Time Out For Women

One of my best friends got tickets to Time Out for Women for her and her mom. Unfortunately her mom was unable to go at the last minute, and so Megan invited me down to San Diego for the conference. It was so wonderful! I woke up at 6:15am on Saturday and drove down to meet Megan. The conference featured Kenneth Cope and Cherie Call, John Bytheway and Mary Ellen Edmonds (I hope I did all the spelling correctly, I didn't double check them. :) It was fabulous. We listened to music and heard about 8 speakers. There was also a mini Deseret Book store set up and most of the books were at a lower price than normal. Megan and I both broke open our wallets for one book each. I got "The Holy Secret." It's by the same author as "The Peacegiver" so I knew I'd love it. My friend Lisa introduced "The Peacegiver" to me and I have never been the same. So I look forward to this new addition to my library.
One of the greatest things I took from the conference was on being a peace maker. So many things happen every single day where it's so easy to get frustrated and lose the spirit. I need to constantly be seeking the spirit in my life through the scriptures and prayer, and focusing more of my thoughts on our Savior. Then when frustrating situations arise the spirit will help us be a peace maker, remain calm and loving, and react appropriately.
When I got home later that evening Chris came home from an exhausting day at work. I was on such a "spiritual high" that I was so anxious to love him and serve him. I listened to him about work, was perfect at not interrupting, showed empathy toward him, and took every opportunity to get something for him and serve him. I remember sitting on the couch and asking myself over and over what could I do for him and how could I show him how much I loved him. I was much happier, and in the end so was he!
Now that it's been a few days my "Time Out" experience has started to fade a little. And it's only made me realize more how important it is to keep studying the scriptures and the gospel. I want every day to be like I acted on Saturday night. These conferences remind us of the principles we should be studying every day, give us new ideas on how to look at these principles and apply them, and allow us to feel the spirit. Every time I feel the spirit I am more motivated to do the things that will allow me to feel it more. I want the things I heard on Saturday to stay with me and change me, to become a part of me. I know that the spirit will soften our hearts and help us know what we need to change. As we live worthy of the spirit every day and grow closer to our Savior, our thoughts and attitudes will change automatically. We will not remain the same person if we are constantly inundating ourselves in the gospel. What a wonderful blessing it is to be able to change, I'm glad I don't have to be stuck with these weaknesses I have. The Savior helps us to become more like him. It's such a wonderful plan. :)

Below is a picture of Megan and I at her house after the conference. Her husband, Scott, was wonderful and watched their adoreable little boy while we had our girl's afternoon.
Isn't her little boy SOO cute?
Below is Chris and I at my parent's house on Mother's Day.

PS. We even got these cute little bags from the conference. They are blue/green and brown. So cute!