Time Out for Women

I just thought it would be fun to post some of my thoughts from Time Out for Women on Saturday because it was such a wonderful, spiritual and uplifting experience! Thank you John for watching the kids all day long and allowing me to enjoy a much needed break while sacrificing a tee time (next weekend ok?)

First of all the entire day was amazing!! The speakers included: Hilary Weeks (love her music, and I found out what a funny, cute personality she has), Jane Clayson Johnson (former co-anchor of The Early Show on CBS and network correspondent for the CBS Evening News and 48 hours, S. Michael Wilcox (institute and religion instructor (U of U), Mary Ellen Edmunds author of Love is a Verb, MEE Thinks, and You Can Never Get Enough of what you Don't Need to name a few, Sharon G. Larsen, served on the Young Women General Board and in the Young Women general presidency, and Kathleen Hinckley Barnes Walker (President Hinckley's daughter) and her husband M. Richard Walker.

I took a lot of notes but I will share just a couple things that really helped me. Jane Clayson was such a neat woman. She said that after she quit her job broadcasting for 15 some odd years to become a mother she ran into a colleague. The colleague saw her, kids hanging off her shoulders, in her "normal attire" and asked, "So what are you doing these days....JUST a mom?" She looked at him and quickly answered, "No, I am a mother." She explained that we don't give ourselves enough credit for the work that we do everyday. She told us that we should erase "I'm JUST a mom" out of our vocabulary and replace it with a confident, "I am a mother."

Mary Ellen Edmunds said that our character is shaped by what we think. She asked us, "How do we get our minds to think good things?" She gave the example that when you go to a seed store you don't buy a packet of carrots when you want corn. What do you want to have grow? If for instance you want to grow charity, you don't just say I WISH I had charity, you consciously give it a place in your heart. You watch for opportunities to practice charity.

She reminded us that, music, reading scriptures, praying and pondering are our "soul food." We need to make time for the things that feed our souls. We need time to ponder!!! She explained that Enos's father gave him "soul food" and when his soul hungered he remembered the words his father had told him.

Mary Ellen then told us to take a couple minutes and think about all the negative things we say or think about ourselves all day. She then said, "Now look at the person to your left and imagine them saying all those things straight to your face. It would be pretty harsh right? She then said, "How do you think your Heavenly Father feels about you talking to yourself so negatively?" Let virtue garnish your thoughts about YOU!!

She said that Heavenly Father hopes that His words fill our thoughts. Words like, "Fear not" and "be faithful and dilligent and I will encircle thee with the arms of my love," "I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you."

She concluded by saying, "May our thoughts be good thoughts (because our character is shaped by what we think). Our children are always listening, Does it make you shudder to know they are listening?"

Hilary Weeks said something that I really need to improve on. She said that it is so important to stay on your knees after you pray and listen for the promptings of the spirit. The spirit will speak to you on behalf of Heavenly Father.

Sister Walker (President Hinckley's daughter) said that she is always getting asked how President Hinckley is doing. She said that he is alert and healthy. He exercises everyday. As he lifts weights counting 1-2-3-4 he says "This is terrible." hahahaha

Sister Walker said that after a special temple session with the family he said, "Of all the things in my life, the most important are the things I've done with my family."

It was such a blessing to be there, to learn, and to feel the spirit. I would recommend it to anyone! For info on the Time Our for Women schedule go to http://deseretbook.com/time-out/schedule.