A Day of Introspection & Assessment...

With so many thoughts stemming from today's semi-annual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that I don't even know where to begin...

First I must like to say that I LOVE the council of the Lord! It is like being instructed by a father who knows me and loves me, and is answering all my questions, I have found it helpful to have questions to take to conference--if you haven't tried it, you may like it as well :)

And if you would like to listen to or watch General Conference, it is tomorrow at 10am and again at 2pm US MDT: http://www.lds.org/broadcast/gc/0,5161,8176,00.html

*waking up early for the 'perfect' day
*learning that we didn't have TV channels until 9:57am
*Having to find the humilty to ask for help...
*A TEMPLE IN ROME ITALY!!! MI PIACE!!!
*Pray for countries to continue to open--just like w/Italy!!!
*The best is yet to be!!!
*Time to move on and explore other opportunities...
*The relation of body & spirit
*Live within your means--Save for a rainy day--earn interest don't pay it!
*Spiritual fuel!
*Invite others to come unto Christ--PMG
*all the good people God has brought into my life through the means of missionary work...and how different my life would be without them all...
*The impact my choices now will have on my future family...
*This is the Lord's work and he will help me do it!
*You don't know everything, but you know enough :)
*I know God loves me!
*No one is immune from sorrow and loss--God is his wisdom allows each of us to pass through things in this life...
*With God's help we can break the chain and forge ahead in faith!
*The promose from Pres. Hinckley regarding the Book of Mormon...the same promise I wrote in the front cover of the Book I gave him just months before he died...
*I did the best I could... I really did try...Scott knows that and God knows that...I just need to allow that to sink deep into my heart.
*Endure well. Experience joy. Don't allow self to be influenced by others.
*Attend the house of the Lord often.
*Make my home a house of the Lord. *BD_Temple
*Don't allow anything about me to distract from the Lord and his covenants
*Reverence before sacrament meeting
*replace my sarcasm, light-mindedness & loud laughter with sincerity & love.
*Seek direction weekly from the Lord in church--take my questions to him.
*Stand on Holy Ground--how can I improve this--in my relationships...
*'My House is a house of Order...' *D&C 88--see personal study yesterday!
?What kind of mother am I preparing now to be?
*seek faith to overcome fear & hope to overcome despair
?How can I seek to go on despite fear, discouragement & lonliness
*The infinite power of hope! Hold On Peace Exists :) Thanks Christianne
*Despair kills ambition & deadens the heart, drains from us all that is vibrant
*You need to learn to have greater joy Ashley
?How can I cultivate greater hope? PMG Christ-like attributes
?transcends the trivial--> hope of Isreal
*Look beyond the horizon of mortality
SMC: I hope there's something on the other side: There is.
It exceeds the grandest expectations of our lives
"Until we once again walk in his light..."
"he is in my hands, he is my son."
*One step at a time Ash, just as we learn to walk.
*Care for those around us even without hope of reciprocation
*things we hope in=> Charity
*things we hope for => faith
*Hope not only in the next life, but in this life as well.
?What things do I hope for in this life? Do I?
*Reason to rejoice even when all seems dark around us.
*God will wait with open arms.
*To all who suffer, to all who feel lonely, never give in, never surrender, NEVER ALLOW DESPAIR TO OVERCOME YOUR SPIRIT!
*I need thee every hour in joy or pain...

Afternoon Session:
I Am a Child of God
*The importance of children to the Lord. He loves us. Parental guidance.
*When you fall down--pick yourself up and get going again.
[Get back in the game, Ash--> Ut. Co. billboard 7/06]
*Drunk deeply from the cup of dissapointment, sorrow, & loss. The Lord in his wisdom shelters no one.
*Learn to LAUGH!!!
*Seek for the ETERNAL!
*Understand the principle of compensation
"every tear today will be returned a hundred fold tears of rejoicing...Not even death can take from us the eternal blessings"
*Put your trust in Heavenly Father & His son Jesus Christ
*Adversity if handled correctly in our lives can be a blessing
*Praise for living the sermons you preach
*seperation from God must have been the most detrimental
*in special times of need--God sends angels.
*take heart, be filled with faith.
*The Lord said he would fight our battles, our childrens battles, our childrens childrens battles.
*Heaven never seems closer than when we feel the the love of God manifested through those who's hearts are so pure they can only be described as angelic.
?Would God really send an angel to me?
*God never leaves us alone.
"I will go before your face, and be on your right hand and on your left..."
Teach Me To Walk in the Light of His Love..."
*From Scott's funeral
*importance of our search for knowledge
?What would God have me learn more of?
*Saviors teaching adapted to everyone--especially children
?Eyes are blind, you have to see with your heart?
?Then light and life more abundantly..?
*Only God can heal us. Only God can give us peace.
*Christ in Gesthemane. BYU Jerusalem.
*to be endowed with power.
*Don't ever believe the standard of the Lord is unreachable.
*Life is hard. The Lord's way is not hard.
?Increase in peace, love, strength, knowledge, confidence?
*Matt: come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden... And I shall give you rest. 6/06
*Never, never, never give up.
Only 1 way to happiness and fulfilment-->Christ is the way.
*Many died w/o sight.
*Zion is both a place and a people.
?How can I create that place and become that person & attract that into my life?
?Create my home as zion.
*Take up residency in Zion & get rid of the summer cottage in babylon
?Where are my summer cottages?
?Am I doing what I should be doing? Enough of what I should be doing?
*Learn to be content with what is sufficient for our needs.
*Kitchen table cut in half...
*Spiritual creation each day.
?Do I create spiritually before temporally?
*Importance of a husband who presides, provides & protects
*Pray always-->great blessings in store for us-->contingent upon our asking BD_Prayer
*express heartfelt gratitude & Ask for nothing.
*pray for others with real intent & a pure heart--even those who despitefully use us. It increases our capacity to hear and understand the voice of the Lord.
*Vision cam in response to a prayer for others.
?Do my roommates, friends, loved ones hear me petition God in their behalf?
*The time to repent is now!!!

I was grateful to watch conference this morning with a good friend, and then we got a consistent feed for the afternoon session--a few more tears near the surface when the childrens choir sang the song from Scott's funeral and so many things drew my heart to tender memories of my brother. I love the Lord. I love his teachings!