Young Woman Conference 2010

Earlier this evening I had the opportunity to attend York Stake's camp kick off meeting, followed by an ice cream social, and concluded by the Young Woman Broadcast from church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. What a fun evening to spend with Emile and Brie. Although they (the young women) may not have "enjoyed" the events as much as we mom's did, it was still fun being with a chapel full of moms and daughters. Of course the highlight of the evening was the broadcast itself.

Here are a few highlights from the messages we heard....

Sister Dibb:
Many times, as General Authorities address the priesthood brethren at general conference, they will begin by saying that they feel as though they are addressing a “mighty army” of powerful priesthood leaders. Tonight, I feel as though I am standing before a “mighty army” of elect daughters of God. You have been chosen to move forward, standing alongside those valiant priesthood holders, in righteousness in these latter days. You are a commanding and beautiful sight.

I would like to begin this evening by briefly reviewing the historical context of our theme, Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Sister Cook:
What does the Lord want you to do? He wants you to be a valiant and virtuous daughter of God, dedicated to living each day so that you can be worthy to receive the blessings of the temple and return to Him. In today’s world that will take courage. You have the plan of salvation, which makes it possible to do this. Moral agency, the ability to choose, is an essential part of this plan. You’ve already made some good choices. Before you were born, you made the choice to come to earth to receive a body and to prove yourself. You’ve made the choice to be baptized, which is the first ordinance required on the path to eternal life. You are now experiencing mortal life, where you continue to make choices, to learn, and to grow. Making sacred covenants and receiving the ordinances of the temple is another important step in the plan.

My dear young women..... I pray that step by step you will continue to strengthen your testimony. Seek the help of our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, prophets, and others who will support you in your decision to follow the plan. Live a virtuous life so that you may have the companionship of the Holy Ghost to safely guide you. I testify that if you will do these things, the Lord will be with you and you will be able to stay on the path that leads to the temple and to eternal life. “Be strong and of a good courage” (Joshua 1:9) and never, never, never give up!

Sister Dalton:
We are daughters of our Heavenly Father. He loves us, and we love Him. I am humbled and grateful to be in your presence. The Lord has blessed me with a very clear understanding of who you are and why you are here on the earth at this time. The Lord loves you, and I know you love Him. It shows in your countenance, in your modesty, in your desire to choose the right, and in your commitment to remain virtuous and pure.

You are young women of great faith. You brought your faith with you when you came to the earth. Alma teaches us that in the premortal realms you exhibited “exceeding faith and good works.” You fought with your faith and testimony to defend the plan that was presented by God. You knew the plan was good, and you knew that the Savior would do what He said He would do—because you knew Him! You stood with Him, and you were eager for your opportunity to come to earth. You knew what was going to be required of you. You knew it would be difficult, and yet you were confident not only that you could accomplish your divine mission but that you could make a difference. You are “choice spirits who were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work, including the building of the temples and the performance of ordinances therein.”

And now you are here to do what you have been reserved and prepared to do. As I look out at you tonight, I wonder if this is what Helaman’s stripling warriors’ girlfriends must have looked like! No wonder Satan has increased the intensity of his attacks on your identity and virtue. If you can be dismayed, discouraged, distracted, delayed, or disqualified from being worthy to receive the guidance of the Holy Ghost or to enter the Lord’s holy temple, he wins.

Young women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, remember who you are! You are elect. You are daughters of God. You cannot be a generation of young women who are content to fit in. You must have the courage to stand out, to “arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations.” The world would have you believe that you are not significant—that you are out of fashion and out of touch. The world calls to you with unrelenting, noisy voices to “live it up,” “try everything,” “experiment and be happy.” Conversely, the Holy Ghost whispers and the Lord invites you to “walk in the paths of virtue,” “lay aside the things of this world,” “and cleave unto [your] covenants.

President Uchtdorf:
My dear young sisters all around the world, I am grateful and honored to be with you today. President Thomas S. Monson and all the leaders of the Church love you; we pray for you, and we rejoice in your faithfulness.

Over the years I have been exposed to many beautiful languages—each of them is fascinating and remarkable; each has its particular charm. But as different as these languages can be, they often have things in common. For example, in most languages there exists a phrase as magical and full of promise as perhaps any in the world. That phrase is “Once upon a time.”

Aren’t those wonderful words to begin a story? “Once upon a time” promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. It may include tales of courage, hope, and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words “And they lived happily ever after.”

“You are a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father, prepared to come to the earth at this particular time for a sacred and glorious purpose.”

“Happily ever after” is not something found only in fairy tales. You can have it! It is available for you! But you must follow your Heavenly Father’s map.

Sisters, please embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ! Learn to love your Heavenly Father with all your heart, might, and mind. Fill your souls with virtue, and love goodness. Always strive to bring out the best in yourself and others.

Learn to accept and act upon the Young Women values. Live the standards in For the Strength of Youth. These standards guide and direct you to your “happily ever after.” Living these standards will prepare you to make sacred covenants in the temple and establish your own legacy of goodness in your individual circumstances. “Stand . . . in holy places, and be not moved,” regardless of temptations or difficulties. I promise you that future generations will be grateful for you and praise your name for your courage and faithfulness during this crucial time of your life.

My dear young sisters—you who stand for truth and righteousness, you who seek goodness, you who have entered the waters of baptism and walk in the ways of the Lord—our Father in Heaven has promised that you will “mount up with wings as eagles; [you] shall run, and not be weary; and [you] shall walk, and not faint.” You “shall not be deceived.” God will bless and prosper you. “The gates of hell shall not prevail against you; . . . and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.”

Sisters, we love you. We pray for you. Be strong and of good courage. You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your “once upon a time” is now.

The entire addresses can be found on the church website. They will also be published in the conference issue of the Ensign.I'm so thankful for the inspired Young Woman program we have. I'm equally thankful for the love the leaders have for these precious DAUGHTER'S OF GOD.

Sweet Spring Day

As everyone knows, today is the first day of Spring. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day. The temps were in the 70's, the sun was shining, and there was a gentle breeze all day. It was perfect. To top things off, Rita's gives a free Italian Ice away on the first day of Spring. I picked up Alexandra and Isabel, Emile and David, and together we headed over. We probably waited in line about ½ an hour. Not too bad considering the line was wrapped all the way around the side of the building (this picture doesn't do it justice).After Rita's we ran home because I had a follow-up eye appt. By 3 we were ready to make our next stop.... Bruster's!If you showed up wearing PJ's you could get a free 1 scoop cone. Hey, I'm game for anything, plus Bruster's is dog friendly and even has a doggy sundae. Samantha loves going anytime she gets a chance.When we finished at Bruster's we headed to a park to run off some energy. The girls found some other kids to play with and had fun running around. They even found a ladybug.One can always find joy in discovering the first ladybug of the season.So another first day of Spring has come to a close. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves... and to quote Isabel, "This was the best day ever." I couldn't agree with her more.

Wishing on a Shooting Star

I saw a shooting star tonight. Actually it was the second I've seen in the last 2 weeks. The first was when I was on my front porch, tonight's was from the driveway. Ok, so I know a shooting star isn't actually a star, it's a meteor, but it's still beautiful to see. And still it's magical to see one. When I lived in Utah and worked at Kennecott, I used to go out on a perimeter patrol to check gates. One of the areas was off the beaten path on the Oquirrh Mountain Range (pictured above), heading to Farnworth Peak (where the KSL transmission towers are located). It was pitch dark in that area... which is perfect for star gazing. The only time there was any light was either my truck or when the occasional ore haulage train went past. I loved sitting there. It was quiet and peaceful. You could see forever. Some nights the sky was full of shooting stars. It was truly spectacular to see.

So I figure.. after not seeing any for years, I see two in a short period of time. I must be in for some good luck sometime soon. How cool is that!!!

Old Glory

Lately there has been some discussion about the American flag. I've always had a deep respect for the flag and decided to do a post about it. Perhaps if more people realize what the flag really represents it will be respected more.The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice. The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun.Presidential proclamations and laws authorize the display of the flag 24 hours a day at the following places:

• Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, Maryland (Presidential Proclamation No.2795, July 2, 1948).

• Flag House Square, Albemarle and Pratt Streets, Baltimore Maryland (Public Law 83-319, approved March 26, 1954).

• United States Marine Corp Memorial (Iwo Jima), Arlington, Virginia (Presidential Proclamation No.3418, June 12, 1961).

• On the Green of the Town of Lexington, Massachusetts (Public Law 89-335, approved November 8, 1965).

• The White House, Washington, DC. (Presidential Proclamation No.4000, September 4,1970).

• Washington Monument, Washington, DC., (Presidential Proclamation No.4064, July 6,1971, effective July 4, 1971). Fifty Flags of the United States are displayed at the Washington Monument continuously.

• United States Customs Ports of Entry which are continually open (Presidential Proclamation No.4131, May 5, 1972).

• Grounds of the National Memorial Arch in Valley Forge State Park, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (Public Law 94-53, approved July 4, 1975).

The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our country was originally founded. The portion of the flag denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing the states our veterans served in uniform. The canton field of blue dresses from left to right and is inverted when draped as a pall on a casket of a veteran who has served our country in uniform.In the Armed Forces of the United States, at the ceremony of retreat the flag is lowered, folded in a triangle fold and kept under watch throughout the night as a tribute to our nation's honored dead. The next morning it is brought out and, at the ceremony of reveille, run aloft as a symbol of our belief in the resurrection of the body.

• The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

• The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life.

• The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world.

• The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance.

• The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."

• The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

• The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

• The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on mother's day.

• The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.

• The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

• The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

• The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.

• When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, "In God we Trust."
  

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.Before you set out a flag to show your patriotism, be sure to review the flag etiquette rules. For a full list, including the Flag Code, visit USHistory.org.

• A flag should not be flown in inclement weather, unless it is an all-weather flag

• The flag should not be displayed in the dark. One should display a flag from sunrise to sunset unless it will be properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.

• Any time the flag is displayed in a place other than from a pole or staff, it should be hung flat with the blue/star portion (referred to as "the union") at the observers upper left. The same is true when it is hung from a window-- the flag should be positioned so that from the street, the union appears in the upper left hand corner

• When a flag is flown at half-staff, it should first be raised to the very top of the flag pole for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position

• A flag should never be draped across the back of things like boats, nor should it be used as a table cloth

• Flag pins should be worn on the left lapel near the heart

• A flag should never be allowed to touch what lies beneath it (whether the ground, water or an object

I love my country. I love the flag and what it represents. I get emotional when I see the flag being carried by old men who served our country so long ago.. who walk stooped over but proud still! I thank them for their sacrifice. I thank those who sacrifice today. Without them I may not have the freedom to fly the flag I love. IN GLORY MAY SHE WAVE.... FOREVER.

It's Much Clearer Now

For the past several months I've been noticing how much harder it is for me to see when I'm trying to read or do close up work. I even resorted to buying a pair of reading glasses which did the trick. Only problem is I was always forgetting to take them along with me to work or church, or leaving them in the van and not having them when I wanted to read in the evening before I went to bed. Solution: Trip to the eye doctor for a vision check.The exam did result in a change in my contact prescription. I now wear one lens for distance vision the other for near vision. I really wasn't ready to give up my contacts any time soon. I've had the trial pair in for 9 hours now and they seem to be working out just fine so far. I'm really liking the fact that I'm not having to wear reading glasses right now. WOOP WOOP!!!It's safe to say that after 26 years, I'm still a devoted contact lens wearer. I'm not old, just mature... I just have to be willing to adapt from time to time.

Em's First Job

After months of applying for jobs, Emile went on her first interview today at the Giant at Delco Plaza. We had worked on "mock" interviews a few times, including coaching Em on how to confidently present herself, what questions to anticipate, and the importance of dressing for success. At 12:53PM I dropped her off for her 1PM appt. She was nervous but excited. I told her I was confidant she would get the job. Less than 15 minutes later she came into Office Max (where I was faxing time slips) and I could tell by the look on her face that the interview went well.WOO HOO!!! Emile was hired! So now all she has to do is get her work permit from school (which I think is completely bogus considering the school isn't raising her... so who in the heck gives them the authority to determine whether or not my Honor Roll student can become gainfully employed or not... and yes, I know the arguments as to why it is the way it is, but I still disagree with that level of intrusion into my child's life). After that she begins training.

So another step has been taken. Another step toward independence. When did my little girl get big enough to get a job? Oh the day of her moving out is coming way too fast. I think I'm feeling a little melancholy tonight. I'm totally thrilled for my baby girl... just amazed at how fast it came. Way to go, Emile. You'll do great!

SMILE

Last Thursday (a week ago ~ while I was recovering from pneumonia) I took Brie to the orthodontist to get impressions done for her retainer. I only got out of bed to make the trip... and actually fell asleep waiting for the doctor to come in. The trip was well worth it though.The girls will tell you that I have my camera with me all the time, which is true. Nothing is off limits... even retainer impressions.Before we knew it the braces were off and Brie had a beautiful smile. She decided on clear retainers. When they're in place you don't really see them unless you look closely. SHE LOOKS AWESOME!I remember when I started this process with Emile 5 years ago, it seemed overwhelming. I had to pay $3,500 out of pocket for Em's braces and $3,400 for Brie's. That didn't seem possible. Now that we're at this end of it, I feel such a sense of accomplishment. Both girls are done (I still have 3 payments for Brie) and have beautiful smiles. I'm so thankful I had the ability to support them and their needs. Thank you, Dr. Bonney for doing such a great job with my girls. They look great!

Trouble in Tumbleweed....

This past weekend the middle school presented their theatrical event... Trouble in Tumbleweed. It was cute. The sound was rough... very hard to hear, however, the cast did their best. Here are some photo highlights.

Brie was Marigold. Imagine that. She didn't have many lines but she shined when she was on stage.With Brie you always have to expect the unexpected. You never know what the girl is going to come up with... which is why she makes me laugh! She always keeps me on my toes. After the show the cast and crew had their party so I had to make sure I took pics of my girls. Brie and Rachel have been buddies since they were 16 months old. Rachel is my daughter from another mother. She now towers over me... but I love her to pieces. Aren't they cute?!?! Well done guys. Two years of middle school performances down... one year left to go. It's going to go fast and before you know it you'll be on to high school theatrics.

I'm Back

What a month February turned out to be. With all the snow and my health issues, I'm truly glad it's over. I'm pleased to report that I'm doing much better after 2 hospital stays totally 7 days last month. The last was Feb. 19-22 and was much worse than the first stay. I had 3 heavy duty IV antibiotics given back to back because of hospital acquired pneumonia. Due to how intense the meds were, I developed severe nausea and vomiting which required IV anti nausea meds to get it under control. My blood pressure spiked into the 180-200+range over high 90's to 140+ range. All of this also resulted in horrible headaches. I had to pack my head on ice to relieve the pain from the headaches. I also blew 3 IV vein sites and had to have new IV's started each time to get the meds. So much fun.

The day after I got out of the hospital I started an oral antibiotic (which would have cost $157.+ if my doctor hadn't had samples). When I took the first one, I noticed I felt like I had a walnut in my throat and it was difficult to swallow. I dismissed it as the result of the vomiting in the hospital. The next day I took another one. This time I knew there was a problem. I started feeling the walnut get larger and choked on a bite of food. It also got harder to swallow and my lips began to burn/tingle and itch. I called the doctor and he told me not to take anymore of the antibiotics, go get some Benadryl and take 50mg 3 times a day. The next day I started a different antibiotic. I dodged a bullet (allergic reaction requiring hospitalization) and spent the rest of the week laying low and sleeping a lot.

All that is over now. I am thrilled to SHOUT OUT ..... "I feel MUCH better!!" I'm sleeping well, my breathing is really clear, and I'm truly beginning to feel my energy returning.I had so much help from the girls, family, and friends. We are just finishing up eating food brought in. I'm way behind on laundry, but that will come together with time. I'm just glad to be able to do things again.

Thanks to everyone who looked after me and my little family these past few weeks. I couldn't have done it without everyone. I can't imagine life without all my friends. It's so good to be back!