This past weekend was the Young Women General Conference session. I, as a YW leader was supposed to go. I really didn't want to, I was tired and just wanted to hang out with Jared and Kailie but I ended up going and am so glad I did. The talks were amazing, especially the last two.
The last speaker was President Uchtdorf and his talk was funny, spiritual and kept you listening. As he finished and started to walk away the young woman next to me quietly said "no don't go, keep talking" When is the last time you heard a teenager beg for a speaker to keep speaking, that is how great it was.
He started his talk with how in every language that he knows there is always one common phrase and that is "Once upon a Time." He then talked about how don't we all want to live happily ever after and to get there we have to understand who we are and what we must become. He mentioned how in all the fairytale stories the main character has to go through adversity and affliction before they can have their happily ever after.
The week prior to this was a rough one for us, actually the past three months that Jared has been Bishop has been rough. Not necessarily from the new Bishop responsibilities but more of the repercussion from his work due to his accepting of the calling. It is not cool in the life of residency to put anything before your work!
Wednesday last week we both were just so frustrated with it all. Jared who hadn't had a single day off since December, who never gets to eat or just have time with us was exhausted from it all and I was just tired of everything. As I was driving to pick Jared up from work and rush him to the church for some interviews I couldn't help but think why if the church is so family oriented would the Lord ask Jared to be Bishop in a time when he already hardly gets to see his family? I thought about this question the whole week and as I was reading in 1 Nephi, I realized that the Lord has always asked his people to sacrifice their time. Then Pres. Uchtdorf's talk just really gave me the answer, which is for some reason though neither of us knows why, that the Lord called Jared to this calling. I guess this is just one step to our Happily Ever After.
One particular thing he said really stuck out to me, "How you react to adversity and affliction is most important." I know that they are many people out there going through much harder afflictions than us and I am grateful for the small time we do have together. I know that we could do better and I will try.
After hearing this conference all of the us including the young women were so excited for this coming Easter weekend where we get to hear from all of our leaders!
And hopefully we will all find answer to our questions and take one step closer to Happily Ever After!
P.S. The Picture above is Kailie taking her first steps towards the Temple, with a boy no less.
7 comments:
Gina. Wow, that was a really good post. I am looking forward to reading President Uchtdorf's talk. Of course he is my favorite but not only because he is German.
I can't imagine what it would be like to not see your husband much. I would die, seriously. I don't know how you do it. You are amazing. I am glad you are hanging in there. Let's hope he does not get called into the Bishopric once you move :-) Sometimes it all just does not seem to make much sense but it is always nice to find out that it really does! That's why I love this gospel!
Thanks for that Gina. For some reason I keep thinking of all these bad things that could happen to me or my family and "Oh what I would do...." but when I read "It's how you REACT..." it really it me. Thanks, I can't wait to read the talk either! Keep hanging in there. Just think in June residency will be over, Bishop will be over and you get a nice long cruise!
Thanks for the post Gina...very uplifting and it triggered two thoughts for me.
First, with the Lord laying it on you guys so heavy now, it makes me wonder what he's preparing you for. I just taught a Temple Prep class tonight and we discussed the "noble and great ones." I have a feeling that you two were included in that description...
Secondly, you can grow closer together even when spending a lot of time apart by growing closer to Christ. The first two parts of "Set in Order Thy House" by Elder Nelson helped me understand it a bit better.
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=97728d00422fe010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
I sometimes have a hard time getting psyched for those meetings as well (could Saturday nights be any busier?) but never regret it when I do. Thanks for sharing the message.
I am so sorry for how little time you have together! I can't even imagine how busy you guys are! You will be as refined as gold by the end and Jared is blessing a lot of lives by being their bishop!! Think of all the blessings you're accumulating by all of this service!! Way to try and be positive! It can definitely be hard at times!
I am looking forward to reading his talk in the Ensign. I believe this talk was preparing you for what was to come next with Kailie's diabetes. I agree with Beau - you and Jared are among the noble and great ones. This is part of your refining fire! We love the three of you so much.
That pic is adorable! Isn't it crazy to think that those days of our kids going on missions and getting married is just around the corner. I can't believe how fast they grow! General Conference weekends are such a great refreshment! P.S. I would've loved to have you as a YW leader...your gals are so lucky!
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