Photo by rsathya http://rsathya.wordpress.com/category/Photoblog/I feel like I went on vacation this weekend! I sure didn't but I feel like I did and I can handle the illusion of vacation for sure. General Conference (www.lds.org check it out) was this weekend and it was amazing! Probably my best conference weekend ever. I was more prepared, I went with questions in mind and an open heart...all the things we are encouraged to do and all the things I slack on because I often forget conference is coming. (Like last weekend when my mom said "And conference is next weekend..." and I said no it's not! Like that.)
Anyway, it was an incredible weekend. I was able to go up to Salt Lake for all of the sessions and actually go to the Conference Center for one of them. I love watching Conference in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and that love continues to grow. Allison joined me for all of conference (she was also my ticket into the conference center for the Saturday Afternoon session :) and I enjoyed spending time with her so much. We are both in a similar place in our lives and we were really able to talk and help each other. So many talks really touched me and I was so excited to talk about them with Al afterwards.
Chris Al & I watched the afternoon session together and I was really grateful to spend time with my wonderful friends.
Conference lifted my spirits, strengthened my testimony, answered or led me to answers to prayers, renewed me and helped me to see the things that I can improve about myself. I received a powerful witness that Thomas S Monson is the Prophet this church. I was, as was promised in one of the talks, reminded of things that I forgot I knew, as I pondered the words that were spoken. I felt Heavenly Father's great love for me and I was reminded again and again that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Brother. Through the Atonement I am able to repent, overcome feelings of loneliness, be healed and feel true joy. I was so happy this weekend that everything just made me laugh! Although I know difficult times will come I know I can feel an underlying peace in all aspects of my life if I live a worthy life. I felt as though my heart was soaring all weekend and I just can't give up on that joy. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church and I know this truly is Christ's church. I know we can all find greater peace, greater joy and find the things that seem to be lacking in our lives through the gospel. I want the people I love to feel this too. I know it's true! I know I am of great worth and I know that I am a Daughter of God. What more can a person ask for?
Now, to close my rant I would like to refer back to my previous post about change. My sweet Mom shared an article with me that she felt I should read. She said that she thought of me as she read it and so she directed me to it. Although she was hesitant at first to tell me the name of the article (Preparing Yourself for Marriage) I'm glad she told me about it. Allison and I came home last night and read it out loud together and both felt like we received answers that we were looking for. I'm going to share the section that I think my mom felt would help with my questions from the last blog and I'll also put a link to the whole article because it was wonderful. Here it is!
"
In looking forward to marriage, do not assume a wait-and-see posture. This is not just a period for marking time or treading water. Seek to become a happy, productive person in your own right. If you have been unsuccessful in love or hurt or betrayed or ignored, break away from complaining and self-pity. Fill your life with all the things that will improve the head, the heart, and the hand.
Read out of the best books, beginning with the scriptures. Get to know the great and noble human spirits in history and literature. Reading will open the world to you and make your mind a repository of things you can draw from later. Enjoy the beauties of the earth, of nature, and of the arts. Engage proactively in Church and community service and in social activities. Exercise to improve physical and mental health. Fill your life with journal writing, acquiring new job skills, creating through hobbies, composing music or poetry, missionary work, and family history. I promise you that every gift you develop now will be a valuable asset when you have a family."
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=4a69db98e2b9c110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1
3 comments:
Aw, I'm so glad you blogged about that article. I read it a while ago and totally loved it! I've been thinking a lot on the topic of marriage and even what to do after graduating in April. Especially after receiving pretty strong promptings that I was not to go on a mission (which was actually pretty devastating... but I'm working on making the best out of it).
That article combined with the talk Pres. Uchtdorf gave at the RS Broadcast really direct me in what I needed to be doing right now. How I could best use my time to truly be happy and reach my potential. I even made a collage on my wall around the quote: "Happiness is your Heritage!" to remind me of all the things I have to be happy about and goals that I should constantly be working towards.
I love you, Beth! I'm so glad this weekend was as helpful to you as it was to me and I am so glad we're friends! You're amazing!!
Beth! Gorgeous picture, and I'm so glad this was such a good conference for you. That is the amazing beauty of conference, everyone who wants to gets exactly what they need from it. I LOVE YOU!
Hey girl! That article is great! I love the small little tie back that it has to Elder Uchtdorf's talk at the Women's Conference about creating things in our lives to find happiness. I 100% agree with the reading the best of books thing too. I recently have started reading some of the older books and I can feel that my mind has improved and I want it to improve more. I really like that entire passage (whether married or not). Love you!!!
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