Thoughts on Conference

I think we as members look forward to conference every six months. I must selfishly admit I love the women's conference because it is my "time out" as a mother to go and focus on me.  This year was no different. I love President Uchtdorf's talk...

 It made me think of myself as well as those I love with the five points he addresses.  I think we as women tend to be too hard on ourselves and forget those 5 things. I couldn't help but laugh when he spoke about good and foolish sacrifices. What is ironic about that is, I had just finished preparing my lesson for that Sunday in Relief Society it was very much about what the General Relief Society President had talked about that being about charity, compassion, love etc...I had really wanted to make a book mark with a quote from Sister Allred from her talk from the last general conference (that is what my lesson was) but I just didnt' have time to put it together and I would have had to stay up late that night if I had wanted to do that. Well...I had decided I wasn't going to but then President Uchtdorf made his comment about staying up late to read scriptures and prepare for a talk was a good sacrifice but staying up late and etching the title of the lesson into pot holders for each sister (not so much).  It made me laugh because I had thought about making a handout although I didn't. I was touched mostly by what I saw as his overall message though and that is Heavenly Father loves us and our efforts to live the gospel righteously.  

 The Talk by Elder Cornish was one that really stood out in my mind alot. I cried a lot during his talk because I truly related with his talk on prayer. I particularly enjoyed his story about his piece of fried chicken...

 If you don't remember I will make a brief summary of his story. He worked long hours at a hospital and one evening he left tired and discouraged and he wanted to find a way to be able to go home happy and not bring his "work home with him" to his family. He thought there is a chicken place on my way home if I could just stop have a piece of chicken it would make my ride home (he was on his bike) easier because he was hungry an be able to greet his family in a better attitude. But he found he was short 25 cents. So he prayed that he might find 25 cents. He thought that is a silly request but at that moment meant a lot to him and just before reaching the chicken shop he found a quarter lying in the gutter. He was able to purchase a piece of chicken. Enjoy it. Then return home happy to his family. He expressed how to most that would seem like a silly request but that Heavenly Father hears all of them and will often grant a "silly" request if asked in humility and love.

So some may ask what a silly story why did it impact you so much? Because I have been in a similar situation. After I had my C-Section with Kate I was hopeful to have a VBAC birth with the others. But when I had to undergo heart surgery it was evident that C-Section births were the only option for mine and baby's safety.  So I had a passing thought maybe just maybe we could time it just right to have our last baby (hoping a boy) on Nathan and his Dad's birthday and have three generations of Whittacre men on that birthday. I told Nathan and he thought that would be awesome. But you can't exactly plan a birthday nor can you even really aim for a time like that. But I said a simple prayer telling Heavenly Father that I knew it was a strange request and that I understood if it couldn't be granted but that I thought it would be a really sentimental thing for it to happen. I left it at that...Well as you know August was born on his Dad's and Grandpa's birthday. It makes for a really special day and although to most of the world that may have been a silly request it was one that did mean alot to me.

I know prayers do get answered. Sometimes not in the way we hope but  he makes up for it in the simple yet in my case complicated things.

Then of course our dear prophet, President Monson...oh how I love him! Who doesn't?

Didn't you just love how he greeted everyone with is "Hello". I love how he shows his true self!

I loved his closing talk about revelation (or at least that is what I got from it). I loved his story about the meeting at the temple and feeling prompted to ask the Stake President to speak when President Assay made it clear he was not in attendance but still followed the spirit and all worked out. I know I have had not quite that dramatic of experiences when it comes to revelation but I can testify that revelation is real and I LOVE hearing President Monson relate his.