More Than Rubies

In an effort to maintain the "using song titles as post titles" that i so love to do, I considered titling this "Ruby My Love" but figured it was a bit too obscure, sooo...Who can name the artist of that song?? I'll be way impressed with a correct answer (erin, you are not eligible to participate).

I spent this morning at our Stake Women's Conference. I (often) complain that with my calling in the Primary, I rarely get a chance for my own instruction. I need to do more studying on my own but it is so nice to sit and take in wonderful gospel teachings. So this was a great opportunity, even on a Saturday.

The theme for the conference was, "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." (Proverbs 31:10)

This was a fantastic conference. SO many impressive speakers. General Conference quality (not that i should really be critiquing people's efforts, but, well, this is my blog, right?). The opening speaker was Bro. H. and I thought to myself, "Now, why is a MAN the first speaker at WOMEN'S conference??" He was wonderful though--a perfect kickoff to the morning of speakers. His big message was to remind us that we are children of God. And also that we beat ourselves up a lot over stuff we shouldn't, referring to "Mormon Ulcers." I do not have this problem. I do not get caught up in the fact that I do not grind my wheat and make my own bread or whatever. But I do know I can do better with the small, simple things. I probably need to beat myself up just a little bit...He used a lot of a General Conference talk from October 2006 by Elder Anthony Perkins (wasn't he the guy in "Psycho?"). (Irreverent, I know). OK, but seriously. I tend to skim over talks in Conference if they're not from the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve. Not fair, but true. So i don't have any memory of this speaker or talk. It's a gem of a talk, short and sweet. Very positive. To include a few favorite lines from this talk:

• "Find joy each day...You will experience greater joy in life as you eradicate adult-onset pessimism and substitute childlike optimism. Optimism is a virtue that allows us to see God's loving hand in the details of our life."
• "...see yourself as a child of a loving Heavenly Father"
• "Heavenly Father is not expecting you to become completely perfect in this life...Avoid wasting time and energy reliving the past."

Another speaker was a BYU student who just returned from the Jerusalem Center. She shared some slides of her time in Israel and a wonderful testimony. It was amazing to me that places that Jesus walked are still in existence. Yes, I knew this prior to her talk, but somehow it just really hit me. There's the Garden of Gethsemene, there's the Mount of Temptations, there's His garden tomb. Wow. To walk where Jesus walked. Amazing.

Her talk made me feel a little bit of regret that I didn't do any of the study abroads offered at the Y. I was in such a study, "get-through-school" mode. The nursing program was already a 5-year program and all I did was that. Bummer. I do realize that I am a different person now than I was then and I would certainly approach my college experience differently so it's completely silly to have regrets, but, well, there it is. Could've gone to Jerusalem, could've gone to Guatemala, could've gone to Jordan (both Guatemala and Jordan were specifically College of Nursing international electives! I remember thinking, "No to Guatemala since I don't speak Spanish" and the Middle East didn't really interest me back then), I could've gone to AFRICA. Instead I have memories of the BYU library. And not even the snazzy one they have now--the one that still had card catalogs...Again, there it is. That was a long sidebar.

Another phenomenal speaker and phenomenal woman (ah, Maya Angelou) was Sis. M. What an impressive speaker she was. I am always so amazed when people just seem so comfortable, no notes, no shaky voice or hands. Confident in her message and filled with the Spirit. She wanted us to remember our divinity within. She specifically wanted us to know this from Pres. George Q. Cannon, "We are the children of God, and as His children there is no attribute we ascribe to Him that we do not possess, thought they may be dormant or in embryo." I liked that.
A quartet played "More Holiness Give Me" beautifully. Made me want to get back into playing my violin, an urge I feel often but rarely pick it up.

What was nice too was the company i was in while I was there. Obviously the chapel was filled with women of all different ages, backgrounds and talents. But more specifically I really enjoyed the women from my ward that I sat and chatted with. It was a lovely way to spend a morning.