conference, oh how I love thee.

Today was day 1 of Conference weekend and I find myself filled with gratitude for the opportunity to listen our prophet and apostles. It was a little tricky making it all work, with 4 soccer players and 2 rather fidgety littles but WE DID IT. It included watching conference at a neighboring stake center so we could get each soccer player to watch one session and much of the thanks goes to our crock pot that cooked up a yummy stew while we were being fed spiritually. (and then lunch was waiting for our break between sessions.)

My notes are still a little scribbled as I wait for the transcripts to be released. (I just can't write fast enough, so I have lots to fill in here and there.) Here are some quotes/thoughts that I just loved:

Richard G. Scott:

scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our life

to memorize a scripture is to forge a friendship

Barbara Thompson:

Remember to first inquire of the Lord (Nephi)

I didn't keep my testimony through those times-my testimony kept me! (pioneer)

the spirit of revelation will illuminate and enlarge your soul

Jose Alonso:

analogy of lost son (sheep): they didn't need a planning meeting to find him and the son didn't even know that he was lost

Christ's love is for all but he never loses sight of the one.

"The Lord expects our thinking. He expects our action. He expects our labors. He expects our testimonies. He expects our devotion." -Thomas S. Monson

Let us do the right thing, at the right time without delay.

Boyd K. Packer (so perfect for our youth!)

Young people are being raised in enemy territory

(His whole talk was wonderful, but full of long quotes that I didn't get completely enough to put on here.)

Dieter F. Uchtdorf (individual worth, in a nutshell)

Compared to God we are nothing, but to Him we are everything.

The Lord doesn't care if we spend our days working in Marble Halls or stabled stalls

The Lord uses a scale very different to the world's to measure the worth of souls

David Bednar:

All about family history for the youth

It is no coincidence that FamilySearch and other tools have come forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range of information and communication technologies. Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord — not just to communicate quickly with your friends. The skills and aptitude evident among many young people today are a preparation to contribute to the work of salvation.

(I just found it to be such an a-ha moment. Of course the youth have been prepared to do family history. Every time I attempt to get help at a family history center, I find myself frustrated that very well meaning and family history saavy workers can't help me because their technology skills are about 10 years behind. Of course the youth are the answer!)

Neil A. Anderson:

Where once the standards of the Church and the standards of society were mostly compatible, now there is a wide chasm between us, and it’s growing ever wider. (Thomas S. Monson)

Motherhood is not a hobby. It is a calling. It isn't something you make time for...It is what God gave you time for.

(LOVED this talk. It summed up my feelings on the matter pretty well. Amen, Elder Anderson....then again I felt that way with every single talk that was given today. Wow. Such a wonderful day.)

Ok...I'm too tired to go on. I've gotta get some shut eye before tomorrow as we are a little spoiled over here with our normal 1 pm church time. I will try to finish this tomorrow, but as the joke goes in our science class (in reference to experiments that involve me going to the store to purchase necessary items) that means never. The whole point of this post? I *love* conference. Hey. Did I tell you how much I love conference? (And that I saw Chloe write across the top of her notes "I love conference!"?? How cute is that?)