Preparing for General Conference

Does anyone remember President Russell M. Nelson's call to prepare for April 2020 General Conference?

You may wish to begin your preparation by reading afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price.

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This image was entered into the Work + Wonder Co's workbook submission for April 2020. It's probably one of my very favorites I've seen. I have been giving it a lot of thought, what President Nelson said.

I have read the First Vision in the Pearl of Great price what feels like a million times. I have marked up my scriptures with so much insight I'm not sure I could mark anymore! But that's not the point. I'm not going to lie. I definitely slacked when it came to studying the Restoration and here we are, only 2 weeks until General Conference.

One thing I have done is watch the YouTube videos that Dave Butler did on the Restoration. They are so amazing and have been a light in my life these past couple of weeks. I absolutely loved Seminary and Institute and it felt like I was in a class again watching his videos. I also love the podcast he does with Emily Belle Freeman. This video, in particular, is my favorite for many reasons but one of them is that there are actual books that were owned by church leaders in the glass case he's standing by. In fact, he even gets to hold one with his bare hands.

I have dreamed many times of holding actual church artifacts with my own hands. I know many people who have had the opportunity, Elder Holland being one of them. But as I experience those feelings and the excitement I would expect to feel while holding those items, I am reminded of my love for the Book of Mormon. I am reminded of my love for Joseph Smith and the sacrifices he made so that I can hold this book of scripture in my hands today, by my own free will.

I am so excited about this upcoming General Conference and I have absolutely no idea what it will be like but I can say this... preparing for it (or the lack of preparation) has brought back so much strength to my testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration. It has brought back a motivation and inspiration to study my scriptures more and to dedicate time to the word of God. I hope you have found the same in your preparation (or the lack thereof).

Work + Wonder General Conference Workbook

I'm so excited to talk to you today about the October 2019 Work and Wonder Co's General Conference workbook!! :) This blog post is getting up late but it's here!!

I have purchased a copy of this workbook every since she first started which I believe was 2018? Anyway, I love them. Love love love them. I love to use them after conference too. I bring them to church with me and take extra notes or to read/write during Sacrament meeting. They're so great!

This seasons edition features an artist that we ALL love!! Caitlin Connolly is absolutely incredible and I feel so stinkin' lucky to have this copy in my hands that feature her artwork.

One thing that I love about Rio and her mission with these workbooks is the feeling I get that I'm needed and wanted. It's easy to get lost in the shuffle of callings and the priesthood (as a woman) so the constant reminder from W+W that I'm part of a marvelous work is really inspiring and encourages me to work hard each day knowing that my Father in Heaven really needs me.

Rio switched up the design of the note pages and now we have a lot more space to take notes of the actual talk instead of having additional note pages at the end of each session. There are some extra note pages at the back of the book but I'm stoked to have more space on the actual talk page! It is beautiful!

You can watch my video review/walkthrough of this workbook here. Please excuse the crappy lighting in the video but I love going through the workbook with you! Hopefully you snagged yours in time this year but I believe she's still taking orders because you can use these after conference!!! I'm so excited that it is this coming weekend and I cannot wait to hear from our leaders.

The Act of Forgiving

Salt Lake Temple 2016 © Ashley Ziegler

Did you watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional this past Sunday? It was wonderful! I really loved it and all of the simple, yet powerful messages shared! I thought that each message was my favorite and then I heard the next and it became a favorite. I ended up loving them all!

When President Nelson got up to speak, I wasn't expecting him to give an answer to a prayer that I had two months ago, during General Conference. I received my answer then but I think the Lord wanted to send the answer again. I was really surprised and wasn't expecting to hear his message but it was just what my heart needed.

I struggle with forgiveness. Mostly because my physical body can't figure out how to forgive in a way that my mind is asking it too. Does that make sense? For some reason, I feel like forgiveness is a physical thing and so I struggle with doing anything about forgiveness.

Forgiveness can be a really uneasy subject for most, and can actually turn conversations south. I really want to forgive in my life. I am really tired of carrying around hurt and angry feelings. It's only affecting me right? Not the other person? So why then, is it so stinkin' hard to do? How do you go on in life as if nothing ever happened?

One phrase from President Nelson's talk that spoke to me was this,

"Through His infinite Atonement, you can forgive those who have hurt you and who may never accept responsibility for their cruelty to you."

 That is where my issue with forgiveness lies. Accepting the apology you're never going to get. It's like a thorn stuck in your side that's been there for a very long time and you think it's time to pull it out but you just can't bring yourself to do it because it is going to be so painful. But you know it will make everything so much better once you finally do.

So how do I do this? How do I forgive and let go? How do I let my Savior's healing power, pull out this thorn stuck in my side? How do I go on with my life "as if nothing ever happened"? These are the questions I'm sincerely seeking answers for and I hope and pray that I can feel of God's love for me and that as hard as the act of forgiving is, I can actually do it with his help. I pray that His love will heal me from the hurt and anger that I feel.

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Is there someone in your life that is needing your forgiveness or someone that you are seeking forgiveness from? What is the act of forgiving like in your life and how are you able to apply our Savior's Atonement in your life?

President Russell M. Nelson's Invitation

Life post-General Conference is about to get really good!

General Conference was quite amazing this past weekend. We also held the Women's Session for the year! I miss having it at both conferences but the change is good. I had a few favorite talks but a lot of them I'm going to re-listen to.

I sat down tonight to work on some of the blog posts I had lined up but changed my mind for today's post. During the women's session on Saturday night, President Russell M. Nelson invited the women to do the following:

1. Participate in a 10-day fast from social media and other negative influences.
2. Read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of the year.
3. Establish a pattern of regular temple attendance.
4. Participate fully in Relief Society.

I'm going to be participating in this 10-day fast from social media! I'm nervous, just like everyone else, that it'll be really hard but I know that it will be good for my soul. You won't see any blog posts for those 10 days as well.

 I've also started my Book of Mormon reading today! I'm reading from a replica edition of the scriptures when it was first published. It's a really neat edition and because of its format, chapter one actually consists of chapters 1-5 in the current edition of the scriptures. It's going to be a great, spiritually uplifting week! See you all in 10 days!

I Am Capable

This post is coming to you a little late. Sometimes I have great ideas for blog posts and then at the last minute, I change my mind. Last weekend I attended an event called Love Your Life. The event was held by Hilary Weeks and Emily Belle Freeman. They are both wonderful women!

It was a wonderful night full of inspiration, love and some beautiful music by Hilary herself. She's such an amazing artist and it was a real treat to be able to hear her sing live. I have loved her music since I was a little girl. My mother would play her songs every Sunday while getting ready for church. Because of that, Hilary Weeks is one of my favorite gospel singers and I cannot wait for her new album to come out sometime soon (hopefully)!!

We had a mini-workbook where we did little exercises together and even had moments to talk among those at our tables. It was great! One particular exercise we did was about self-care.

On the right, you can see that there are quite a few different qualities listed for us to check off. There's a catch. You have to check qualities that the Lord sees in you. It was a humbling thing to do and one that I wanted to do honestly.

As I'm checking the boxes, none of them stood out to me until I read the word Capable. I'm not sure why but it just hit me really hard. For a long time, I have felt like I wasn't capable enough to do certain things in my life. I wasn't sure I could actually finish school or hold a job. I wasn't sure if I could keep up with my friendships and nurture my family relationships. I've struggled with not being perfect... but who hasn't?

When I read the word capable, I got this really peaceful feeling. Almost a warmth like some people describe the Spirit to be. Immediately I had all of these thoughts come to my head. The Spirit was telling me that I am capable. I am capable of starting a blog. I am capable of finishing school. I am capable of being a good wife and future mother. I am capable of reading my scriptures and saying my prayers each day. I'm capable of holding a job and not letting my anxiety ruin in. I'm capable of being a good Sunday School teacher to some of the youth in our ward.

I just felt this sense of confidence that the Lord really believes I'm capable. I'm capable of so many things and he sees that in me. It was humbling and very relieving because I've always believed that I have failed so many people, most importantly, my Heavenly Father. I think we can all feel that way sometimes and it's hard not to. We're imperfect people trying to become perfect like Christ.

This is a really great activity to do from time to time to help build your self-confidence. The Lord loves us and he believes in us. We are capable.

SALT: An LDS Women's Retreat

I don't even know how to begin this blog post. There is so much on my mind that I want to share about SALT!

I discovered SALT on Instagram but didn't attend any events until this most recent one. It's a retreat for LDS Women (or really any woman that would like to attend, member or not) and it's amazing. Like, there aren't enough words to describe how incredible this event was.

Two days before the event took place, I had sort of a mental breakdown. I was feeling really crappy, sad, and just upset with how my life was going. I felt terrible and ashamed of the type of disciple I was. Lots of unhappy thoughts circled my mind and I oddly felt a huge wave of gratitude knowing that SALT was just two days away. I couldn't have needed it more.

The night before they do a SALT Create Workshop night. There are a few workshops offered and you can pay extra to attend them. I purchased a ticket to the Marriage workshop by Jan with @rootedandrising_ and it was so. good. I have followed Jan's account for a while now and really happy that I decided to go to her class last minute. When I first discovered Jan's account, I finally felt a huge relief that someone else was struggling in their marriage. I wasn't alone. I had grown up picturing marriage to be a certain way and when it was turning out that way, I felt so alone. But this workshop really helped and I learned something really valuable that I'm going to try and implement in my life. Thank you, Jan!

The next morning it started early. We checked in, got our SWAG bags (you can watch my video review here) and found a seat at a table. The opening speaker was really great! She spoke on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how it applies to our life outside of sin. It was really great! We also opened the event with a hymn and a prayer. The hymn was How Great Thou Art and I almost cried. I love that song and it was so beautiful to be in a room full of powerful women singing this song. I loved it!

After we had a breakout session where we could attend one of the two classes offered. I went to a class about being a warrior of truth and light, a warrior for God. We also talked a lot about our identity and our divine calling. We're so much more than the materialistic things of the world. It was so good. The teacher was freakin' hilarious and I'm really happy that I went. I felt so proud to know that I'm a Daughter of a King and I have been chosen to be a warrior in His army!

We had another breakout session but I wasn't really interested in either of the classes and their topics so I picked one and just kind of took a break for about an hour. After that, we had lunch, which consisted of sandwiches and soup. It was really good. So grateful that lunch was included! After we had another breakout session and I picked a class on creating your life. Seems like your typical "here's how to be artsy in life" but it wasn't that at all! It was about making specific choices in life that creates the life we ultimately want and the one that God has planned for us. It was great!

After we did our roundtable discussion. Now, I have no idea what a roundtable discussion is so I was like... what are we doing? Haha basically there were like so many tables with someone(s) discussing a certain topic and we could sit and listen for like 35 minutes each time. We could sit at three different tables during this part of the event. I chose to go to a table discussing how to make time for what you love. I have been wanting to start this blog which, this roundtable discussion is where the inspiration stemmed from. It was really neat and impactful and I'm grateful for it.

The next table I sat at was on record keeping. I journaled a lot when I was younger. Then when I got older, I turned to blogging and noticed that I preferred to type over handwriting. I occasionally still handwrite but my fingers move faster than my hand. Lol, does that even make sense? It was really neat and I'm glad that I love blogging! The last table I visited was one about women getting into the word of God on our own. Family study is great, couple study is great but independent study is also really great. We kind of did some studying together and then shared with each other some tips about creating personal scripture study. It was really great!!

 Our closing speaker was the most incredible story I've listened to. Not a dry eye in the house! Her name is Kim and she shared her story about battling cancer and how God is in every single detail of her journey and life. It was incredible and I was really able to do some reflecting on finding God in the details of my life and how I need to work harder to pay better attention to those small details. It was so good! After that, we had about a 30-minute break while they cleaned up the main room for our closing speaker and we got to socialize and hang out and go to the bathroom and all of that good stuff. I met some really amazing people and I was really brave and introduced myself to a lot of people that I didn't know or didn't know me. Or that I knew but only from the internet. It was so great and I loved all of it!

We had a couple of AMAZING musical performances and I was just completely blown away. It was so good. This post has kind of gotten to be really long but I'm just so happy that I went. I had no expectations going into this. I didn't have any questions written down, or things I was trying to search for. I just tried my hardest to just be there and sit in the inspiration and goodness of God. It was amazing to be around other women who were to just learn more of Christ and his love for us. I just left with so much inspiration and hope and felt so loved while I was there. I didn't have a care in the world about anything. I had some really good conversations with people that meant a lot to me and have influenced my decision to create this blog. I don't know where it'll take me or what it'll turn into but I'm glad that it's here.

I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I love my Heavenly Father. I have my questions and my doubts. I have my concerns and struggles. But I also know, 100000000% that I love my Savior. I love God. I love my Heavenly Parents and the gospel that my life is centered around. Now, could it be a little more centered? Absolutely. I even remember the next day, I was at home and I could feel all of the regular anxieties and emotions and insecurities that come from my regular life and I could feel the high of the weekend slipping away. I didn't want it to! I panicked. But then I remembered what I learned and to remain calm because of the things I know. I'm not the smartest or the perfect person but I'm just striving to be more like my Savior and to love all of those around me.

SALT was incredible and I’m grateful for it. Thanks Elise!

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Have you attended a SALT event before? Have you attended a retreat similar to it? 

Share your experiences in the comments below!