Julian's Very First Time Out

Haha! I bet you read the title of that post and thought "oh my gosh, Kim is crazy...she put Julian in time out?! That baby is 3 months old!" No worries! Julian accompanied me to my very own time out, which was actually a conference called "Time Out for Women." :) You can close your jaw now;) I went down to Orlando and stayed in a hotel with some friends from Gainesville and had such a great time with them! We may have stayed up a bit too late laughing, and may have eaten cheesecake at an hour some would consider positively sinful, but we had such a fun time! My sister-in-law Candace also came down and it was so fun, as always, to spend time with her...even if she is a bit "bowring"...jk! ;) Love you Candace! She's pretty much the opposite of boring. :)

Julian and Candace:)

It was such an uplifting weekend. Here are some of the notes and thoughts I wrote down at the conference:

Wendy Watson Nelson:

*"What would I change in my day-to-day life if I tried to do everything as a 'holy woman'?....A holy woman is not perfect, but she is increasingly pure and holy."

*"A holy woman is like a dog on a towel about certain things she will not let into or tolerate in her life."

*"Pray for the one question you want answered that very day, and then open your scriptures and read until you find your answer. You will find it. And you won't have to read very long."

*"I believe we had a checklist of things to do while on earth before we came here...a 'pre-mortal checklist.' When we're not doing any of the things on our list, we'll feel it inside...we'll feel restless." I know that this statement is true!

Dallyn Vail Bayles:

"The Primary song 'I'm Trying to be Like Jesus' is a song more for adults that it is for children."

Sheri Dew:

*Joseph Smith said "put a double watch on your tongue." Sister Dew spoke a lot about the nit-picking women do to each other, the bad mouthing, and the comparisons. "We need to be of one heart and one mind." With the knowledge that we have, and scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 1:10: "Now I beseech you...that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." and D & C 38:27: "I say unto you, be one, and if ye are not one, ye are not mine,"for example, why is this such a problem? We do need to love one another, and strive to see each other and love each other as the Savior does!

*Why not listen to the voice of the prophets throughout the day, rather than the TV? We need to hearken unto the voices of His servants. If we don't, we may be found among those described in Matthew 7:23: "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?...and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

*Ask Him who I am, and how he feels about me.

I didn't get to take any notes on the 2nd day because I was holding and reading to a sweet baby:)

Candace and I with the ladies who make up the singing group "Mercy River"...they harmonize like angels, and their music truly touched my heart. The first line in one of the songs they sing about the Savior is on replay in my head right now: "Oh cleanser of the mess I've made. Upon the hill our places trade. Stretched on a cross your body crushed, by human hands you formed from dust." and another verse: "Oh cleanser of the mess I've made. Your boundless love for me portrayed. With patience for my learning curve..."

This woman...I could probably type a novel about her from just hearing her speak for twenty or so minutes. What an amazing person. To make it short, she grew up in Sierra Leone, Africa, and there she witnessed the atrocities of war and unspeakable acts against her own sister and members of her family. She began to pray to God, Who, at the time, she wasn't even quite sure existed, and was then saved right before she was raped and killed. She then heard about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through a hygiene kit that was put together by members of our church in humanitarian efforts. She wanted to learn more, and was later baptized. She then went on a mission, and has completely changed her life and the life of her family forever. Having been subject to the horrors she encountered, it is a wonder she was ever able to pick herself up off the ground. What an incredibly resilient person she is. One can even tell by the photo: she is the epitome of optimism...her laugh and obvious love of life was so infectious! It was a blessing to hear what she had to say.

Sheri Dew said to take a moment to ask Him who we are and how he feels about us. I always love being reminded of who I really am, and how much He loves me...it fills me with joy that can't be put into words. I do know that the Lord loves each and every one of us with a love we cannot fathom. I am so grateful for His Atonement. I know who I am as a daughter of Heavenly Father, and I know that He has placed divine potential within me, as He has done so in all of us. I am so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that through it I am reminded of His love on a regular basis. Life can get so hectic, and it's easy to get distracted and forget what is truly important. But I know that if we will just slow down, take a moment and be still, we will be reminded of the things of eternal import, and of His unending love. It will then be easier to see and ponder on the blessings He has given us, and our love for Him will grow. I believe this is what the conference was essentially all about. I am grateful I got to take this "time out."