Excited

First off I have to say that conference was great. I have such a hard time concentrating though when I am at home watching it on the computer and having five little ones to also try to entertain. But they did very well the first half on Sat. and the first half on Sunday. We were very happy with how much they did sit through.

Caleb had his journal with him and wrote down everyone who spoke, every song, the names of those who prayed. It was cool. He had to make sure everyones names were spelled right and that it was perfectly written.

Don took Caleb with him to the Priesthood session and when they came back at 11 pm. and eating blizzards I knew they had a great time. Don was SO glad he took him and for the time they got to spend together. Caleb sat on the bed with Don and I until about 11:30 and told us some of the things he remembered. WHAT A GREAT MEMORY for them both.

I am so thankful I took notes. I can look back and remember the things that stood out in my mind. One talk that I really loved was on Saturday. It was the first talk. It was given by Elder Bednar. He spoke of loving others and telling them but most importantly showing them. He said we need to become more consistent in the small things that matter so much. He said to bare our testimony and live it.

He gave an example of when he and his wife had small boys at home. THIS MADE DON AND I REALLY LAUGH. WE have the exact same situations in our home. During scripture study or FHE his kids would be saying, "don't breath my air", "don't look at me", "you're touching me".

And at time it can get a bit overwhelming. But if we stay consistent in the things that really matter it will pay off in the long run. Our kids will remember that we were consistent and that we had family prayer and scripture study. That is what is important.

Oh how grateful I am for the Prophets and Apostles. They speak of things like love, hope, Faith.

Pres. Uchtdorf said, "Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden". He also said, "What we think and do determines what we become". And he said, "Don't get discouraged if you stumble at times".

Henry B. Eyring said, "Become better than we are".

L. Tom Perry talked about Integrity

Ann Dibb talked about over coming our challenges with Faith. She mentioned having safety equipment that we need to guide us like the Holy Ghost, prayer, sciptures. And that we must all choose to use these things. She talked about the iron rod and that it is a safety net. And she said we needed to get a grip and hold to the rod.

Russell M. Nelson talked about receiving inspiration and that we can ask, seek, and knock for divine inspiration.

And another favorite of mine was the prophet, Pres. Monson. He talked about service. On his birthday a few months ago he said the only thing he wanted for his birthday was for us to find someone and do something nice for them and to send him letters of how they did this. He received many many letters and cards and pictures and even little fuzzies representing things that people did to serve others. He gave examples of what was done. This teared me up. These young primary kids really reached out to others. What a great example it is if you can forget yourself and reach out to another person in need.

He wanted us to not let our day to day living interfere with serving and not getting too busy to where we don't have time to reach out to others.

He told a story about a father who would ask his children the same question at dinner. The question was, And what did you do for someone today? What a great dinner conversation. I think we are going to have to start using this one.

Elder Holland gave an amazing talk and I wrote some things down but got distracted. I really want to go back and read this talk. I know it was fantastic.

And Quentin L Cook said, "we try to do what is right because we love and want to please the Lord, not because someone is making us". And he talked about the stewardship of ourselves and our family and then that of the poor.

I really am so thankful for the Church. I am absolutely amazed at the teachings we receive from our Heavenly Father through these worthy members. I couldn't be happier to be a member and to have these wonderful examples for my family. I know, without a doubt, that all these things are true and very important for our salvation. It is so excited for me to hear these conference talks. I used to think conference was a great excuse to not have to go to church but now I look at it as an honor to hear these words. I don't want it to end and I wish it lasted longer. What a gift we have. What a wonderful gift to belong to a church that has revelation. In the Article of Faith number 7 it says
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, REVELATION, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

I just love everything about the gospel and I feel it a privilage to be a part of it. It gives me hope, understanding, a sense of love, a ton of FAITH, miracles, endurance, an understanding of the sacrifice our Savior made for each of us, the act of repenting for all my dumb and sometimes serious mistakes, knowing we do not have to be perfect but that we need to strive to always live our lives the best we possibly know how and my favorite....eternal families. Knowing that after we die we will still be a part of our families that we have upon the earth. WOW. How can it get any better?

I am so thankful that we also have hard times and trials and things that sometimes are just down right hard. But I know without them comes NO growth or learning. And the best way for us to become more like Christ is to experience hard things and trying times. Through this we tend to rely more on the Savior and come to Him for understanding. He has graven us upon his hands. He knows each of us by name and he loves us more than we can ever imagine. No matter what we go through he has already been there and felt it and paid for it. Oh how I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. And how eternally grateful I am for Him and His love and understanding.

My heading says EXCITED. I just signed up for an online course at BYU. It is a free course that they offer and it is Family Life 75. It talks alot about Functional Families. I have already started the first section. It goes through and discusses some things and then you take a quiz to see how well you remember the material. I LOVE IT already and just finished the first part. I can't wait to move on. It also has a grid that you print off and write down your own suggestions on how you can have a more functional family and ideas you want to incorporate in your family. I am so glad I found this course.