General Conference!

It has been days since I have blogged, but I have felt a strong urging to sit down and record my feelings this night. I have tons of pictures and memories that I have waiting to journal, and I will get to them... someday! But, for now I wanted to journal the feelings in my heart... about General Conference.

What a great two days! What a privelege it is to live in this dispensation, to have a Prophet of the Lord on the earth, to lead, guide, and direct us. What a comfort it is to know that our Heavenly Father knows us and loves us. What an opportunity it is to listen to the voices of His servants and to learn from them.

I have come from this conference with renewed committment to be better, to try harder to strengthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father, with my husband, with my children, and with ALL those whom I come in contact with. I love Conference because it is such a boost of confidence, encouragement, and optimism - mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually!

In particular, I truly loved what Elder Bednar had to say. It gave me such a new outlook at prayer, and inspiration to follow his instructions. I have struggled with morning prayer very much. I love how his guidance in our prayers and how they govern our everyday lives, as we truly counsel with our Heavenly Father about our lives. I never really thought about it in that respect, but it brought new meaning and life for my relationship with my Heavenly Father, and how to receive the help and guidance that I need.

I loved President Eyring, as always. He is such an inspiring man. I have been reading one of his books and I am so humbled by his testimony, his simplicity, his boldness, and his ability to relate how we feel to gospel principles. I loved his talk on unity. This has been our family theme this year - which has been much needed. I was so grateful when, as he recited the verse from the pulpit, my children were able to recite Mosiah 18:21 in unity with him! What great blessings are in store for us if we will heed his counsel - if we will unify ourselves, not just as earthly families, but ward families, too!

I found strength in President Monson's talk in enjoying the journey. This has been my personal goal for the past few months. To take time and see the rainbows with my children, and to TRY to let the work sit. The work is never-ending, it will never stop. It is on-going. So, just when I get the kitchen clean, the floors picked up, the table-tops cleaned-off, the kids rooms sparkling, and the laundry put away, I retire to my bed with a smile... knowing that when I wake up in the morning, the house will greet me with the same smile of peace and comfort. But, only moments later, my smile will be smeared off my face as my children awake from their slumber and be who they are... kids! We have to stop and enjoy the precious time we have with them, before it is gone. Because, as he said from a quote, "Childhood never comes back." I have found greater joy in my children as I have prioritized less on the house and more on my children! And... my desire is even greater. I still need to do more! I can do better!

I enjoyed Elder Wirthlin's talk on "Come what may and love it" (his mother's motto). What lessons there are to learn. Life deals crap to everyone at some point in our lives. We can either choose to drowned in our crap, or we can humbly wade through it! At some point, the Lord will deliver us, if we rely on him, continue to pray for deliverance, have meekness, learn to laugh, and be faithful! I loved his comment: "Put your trust in the Lord. Do your best and the Lord will take care of the rest." Our move and life up here has been no bed of roses. We have shed many tears, fears, and sleepless nights. However, we have tried to have faith, and allowed the Lord to show us the way and guide our lives. What great blessings he has bestowed upon us at this time in our lives! The sun does come out after it rains, AND there most always is a rainbow! We feel so blessed, for all that has come our way. And in the midst of it, it was REALLY HARD to enjoy it and LOVE it, but I can honestly say now, that I am so grateful for the struggles. They truly make all of us who we are today.

I also appreciated Elder Oaks talk on the reverence of Sacrament Meeting. I think all of us have something to learn and gain from that. Something that perhaps we can do better, as mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, etc. Our society today has become very casual, no doubt. I appreciated his boldness in expressing the need for sacredness and reverence for the NECESSARY ordinance in our lives that the Lord has graciously given us the opportunity to participate in weekly!

I enjoyed all of the talks. I have much new strength and courage to stand a little taller, try a little harder, be a little better, and share my testimony with others. I am grateful, also, that my parents were able to come up and stay with us. What a great blessing it was to have them in our new home and for them to spend time with us. It was wonderful to feel of their spirit and to watch conference with them. We truly had a great time, and I hope that they did, too. I think the kids highlight of the whole thing was Grandpa's magic tricks that he did! I thinks he had me totally fooled on all of them, but I am a little more keen than he thinks. Overall, I am so grateful for an amazing weekend, that I got to enjoy with my husband, my children, my parents, AND the Lord's most valiant servants. Can it get any better than that?

I love this gospel and I know it is true. I am richly blessed to have it in my life, to have been born of good parents who have raised me in righteousness and have taught me the principles of the gospel. I feel the power of the scriptures everytime I read and I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and if we read from it often, we can feel closer to our Savior and gain guidance in our lives. I KNOW Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Lord. I know that we have a living prophet on the earth TODAY that counsels with the Lord daily, loves us, prays for us, and teaches us what our Father in Heaven would have us know and do to return to Him someday. I love my dear husband, for ALL the man that he is. He is mine forever! What a sweet promise and blessing that is, if I will live worthy of it, of Him! And my children can be mine forever, due to the sealing power which is ours, should we partake of it and also be worthy of it! I love the Lord. I know HE LIVES! To this, I bear testimony.