A couple of months ago, my wonderful SIL Amy called and asked what I was doing the second weekend in October. I looked at the calendar and told her we didn't have anything going on that weekend. She then told me that Time Out For Women (TOFW) would be in Dallas that weekend and asked if I wanted to go. Since we had been to one in March of last year, I knew how awesome it would be and very happily agreed to come. So yesterday, Johnice and I met Amy and Jessica in Vidor and we all rode together to Dallas and had a great time visiting and catching up. It took us longer than we had hoped to get there, and things were just getting started as we arrived. Here were my favorites.
The speaker Friday night was
Virginia Hinckley Pierce. She was amazing! She talked about how to live a successful life. She told us that we must 1) trust God completely and use His Atonement to become more like him. When we stretch ourselves beyond our capacity it helps us to put our trust in God because we
cannot do it alone. She said that we need to strive to see things and people as our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do. 2) Only compare ourselves to ourselves. Am I better than I was 6 months ago? A year ago? She said that while we can learn from others, we must
never compare ourselves to others because we each have different missions to fulfill. She also said that comparing ourselves to others is the fast track to misery. 3) We must be committed to growth and making good choices so that we can recognize the spirit and respond to its promptings. When we measure success properly we feel peace, joy, and hope. She told a story about how someone once asked her mother how to have a successful marriage. She simply replied, "Lower your expectations." It was so funny! Amazing, amazing woman, and I was so grateful for the opportunity to listen to and learn from her.
The musical presenter Friday night was
Michael McLean. I was so excited because I have loved him since I was a teenager. So much of my strength and testimony came from listening to his music as I was growing up. I had the opportunity to meet him years ago when my friend Stephanie Tyndall and I went out to Utah for conference. We met him at the mall where he was signing books. We talked to him and even got our picture taken with him. (I'll have to dig that one out of the archives for flashback Friday sometime.) When we told him we were from North Carolina, he told us that he loved NC and that his son had just been called on a mission there. It was so fun to meet him in person. A year or so later, he came out to NC in December and he and his son performed "The Forgotten Carols" for our stake. It was such a treat! LOVE "The Forgotten Carols"! Anyway, so I was so excited to see him there and to be able to listen to him perform again. He very casually mentioned being clinically depressed for 25 years, and I thought he was making a joke. But then he mentioned it several more times and I finally realized that he was not kidding. He finally told the story about his long struggle with depression and how he has finally overcome it. It was so hard for me to believe that he could be depressed, yet inspiring me and so many others with his wonderful music. I wanted to go up to him during the break and tell him that, and how much I loved and appreciated him sharing his talent. But I'm a big chicken, so I didn't. Anyway, it was so fun to listen to him talk about the stories behind the songs he has written. He talked about the 14th Article of Faith. "We believe in attending our meetings, and that we have attended many meetings, and we believe that we will yet attend many other meetings. If there are any good excuses for getting out of our meetings, we seek after these things." He was so funny, and I really enjoyed seeing him again.
We stayed up way too late talking and laughing and doing some girl bonding, and barely made it on time Saturday morning.
Deanna Flynn was the first speaker. She said, "Where there's Christ, there's hope." So simple, but true. And words that I really needed to hear. I have really felt that I had lost hope in different areas of my life. But only because I have been so focused on myself, instead of my Savior, wherein lies infinite hope. She referred to D&C 52:14, and talked about patterns that the Lord has provided for us and how important they are. She reminded us that shortcuts rarely pay off, and that is it always better to do it right the first time. She talked about Elder Kikuchi (whom we recently had attend our stake) and how he encourages us to have a personal morning devotional so that we can have a daily renewal of God's everlasting love. I love that, and certainly need to make that more of a priority in my life.
Emily Freeman was the next speaker, and probably my favorite of the weekend, since it was
really a message I needed. She talked about how people always say "Have a good day!" and how everyday may not be good. So she talked about a scripture in 2 Peter--and never gave us the reference. I came home and looked it up and have added it to my list of favorites. It is chapter 3, verses 13-14, which read, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye
look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." She said that since everyday may not be a good day, that we need to learn to "see a good day". I love that, and so needed to hear this message. I have not been seeing good days lately, but I have so much good to see in my life. She gave us some tips on how to "see a good day."
1-Change your perspective. She told a story about how she was driving one day by a field of dandelions. She thought to herself, "Look at all of those weeds." And just as she was thinking that, her little girl said, "Wow, look at all of those wishes." They saw the same field, but had totally different perspectives. She said our focus needs to be governed by HOPE. Love that!
2-Make a list of what you love. So simple, but so effective in helping us realize all that we have been blessed with.
3-Give your heart a great experience. -Ecclesiastes 1:16
4-Remember special days.
5-Determine a reason for the hope in you. -Hebrews 1:9 and Jeremiah 31:17
Loved this woman's perspective, and I am already "seeing" good days ahead.
Wendy Ulrich's talk was so uplifting in a very non-threatening way. She taught us to:
1-Stop worrying about our weakness. She said instead we need to make a list of our strengths and focus on them, and think of a new and creative way to share our strengths.
2-Don't try to get motivated to exercise. Love it. She said we should just go put our exercise clothes on because they are more comfortable. Then put our tennis shoes on because we like them. Then go outside to see how the weather is. Then walk across the street to see if our neighbor is home. And, well, while we're already outside in our workout clothes we might as well exercise. She said that motivation follows action. So true.
3-Stop trying to find friends. Instead we should develop friendship skills, and challenged us to have one meaningful conversation with someone new each day. This is really hard for me, but I know I need to do it anyway.
4-Don't try to feel happy. Instead try to feel grateful. She told us to write down three good things about each day.
5-Celebrate failure. She said that failure means that we are taking the necessary risks to grow, stretch, and serve. When we fail, we should ask ourselves "What did I learn? How did I overcome?"
6-Don't endure to the end. President Hinckley said, "Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." She encouraged us to savor everyday delights.
I loved, loved, loved every second of the many wonderful messages. I felt like they were talking just to me. Good, good stuff. Oh, and I loved how
all of the speakers told us that we are "magnificent" and that we are doing "terrifically well". So nice to hear things like that sometimes.
I am so grateful for these wonderful women in my life and for being able to spend the past two days with them. I didn't even realize how much I need everything about the past two days. Love you all, and can't wait for the next TOFW!
