General Conference!

8 days.
192 hours.
11520 minutes.
691200 seconds.

until.......GENERAL CONFERENCE.

My most favorite time of year--and lucky for me, it comes twice a year--is General Conference.

My memories of General Conference include all the kids piling in the big ugly burnt-red-chipped-paint van to the Hogan building were we occupied a large row (and more) to sit and watch Conference projected in the Chapel. It was always dark, yet we still managed to take notes, draw pictures, endless games of MASH, and the inevitable I'll give you a back rub if you give me a back rub.

I looked forward to my 10th birthday solely because that meant I was able to attend General Conference with my parents. I loved it. Everything was surreal, especially at that age. I sure don't remember what talks were given, or what temples were announced, but I do remember the exact place I was standing as I watched the Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley walked into the Conference Room. I still remember what it looked like and felt like--and I've always had testimony of the truthfulness of the prophets. They are men who are called of God. They are prophet, seers, revelators, and I am truly humbled to be able to sit at their feet next week in the Conference Center and listen to their words.

“Decide now to make general conference a priority in your life. Decide to listen carefully  
and follow the teachings that are given. Listen to or read the talks more than once to better  
understand and follow the counsel. By doing these things, the gates of hell will not prevail against you, 
 the powers of darkness will be dispersed from before you, and the heavens will shake for your good.” 
 - Paul V. Johnson, “The Blessings of General Conference,” Ensign, November 2005, 50


Let us not forget that although, the apostles and Prophet will be speaking to millions of people, and speaking on general topics to a general amount of people, we can make this conference a SPECIFIC conference for you and me. Prepare now by pondering & praying about questions you may have and seek answers for. After all, it is usually though another than our prayers are answered. :)


so excited....
here are few ideas for Conference Helps:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4

reunion of 156.

it snowed here on sunday.

and i admit that ever since then i have been celebrating this snow with copious doses of hot chocolate.

alright, so don't judge. 

to break the fast I invited my summer roommates from wells 156 to come over and eat lunch.
it was an excellent excuse for me to actually cook something--other then instant oatmeal (which is proving to work as a stable diet these days).
i made some corn chowder (but it was so much better than last time). or, maybe it just tasted so good because i was fasting.....i haven't really decided yet. :)

my roommates (i can't believe i forgot to get a picture of us) and i, headed up to the CES fireside to hear President Boyd K. Packer. I surely hope that was not the last time we will hear from him. He loves the doctrine so much--and he is such an example to me because of the amount of influence he has had with CES. CES has been a big part of my life---and will hopefully be my profession!

A few notes from his talk:

-he counseled to "keep our spiritual debt paid off"--don't postpone repentance. do it now.
-he began by saying, "he had an unquenchable desire to bear testimony of the Father." (am i the same?)
-if you at first stumble, do not give up. if you confess your sins, do not look back.
-don't avoid personal contemplation or guilt conscious. you can always be forgiven, you can always change.
-you are not perfect, but you are moving along and trying.
-"come unto Him."

i'm astounded that i was able to hear the Prophet last week, President Packer on Sunday, and Elder Ballard--as well as a member of the 70 next Sunday. God is so good to us.

don't you wish you were at this lunch?

life is great. i don't want to waste any of my time here on earth--and hoping that i am making the best use of time. i'm realizing i can't do it all....and thats okay, but thats why we have our Father in Heaven's help. (read this talk for more on that) i also realized, that there is no such thing as mid-terms. its just more colleges ideas of continuous test and projects due all at the same time, every time. only 6 more weeks in the semester. and right now, the word on my mind is: endure.

but remember, this life is not to just be endured but to be happy along the way.

...

   i've decided the ideal honeymoon would be to travel to all the temples in the world. but, since that is not really possible, i've decided life goal would be one temple in each continent.
North America: check


photo taken during Rexburg trip in April

never forget, you are incredible!

This has been on my mind alot lately. The value of self-worth for women. How easy it is for one to feel slighted in the gospel, or being placed in the "backseat" of marriage. Although, I am not saying this is the case for every marriage, it has just been a common topic at marriage prep.

But, never forget how valuable we are as women. WE ARE INCREDIBLE. Not only as women, but as mothers (and future--mothers too I should add) also.
You can not measure the influence the love or importance of a mother.

"The greatest work we will ever do will be within the walls of our home."
— David O. McKay

You can read the rest of Quentin L. Cook's inspiring address here, and another favorite talk on motherhood here.

Book of Mormon: BLITZ

3 Nephi 11--one of the very best chapters in the Book of Mormon

Ready. Set. Go. 

I set a goal at the beginning of the year that I would finish the Book of Mormon by graduation. 

Well, here I am one month away from graduation and I have half of the Book of Mormon left. 

I'm currently in Alma 30---fascinating Chapter about Korihor--the anti-Christ. He is definitely repersenting the world today and how they attack families, the divinity of the Godhead, and no faith whatsoever. 

Last night, I watched Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, again. And she shared a story of how a young man wanted to come to know if the Book of Mormon was true. He spent an hour each night reading the Book of Mormon, desiring to know for himself. 

I wanted to take this challenge to study the scriptures for an hour each day. I have a "unshaken" testimony that the Book of Mormon is true, but I will still read it with an objective in mind.

I have challenged of friend of mine, to study an hour each day until we finish the Book of Mormon. 

And as I have been studying, ideas come to me, "oh i want to re-read the Book of Mormon with this goal in mind, or looking for specific patters, or other such objectives. 

So....here I go. i MIGHT go on a Book of Mormon blitz to finish my second half in one week, just so that when we start reading for an hour a day, I can start again at the beginning. But, than I might not because I don't want to gloss over anything!

Luckily, it will be the best hour spent in my day, so this is probably the best challenge we can do!

scripture study

In the past couple of months, I have changed. Since all of you that read this little-blog-of-mine, are older and wiser, you might understand the "change" that I have/am experiencing. The one from youth to adulthood. Its difficult, wonderful, hard, inspiring, and challenging all at the same time. It is almost hard to put into words. I have felt this desire to become a "new" me. I ultimately want to strive to be a better person. Most importantly, it has been the best change. And is getting better an better. I began realizing as I was "changing" that I could either choose to take the opportunity to grow and become a better person, or I could choose to be passive and stay in my comfort zone.

I choose to grow.
And I am constantly going to grow.

The Change. I have been a faithful Latter-Day Saint Member my entire life. Born and raised in the Church.
But these past few weeks I have felt like a convert to the gospel. My love and desire have grown exponentially, and I feel like I can not get enough of the truthfulness of the scriptures and the words of the Prophet. I've been spending more hours in the scriptures than I have in my textbooks (well, I've never really studied my text books in the first place, but, you know what I mean).

I know that attending Institute has helped my testimony to grow tremendously. I've immersed myself into everything gospel related, and I have never been happier.

This gospel makes me so happy. I love who I am. I love my purpose in life. I love that through our extremities we come to KNOW Heavenly Father.

So these past few weeks, I have been inquiring of those who I highly respect in the gospel of how to better my Scripture study so I can glean the most from my scriptures.

Now...I ask you, wise mothers, what is something you maybe wished you would have known when you were my age about scripture reading? What is something that you do that is most effective? What has been the best way to organize your scripture journal?

I know your scripture study habits may be personal, but if you have any suggestions or ideas, I would love al the help I can get.

This gospel is always changing me. And I hope I will always be "converting" to the gospel. It is the greatest source of joy, happiness, peace, stability, and love I have in my life.

I just LOVE THE GOSPEL.

institute is just great, "come & see"

seriously. I just wish institute was everyday, it is so good. Ever since I've been going, the idea of working for CES is even more and more tempting. But we will see. :)
I just had to share a couple insights from last weeks lesson.

We are currently studying the Living Prophets, so Oct. 2010 General Conference talks.
This weeks assignment: Be thou an Example by Elder Russell M. Nelson. ( I have a special place in my heart for Elder Nelson, ever since he came to our stake like 10 years ago and I got to sit on his lap for pictures and he called me "his buddy". Sure, he probably told that to every 8 year old he met...but just humor me and think it was sincere.)

Watch this very inspiring movie clip if you are interested, which you should be, because it is amazing. It gave me chills the whole time.

"COME AND SEE"

If you listen closely enough, the background music for the movie is the Hymn "Brightly Beams our Fathers Mercy". Which has a fascinating background story of how the hymn was written by a Protestant, named Phillip Paul Bliss. I couldn't find the perfect copy of the story...but this was the best I could find. 

"On a dark, stormy night, when the waves rolled like mountains and not a star was to be seen, a boat rocking and plunging, neared the Cleveland harbor. ‘Are you sure this is Cleveland?’ asked the captain, seeing only one light from the light-house. ‘Quite sure, sir,’ replied the pilot. ‘Where are the lower lights?’ ‘Gone out, sir.’ ‘Can you make the harbor?’ ‘We must, or perish, sir!’ And with a strong hand and a brave heart, the old pilot turned the wheel. But alas, in the darkness he missed the channel, and with a crash upon the rocks the boat was shivered, and many a life lost in a watery grave. Brethren, the Master will take care of the great light-house; let us keep the lower lights burning!" 

Essentially, we, as members of the Church are the lower lights who direct others to Christ. Therefore, we need to let our light shine all the time. Elder Nelson also said that "some know not where to find it." Even more reason that we need to always be examples of the believers (1 Tim. 4:12). "Helping lead them to Christ, can be their gateway to Salvation," Elder Nelson said. 

This was just a small part of the lesson. But I loved everything about this lesson, and that 

"EVERY MEMBER A MISSIONARY" 

we don't need a name tag, or a calling, we can be missionaries everyday.