April General Conference 2020

I'm not even sure what to write yet.  Several things have happened this weekend while listening to our prophet and the apostles.  There was a general call for putting our faith in Jesus Christ into action around the whole world.  I don't fully understand where this is going to hinge us as a church in the last days, but I do understand that we're in the final preparations.

This was the bicentennial conference, or the 200 years celebration, since God the Father and Jesus Christ showed themselves to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove.  We've been asked to prepare spiritually for this conference.  I read the Saints v1 book to the kids and I have loved every minute of it.  I was impressed with how well the kids listened and I'm looking forward to reading the v2 together.  It is beautiful, faith lifting, and 100% from original sources.  They said that if the book says it was raining that day, the historians have it documented in original documents that it was raining that day.  We've read The Living Christ together and studied it as a family.  We took a church history trip to the early church sites this summer to help our kids humanize the stories that they've been hearing.  We read and finished the Book of Mormon and the New Testament as a family.  I'm reading the D&C.  I think the best thing that we could have done that didn't happen, was helping each of the kids to identify the Holy Ghost.  I've tried, but I still get kids saying that they don't feel it or they don't understand.  Maybe they will.  Enos took a while to understand.  My last effort is telling them that they have to intentionally invite the spirit, it won't just magically be there.

The things that I loved the most were:  Pres Nelson talking about standing in Holy Places and be not moved, the Hosanna shout and Solemn assembly, Bro Ballard talking about the Smith family was united through their trials, Ada commenting that she was probably one of the angels at the restoration (That would be so neat!), Joy Jones talking about how the Lord loves effort, , Bro Homes talking about choosing repentance for ourselves, Pres Eyring telling us to pray, pretty much everyone telling us to stay focused on Christ, Elder Renlund talking about having reverence for the givers, Bro Stevenson talking about foundations while the world shakes around us, and I especially loved Bro Gong's talk... he made me feel like Christ would be coming again at the end of the week, it's so thrilling to be in the last days.  

I loved that they spoke about temple work around the world and the world getting ready.  I also feel that this was a dedication of our homes all around the world in preparation for the coming of Christ.  I keep thinking about how exciting it will be to see grandparents and friends again at the resurrection.

After speaking about temples, we all got out our white handkerchiefs and the kids got to join us in the Hosanna shout.  I've been able to participate in it several times, but this one was my favorite because we got to do it as a family and with the entire world.  (I have gotten to do it at the Mt Timp, Winter Quarters, Provo City Center, Nauvoo, Oquirrh Mt, Draper, West Jordan, Brigham City, Ogden, Conference Center, Payson, temples and maybe a few more dedications.  Ada got to go to the Provo City Center temple dedication when she was 8.  She says she doesn't remember it well though.)   It was hard to get Seth to sit still for it and for Sam to sit up and pay attention, but hopefully they will realize what it was someday.

My Uncle Brad was called into the General Young Men's Presidency.  He's going to do great job.  I've loved seeing his spiritual progression through the years as he's gone from speaker and author, to mission president and religion teacher and now to working with the young men.  Perfect timing as they switch to doing churchwide FSY.  I've seen him as he's progressively understood more of the gospel and humbled himself as he teaches others.  

Personally, I wouldn't have met and married Jeremy or been able to work at home for the first 7 years without him, my dad and my Uncle Chris.  My sister and I lived in and helped my Dad upkeep and care for his home while he and his wife served as mission presidents in Chile.  That put me in Jeremy's ward where we dated and were married.  I worked with them as the MightyAuthors office manager, IT, shipping, design work, trainer, etc... I loved it.  He was also my professor for an education course that I took at BYU while I taught school in Kenya. He was so kind and let me drive his car for 2 years while they were gone, which helped me be able to get to school and work without a car payment which helped me get through school with no debts.  I'm excited that he will be part of the new YM program as Sam becomes a part of it.  It probably means that Sam will not be doing his maturation program with Uncle Brad (that was supposed to be in the next month or so, but with COVID-19...), but we'll survive.

After conference, we did a zoom meeting with my family and then Jer's family.  I love being able to see everyone.