I delight in themes of conference.

saturday am conference exodus

october 2013

salt lake city, ut

General Conference was SO good. Although the night before was long one (but such a good one), I met conference morning with happiness in my heart and great hope for answers that surely would come.

While you'll hear me talk about this conference for the next 6 months, I have to start by sharing some themes that stood out to me. Overall, I felt impressed that the prophets and apostles were speaking with a great voice of warning to the signs of the times that are upon us. Let there be no doubt that we have been warned about the wiles of the adversary which will tempt us in these the last days. Prophecy is being fulfilled at a rapid rate and it requires discernment, we need the companionship of the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.

Other themes included:
have courage not to compromise
how to receive strength
don't be deceived by satan and the world
covenants: make them, live them, love them
the priesthood and me
the essential role of women in the home
there are significant lessons to be learned in these difficult times
this is the Lord's church and the Lord's doctrine
pray to invite someone to receive the missionary lessons
the importance of our spiritual and physical well-being
we need the holy ghost's companionship
love others. be kind. have compassion.

Overall, I felt impressed that we as Mormons, as Latter-day Saints, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must be clear, we follow Jesus Christ.

Let there be no doubt about it in the thoughts of our heart, in our actions and deeds whose we are (children of a loving Heavenly Father) and who we follow (our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ). We must settle these things within us and live accordingly.

I delight in letting things go.

shadow proves the sunshine

                                                                                                                           sacred grove, palmyra new york

                                                                               july 2010

I'm really good at holding on to things. Rocks I picked up in Montana 20 years ago, a set of stamps I bought when I was 8, notes from friends I received in the first grade, pennies I sent through the penny smasher in Yellowstone when I was some single digit age. If I've been holding on to that stuff for so long, you can only imagine all the things I've held onto since then. You've got the picture right?

Well, this week I had a break through. Okay, maybe it was only half a breakthrough, probably not even that. I realized that it takes me such a fraction of the time that it used to to let hurtful things go. Events of the week played out a perfect stage for disappointment. I always have high hopes that someone, anyone will step up to the plate and that things will 'turn out different this time.' I am always disappointed and this time proved no different. Don't get me wrong, somehow I convince myself to be extremely optimistic about the situation every time but alas things turn out being all too familiar and again I am crushed. But I'm crushed a lot less permanently and resiliency springs into play. Really, it's forgiveness first and resiliency second. We all make choices and we can all learn from the choices we make and we can choose to make better choices in the future. Of this I am certain and continually hopeful.

If I haven't lost you, well then consider yourself lucky because I might have lost myself at this point. You see, I see no good in playing out specifics because a time will come when I'll read this and go...hum I wonder what that situation was? I don't know but I'm glad I learned something from it. If the specifics were here, then I'd read it and be hurt all over again. I know myself that well.

Back to the resiliency concept for a moment though...it's a word we don't hear too often. And yet, this week I've heard it twice. In the Ensign Magazine that arrived today there was an article on Raising Resilient Children, and what great suggestions and experiences are shared to help facilitate it and if not facilitate at least get us starting to think about it. The other moment I heard about it was in a research study whose population was families of children with autism and down syndrome. It was a study comparing parents of both.  I'm not a parent of both but a sibling of both. As I read the research article, it struck a cord with me. We are forced to either crumble or be resilient, especially in times of trial. I'm not sure how my parents taught me to be resilient but they did and I'm currently working to figure out how they did such a good job. Probably because they themselves are the best examples of this term. The ability to spring back into shape after bending and compression...that's resiliency and that is a skill we all need.

And so, here's to letting things go. Here's to saying to ourselves choose the higher road, forgive and move forward. Act, don't just be acted upon. Here's to brighter tomorrows that are full of hope. Really though, it comes back to this..."All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." (quoted from Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service). That's really the source of being able to get through tough times, whatever they may be. Its also the source that enables me and helps me to let go of things that really don't matter and focus on the things that really do.

delighting in week 7/52

 The quality of this photo is terrible but I love it nonetheless. Every time I go to the Brigham City Temple I take pictures, not of the temple but of the tabernacle across the street. It is so photogenic, so historic and so beautifully positioned for a picture. If only my iPhone could have captured the lighting a little better this picture would better represent the illuminating experience of my Saturday morning.

This was a week. A few weeks ago, we were discussing at work what sense we could part with if we had to...and while I'm not sure my voice is a sense per se, I've decided I never want to live without it. Doing my job was interesting with an intermittently present voice but we survived. Cepracol was my bff of the week. Saved my life.

In terms of delights this week, the temple was definitely at the top of the list with institute also in the close running. Reading "5 Minutes Peace" with Christin and adventures with my mom were also right up there. Then there's the haircut...

Yes, I know this is one of those pictures that is just like the before and after pictures for lots of products...before is a picture of unstyled hair, the person has no make up on of course so that when you see the after picture they look completely different because they're all dolled up. Well here you go, I did the same thing. But you know, sadly it wasn't intentional...its just the way it has been. I slowly stopped getting ready, doing things with my hair, etc.  Needless to say, it was time for a change. And so, there it is. We'll see how long the bangs last. I've been scaring myself all day every time I've gotten a glimpse in the mirror of myself. It was a needed change though. And I believe change can rub off to other things.

A short bullet list of other delights:

• giving and getting valentine's day "surprises"
• getting things done ahead of time
• using my planner more effectively
• daily scripture study
• still light at 6 pm
• opportunities to share experiences
• autism advocacy/legislature activity
• experiences that teach you things--2 words: smoke detector
• dancing at PALS with my favorite people
• making sugar cookies with friends, sharing them with friends
• naps
• hearing "sis, i need more snuggles and books"
• the difference between skill deficits and performance deficits
• reminiscing my mission
• playing skip-bo (even though i hate it)
• talking to new people
• making (and eating) delish eclair cake
• scripture time/goal making/weekly planning

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highway don't care--tim mcgraw and taylor swift

doctrine and covenants 123: 12-17

visions of glory (dying to read)

alma 32

autism council of utah

christin's art

talking about talking about an asd dx