Time Out For Women

So this weekend Amy and I went to the Time Out For Women at the Convention Center.  It was awesome.  Friday we heard from Virginia Pearce, President Hinckley's daughter, John Bytheway and Michael Mcclean.   It was awesome.  John Bytheway is a bishop now and told a story about how our trials are really blessings in disguise.  He told about how his house caught on fire and it totaled his kitchen.  His first thought was "Why me?  I'm the bishop.  I've been doing good."  But the next day the insurance person told him that they'd have to replace all of the carpet in the whole house and the stairway and kitchen.   So it ended up being a blessing because their insurance paid for everything.  It's all about our perception. 
Sister Pearce talked about the key to Happiness.  She said the key to happiness was to "limit your options and lower your expectations."  So true.  

 

Saturday we heard from 5 different speakers and Jericho Road was the musical performers.  They were awesome.  They have a new CD out with hymns and other songs on it.  They played them off and on between speakers.  The theme for this weekend was the scripture  about how His ways are Higher than our ways. 

Our first speaker of the day was Chris Williams.  Chris lost his Pregnant wife, middle son and only daughter in a car accident when they were hit by a drunk driver.  You can see a video on it at: http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911104787001

He talked on his experience and how important it is to forgive others.  It was amazing.  I think his talk has made the most difference in my life.  He said that he kept hearing a voice in his head that said, "Let it go".  I think that every single day, since I heard him talk, I have had that pop into my head when I have gotten upset about things.  Drivers, things at work, kids, myself, etc... Those things aren't eternal problems.  They are nothing compared to what Chris went through so there is absolutely no reason to get upset about them.  If Chris can forgive a teenager who took half of his family from him then surely I can overlook others faults and remember the Savior and that there is a higher being that knows whats best for me and that I need to act as he would.  Chris taught 3 great things: #1 Have an Eternal Perspective.  #2 Have patience and #3 Continue to progress.

 

Our next speaker was Emily Watts.  She spoke on how if everything is balanced in your life then you're not moving forward.  She said to Lean Into Life and that things in life need to be a little uncomfortable.  Here were her 4 points:

#1 Trust Him to act according to the bigger picture.

#2 Fair is not the same as perfectly equal.

#3 He guides & protcets my children more than I'll ever know.

#4 He needs me to use the gifts he has given me.  He will magnify them if we use them for good. 

She also talked about how if we are where we are supposed to be, then something gets in.  Her explanation about that was how at home when her grand-kids come over to watch General Conference they get to play with certain blocks that are mainly used for Conference.  Well, one day when they were over she heard her 3 year old granddaughter say to her brother, "I want to play with these blocks.  You can use the Uchtdorfs."  Of course meaning the other blocks.  So even a little 3 year old got something out of Conference just because she was where she was supposed to be.  I have ALWAYS thought this way.  We would always have treats for mutual and one leader said that we should stop because that was all they were coming for.  I told her that I didn't care why they were here, all I cared about was that they came.  Something will sink in.  I related a lot with this speaker.  She was great.

 

Next was John Hilton.  He talked about lifting your eyes to Heaven.  He like the others talked about "Tapping into the vision of what God already has in store for you".  The Eternal Perspective. He used Proverbs 29:18  Where there is no ^avision, the people ^bperish: but he that ^ckeepeth the ^dlaw, ^ehappy is he.

My favorite quote from him was, "When you are in over your head...Look Up"  

John also said that you can't look up to Heaven and sideways to see what everyone else is doing.   He also touched on how you never know what is going to make the difference so you must ACT.  The mundane can be miraculous!  He was great too.  

 

Next up was Merilee Boyack and she is me 10 years from now.  Her topic was We Are All Enlisted.  She talked about how we are WARRIOR WOMEN and MUST stand for truth and righteousness.  She had us repeat, "I know that I am a warrior in God's army fighting for good.  I will speak up for truth and defend my family."  She used D&C 68:6  Wherefore, be of good ^acheer, and do not ^bfear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I ^cwas, that I am, and that I am to come.  Which is much like my all time favorite scripture Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.  Our YW motto is I will STAND for truth and righteousness.  Not sit.  Stand.  We must stand up to every little thing that tries to bring us and others down.  God depends on us.  I LOVED her talk.  I could listen to her talk over and over.  Heck, I could give her talk.   It was AWESOME!!!

The last speaker was Emily Freeman.  Her title was Reaches My Reaching.  She talked about how the Lord can do miracles if we stretch.  She also talked on Looking up and she said, "In your moment of doubt, turn to the Lord."  

It was a great weekend but at the very end of it I thought to myself that it wasn't as spiritual as I thought it was going to be.  I thought at some point I would have moved by the spirit and the Lord would have let me know that this was more than just a pep talk.  During the whole thing they had booths up selling Deseret stuff.  One table had YW things and they had the cutest rings.  They are 1 big flower in each of the value colors.  Our Young Women in Excellence theme is "Bloom where you're planted."  So I thought it will be perfect.  ANYWAY...I got 24 of them and stood in the huge line to check out and then thought,  danggit I wanted to get one of those new Jericho Road CD's but there was NO WAY that I was getting out of the huge line to go find one.  Just then a lady came up and started talking to the lady in front of me about the Jericho Road CD that she had in her hand.  She asked where she got it and said that she was going to go get one.  Just then the lady in front of them said, "Can you get me one?"  and then I hurried and said, "ME TOO?!"  She laughed and said OK and came back with 2 of their new ones and a couple of their other ones.  So I bought it and all of the rings and sat down.  I didn't look at the CD to see what songs were on it I just put it in my bag and sat down.  At the very end Jericho Road was going to sing the closing song and they were having technical difficulties.  I leaned over to Amy and asked her if we should just go but then they started to talk about the song and how important it is to aim for our Heavenly Home.  Then they said the name of the song was, Homeward Bound.  I instantly got a lump in my throat and told Amy that I hadn't heard that song since my Grandma Schow's funeral.  They sang the most beautiful version I've ever heard.  I cried the entire time and was grateful that the Lord put that lady in my path to get that CD for me because I got it out to look at it and sure enough Homeward Bound was on there.  I knew the Lord heard my thoughts and wanted me to know that he knows I am here and that what I heard this weekend was important and true.  It was a perfect ending to an incredible weekend.