Time Out for Women

Last weekend I was able to attend a wonderful conference put on by some of my church members called Time Out for Women.

The conference featured several wonderful speakers, who have published a number of funny, uplifting, and/or inspirational works, and two musical performers. One was Hillary Weeks, who writes and sings religious music. As she was performing she would tell stories about when she was writing a song, or about something that has influenced her in her life. The other musician was Jenny Oaks Banks, an extraordinary and very accomplished concert violinist. The event was held in Seattle's Benaroya Hall, which is an amazing auditorium perfect for concerts. It was such an amazing experience to hear Jenny play in that hall. I literally got goosebumps listening to her and was moved to tears.

Carrie Howell, Anne Bodily, me, and Amy Germer

I was lucky enough to attend the event with three good friends from church. We went down together and stayed overnight in a hotel downtown. It was really a Girls' Weekend!! We had so much fun! We stayed out late on Friday night, eating dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, and ignoring the number of calories consumed after 11:00 pm. (For shame!) Hey, sometimes a girl just needs a break!


When we checked into our hotel we got to see what Crazies are about at that hour of night, and were able to laugh about it since we were together. (I would have been running, crying, to my room if I'd been on my own!) Then we were able to tease Anne for being the one to take the spot on the beds that was furthest from the door, so she would be the last one attacked by a late-night intruder. (I was the sacrificial lamb, being closest to the door, of course. Anything for my friends!)



Overall it was such a wonderful retreat for me. I got to listen to some amazing speakers who not only entertained me, but inspired me to be the better wife/mother/woman I know I am destined to become. It is so easy for me to get too bogged down with all the little things going on in my life and get overwhelmed. As women, we wear a lot of hats in this world: wife, mother, friend, counselor, guide, teacher, dietary planner, chauffer.... Sometimes I lose track of exactly where my head is to put the next hat on. From the conference I was reminded that we can receive sweet assurance from things we know to be true. No matter what life throws at us, our testimonies of truth can give us strength and bouy us up when we feel the lowest.


These Things I Know:
*I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father, who loves me, and wants me to return to live with Him someday.
*There is a divine purpose for my life on earth.
*Marriage and the family is the most sacred union on earth and in the after-life.
*Death does not have to break my family ties. We can be together forever.
*Jesus Christ is my personal Savior. He died and lives again for each one of us.
*I can and do receive strength and guidance through personal prayer and studying the scriptures.
*We have a living prophet today who is able to give us counsel from God in relation to trials we face in our modern times.
*We will never be forsaken during our trials. The outcome may not always be how we would choose, but we are never left to face it on our own.