Conference is Coming!

Two of my favorite times of the year are April and October when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its semi-annual conference. We listen to inspired messages from church leaders and modern-day prophets and apostles. These words always deliver just what I need to learn (or be reminded of) and give me a needed boost that lasts until the next conference rolls around.

Here's one such gem from April:

"'To be, or not to be' is actually a very good question.¹ The Savior posed the question in a far more profound way, making it a vital doctrinal question for each of us: 'What manner of men [and women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am' (3 Nephi 27:27; emphasis added). The first-person present tense of the verb be is I Am. He invites us to take upon us His name and His nature.

"To become as He is, we must also do the things He did: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do” (3 Nephi 27:21; emphasis added).

"To be and to do are inseparable. As interdependent doctrines they reinforce and promote each other. Faith inspires one to pray, for example, and prayer in turn strengthens one’s faith." (Elder Lynn G. Robbins, "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?")

I soaked in Elder Robbins' words on striving to emphasize be-ing and let the do-ing follow, especially in parenting. It epitomized exactly what I hope to do as a parent and what I feel my parents did for me. His closing words were perfect:

"May your efforts to develop Christlike attributes be successful so that His image may be engraven in your countenance and His attributes manifest in your behavior. Then, when your children or others feel of your love and see your behavior, it will remind them of the Savior and draw them to Him is my prayer and testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

This is exactly what I want to be.

We are sure to enjoy many equally inspired words this weekend.

We had our preview on Saturday night as women all over the world joined together via satellite broadcast for the General Relief Society Meeting of the church. I loved words from President Uchtdorf (as did everyone who watched, I am sure). He used the five petals of a forget-me-not flower as a metaphor of things we as women need to remember: to be patient with ourselves, the difference between a good and a foolish sacrifice, to be happy now, the "why" of the gospel, and that the Lord loves you. What wonderful reminders and the examples he used to illustrate his point truly hit home. If you have twenty minutes, watch it here. You won't regret it.

Also, I loved the chocolate fountain we enjoyed before the broadcast started. Mmmm.

Now I just have to figure out some quiet crafts and activities to keep the kids busy for eight hours (luckily, it's in two-hour increments). Here's what we did last time...

toilet paper roll figures of the prophet and his counselors

and a pulpit for them to speak at