Youth Conference

Youth Conference is for for the Young Men and Women ages 14-18. The two groups get to do alot of fun things together. So for 2 1/2 days they had alot of fun learning new things and making new friends. They came back giddy girls that couldn't stop talking about the great time they had. Here was their schedule:
Thursday- 8:00 Meet at the church/breakfast
9:00 Travel to SLC
10:00 Tour Humanitarian Center
11:00 Service Project@ Globus Relief (they folded scrubs)
1:00 Lunch and Games Jordon Park
3:30 Travel to Moyle Park (Cedar Hills)
4:15 Tour and explore park
5:15 Dinner
5:45 Speaker/ on Standards and Dating.
6:30 Entertainment (Daniel Beck)
7:30 Depart Home
Friday
8:00 Breakfast at the Stake Pavilion
9:00 Workshops, speakers, other activities
12:30 lunch
1:15 Travel to Ephraim (1hr 1/2 south)
3:30 check in to apts/ Free time
4:00 Team building activities
5:45 Dinner @ Pavillion
7:00 Speaker
7:30 Travel to Manti Pageant
Saturday
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Pack and check out
9:30 quiet time
10:00 testimony meeting
11:30 lunch and travel back home (they stopped for ice cream too)
They arrived home around 1:30.
The Manti Temple

Games

Speed chatting. Every boy rotated after 3 minutes. Good way to get to know each other without the awkwardness.

Briana with Chance

Salt Lake Visit

This was a night without our little ones. So we took our big girls up to Temple Square in Salt Lake to see the Joseph Smith movie that they hadn't seen yet. I think everybody should see this, it's such a great movie. It depicts the life of Joseph Smith the prophet and founder of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, his true life story. Many people just don't know the kind of man he really was, and what he had to endure. He was persecuted, ridiculed, tarred and feathered, and was martyred. He sealed his testimony with his blood, that Jesus is the Christ and the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that he was a man of God, and through him the church of Jesus Christ was restored. The memory of him and what he has done will forever be in our hearts until the day we meet brother Joseph again. Here we are in the theater, waiting for the movie to start. I got my tissues ready.

Isn't this an awesome picture? It actually looks better in person... it's as if the picture pops out at you. This is right before you walk into the theater.

We took a walk around temple square. The temple is always so beautiful. I still have not been inside this temple, but have planned to this summer. Oh... I can't wait.

General Conference Easter weekend

Members of the church around the world gather together to hear our inspired leaders who have been called of God, to teach and guide us in these latter days. I thought it was cool that it fell on Easter weekend. I always look forward to this with my family, and I was happy that I had all my family here this time. We heard some wonderfull talks. My daughters were leaving that evening, and an amazing talk for mothers and daughters was given. Oh how grateful I was that it was given at the most perfect time for us to hear it together. Here is that amazing talk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTKOJoTeQDY


So before the morning session at 10am, We took Addy and Madison to the church to do a little Easter Egg Hunt. The weather was cold and rainy that morning, so our friends hosted it in the church instead. Addy always looks forward to doing this with her Best Friend Emma.


All the eggs she found. Boy mom needs to get a bigger basket! Madison wasn't really into the hunting this year. It was a bit early for her. All she wanted to do was drink her bottle.
Addy with her friend Emma.

Looks like they dug early into the candy. Isn't that just cute! Madison loves Music. Her watching the best church Choir in the World. =)

Addy making princess eggs between sessions of Conference.

Just hanging out. I thought that this was a silly face picture. So funny!

Young Women Conference

I am so glad that Young Women Conference falls on the weekend the girls are going to be here. Every Conference in April they have the Young Women Broadcast, and every year I look forward to it with my daughters. It's not often that they get to attend their meeting back in California, neither do they get to attend church as aften as they would like.

The Young Women theme this year is from Joshua1:9 BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE;BE NOT AFRAID, NEITHER BE THOU DISMAYED: FOR THE LORD THY GOD IS WITH THEE WITHERSOEVER THOU GOEST.

We heard wonderful inspired talks given from our Young Women Leaders, and from President Ulfdorf. They have given cousel for them to "Be of a good courage" "Never Never Give Up" "Remember who you are" and one of my favorites...."Your Happily Ever After". In that talk Ulfdorf says....... "that no mater our favorite fairtale, the main charactar, either it be a princess, a peasant, a mermaid, ruler or servant, one thing is always common...that they must overcome adversity. Between the "Once a opon a time" and the "happily ever after" they all had to experience great adversity. The scriptures tell us there is opposition in all things, for without it we cannot disern the sweeet from the bitter.In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy."
"Be strong and of good courage. You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your “once upon a time” is now." "

Both my girls have felt the spirit testify to them the truhfulness of the things that were said.... and both me and them were wiping away the tears as we left the meeting. It was the exact things they needed to hear to help and guide them as they face hardships as young women. I was so grateful for the oppurtunity our Heavenly Father provides for us to receive guidance in these days. I am grateful that there is today, as there was yesterday and will be forever, a “God of miracles” who loves His children and desires to bless them.

General Conference

I love being a member of the Church of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For those of you not familiar with the Church....members around the world gather together twice a year in their homes or churches to listen to our inspired leaders. This October I was given the opportunity again to attend the Conference center... but this time with my husband to General Conference. It was a great experience for me for the first time. I loved all the talks that were given. One of my favorite's that morning was by David Bednar, who spoke on the importance of family. His talk was entitled... More Diligent and Concerned at Home.
He gave three good suggestions that were...
1. Express Love—and Show It.
In which he quoted Thomas S Monson “Often we assume that [the people around us] must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. . . . We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us”
2. Bear Testimony—and Live It
3. Be Consistent... these are some of his quotes. "Many of the Savior’s harshest rebukes were directed to hypocrites. Jesus warned His disciples concerning the scribes and Pharisees": “Do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not” (Matthew 23:3). This strong admonition is sobering given the counsel to “express love—and show it,” to “bear testimony—and live it,” and to “be consistent.”

The hypocrisy in our lives is most readily discerned and causes the greatest destruction within our own homes. And children often are the most alert and sensitive when it comes to recognizing hypocrisy.

A public statement of love when the private actions of love are absent at home is hypocrisy—and weakens the foundation of a great work. Publicly declaring testimony when faithfulness and obedience are missing within our own homes is hypocrisy—and undermines the foundation of a great work. The commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16) applies most pointedly to the hypocrite in each of us. We need to be and become more consistent. “But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
This conference every talk that was given was focused on Love and or talked about love.
Another one that touched me so much... was by Jeffrey R Holland. This was the next day on Sunday while Dave I watched it at home. I was in tears when he bore his strong, unwavering,and true testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. In which both testify of Jesus Christ. and I love this quote .... “No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.”
Here is the last part of his talk that was SOOOO Awesome! You have to see it.

Relief Society Conference

This October I had the opportunity to attend The Relief Society Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Me and three of my lady friends headed out for Salt Lake City that night for an evening filled with inspiration and enjoyment. In front of the Conference Center with my three good friends.Us in our seats early waiting for it to start.... and taking pictures =)I am so very grateful for the Relief Society Program. It has inspired me to be a better wife, mother, friend, neighbor and person to all that I know. It has helped me understand my importance as I go through this life, that I am a precious daughter of my Heavenly Father who loves me.

Madison's Blessing

What a sacred and happy experience this was for our family. As I watched David take Madison in his arms, I felt so overwhelmed with joy as the priesthood surround her. While they stood in a circle and placed their hands under her, it was if she was being protected while her daddy blessed her from on high. The same was done as Jesus blessed the children. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them and blessed them. (Mark 10:16) So pure, sweet and innocent, freshly fallen from God's own home to flower on earth. We have been so blessed to have her in our home. So beautiful in her first white dress.

YW trip to the Salt Lake Cemetery

Briana was able to go to a young women activity the day we got back from California. We just barely made it. Alicia stayed home since she was still hurting from her braces. She just got her bottoms on the day before. So the activity was a trip up to the Salt Lake Cemetery. I wished I could have gone with her... but I was so tired from the drive. So she took my camera and took some pictures for me. This is the cemetery where they have most of the Latter Day prophets. She said it was pretty cool.. but then it started to rain on them.
Briana with her good friends Brittany and Amanda standing next to the head stone of our beloved Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley and his wife.

family come to visit

It's always nice to have family up to visit. Here are some pics I took while they were here.
Addy with her Nannie

They were having fun playing a game together.

Addy with her cousin Chelsea. She looks so happy playing with her.
Auntie Angie holding Madison.

Nannie and Grandad enjoying their granddaughter.

Having fun with Daddy.. I love how she is looking at him. This is her face when he gets home from work everyday.

Madison with cousin Hayley.

Love those eyes!

Madison with cousin Chelsea.

Awww.. looks like she is giving Chelsea a hug.

Madison sees the camera.

Likes laying on her tummy. This is the only way she actually will sleep in the night.

Taking Addy to see the horses.

Here is my handsome Man! We are passing the Mt Timpanogos Temple.

Took some pictures of the big houses in Draper near the temple.

This is our favorite. It's actually called the "Draper Chateau"

Mom and Dad in front of the Draper Temple. This is their fist time seeing it. It was just dedicated this April.

After the trip to Draper Temple we went to Salt Lake to have a walk around and do some site seeing. This time I took some different pictures of the Temple.

In front of the Temple.

Addy liked playing and sticking her hands in the water.
Mom and Dad looking up at the temple.

So high! Here she is pointing up at the temple.

What a cute picture of these two loves of my life.
I love this one! She said to me "mommy, Jesus, that's Jesus!"

Madison getting lovies from Nannie.

The Assembly Hall

This was our first time seeing inside.

Cute picture with Daddy.

Temple square always has such beautiful flowers. Addy wanted to smell them. She does this alot when she see flowers. I can't believe how perfect this came out.