Becoming!

What am I Becoming?---This weekend I was able to go to:

Time Out For Women is a conference put on by Deseret Book.  In essence it is a series of AWESOME speakers and INSPIRATIONAL musical numbers to encourage women, not just LDS women, to come together learn, to be motivated, and to have FUN.

I was able to attend with my girlfriend from school and my best friend from High School (I hate saying that not only because it makes me feel old but because it makes me sad--see we lost about 15 years of friendship because of many different circumstances) so I am now changing that best friend from High School to Best Friend from Las Vegas.)

Amy, Me, and Jenny

I was SOOOOOO needing this weekend of time away from EVERYTHING.  I was starting to feel myself crumble.  For those of you that know me well enough know that going to church every week is difficult for me.  I struggle.  Not because I do not have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but because I want a day off.  I want a day off, in my jammies, to rest.  Resting is the key word--rest from yelling at the boys to hurry up and get ready, be quiet, and quit talking.  A rest from judging myself in comparison to the perfect women/families at church.  A rest from the expectations of school, the world, and my church.  I know, I know it sounds so silly but that is how I honestly feel.  But, because I feel this way and because I do stay home I do not give myself the opportunity to have my cup filled.  I do not get the sweet simple reminders that my Heavenly Father loves ME and wants me to BECOME!

The TOFW theme this year was CHOOSE TO BECOME.

The first speaker of the day was:

My favorite thing she kept saying was "If I have life, I have hope."

Raised in war-torn Sierra Leone, Mariama Kallon saw many things as a young girl that might fill a person with fear and hatred. Soon after witnessing the violent murders of parents and siblings and spending her youth fleeing from rebels, she was introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ and found hope in God and peace in a knowledge of eternal families. She was given a humanitarian kit by the Church, which became a treasured symbol of hope that she used to bless the lives of many as they again fled for their lives. After returning to her town, she was called on a mission to the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission, and wept in gratitude to the Lord as she visited the place where her precious humanitarian kit was made. Today Mariama stands as an example of the divine purposes of humanitarian work and tells her story to numerous audiences, urging them to participate in this work. She currently resides and works in Salt Lake City, where she has attended LDS Business College. 

She also reminded me that If I am complaining it means that I am only thinking of myself.  I see this every day in my life.  I complain about the lunch line and who gets in the faculty room first.  I complain how I do not want to go to church because I am tired.  I complain that the house is dirty.  In reality I am being selfish.  I want things to work for ME.  I want to be comfortable.  I want....

Wendy Ulrich spoke on how to be happy. She had 7 steps to follow.
1. Stop worrying about your weaknesses. (Instead try to improve your strengths)

2. Don't try to get motivated to exercise. (Because you many never find the motivation, just start with small steps, even 2 minutes of exercise, and go from there. It is proven that exercise does make us feel happy.)

3. Stop trying to find friends. (They aren't just waiting under a rock for you to find them. Instead, develop skills of friendship, and be there when someone calls you, asks you to lunch, etc. because having friends does make us happy.)

4. Don't try to feel happy. (Instead try to feel grateful. Write down 3 things happen each day, why you are grateful for them, and why they happened.)

5. Celebrate failure

6. Don't get help with your problems (Instead serve others. She gave a great thing to do. Instead of asking your kids "what did you learn today in school," ask them, "who did you help today?" and talk about the feelings that come when we help someone else)

7. Don't endure to the end ENJOY to the end.

By far my favorite parts of the day were listening to Hillary Weeks:

She is an awesome performer.  She is funny.  She is inspirational.  She is a mom, wife, and a career woman. (Like ME)  Please take a few minutes to watch and listen to this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyX-I-um5Kk  If that that link does not work go to youtube and search Beautiful Heartbreak. I promise it will be worth your time. I need become aware that everyone has an invisible sign hanging around their necks.  That sign indicates their own personal hidden struggles.  I need to treat everyone as if I can read their sign.  Man, if only you could read my sign.....

I walked away from the conference to be more aware of what I am thinking about because what I think about matters. I want to offer up my time, talents and example to my friends, family and co workers.  I want to forgive.  I want to become more aware of those things that matter most to my loved ones.  I want to ask Heavenly Father each and everyday go guide me to understand, "What is most important for me to do today?" I need to remember that I am worth it because our Savior, Jesus Christ, has my name engraved upon the palms of his hands because I AM WORTH IT!

Today I choose to BECOME.  Because I know that that more I become like my Savior the more his is right there with me.