conference weekend

I whipped up our “conference cinnamon rolls” as well as an easy quiche while Lucy and her friends had a little movie party over here the night before…preparing to be fully ready to listen on Sunday.

But Claire was a pretty great helper with the finishing touches on Sunday morning 🙂

And yes, I know those extra chairs on that poster on the fridge are empty…we were just adding those guys one at a time the previous week learning a little more about them as we added them.

Lucy is my best conference note-taker.  Whenever I ask her questions she knows exactly what has been talked about and I love it.

We had a little brunch between sessions, before Dave and Lu had to take off for Wisconsin for more doctor appointments 🙁

During the second session Josh joined us, and so did some watercolor paints and some face masks 🙂

Claire and I were trying our hand at painting this scene from Bear Lake as we listened.

I know everyone is different, but doing something like that with my hands seems to help me listen better.

Loved Claire’s creation:

 Loved seeing the shapes in that water as we painted.

But really, of course, painting is not what it’s all about.  There were some gems of talks in that conference that really got me thinking.  Nudging me to be better and to do better and to love better. 

I loved that Elder Brook P. Hales talked about how sometimes our prayers aren’t answered as we hope they will be.  His story about the blind woman brought me to tears as it hit so close to home.  You can listen to that talk HERE.

I loved how Elder Eyring talked about how humility and love are the answer to build strong family relationships.  Just love.  (That talk is HERE.)

I loved how Elder Matthias Held talked about how there is so much more than the “physical eye” that builds faith, and that spiritual understanding is something that often cannot be explained through words, it is something that comes from the heart (his talk is HERE).

I loved how Elder Takashi Wada talked about “feasting” on the scriptures (HERE), and loved the sweet conversion story of Elder Juan Pablo Villar (HERE).

My two favorites might be Sister Eubank’s (she talked about how the temple lights went dark, and how our spiritual lights can go dark as well, and the effort to re-light them…it is HERE), and Elder Holland is always my favorite…especially since he pointed out the tears of the missionary choir in the song before, which I had been crying about myself.  His talk is HERE.

I told my family I was going to do 20 ab exercises followed by giving a minute back-rub to each of them one at a time every time the words “Jesus Christ” were said on Sunday morning and boy oh boy, my abs are sore, and everyone was pretty happy about their backrubs…aside from Lucy who doesn’t think back rubs are all that awesome:)

I always get more out of the talks the second time around, so I’m anxious to re-listen, in case you want a link to listen yourself, they are all HERE.

Perhaps my favorite part of the day, though, was sitting in the shade of a tree at the park in between sessions with Grace and Claire, talking over life and thoughts, and having that turn into a deep, heart-felt conversation with Grace after Claire and Bo wandered back home.  We hadn’t invited any families over between sessions like we usually do since Dave was leaving and I was tired, and I’m so grateful for that time just to “be,” and stretch out under that tree on that perfect spring day with my girl who is leaving me so soon.  I just love her so much and I’m so grateful for the questions and observations and wisdom and thoughts she has…and is willing to share with me. 

I also love that my friend came over for a minute that night and we stood out in the yard with her, my girls and I, her asking them what their favorite talks were and them telling her things I never even heard that were beautiful and full of light.  And also a little talk on the porch of my neighbor I love who is full of goodness when I dropped off some extra cinnamon rolls. 

I love conference weekend.