General Conference Thoughts

I love conference. As a child we would sit and watch and draw pictures of the speakers or the stories the shared. President Monson was a favorite as a child. He spoke on a level we could understand. And his stories were easy to illustrate. If you asked me then who my favorite apostle was hands down it was President Monson. And et as we said goodbye to our beloved President Hinckley I wondered if I could love the next prophet the same. I hadn't though until just now of the love I had had for him in my childhood.
As I got older I looked forward to conference for different reasons. (except for a few years where I probably didn't look forward to it at all but those have thankfully been swiped form my memory). I loved our family traditions of conference breakfast and snuggling in our Pajamas. I loved the discussions we'd have and sharing our favorite moments. I am grateful for those family traditions. We may not have been as attentive and respectful as we might have been wearing our Sunday best and staying awake at all times but we felt a love for this special occasion and built a strong spiritual bond as a family.
Some of my favorite conference moments are our "Snowboard" trips to Utah with Becky to see my Brother Ryan and making her watch all 4 sessions (what a nazi I was!) I don't think she really appreciated that but she still joined the church despite all that. But like our whole experience together I think I was converted more than she was. I got so much out of those conferences.
Despite this, I have found myself facing a new conference a bit wary that it will not live up to my expectations. This one especially, being an "historical" event. I think I also find conference approaching too quickly before I have done what I felt inspired to do in the last conference. I feel like I'm not ready for more if I haven't even done what I already know I should be doing. Worrying I may feel overwhelmed and discouraged I have not being joyously turning to conference as I have at times. But I am happy to say I was touched deeply by the talks today (and yesterday but some of them I watched today).
Yesterday I did not think about the significance of sustaining a new prophet and let my Martha syndrome keep me from sitting and watching Conference until the afternoon session. But I am so grateful for the internet and the ability to make up for missing it watching it later that day (after my house was cleaned). I was able to show Fede his first solemn assembly today also. I forget that he didn't have easy access to these things in Argentina. They only watched the Sunday am session since the stake center was 3 hrs away and conference is much later for them. So we watched it today on BYU tv(I didn't realize how good BYUtv.org is. it has it all. I am so excited)
Anyways- this morning an instructor form Fede's new job invited us over to watch conference. It was such a nice experience. We felt we made new dear friends and after lunch we had a great discussion. The women sat around and discussed the difficulty of feeling fulfilled as mothers of young children. I cannot express to you all how much I felt that my constant prayers of late have been answered by many of the talks in the afternoon session. Especially Elder Ballard's. He addressed the exact concerns we had discussed as our struggles. It makes me realize how much I turn to the world for guidance when I should be turning to the scriptures and the Lord. And that he answers my prayers directly on a regular basis. I was so grateful for the confirmation of the promptings (and advice) I have been receiving regarding enjoying the everyday moments and not rushing from one event to the next or waiting for the next step instead of enjoying this moment.
-In the saturday am session I thought about how D/C 121:41 is such a great scripture for parenting and then I realized it was often quoted by my mother.
-I was touched my president Monson's counsel for husbands and wives. Just a short sentence that husbands need a friendly face and a kind word made me realize how hard it can be for them facing the world and then coming home to face a sometimes hostile/ grumpy wife.
-Elder Bednars talk made me realize I need to act on my faith ( or it begins to diminish) and be the blessing I pray for for others.
-Fede and I both thoroughly enjoyed the teachings form Elder Holland re: the need for prophets and the book of Mormon along with the bible.

Anyways, My heart is full. I feel renewed and uplifted not discouraged even though I have felt somewhat chastised and corrected. I am so grateful for Prophets. I feel more capable of being a better person and pleasing the Lord in my job as a mother and wife.

(Now all I have to do is finish reading Octobers talks before the new ensign comes :)