It's been almost a week now, but here are some of the things that made an impression on me...
John Hilton III: Talked about studying the scriptures and understanding that they really do hold the answers to all of our problems. He spoke of Nephi when his brothers bound his wrists with strong cords and how Nephi prayed for strength to loose the bands. He referenced a talk by Elder Bednar where he suggests that he does not think that the bands were simply and instantly loosed and fell from his wrists. He believes that Nephi was given strength beyond his own to work at grinding the ropes between his wrists back and forth, back and forth until they were loosed. It still takes work to get through hard things, but we can pray for and receive strength beyond our own to conquer our trials. John Hilton III also referenced some scriptures that I don't imagine I'll ever forget. Jeremiah 31:3 "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love" and Exodus 33:17 "I know thee by name." So true and good to remember! And finally... I CAN DO HARD THINGS!!!
Laurel Christensen: She is just an amazing woman that knows how to speak to your heart through the spirit with laughter, tears, and rejoicing. One of the most memorable things that she spoke of was the divinity within each one of us. She quoted C.S. Lewis - I think this was the one...
It may be possible for each of us to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbour. The load, or weight, or burden, of my neighbour's glory should be laid daily on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you may talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. If he is your Christian neighbour, he is holy in almost the same way, for in him also Christ vere latitat, the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.
After speaking of our divine worth she invited a mother and daughter (a complete surprise to them) to come to the stage. She asked the remaining 1200 women attending the conference to imagine for a moment how Heavenly Father sees this beautiful daughter of His and to see what He sees she can become... then we were to stand and give her the Standing Ovation of her life! Before we even started clapping this sweet young woman was brought to tears of humility knowing that she was about to be "worshipped" for a moment. At the count of three we all stood, all 1200 of us, clapping and cheering, never wanting to stop... all the while weeping... None of us really knew this young woman at all but I think I could have stood and clapped for her all day. It was amazing. As we caught a glimpse of the amazing potential she has and the love which her Heavenly Father has for her, even as a complete stranger, we could not hold back the applause (or our tears). Laurel Christensen literally had to ask us to stop. Give someone in your family today their own Standing Ovation - it will change your life!
She also spoke of how Heavenly Father does have "favorites" and how we can be one of them as she referenced several scriptures regarding "favor" and "favored" (Psalms 102:13 "For the time to favor her is come," Prov 3:4 "So shalt thou find favor in the sight of God," Prov 12:2 "Good man obtaineth favor of the Lord," Luke 2:52 "Jesus increased in favor with God" - surely Jesus is God's favorite! 1 Nephi 17:35 "He that is righteous is favored of God.")
Another thing Laurel Christensen spoke about were 3rd Party Applications. She shared how the previous night during the Time Out for Couples event her Blackberry Phone decided to quit working (she'd already gone through 3 Blackberried before this one). Since she is the coordinator or event manager she really needs access and use of her phone because that's how she communicates with everyone from the presenters, sound technicians, etc, etc, etc. It is through the use of that phone that the event is best able to run smoothly. She prayed that Heavenly Father might "heal" her Blackberry - took out the battery, put it back in... same message telling her that it was "polluted." She prayed again, "Heavenly Father I know you can heal my Blackberry. I really need this. I know that this may not seem important to you, but it's important to me... therefore it can be important to you. Please heal my blackberry. Wouldn't it be neat if I could tell all the girls tomorrow how you healed my Blackberry? Please help me." Take the battery out, put it back in... "Polluted" still. "Okay Heavenly Father, if you'd rather we can just keep this between you and me. I won't tell the girls tomorrow, but please help me. I know you can save my phone. Please." Changed out the battery... nothing. She prayed a few more times each time with increased faith that He could heal her Blackberry and knowledge that He had the power to do so... but still with no healing. Then this morning as she called the phone company to see if she could get a new phone because hers had been polluted the technician asked if she had downloaded any "3rd Party Applications" since those will often conflict with the programming of the phone and cause it to be "polluted." Ahh... yes. She had downloaded Facebook. In fact she had downloaded it onto all 3 previous Blackberries that had the same pollution problem. She understood. She gave a prayer of thanksgiving to her Heavenly Father for sending her the answer and said "I hear you loud and clear... and I will share this message with the girls tomorrow. " She shared with us how she learned that we need to be cautious of 3rd Pary Applications. Evaluate your lives. Are there any 3rd Party Applications you've downloaded into your everyday life that causes pollution and inhibits your ability to pray and communicate with your Heavenly Father? If so, uninstall them as soon as possible! Get rid of music that desensitizes you to the spirit. Get rid of friends that tempt you to do wrong. Walk out of the movie that makes you feel uncomfortable. Be warry of those 3rd Party Applications! You need the communication lines open so that the event of your life can run as smoothly as possible.
The musicians... they inspired me to be better in so many ways. I love music! It speaks right to my heart! Watching them perform, share their talents and in so doing bless my life has motivated me to stretch my own talents and see what I can do. Who knows... maybe someday I'll try writing a song. Wouldn't that be the day!
My two favorites of the singing bunch were Jenny Jordan Frogley and Hilary Weeks. I love Jenny and could really listen to her all day - what an amazing voice and a great performer! I love Hilary's songs - the melodies, the words, everything about them!
4 comments:
Thanks for sharing some of the highlights, it uplifted me!
What a wonderful conference to get to go to, especially with your loved ones. Thanks for sharing, I would have loved to go, maybe next year.
It was a special day! I'm glad you posted about it, I enjoyed reading the things that stuck out the most to you. We'll have to do it AGAIN!
It was so fun to see you there!
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