Fresh in my head

I have a lot of thoughts concerning of most recent stake confrence that was held this weekend. Pres Richardson came to our ward last week and gave a form of a pep talk to remind us of the importance of the meeting the following week.

Don't miss the opportunity to pray about the most important things in your life and have them matched by the prayers of those who will be speaking and praying about what to speak on.

It stuck. I suddenly felt that stressful feeling creep in and felt the urge to get on my knees and pray so I didn't miss out on the opportunity.

Jason went to the Priestood session saturday and Laurie, Heather and I met the men afterward for a quick meal and then the adult session that night. Yes, No children. It was a needed night of spiritual boosting. I will touch on a few subjects that hung onto my thoughts more than others.

Stake Relief Societ Pres, Sis Winters:

I felt when she was speaking that she was just teaching me. She began by relaying a story of harships that her daughter had faced, and man she was dealt a hard playing hand. But what she said next was nothing short of inspired.

You must decide how you will deal with the trials you are given. Since we are all given trials. They are necessary to grow stronger. Christlike qualities won't be gained another way.

She then said that her family decided that they wouldn't refer to trials as hardships any longer, but hard blessings. How appropriate!

Pray always. Identify blessings everyday. Teach your children to identify blessings everyday. She told a short story of picking up her grandson from school one day and asked how his day was. He proceeded to tell her each good thing that had happened to him that day and nothing more. She in turn, asked her daughter why he never mentioned anything negative about his day and her daughter said that when she picks up her children she always asks 'what good thing happened today' for the first few days it took a little thinking, but after that, her children leanred to be prepared and think of those things so they would be ready when she asked. What a simple thing we can do for our children and ourselves and it's repercussions will be generationally astounding!

Learn from the past, live in the present, and prepare for the future. It is never necessary to place blame. Grief turns to anger, anger to resentment. When you talk of we/us as a couple or a family unit and what is happening in your life, we/us needs to include Heavenly Father. Look at your hard blessings in a celestial perspective.

President Richardson (Sunday session)

First, I LOVE our stake presidency. They are inspired, intelligent, funny and have something most all other presidencies do not have. A binding friendship. Comradery. They seem to be the best of friends. And you can feel it.

He spoke on doing a million things at once and feeling guilty for not being about to do it all simultaneously. He read off a list of things on any given day a woman/wife/mother would need to do. He asked 'How do you balance these things?' Guilt creeps in. After everything cannot possibly get done. He said so much more, but what I remember is that he specifially talked about the Holy Ghost and that he would never use guilt once the Atonement is enveloped. The Holy Ghost does not use guilt as a tool, Satan does. (If I could underline this next part I would) "Guilt is reserved for sin. NOT as a motivator." It hit me like a ton of bricks.

He then began talking about behavior and attitude. He said there is no excuse for bad behavior and bad attitude. You cannot place blame for your own bad behavior and attitude. The Iron rod is covered with hard blessings. But you know it's the path that is watched over by our Heavenly Father.

When Pres Richardson first came to our ward the week before confrence, he said that an added blessing of the meeting would be that we may change what we prayed about after hearing the words spoken there. I have.