our stake presidency tell me that much when I served in our Stake YW presidency--that I would have a lasting influence for good on the kids we worked with during our term of service.  I hope that is true.

As my favorite TREK "sons" have been returning home from missions--another returned home last night, in fact--I hope that they still know that I love them and just how very proud I am of them, how much they inspire me and how much I admire their willingness to serve the Lord.

I thought of the time I have had to spend in my children's schools and of the kids I had an opportunity to see on a regular basis there.  I hope they could feel God's love through my service to them.  I hope they learned from what I did and the efforts we made as PTA members and leaders to build them up and give them more chances to learn.

Elder Christofferson said:

"Former Young Women general president Margaret D. Nadauld taught: “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”¹⁰ In blurring feminine and masculine differences, we lose the distinct, complementary gifts of women and men that together produce a greater whole.

"My plea to women and girls today is to protect and cultivate the moral force that is within you. Preserve that innate virtue and the unique gifts you bring with you into the world. Your intuition is to do good and to be good, and as you follow the Holy Spirit, your moral authority and influence will grow. To the young women I say, don’t lose that moral force even before you have it in full measure. Take particular care that your language is clean, not coarse; that your dress reflects modesty, not vanity; and that your conduct manifests purity, not promiscuity. You cannot lift others to virtue on the one hand if you are entertaining vice on the other.".

I hope I will be remembered as one who tried to make the world -- or at least the little part where I get to be -- a little better than it would have been if I wasn't there.  But most of all, I hope that I have done something good, something that my Heavenly Father is pleased with and that I will be able to answer for happily at the judgement of the Lord.

Conference Reflections

General Conference was so terrific this past weekend. I remember being a kid and feeling like the conference weekend lasted, easily, a month.  Now, however, two days just doesn't seem like enough.  I felt uplifted from the first talk and that feeling lasted throughout the four sessions I got to watch.  It helps my attitude too, I believe, that The Girl enjoys all four sessions and watches with me.  I don't have to fight her to do that, unlike the boys.  Yes.  That was plural.  Genius Golfer golfed on Saturday--even through the on and off rain we had.  He is good to watch on Sunday, but his weekends are already spoken for through the spring and summer it seems.  The Boy just enjoys sleeping right now, so he missed the first session but wondered in and out during the Saturday afternoon session.  They both go to the priesthood session happily, as they make it an outing to Chili's afterward too.

The Girl takes copious notes through each session.  I do sometimes, but not always.  This time I sat and just listened.  I tried to internalize the messages and feel the Spirit's promptings as I heard what I needed to hear in each.

My favorite talk was easily from Sister Dalton.  Last weekend we got to go up tot he Conference Center to see the Young Women broadcast in person--The Girl reminded me that this "was my last one".  And while I got to drive a car load of neighbors and friends--mothers and daughters--I felt strongly that Sister Dalton and her presidency would likely be released this conference.  They having served through my whole time in our stake YW presidency with Pam and Amy and Taffy.  I have felt a great affinity to her personally--as she was a counselor to Sister Tanner when I was first called to serve in the Stake.  Her time in that kind of calling was longer than mine.  I have loved her directness and boldness as she taught and lead the YW throughout the world to return to virtue.  Rather an unpopular topic in the world's eyes, yet--especially since the missionary age change--a vital requirement for covenant keeping members of the church.

As she finished speaking in Saturday morning's session, I texted Taffy and said "That sounded like a Goodbye message".  Her words were like Lehi's when he knew he was dying and wanted to leave his testimony and most important word to his children before he left them.  Sister Dalton, too, wanted to leave her charges--the Young Women of the church--her best message.  And she did just that.



Not only did her message leave the YW with no doubt of her testimony and of their worth it but it shot home to me personally the value I have in my home, with my family and in my community.  Last week, you may remember I wrote of the USU host student who essentially dismissed me when I told her I was a stay at home mom and the feelings I had of insecurity and personal doubt that my work mattered.  Sister Dalton confirmed what I already knew--and a couple of you friends reminded me of in the comments (Thank YOU!)--that my work as a mom and a wife and a volunteer and all the other things I do that the world revile me for matter to the Lord.  Sister Dalton has always done that for me.  Each time I hear her speak I feel a renewed sense of worth and value as a daughter of my Heavenly Father.  Maybe that is why I loved serving in my YW calling so much!  Each week I had that calling I was able to testify of that value to young women throughout our stake--and thereby reconfirm it to myself too.

Hearing Sister Dalton's goodbye address made me miss my YW calling all over again.  I am struggling to feel that kind of value as I teach my Primary class.  And I'm not dismissing my primary calling--I know there is value in teaching these little girls--but I don't feel the same intensity of testimony I did with the YW. 

As Sister Dalton and her wonderful counselors were released I felt the same kind of let down I felt when we were released.  It was like they were the other half of our presidency  Having served along with with all this time, I feel some (crazy, I know) sense of solidarity with them.  Yet, I know that they have done what the Lord needed them to do and their service was complete and acceptable to the Lord.  I know that about my own time in YW too, but it doesn't help me not miss it.  I loved the YW we served.  I loved their leaders in the different wards of our stake. I felt the Lord's guidance in the work we tried to accomplish.  I am sure Sister Dalton has felt that too.  And maybe she will miss her calling the same way I have.

And maybe that is because in that calling, especially, I am absolutely sure the Lord cares what happens and won't let anything go wrong with his precious daughters.  He needs them at this time of the world.  He has prepared them to bring this 'hastening of the work" along in preparation of the second coming of Christ.  We saw that in our own stake.  We know this past generation of young women has been saved for a time such as this.  And it was a honor serving them and working with them as they have come to see their place in His kingdom.  Now we see some of their efforts as they join this wave of missionaries and I look forward to witnessing what their efforts bring about throughout the world.

Maybe Sister Dalton feels that too.  I just know that as much as I miss the YW and leaders I worked with so closely, I will miss Sister Dalton's leadership and example of discipleship.  And I do look froward to Sister Oscarson and her presidency and the challenges they overcome and the example they set.  But it won't be the same and that is OK, I suppose.  Change is hard, but constant.  And that is just one more lesson I need to learn. 

Dangit.

Realizations...

I am afraid that today I have this feeling, after a week of Spring Break laziness:

 But after a wonderful General Conference weekend, I saw this and realized that I have a lot of feeling about what happened and what was said.  But this is pretty good:

I loved that!!

You're Invited!

Revelatory Announcement

Saturday morning I was sitting listening as General Conference began.  The Girl had come down to join me but as she came in I was wiping my eyes.  President Monson had just announced the change in the minimal age for missionaries--now 18 for young men and 19 for young women.  I was contemplating the changes that so many wonderful young men and women I know at school, in my stake, and in my own home will get to choose with this change.

As I explained to the girl, we got a little giddy about it.  I told her that now the boys she is in school with will be able to leave right after high school without the "gap year" of college--for some--and the work year--for others.  But better than that, she said, "Mom that means I can go as soon as I finish my bachelor's degree.  I won't have to do my master's first."

It also means The Boy will leave right after graduation--since he will graduate just after his 18th birthday.  They potentially could leave at the same time.  She graduates just shy of her 18th birthday, and since she will have her associate's degree with her high school diploma, she will only have about two years to finish her undergraduate work for her bachelor's degree.  Then she could leave at nearly 20--while he brother will be 18 and they will serve at the same time. And though we always figured they would have some overlap, this will be so perfectly timed, I can't still believe it all.

As the news sunk in Saturday afternoon, I was so thrilled to see so many young friends posting on Facebook about the new countdown until they could go.  Young women who hadn't thought seriously about missions before--because 21 sounded just too far away--were now figuring that they could serve much sooner and wanted to go.  Others who have always wanted to go, see this as a blessing to speed along their fondest dreams, and were even more excited to serve.

But the funniest thought came form a photo I saw posted on Facebook:

 

Having a prophet guide and direct this church is pretty amazing.  Having the Lord himself lead us is indeed a blessing by which I never fail to be humbled.

Traditions

 

It is General Conference weekend, and part of that mean we are eating Blueberry muffins.  I am not sure why this tradition began, but I think we've had blueberry muffins for conference at least since I have been married--they were a luxury at first, so we could only "afford" that kind of treat twice year--but my kids now sort of expect them.  The funny thing is I usually make Betty Crocker's mix muffins on Sunday morning, but since the kids--especially The Boy--eat so much more than they used to  I have gone to Jiffy brand muffins on Saturday.  So I made three boxes of Jiffy muffins this morning, with a BC box waiting for tomorrow.  All just part of the otherwise lazy, uplifting and home-bound weekend plans.

What a Weekend!!

Holy cow!  What happened?  It is Wednesday already?!?  Wowzer.  Sorry.  The days have just slipped past me.

This weekend was pretty eventful, so maybe that explains a lot.  General Conference was terrific!  My favorite part:

Perhaps because I felt it really applied to me personally.  I have much to learn here.

The other exciting bit happened late Saturday night.  About 10:30 PM the door bell rang, and when The Girl got there in her pj's, there was a pie and some flowers....

The note in the pie says -- "Three point one four five nine, Makes the lazy student whine, But give this poor old boy a try. You'll find that it's as easy as pie!"

Then inside the pie was a laminated card with the boy's name who asked her to go to Prom.  It was pretty clever.  He is a good friend, smart, talented and good boy.  And between you and me, this is the boy that I think The Girl has been crushing over for some time.  Not a bad Prom date.

Yesterday there was one more part to this story, thus far.  A neighbor friend told The Girl that Deseret Industries had a "new shipment of formal dresses".  I thought that was weird, since our niece has said that her old prom dresses were available, should The Girl want to borrow them.  So after school yesterday I went with her to DI to have a look.  Frankly I had very low expectations.  But the neighbor was right.  There were NEW dresses there for $25.  The Girl tried a few on and decided on this one:

Ruby rose red color

 A lovely "burnt out" print in the  inset sections.

This beaded fringe on the sleeve is a little "Miss Kitty" for me, but I think she likes it.

Isn't cute?  The Girl and one of her girlfriends found some sale shoes to go with it, so I think her prom outfit is finished!  Out the door, it was about $50.  Not bad at all.

Girls' Night, Of Sorts

The Girl and I got invited to my SIL's place for a Girls' Night craft party during the priesthood session of conference this weekend.  Well, my week was so crazy last week that I never got to SLC to pick up the crafty project basics, so The Girl brought her leaf collection project fro her AP Biology class and worked on that.  I decided to come and just visit.

Our niece and niece-in-law and their babies joined us, along with Grandmama and the other SIL and her girls.  Plus one of niece's friends who is going to school at BYU, from what I gathered.

It was good I didn't have something to concentrate on after all.  I discovered in my visiting--when I could get a word in--that one of my brothers-in-law had changed jobs and had shoulder surgery.  Two nephews double in a group of 15 couples for their Homecoming dance the week before.  Another nephew just got a job andnow has his dad's car to get from school to work and home again, and the missionary nephew gets 2-3 packages a week at the MTC.  That answered the "Did he get my box of cookies I sent?" question I had.  Maybe he didn't even notice them among all the other things he received.

In conferences past, we have tried to do this sort of thing.  Actually we began with the "let's go out to dinner" idea.  But I think that got a little crazy when niece married and the families' women combined a few times for the night out.  Plus--while I like the extended extended family--I didn't get much visiting with my own extended family done that way.  That and I think each matriarch had differing ideas of what they wanted to do.  So we are back with our family-unless you count the random friends-again.

Sometimes I think it is easier when The Girl has plans with her friends and I can just stay home and veg out.  But I am trying to connect with GG's family as often as they'll have me.  And from the amount of info that was new to me, I guess I had better try harder.

Weekend Plans

This weekend is General Conference.  I am so looking forward to it. 

I am excited to sleep in, for one, and try to rest up a bit.  It has been a long week, and I don't think I've yet recovered from the 2-a-Days weeks last week--getting up at 5 AM with The Girl before she went to morning swim practice.

But I am also looking for ward to just soaking up the Spirit.  I know the words we will hear are not only given thoughtfully, but are--in most cases, I'd guess--answers to prayers as well.  I am anxious to hear what my favorite General Conference speakers will share with us.  And what additional insight I could gain as I listen with an open heart.

While I don't have any big, pressing questions in my heart right now, I still have concerns.  Some more worrisome than others.  I know that answers will be provided it I listen well.  Then the challenge is following through on the inspiration I will feel.

Conference Weekend

I must be getting older. General Conference weekend used to be a dreaded thing. Now I can't get enough in just two days.

I recall my mom with her clip board and stack of paper and pen taking copious notes at conference--and this was back in the day when we still had to get up and go to the church to watch it on the broadcast, you know, the church satellite system. We had to get dressed anyway. Now we can watch at home in our PJ's if we wanted.

I wondered, as I watched her, what did she think was so important that she was writing it all down? Now I know.

General conference is like a ice cold mug refill on a really hot summer afternoon. It is refreshing and quenching and satisfying all at once.

I hope my kids will understand how important it is the same way I have. I am going to dig up my own clip board and pen. Happy Conference, friends.

The Qualities of Hope

Yeah, I know. Yesterday's post was pretty lame. I wasn't up to speed yet when I sat to write, and not even caffeinated at all. But as I listened to a discussion in my Relief Society class yesterday morning, I heard something that made me lean over to Dear Friend Micheale and say, "I should blog about that." So today's topic is a bit more thought out for you than yesterday's.

Our discussion focused on President Uchtdorf's talk in October Conference called "The Infinite Power of Hope". The entire message is amazing. Our lovely teacher, Marilyn, emphasized that hope is an active quality. You can just sit back "hoping". That is the same as wishing, and except for a few fairy tale princesses, that never came to fruition. Hope requires action. DF Micheale succinctly called it "fake it 'til you make it".

Marilyn kept us thinking toward the Hope we can have in Christ. (After all, that is why Christmas is such a jubilant celebration, right? We have hope in Christ.) She brought 10 of us to the front and handed us a little word strip. As someone in the class read the following quote from the article, she asked us to turn our word around for the group to read. The collection of words used in defining and describing hope was powerful.

President Uchtdorf said the following: "Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding TRUST that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is CONFIDENCE that if we live according to God's laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is BELIEVING and EXPECTING that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in CONFIDENCE, OPTIMISM, ENTHUSIASM, and PERSEVERANCE. In the language of the gospel, this hope is SURE, UNWAVERING, and ACTIVE."

As she read this, and the ladies in the front turned their word around for the group to see I thought, what a great time to give this lesson. Each of these qualities can be practiced and developed.

I thought they would be a great place to start with New Year's Resolutions. I'm not sure how to quantify them yet, but just to have a quality of hope to practice for say a month, may help along the personal improvement I am looking forward to making in 2009.