Jones Journey: May 2010

Well, another birthday has come & gone, but at least I don't FEEL any older right? When Danny asked what I wanted for my birthday I said that I wanted to go to Zions & hike Angels Landing, then go to dinner & a movie. He agreed & we had a great day.

We ate lunch at a cute little place in Springdale & the weather was perfect. Then we headed out on the hike. Let me just preface with the fact that it has been about 15 years (and 4 kids) since I have done Angels Landing & it was a lot harder than I remembered! I wanted to give up & turn back several times but Danny kept me going & it was totally worth it! The view was amazing & I had such an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. It literally felt like we were on top of the world. But the best part was so much uninterrupted time with my main squeeze ;0)

We rushed home to shower & change then met some friends at the Anasazi Steakhouse-YUM! Since we had some time to kill before the movie, we went and grabbed some Krave-double YUM! Then we went and saw Robin Hood. It was a pretty good flick-Russell Crowe is always amazing. I still like the Kevin Costner Robin Hood too, they are very different versions of the Robin Hood story, so it is kinda hard to compare them. Anyway- it was an awesome day-best birthday in a LONG time. Thanks Hot Stuff for a great birthday!

I recently returned from the BYU Womens Conference. It was awesome of course! I get the opportunity to go each year (thanks Hot Stuff!) with my sister-in-laws. 2 of them are pictures above. Michelle is in the middle-she is married to Danny's brother Todd. Kim is on the end-she is Danny's oldest sister. Usually my sister-in-law Shannon comes too, but couldn't make it this year due to family responsiblities, i.e. her daughter had a dance recital. Oh how we missed her! This was our 4th year & the first time that one of us couldn't make it :0(
I wanted to share a few of the tidbits I learned. Plus, since this is my journal, so to speak, I wanted to record my thoughts & what I learned & the personal inspiration I felt.
It started Thursday morning with Sister Julie B. Beck-isn't she just amazing! Everytime I hear her speak I want to be better & do better. Here are a few of the highlights from her talk:
* We are only limited by our faithfulness
* The most important skill we can gain in this life is to discern & use the spirit (personal revelation)
* Mothers are the Lioness at the gate of the home. We need to guard our homes just like a Lioness would guard her cubs
* What matters to the mother happens in the home. If FHE matters to the mother-it will happen in the home. Where are our priorities & what matters to us?
*If our priorities are out of order we will lose our power
* She mentioned that when she was a young mother, and sturggling with balancing & juggling it all, she came up with a system that helped her keep her priorities in line. She made 3 lists. The first list was the Essentials (essential to eternal life & exhaltation): prayer, scripture study, temple attendance, FHE, fulfilling callings, church attendance, service, visiting teaching. The second list was the Neccesary (neccesary to sustain home & family life): cooking, cleaning, laundry, homemaking, homework. The third list was the Nice To Do: hobbies, crafts, recreation, girls nite out, lunch with friends. She promised that if we will make the Essentials our first priority then we will always have time for the Neccesary & even a few of the Nice To Do, but if we focus on the other two first, then we will never find the time for the Essentials. How profound! This was my most favorite insight of the weekend. I can't wait to implament this in my life-I think it will make a huge difference. I am embarrased to admit, but the Essential were probably the last things that I worried about doing. The Neccesary seem to run my life-leaving little time for much else. I am excited to put her ideas & promise to the test :0)
Thursday I chose several classes on scriptures & how to study them. Here are the highlights from those classes:
* Show children how to use the scriptures to solve problems or answer questions
* Keep scriptures in your car & purse-when you have a moment waiting in line at the drive up window, waiting for children etc, use that time to read the scriptures
* Patient Persistance...it takes time & effort to understand & enjoy studying the scriptures
*Are our children spiritually starving? We are the mothers-it is our responsibility to teach our children the gospel. We can't leave it up to the primary, YM/YW, or seminary. It is up to us!
* Our testimony is the greatest gift we can give our children...do they have it?
* It is thru rearing children that a mother works out her own salvation
* Repeat the scripture stories over & over until children know them by heart
* Expect more, not less, from our children & ourselves. Children can read & memorize scrpitures from a very early age. Take the time!
* A wise parent never misses a chance to teach of Christ
The thursday afternoon speaker was Sister Forste. She talked about being united in the gospel. Here are the highlights from her talk:
* We all share a testimony of the restored gospel
* We are individuals united in the gospel
* When we all come together it creates a PERFECT 10
* We need to sustain & respect each others righteous choices
* My personal revelation is only for ME! Don't push or judge others based on our own personal revelation (this was an A-ha moment for me)
* Our righteous differences can bond us together
Friday morning started with Sister Allred & Sister Thompson (from the general Relief Society Presidency) talking about all the humanitarian efforts made by the church. They showed several video clips of some of the ways our church is able to reach out & help people all around the world. It was amazing & awe-inspiring. I felt so blessed to be apart of a church that does SO much good all around the world-for member & non-members alike. My favorite quote from Sister Allred: 'We are commanded to become self-reliant so that we can help others'. My favorite quote from Sister Thompson: 'Pray to be the answer to someone's prayer'.
My first class on Friday was 'Selflessness & Sacrifice in Marriage'. Here are the highlights:
* Be united with spouse against Satan
* Selfishness gives Satan power
* Sancification allows unity
* The spirit will not reside side by side with worldly desires
The next class was 'Giving Children the Gift of Work'-this was a great class. One of the presenters was a guy I went to high school with: Hank Smith. He is a seminary & institute teacher now. Apparently he speaks all the time & even has a few CD's out. Pretty much the next John Bytheway. I went and said hi after & it was fun to catch up. He especially made my day when he said 'How come you still look 18 & I look 40?!" Oh Hank, always a charmer! :0)
* The surest way to make it hard for our children is to make it too easy
* Recogize limitations
* Have realistic expectations & give clear instructions
* Teach by working together
* Give praise & give it often! Positive reinforcement yields positive results
* Give service
* See work & the ability to do work as a blessing
* Balance work & play
* The Lord works! 'This is my WORK & my glory'
* It is not fair to judge past decisions with current knowledge (loved this-thanks Hank!)
* Successful parenting is not judged by the righteousness of our children (thanks again Hank!)
* Sweating is as much a divine command as is prayer
* D&C 59:10-we can't rest if we aren't working
* The 3 P's of Helping: Partner Up (don't push, pull or tell, work with them), Positive (consider what God could say vs. what He does say), Patient (we are growing children, not vegetables)
* Consider the difference between Good Success & Bad Success
The next class was 'An Educated Women never ceaseth to Learn', here are the highlights:
* Learn the doctrines of the kingdom-get the understanding in our lives & the lives of our children. Elder Nelson: 'Get the doctrine into our bones'
* "Getting" of the world doesn't go with us. Proverbs 4:7, D&C 130: 18-19
*John Taylor: "It is true intelligence for a woman to take a subject that is mysterious & great in itself & to unfold & simplify it so that a child can understand"
*D&C 93:36- the glory of God is intelligence
* Moses 1:11-use our spiritual eyes. The more pure we are the better our spiritual eyes will work & the more spiritual things we will see
* True knowledge-remember & understanding things we already knew in the pre-existance
* Scriptures are the source of all blessings, answers & happiness
* Act on personal revelation-heed promptings quickly
* We will not recognize big promptings if we are not listening & heeding the small ones
The final talk on friday afternoon was Elder & Sister Oaks. They were incredible! I couldnt take notes fast enough! What a wonderful spirit they brought to the conference. From Sister Oaks:
* We can make a difference only to the degree that we are different
* In the resurrection we will be a product of our choices
* Seek for an increase in spirit & avoid worldly distractions
* Counting calories vs. counting blessings
* Time & age may ravish us, but our core beliefs & knowledge of the doctrine will remain intact
* Rise above form & meet the function
Elder Oaks:
*Our world today is summed up by 'American worship of Individualism' (Selfishness, self-centered, living unto self)
* Frank Sinatra's 'I did it my way' will NOT be sung in the Celestial Kingdom
* Being a mother is a cure for our own self-centeredness
* The Lord knows our heart & the reasons we serve. Why do I serve?
* Work for a condition of less concern for self
* Obsessive concern for self is destructive (where does a "bad hair day' fit into the eternal scheme of things...besides-no one else cares!)
* Without service our spiritual growth is stunted
* It is amazing what you can get done when you aren't worried about who gets the credit
* Weak marriages are caused by putting our own needs above our spouse & family
* Marriages are al iving thing-if they are 'sick', we try to heal them, not give up on them
* Selfishness weakens family bonds
* Never forget Who you serve & Who is in charge. Trust in His words, promises & blessings
It is such an awesome experience to be there with 15,000 women who have the same concerns, hopes & fears as you do. That many women singing the hymns together is quite powerful as well! Anyway-that about covers it. Sorry if this is long & boring-or makes no sense! But I hope to never forget the things I learned & the feelings that I had. Thank heavens for Womens Conference! It is always the boost that I need to recommit to the things I know I should be doing. See ya next year!