Conference Weekend

(see below for pictures of the weekend with CK and A....I am starting with Conference notes)

General Conference: My favorite two times of the year! I so look forward to it every October and April. This last weekend was General Conference. Oh, how I love it! To get to sit at the feet of prophets and feel the love of the Lord and His counsel and direction. What a blessing!

A few (a very few...I have pages of notes) things that struck me this weekend:

• Brother McConkie: When we ask the Lord a question in prayer, we can hear "That's a good question. What does it say in the scriptures?"
• Elder Christofferson: Life offers you two precious gifts: time and agency to do with what you want of that time. Life is a stewardship of time and choices. 5 elements to a consecrated life: purity, work, respect for one's physical body, service, and integrity.
• President Uchtdorf: Diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the world. We have reason to rejoice, not rush!
• Elder Cook: Black out from our homes that which destroys light and hope.
• Elder Gong: Savior takes care of it all. World looks to self-help books, but we cannot save ourselves.
• Elder Scott: Consistent righteous life produces inner power and strength. Empowering principles of faith: trust in God, obedience to commandments, sensitivity to promptings of the Spirit, and patience.
• President Eyring: We show trust in God when we listen with intent to learn and then go and do.
• Sister Cook: Be an example of the believers. Never permit ourselves to do anything we would not want our children to do.
• President Monson: Giving thanks opens the doors of heaven and we see God's love. To live with gratitude in our hearts is to touch heaven.
• Elder Bednar: Do we get distracted by the routine of living and forget the gift of the Holy Ghost? Everything the gospel teaches us to do and become is to allow us the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Okay...there was so much more. Just looking in my journal to see what notes I wanted to share brought back the amazing spirit of the conference and helps me see where I can improve my life and where I just need to keep doing what I am doing. Again, what an amazing blessing General Conference is!

Now...for the weekend. It wasn't just conference that was amazing. The kids and I left Friday after school (which happened to be a half day...so we left at 1:00) to go to Oklahoma to meet CK and his daughter, A. Oklahoma is about half way for us...so we met there. We had so much fun. We played and laughed and, of course, watched/listened to conference. The kids loved each other and enjoyed (for the most part) their time together. A couple of times they even fought like siblings.

Here they are playing ping pong in the game room down the hall. They loved to pile up their pillows and blankets and jump in to them. Breakfast (C is not really grumpy...he just was making a face for the camera): Swimming. The water was warm, even though the air outside was cool. They must heat it. It was fun. The three bigger kids swam and played together the whole time. J liked the hot tub best. Good thing it wasn't super hot. We took a short hike down to the lake before the Priesthood session. It was fun. The kids loved it. I didn't even have my make up on, so I am not looking my best, but this is one of the few pictures of me with CK. And, I do love my eyes.....they look almost fake the water makes them so blue.

I had brought some blocks for J to use during conference. He didn't. But, C did. This is the conference center. If you know what it looks like, he did a really great job at capturing it, fountains and all. While CK was at the priesthood session, the girls put on a fashion show. A was great at being the director. On Sunday, we had to check out before any session of conference. We went and watched it at the local branch building. We then found a park to eat at between sessions. I had made soup on Friday before we left and warmed it up Sunday morning. We had fun eating at the park, even though the wind was blowing and it was a chilly fall day.

We had a great time. We enjoyed each other's company and the company of the prophets. I expected a great weekend and it was even better than I had dreamed. For those of you that know me and worry.....CK and I had different bedrooms. No worries. :) There is a very real possibility that someday we will be married...then is when we will share a room. ;) Not before.