It is Conference morning. I would love to be running the
marathon, but I am not going to. I am
not in shape and ready to run, I am so grateful to be a Mother, I will not
trade that blessing for a marathon ever!
Today I choose to stay home and teach by example that it is most
important to be in the right place at the right time.
My beautiful family spent all day yesterday working from
before the sun was up until way late to help with registration at the marathon
check in. We provided a beautiful place
for families to gather and play together. I am grateful for my dear best friend
who is so generous and makes it possible by his labor and the blessings of our
Heavenly Father for us to have such abundance.
We had lots, I mean LOTS of games at the Dixie Center outside. My cute C
team was there from 9 am until after 9 last night! A team of us went earlier to set up and then
the second team joined us about 9 so Sam could go to class. What a day!
Today we will have the blessing of hearing from our Prophets
and Apostles. I am so grateful for the opportunity
to turn our hearts and minds to the will of the Lord. In ancient days, and even
not so ancient the people had to travel great distances to hear from Prophets
and Apostles. Today all we have to do is turn on a device. I am so blessed. And
yet, in that abundance, so many don’t take the opportunity to listen. It was
Sister Carole Stephens this summer who said, “It isn’t that the Prophets and
Apostles aren’t telling us what we need to do, it is that we aren’t listening.” I want to be one who listens and hears the
advice for me through the voices of the leaders that our Father in Heaven has
chosen to lead and guide. I am grateful and excited to hear from them this
morning and this weekend.
We have been challenged by those great leaders to write down
our questions, and promised that if we will do that and then listen and pray
for answers, that the answers will come.
Questions in my heart at this time:
How can I better communicate with those around me so I don’t
find myself at odds with others, or is it that I need to stand up and sometimes
that will mean I have to be at odds? I
don’t want to be a negative person. I have noticed that lately I have had to
work hard to be positive. Just this
morning we have a frustrating situation happening, with regards to young girls
staying in our home. It is 4 am and I am up because I have been worried about
who is in my home. Brad is gone, and that compounds the problem of my worries.
It is wrong for me to expect communication from others with whom I
interact. This seems to be a problem
between me and Paulsen’s as well. They
don’t even get that often simple communication could have avoided the
contention and misunderstanding.
This week I had the opportunity to meet with the new and the
outgoing YW Presidency. Sister Tiffany
Nelson shared that in their presidency, one of the things that she loved, was
that there was always a positive light on their discussions. She said it wasn’t
that they didn’t cover touchy topics or concerns, but that Sister Staheli
always seemed to turn the situation to a positive, uplifting opportunity. I want to be that way. In my heart that says
that they still had concerns, she still would share that they needed to pray
for certain girls or leaders, but they always did it in a positive light. I
want to have that characteristic.
I have noticed lately that I have been concerned about
different situations, and I share those frustrations with my best friend,
Bradley. I am so grateful for him! I don’t
want our marriage to be frought with the negative concerns of life. I want to
be positive and uplifiting to him especially.
I want to be positive with myself and my family! How can I deal with those situations and
conerns and yet stay positive? Certainly
life is full of frustrations. To just avoid the topics doesn’t address the
concerns. I want to stay uplifting and positive.
Along those lines, like this morning, sometimes I think that
means that I have to take a stand, and that may not always be liked by others.
Is that ok?
In my new calling, I have concerns about what my role is
there. I want this positive attitude to be carried there. I am in possibly a
precarious situation with my husband the counselor over YW and I am in the
Presidency but not the President. I want to always honor the lines of
communication there. I don’t want to be the one in the middle. Sometimes does that mean not sharing with
Brad? He is my best friend, and I don’t withhold from him. I want to learn that
proper role please Heavenly Father!
I am mindful of my Liesl. She finds herself without an
eternal companion in a situation in Idaho that I am uncomfortable with. I pray
for answers for her! President Uchtdorf
last week joked about wishing that we could pray for Mr. Right to show up on
our doorstep with flowers. That is exactly our wish. What can I do as her
Mother to help her in this stage of her life?
What is right to say? What is right to do?
As the Mother today of young married couples as well as the
mother of a 4 year old, I have many Mom hats that I wear. They are different
and unique. For Sam the challenges of
dating and high school are the top. That is different than for Chandler and
Haley or Jed and Annie. Please send me answers Heavenly Father on my proper
roles in all those stages?
Brad and I have said often that General Conference is like
the preview of Conference. I love to study the words, and pour over them. It is
similar to the statue garden at thanksgiving point. The statues are so close
together and the messages so diverse, that I wish that I could absorb one at a
time instead of all of them on top of each other. While visiting the gardens
with Angela, she runs from one sculpture to the next, and I often have to say
stop, I am not ready to move on yet. That is how I feel about the conference
talks. Today we will hear from many
leaders and it will be much like running through the garden. I want to just
partake and feast on each one so that I can enjoy it.
I find myself this morning with girls in the basement that I
am frustrated with. If Brad were home, I would be venting, and I believe he
would agree but he silently deals with frustrations and doesn’t let them ruffle
him. How can I deal with situations, and not allow them to ruffle me, but not
be taken advantage of either? I don’t have to be the fix all. Sometimes there
are situations that must be fixed by others. I don’t have to provide all and be
taken advantage of. I want to
learn. Please teach me?
Moving to an uncomfortable relationship, the Paulsen
relationship continues to be rocky. I
seem to be constantly searching for answers there. I am weary of that
relationship dominating my life. Is there something I need to do that this time
in that relationship? This past week, Dave Staple charged through my front
door. It was even frightening to have him so abruptly welcome himself to my
home.
Here in the dark, now 5:10 a.m. I opened my loved copy of
the last General Conference, and opened it randomly to a page. With my little headlight I discovered that
the page I opened to is the talk by Elder Ballard about family councils. This
is a direct answer to these questions. Oh how many problems are solved by
communicating with each other. I am
grateful for personal revelation and direction. In those councils, we are told
to invite the Spirit of the Lord. Elder
Ballard and Elder Eyring both quoted the scripture in the last conference of “whenever
two or more are gathered in my name, there will I be also.” I love that!
Thank you Heavenly Father for answers to my prayers so quickly! I am excited to hear the words this morning.
Tender Miracle instruction just for me. I have struggled
with running or not running. This morning a few minutes ago, Malyn Hobbs left
to go to the starting line. I love to run, but have struggled with if that is
the right place this morning. Sam has homecoming, and I have encouraged him to
say that conference is important – especially the Priesthood session
tonight!!! Anyway, my miracle was as
they were pulling away from the curb – parked up front, starting from the
backyard, there was a rumbling noise. As she pulled away, it was raining. It didn’t stay long, only a few minutes, but to
me it as a testimony that I was not supposed to be going. The windows of heaven
want to open and pour down upon me, but I have to be listening to hear
them. I love conference. I hope Malyn has a great run, but I will get
to run it another time.